SiteGround review 2026: an independent evaluation by Tech Hosting Guide
Tech Hosting Guide is an independent review publication. We verify every price against the provider’s own pricing page and score what we can evidence against the same six criteria we apply to every provider. This page is not operated by or affiliated with SiteGround.
SiteGround's shared plans (StartUp, GrowBig, GoGeek) start at $2.99/mo on a 12-month prepaid term but renew at a high $17.99-$44.99/mo. All include a free domain, free SSL, free CDN, free daily backups, free email and free migrations on Google Cloud infrastructure. Data checked 2026-08-20.
Why this is provisional: performance, uptime and support can only be scored by buying the plan and measuring it. Those tests are not complete for this provider, so those criteria carry no number and are excluded from the weighted average rather than filled with a guess. See how we test.
Score breakdown
Each criterion is scored out of 10 and weighted as shown. The weights are fixed and identical for every provider on this site.
- Performance (25% weight)—/10TODO: score and justification not yet recorded. Do not publish this review until it is.
- Uptime & reliability (20% weight)—/10TODO: score and justification not yet recorded. Do not publish this review until it is.
- Support quality (20% weight)—/10TODO: score and justification not yet recorded. Do not publish this review until it is.
- Pricing & value (15% weight)4.5/10The worst renewal cliff of the six by a wide margin: $2.99/mo becomes $17.99/mo, a 6x increase, and GoGeek jumps from $7.99 to $44.99/mo. The 12-month prepaid term is shorter than Hostinger's or Bluehost's, which is the one thing in its favour. Buy the first year, then budget for a decision. 30-day refund window.
- Ease of use (10% weight)—/10TODO: score and justification not yet recorded. Do not publish this review until it is.
- Features & flexibility (10% weight)7.5/10Google Cloud infrastructure with free daily backups, free CDN, free email, free migrations and staging on higher tiers. Held back by a 10 GB allocation and a hard one-website limit on StartUp.
Pros and cons
What it does well
- Runs on Google Cloud infrastructure with free CDN, free daily backups and free email on all plans.
- Intro discount available on a 12-month term (shorter commitment than most rivals for the headline price).
- Higher tiers add staging, Git, on-demand backups, 30% faster PHP and (GoGeek) priority support.
Where it falls short
- Steepest renewal rates in the group: $17.99-$44.99/mo after the first term.
- Entry StartUp plan limited to 1 website and 10 GB storage.
- Intro pricing is heavily promotional (up to 83% off) and applies only to the first term.
SiteGround pricing, including what it renews at
Introductory hosting pricing is a marketing number. What follows is both the introductory rate and the renewal rate, side by side, with the contract term required to obtain the discount.
| Plan | Intro price | Renews at | Websites | Storage | Free domain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StartUp | $2.99/mo 12-month prepaid (Save 83%) | $17.99/mo | 1 website | 10 GB Premium (Google Cloud) SSD storage | Yes - free domain | Free email accounts included |
| GrowBig | $4.99/mo 12-month prepaid (Save 83%) | $29.99/mo | Unlimited websites | 50 GB Premium (Google Cloud) SSD storage | Yes - free domain | Free email accounts included |
| GoGeek | $7.99/mo 12-month prepaid (Save 82%) | $44.99/mo | Unlimited websites | 100 GB Premium (Google Cloud) SSD storage | Yes - free domain | Free email accounts included |
Affiliate link — Tech Hosting Guide may earn a commission. Your price is unchanged. Details.
Hands-on test data
Who SiteGround suits — and who should look elsewhere
Alternatives worth comparing
Every provider below was tested by Tech Hosting Guide using the identical process, so the scores are directly comparable.
- Hostinger review — scored 6.9/10
- Bluehost review — scored 6.8/10
- DreamHost review — scored 7.3/10
Frequently asked questions
Is this the official SiteGround website?
No. This page is published by Tech Hosting Guide, an independent review publication operated by İsmail Salgın. We are not owned by, operated by, or affiliated with SiteGround. To reach the official site, use the clearly-labelled outbound link on this page or type the provider address into your browser directly.
Does SiteGround offer a money-back guarantee?
SiteGround advertises a 30-day money-back guarantee at the time of our last check on 2026-08-20. Refund terms usually exclude domain registration fees and some add-ons, so read the provider's own refund policy before relying on it.
What does SiteGround cost after the introductory period?
The renewal column in the pricing table on this page shows it. Introductory hosting prices almost always require prepaying a long term up front, and the renewal rate is frequently several times the advertised headline price. We publish both because the second number is the one you will actually live with.
How did Tech Hosting Guide score SiteGround?
Six weighted criteria: performance 25%, uptime 20%, support 20%, pricing 15%, ease of use 10%, features 10%. The score breakdown with a written justification for each criterion is above, and the full testing process is on our methodology page.
Does Tech Hosting Guide earn money if I sign up with SiteGround?
Yes, if you use the affiliate link on this page we may receive a commission from SiteGround, and your price is unchanged. That commission is not an input to the score. The person who scores a review does not have access to commission data for the provider being reviewed. See our affiliate disclosure.
Before you buy
Prices and plan limits on this page were verified on 2026-08-20 and change frequently. The provider's own website is the authoritative source. Verify current terms there before purchasing.
View the official SiteGround site →Affiliate link — Tech Hosting Guide may earn a commission. Your price is unchanged. Details.