Hillbilly HostingThe hosting bill reckoner
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Ledger Pass$1.95 a month or $19.50 a yearFree during preview: no checkout yet, no charge

Bill Reckoner

What will this hosting really cost?

Open the host's checkout page and copy its numbers here: the sign-up price, the renewal price in the small print, the term, the domain and the add-ons. Nothing is looked up and nothing is stored unless you save it.

Showing an example with made-up numbers, not any host's prices. Start with an empty form.

What to count

Years 4 and 5 and offers 3 to 6: Ledger Pass · free during preview $1.95 a month or $19.50 a year.

A Offer A
Add-ons (backups, privacy, email, site builder...)
B Offer B
Add-ons (backups, privacy, email, site builder...)

Saving makes a private Ledger link (no account, no email). The free Ledger keeps 1 reckoning; Ledger Pass keeps 25.

The reckoning: Example: two offers for a small shop site

Over 3 years from Nov 1, 2026

Side by side

Offers compared over 3 years
MeasureOffer A: 2-year sign-upOffer B: month to monthCheapest over 3 years
Advertised, a month$3.49$7.99
Day one$131.64$23.98
Year 1$131.64$111.87
Year 2$20.99$111.87
Year 3$188.75$111.87
3 years total$341.38$335.61
Real price, a month$9.48$9.32
Leave after 14 months$152.63$143.84

The cheaper offer changes 2 times: Offer B: month to month is cheaper so far in months 1-15; Offer A: 2-year sign-up is cheaper so far in months 16-24; Offer B: month to month is cheaper so far in months 25-36 (money paid so far, month by month). Over the whole 3 years, Offer B: month to month costs $5.77 less than the next cheapest.

Offer A: 2-year sign-up

$9.48a month, really, over 3 years

Advertised
$3.49 a month
Day one
$131.64
3 years
$341.38
First renewal
$131.88 on Nov 1, 2028
  • R1 · Look hardThe renewal price is 3.1 times the sign-up price $3.49 a month at sign-up becomes $10.99 a month at renewal on Nov 1, 2028.
  • R8 · Look hardThe advertised price is 37% of what you pay Advertised $3.49 a month; over 3 years this offer costs $9.48 a month on average.
  • R2 · Worth a questionThe sign-up price covers 24 of your 36 months From Nov 1, 2028 you pay the renewal price, $10.99 a month.
  • R3 · Worth a questionA lot of money up front Day one costs $131.64.
  • R5 · Worth a questionDaily backups: the first price ends $1.00 a month becomes $2.99 a month on Nov 1, 2027.
  • R4 · Good to knowThe free domain starts billing From Nov 1, 2027 the domain costs $20.99 a year.
Year 1
  1. Month 2 (Dec 1, 2026): no charge
  2. Month 3 (Jan 1, 2027): no charge
  3. Month 4 (Feb 1, 2027): no charge
  4. Month 5 (Mar 1, 2027): no charge
  5. Month 6 (Apr 1, 2027): no charge
  6. Month 7 (May 1, 2027): no charge
  7. Month 8 (Jun 1, 2027): no charge
  8. Month 9 (Jul 1, 2027): no charge
  9. Month 10 (Aug 1, 2027): no charge
  10. Month 11 (Sep 1, 2027): no charge
  11. Month 12 (Oct 1, 2027): no charge
Year 2
  1. Month 13 (Nov 1, 2027): $20.99
  2. Month 14 (Dec 1, 2027): no charge
  3. Month 15 (Jan 1, 2028): no charge
  4. Month 16 (Feb 1, 2028): no charge
  5. Month 17 (Mar 1, 2028): no charge
  6. Month 18 (Apr 1, 2028): no charge
  7. Month 19 (May 1, 2028): no charge
  8. Month 20 (Jun 1, 2028): no charge
  9. Month 21 (Jul 1, 2028): no charge
  10. Month 22 (Aug 1, 2028): no charge
  11. Month 23 (Sep 1, 2028): no charge
  12. Month 24 (Oct 1, 2028): no charge
Year 3
  1. Month 25 (Nov 1, 2028): $188.75
  2. Month 26 (Dec 1, 2028): no charge
  3. Month 27 (Jan 1, 2029): no charge
  4. Month 28 (Feb 1, 2029): no charge
  5. Month 29 (Mar 1, 2029): no charge
  6. Month 30 (Apr 1, 2029): no charge
  7. Month 31 (May 1, 2029): no charge
  8. Month 32 (Jun 1, 2029): no charge
  9. Month 33 (Jul 1, 2029): no charge
  10. Month 34 (Aug 1, 2029): no charge
  11. Month 35 (Sep 1, 2029): no charge
  12. Month 36 (Oct 1, 2029): no charge

If you leave after 14 months (Jan 1, 2028)

It cost $152.63: $10.90 a month. No refund after the money-back window: the 10 prepaid months left on the term are lost.

Every charge, with its date (6)
DateWhatAmount
Nov 1, 2026Hosting, sign-up price (24 months up front)$83.76
Nov 1, 2026Daily backups (24 months up front)$47.88
Nov 1, 2027Domain, one year$20.99
Nov 1, 2028Hosting, renewal (12 months up front)$131.88
Nov 1, 2028Domain, one year$20.99
Nov 1, 2028Daily backups (12 months up front)$35.88
Total over 3 years$341.38

Offer B: month to month

$9.32a month, really, over 3 years

Advertised
$7.99 a month
Day one
$23.98
3 years
$335.61
First renewal
$7.99 on Dec 1, 2026

None of the eight rules found anything to question in this offer.

Year 1
  1. Month 2 (Dec 1, 2026): $7.99
  2. Month 3 (Jan 1, 2027): $7.99
  3. Month 4 (Feb 1, 2027): $7.99
  4. Month 5 (Mar 1, 2027): $7.99
  5. Month 6 (Apr 1, 2027): $7.99
  6. Month 7 (May 1, 2027): $7.99
  7. Month 8 (Jun 1, 2027): $7.99
  8. Month 9 (Jul 1, 2027): $7.99
  9. Month 10 (Aug 1, 2027): $7.99
  10. Month 11 (Sep 1, 2027): $7.99
  11. Month 12 (Oct 1, 2027): $7.99
Year 2
  1. Month 13 (Nov 1, 2027): $23.98
  2. Month 14 (Dec 1, 2027): $7.99
  3. Month 15 (Jan 1, 2028): $7.99
  4. Month 16 (Feb 1, 2028): $7.99
  5. Month 17 (Mar 1, 2028): $7.99
  6. Month 18 (Apr 1, 2028): $7.99
  7. Month 19 (May 1, 2028): $7.99
  8. Month 20 (Jun 1, 2028): $7.99
  9. Month 21 (Jul 1, 2028): $7.99
  10. Month 22 (Aug 1, 2028): $7.99
  11. Month 23 (Sep 1, 2028): $7.99
  12. Month 24 (Oct 1, 2028): $7.99
Year 3
  1. Month 25 (Nov 1, 2028): $23.98
  2. Month 26 (Dec 1, 2028): $7.99
  3. Month 27 (Jan 1, 2029): $7.99
  4. Month 28 (Feb 1, 2029): $7.99
  5. Month 29 (Mar 1, 2029): $7.99
  6. Month 30 (Apr 1, 2029): $7.99
  7. Month 31 (May 1, 2029): $7.99
  8. Month 32 (Jun 1, 2029): $7.99
  9. Month 33 (Jul 1, 2029): $7.99
  10. Month 34 (Aug 1, 2029): $7.99
  11. Month 35 (Sep 1, 2029): $7.99
  12. Month 36 (Oct 1, 2029): $7.99

If you leave after 14 months (Jan 1, 2028)

It cost $143.84: $10.27 a month. No refund: billed month by month, so leaving simply stops the next charge.

Every charge, with its date (39)
DateWhatAmount
Nov 1, 2026Hosting, sign-up price$7.99
Nov 1, 2026Domain, one year$15.99
Dec 1, 2026Hosting, renewal$7.99
Jan 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Feb 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Mar 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Apr 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
May 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Jun 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Jul 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Aug 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Sep 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Oct 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Nov 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Nov 1, 2027Domain, one year$15.99
Dec 1, 2027Hosting, renewal$7.99
Jan 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Feb 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Mar 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Apr 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
May 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Jun 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Jul 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Aug 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Sep 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Oct 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Nov 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Nov 1, 2028Domain, one year$15.99
Dec 1, 2028Hosting, renewal$7.99
Jan 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
Feb 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
Mar 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
Apr 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
May 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
Jun 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
Jul 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
Aug 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
Sep 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
Oct 1, 2029Hosting, renewal$7.99
Total over 3 years$335.61

Amounts include the sales tax you typed and are rounded to the cent per charge. Monthly add-ons on an up-front plan are counted as paid with each term. Hosts can change prices and terms: check the checkout page before you pay.