Hosting prices 2026: annual hosting fees, domains, and renewal conditions

What should be checked when selecting a hosting package?

When selecting a package, software versions, backup arrangements, SSL, support channels, migration conditions, and data location should be asked about before hosting prices. Once answers to these subjects are obtained in writing, two proposals can be compared against the same standard.

PHP and database versions

For a website running WordPress, the reference standard is WordPress.org’s server requirements page. The page recommends PHP 8.3 or newer, MariaDB 10.11 or higher or MySQL 8.0 or higher, and HTTPS support. According to the same page, WordPress can also run on PHP 7.4 in older environments, but these versions have reached the end of official support and may expose the website to security vulnerabilities. The page also considers running PHP applications under the account’s own username rather than the server’s shared user more secure.

Backup frequency and scope

The backup guide in WordPress developer documentation requires regular database backups and backups before every update; it recommends weekly backups for small websites publishing few posts and daily backups for active websites. According to the guide, a full restoration requires backups of both files and the database, because downloading the WordPress folder does not include the database. The same document also recommends supporting automatic backups with an occasional manual copy. The hosting proposal should document how often backups are taken, how many days they are retained, and how restoration is requested.

SSL, support, and migration conditions

These three subjects receive the least space on package pages but are the information most needed when problems arise:

• SSL: Whether the certificate is installed and automatically renewed before expiration is a basic question for the website to open over https.
• Support: Find out which channels and hours receive responses and who intervenes in server-related failures.
• Migration: If there is an existing website, who will migrate it, how the fee will be determined, and when the old server will be closed should be clarified.

Data location and KVKK

On a website collecting personal data through contact forms, memberships, or orders, the hosting provider becomes one of the locations where data is processed. According to the KVKK (Turkey’s Personal Data Protection Law) page on data security obligations, when personal data is processed by another person on the controller’s behalf, the controller is jointly responsible with that person for taking necessary measures. The same page states that measures must suit each controller’s structure, activities, and risks, and that there is no single model for this. If the server is abroad, international transfer rules also become relevant; this subject is addressed in the hosting selection guide linked above.

This section provides general information and is not a legal opinion. For a website processing personal data, server location and the terms of the agreement with the provider should be assessed together with a legal professional.

In whose name should the domain and hosting be registered?

When domain registration, invoices, and the management dashboard are maintained using the business’s own details, ownership is not left open to dispute. The website address is also the business email address; registration in someone else’s name ties renewal and migration decisions to that person.

Ownership problems are usually noticed when the working relationship ends. Common situations include:

• The registration is tied to the email address of the website developer or a former employee, and renewal notifications reach no one.
• The business has no access to the hosting dashboard; even requesting a backup file requires an intermediary.
• The transfer code needed to move the domain to another company remains in someone else’s account.

An Onur Freelance proposal documents the name and contact details under which the domain will be registered, how dashboard access will be shared, and how handover will occur when work ends. Reading these clauses before signing prevents potential later disagreements from the outset.

Should hosting be purchased directly from the company or from the website manager?

Both routes are possible; the difference lies in who holds billing and technical responsibility. With direct purchase, the business deals with the server company, and setup and troubleshooting become separate work; when purchased from the website developer or manager, there is one technical contact, but ownership and access clauses must be documented.

When comparing domain and hosting prices under these two models, setup, migration, and communication during problems should be considered alongside the annual amount. A single contact is convenient for a business without a technical team; a company with its own IT staff may prefer to manage the server directly.

What does cheap hosting actually cost?

A low annual fee becomes expensive in the end if it does not compensate for time and effort spent during slowdowns, outages, or data loss. The invoice looks small, but costs spread across other items:

• Slow-loading pages: On a resource-limited server, visitors may leave without completing the form while waiting; with advertising-driven traffic, this loss directly affects the budget.
• Unclear backups: If backup scope and retention are unknown, there may be no copy to restore after a failure.
• Old software versions: When current PHP is unavailable, themes and plugins become incompatible over time.
• Additional charges later: SSL, restoration, migration, or extra mailboxes may be billed separately.
• Unreachable support: If responses are delayed during a problem, the website may remain offline for hours.

It is also necessary to account for the fact that slow performance does not always originate from the server: a heavy theme, unoptimized images, and unused plugins can make even a powerful server appear slow. Measuring before changing packages and, if necessary, examining WordPress speed optimization is a more appropriate sequence.

How does the hosting migration process proceed?

Hosting migration is completed by copying the website’s files and database to the new server, testing them there, and then pointing the domain to the new server. As long as the address does not change, visitors see no difference; email and DNS records are what really require planning.

1. Inventory: The existing provider, domain registrar, dashboard managing DNS, and email accounts are listed.
2. Backup: A current copy of website files and the database is taken, and one copy is stored independently of the server.
3. Setup and testing: The website is brought up on the new server and tested before the domain is pointed to it.
4. Pointing: Domain records are changed to the new server, and mail records are checked at the same time.
5. Closure: Old hosting remains active until everything in the new environment has been verified.

Technical details of the steps and what to do in migrations where the domain also changes are explained on the WordPress website migration page. Migration fees and timing are clarified in the proposal after the website’s size and email structure have been reviewed.

Common mistakes in hosting selection and renewal

The most common mistake is failing to track renewal dates and payment methods; when a card expires or a notification goes to an unread address, the website and email may stop simultaneously. Other common mistakes and correct approaches include:

• Choosing only by the figure: When hosting prices are not read together with scope, an apparently cheapest proposal can grow through additional items.
• Not obtaining technical scope in writing: Verbal information about storage, mailboxes, backups, and SSL offers no basis during a problem.
• Not backing up before updates: When a plugin conflict occurs, no reliable point remains to restore.
• Closing old hosting immediately: DNS changes do not reach everywhere simultaneously; some visitors and emails may continue reaching the old server for a while.
• Forgetting two separate renewal dates: If the domain and hosting renew on different days, both must be entered into the calendar.

If updates, backups, and renewal tracking are to run regularly, these tasks can be monitored within the annual WordPress maintenance and updates service.

How is a hosting proposal prepared at Onur Freelance?

After the website’s requirements are discussed, the proposal is prepared in writing with the annual fee, technical scope, and renewal conditions and shared the same day. The process proceeds in this order:

1. Initial meeting: Website type, infrastructure, expected visitor volume, and email requirements are discussed; the preliminary review is free.
2. Current situation review: If a website exists, the current provider, domain registrar, and renewal dates are checked.
3. Written proposal: The annual fee for hosting, a domain, or both together, the package’s storage, email, backup, and SSL scope, and renewal conditions are documented.
4. Setup or migration: After approval, an account is prepared for a new website, or the existing website is moved to the new server on the planned date.
5. Delivery: At Onur Freelance, the domain and hosting account are opened in the business’s name; dashboard access and registration information are shared with the business.

Onur Freelance is an independent service provider based in Maltepe Gülsuyu. Businesses in Istanbul are consulted in person or through video calls, while work with businesses outside the city is conducted entirely remotely; WhatsApp messages are answered daily between 09.00–21.00.