True 3-year cost

The true 3-year cost is the fairest way to compare hosting plans. It adds up everything you'd pay over 36 months: the intro price for the first term, the renewal price for the rest, tax, and any add-ons you'd need, such as domain renewal or paid backups.

Example: plan A has a very low 12-month intro price but renews at a much higher one. Plan B costs a little more in year one but renews at a similar price. Over three years, plan A's two renewal years can outweigh its cheap start, so plan B may cost less in total.

Three years is long enough to include at least one renewal on most plans, and short enough to match how long many people stay with a host before looking around.

What it means for your price: divide the 3-year total by 36 for a real average monthly price, and compare that, not the banner price. It's how Serverlinx ranks every plan, whether or not the host pays us.

How to work out yours: the first term at the intro price, plus the remaining months at the renewal price, plus tax if the price is shown ex VAT, plus any extras you'll keep paying for. Or get your quotes and we'll do the sum for you.