Dreampress is a popular web hosting service known for its range of budget-friendly plans. They provide five types of hosting, from shared to cloud hosting. Users appreciate their easy WordPress installations that allow websites to be set up quickly. If you're considering Dreampress, let Sharehub Tech read on for a detailed review of their services.
What Is Dreampress?
Dreampress, established in 1997, has expanded to serve over 400,000 clients across 100 nations. Currently, it hosts more than 1.5 million websites, with 750,000 being WordPress sites. Regardless of the hosting service chosen from their five options, customers will receive complimentary perks such as SSL certificates, a domain, and WHOIS Privacy protection.
Dreampress provides various hosting services including dedicated WordPress hosting, shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated server hosting, and cloud hosting. Shared hosting and WordPress hosting plans come with a 97-day or 30-day money-back guarantee, respectively. Other plans do not offer a refund but provide Dreampress credit if the plan is canceled early.
Due to its wide range of options suitable for beginners and experts alike, Dreampress has been highly rated in our list of top web hosting services.
Pros
Dreampress excels in providing easy WordPress installations with just a single click. You can quickly set up the content management system (CMS) without any hassle. If you are transferring your WordPress site from another platform, you can migrate it for free using a manual plug-in. For additional assistance, you can opt to utilize their customer support team for a fee of $99.
Dreampress stands out by offering various free features that other hosting providers typically charge for. These include SSL certificates, domain registration, and WHOIS Privacy protection, which can help reduce your monthly expenses.
Furthermore, Dreampress offers a wide range of plans to choose from. While this may make it challenging to select the right option, it allows you to customize your plan with only the necessary features and tools. This flexibility caters to both beginners in website building and experienced programmers.
Cons
Dreampress charges for its anti-malware tool, unlike many other hosting providers. This cost of $3 per month can accumulate over time. Without this tool, your website could be vulnerable to hackers who may steal your customers' private information or redirect them to harmful websites.
Although Dreampress provides strong 24/7 support, there is no option for direct phone calls with a real person. Communication is done solely through email and chat, which can be challenging if you require immediate assistance during website downtime.
Some users may find it frustrating that Dreampress does not offer a cPanel. Instead, they provide a custom control panel with similar functionalities such as website management, database access, email services, and billing. This setup may feel limiting for those accustomed to a more advanced cPanel interface. However, most casual users should not encounter any issues. Furthermore, if you need to transfer a cPanel from another hosting provider, you will have to manually perform the process using file transfer protocol (FTP) or MySQL.
Dreampress Core Features
Types of Web Hosting
Dreampress provides five different types of web hosting to cater to a variety of users. Beginners may find shared or WordPress hosting suitable, while more experienced users seeking advanced website functionality may prefer VPS, dedicated server, or cloud server hosting:
- Shared hosting: This option involves sharing server space with other users, potentially resulting in slightly slower performance. However, all plans include unlimited bandwidth and storage.
- Managed VPS hosting: With virtual private server hosting, resources are specifically allocated to your website, enhancing performance and speed.
- Managed dedicated server hosting: Opting for dedicated server hosting ensures top speeds, as you have the entire server to yourself along with full root and shell access for maximum control.
- Managed WordPress hosting: Designed for WordPress users, these plans come with preinstalled WordPress, on-demand backups, and one-click restore functionality.
- Cloud server hosting: Ideal for web designers, Dreampress's cloud computing and object storage provide backend access, full root access, and support for OpenStack-compatible API requests.
Website Builder
Dreampress provides a complimentary WordPress website builder with all its plans. You can choose from more than 200 starter sites or create your own from the ground up. The drag-and-drop feature makes it simple for beginners to design their own layouts and templates with over 100 design block choices. If you're unsure how to start, the quick-start wizard can assist you every step of the way.
Domain Registration
In order to start your website, you will require a domain name. Dreampress offers .com domains at a price of $7.99 per year, which is considered affordable compared to other providers. If you prefer a more distinctive domain, there are over 400 top-level domains to choose from.
Every domain includes free private registration and unlimited subdomains. Managing your domain is easy with a user-friendly interface. You can make changes to Domain Name System (DNS) records, set up domain forwarding, and transfer existing domains to Dreampress all from one convenient page.
Email Hosting
Dreampress offers email hosting at a rate of $1.67 per month per mailbox with an annual subscription. Each mailbox comes with 25GB of storage. Their top-notch IMAP service ensures that your emails are synchronized across all your devices. You can manage your messages using the webmail interface by organizing them into folders, setting up filters for delivery, and using custom aliases.
Additionally, Dreampress provides free inbound spam filtering to protect your inbox from phishing attacks and viruses. These features contribute to why Dreampress is recognized as one of the leading email hosting services available.
Dreampress Pricing & Plans
Shared Starter Plan
The Shared Starter plan allows hosting for only one website with a storage limit of 50GB, making it suitable for individuals exploring the concept of creating a blog or community resource. It also restricts users to five subdomains, six FTP users, and six MySQL databases. Additional charges apply if you wish to have a personalized email address.
Shared Unlimited Plan
The Shared Unlimited plan allows you to host an unlimited number of websites. It also provides unlimited storage, users, and databases for your sites. Email services are part of the package, and you can set up as many email accounts as needed.
These plans offer great value for their cost, which is why Dreampress is considered one of the top shared hosting providers.
VPS Basic Plan
The VPS Basic plan includes 1GB of RAM and 30GB of SSD storage. The Business plan offers 2GB of RAM and 60GB of SSD storage, while the Professional plan provides 4GB of RAM and 120GB of SSD storage. Lastly, the Enterprise plan comes with 8GB of RAM and 240GB of SSD storage.
Dreampress suggests the Basic plan for small and new websites, and the Business plan for small businesses that receive a decent amount of traffic. The Professional and Enterprise plans are recommended for websites that require a lot of resources.
Dreampress Ease of Use
Dreampress is very user-friendly. Its personalized panel is more beginner-friendly compared to a standard cPanel. All the options are conveniently displayed on the left side of the screen, making it easy to locate what you need.
Creating your website with the WordPress builder is also straightforward. Just select a theme and customize it by dragging and dropping elements. You have the option to use your own images or select from Dreampress's collection of royalty-free photos.
Dreampress Security
Dreampress provides a range of security features to enhance the safety of your websites for visitors. One of these features is DreamShield, a tool designed to detect and eliminate malware-infected files. However, some users may find the $3 monthly fee for this service to be too expensive.
Additionally, Dreampress offers free WHOIS Privacy registration to protect your personal information from being accessed by others for spamming purposes. You will also receive a complimentary SSL/TLS certificate from Lets Encrypt for your website, which is crucial if you plan on collecting customer data.
Furthermore, Dreampress stands out by providing free automated backups, a feature that is typically offered at an additional cost by other providers. You also have the option to manually back up your data whenever needed for added security.
Dreampress Customer Service & Support
If you need help, Dreampress provides support options around the clock, every day of the year. They have a chat widget on their website for sales inquiries and customers can access support chat and email through their Dreampress control panel.
There is no phone number for customer support, which may be a downside if you prefer speaking with someone directly. However, there is a detailed knowledge base and forum available if you encounter any issues.
One area where Dreampress lags behind is in their average response time. GoDaddy, HostGator, and Bluehost all have much quicker response times, which means they are more likely to load faster for visitors. While this may not be a major issue, if you want a highly responsive website that keeps customers engaged, you may want to consider these other options.
Is Dreampress Right for You or Your Business?
In general, Dreampress offers a wide range of plans to cater to various needs. Small businesses that are starting out may find the shared and DreamPress plans appealing due to their affordable prices. You don't have to be a design expert to create a visually appealing and customized website.
On the other hand, businesses with high traffic and a strong online presence will benefit from the VPS and dedicated hosting plans. Engineers looking to create a unique website will appreciate the features offered by DreamPress cloud hosting.