Reviewed by Nick Oakley, Head of Digital
Nicada Digital has built and looked after more than 800 websites since 2014, almost all of them on WordPress. Hosting is the part clients never see and always feel.
SiteGround is a good host. Its support is excellent and its features are hard to fault. But many people only discover its pricing model when the first renewal arrives: the price they signed up at was for year one, and year two costs about six times as much.
If that is why you are here, this guide is for you. We also say when staying put is the better choice.
Our affiliate links
We are affiliates for both WPX and SiteGround, and earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you buy through our links. We are also a Kinsta affiliate. We are not affiliates for the other hosts here. Prices were checked on each company's own site on 1 October 2026.
What SiteGround Costs After Year One
| SiteGround plan | First year | Renews at (ex VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| StartUp | £1.99/mo | £13.99/mo |
| GrowBig | £3.99/mo | £23.99/mo |
| GoGeek | £5.99/mo | £34.99/mo |
UK customers pay 20% VAT on top. That is the number to compare the alternatives against.
The Alternatives at a Glance
| Host | Ongoing price | Malware clean-up | Free site move | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WPX | $24.99/mo yearly (Business, 5 sites), same every year | Included | Yes, done for you | Most people leaving SiteGround |
| Krystal | £7/mo inc. VAT (1 site) | Check plan | With their help | UK budget |
| Hostinger | £2.99/mo on 48 months, then £10.99 | Check plan | Yes | Lowest cost |
| Kinsta | $30/mo yearly or $35 monthly (1 site) | Included | Yes | Developers, bigger budgets |
| Bluehost | $3.99 on 36 months, then $9.99 (US) | Included | Check plan | US budget, many sites |
1. WPX: The One We Would Move To
WPX fixes the two things people most often dislike about SiteGround.
- A steady price. $24.99 a month on the Business plan paid yearly, and it does not jump in year two. WPX say they do not charge VAT to UK customers.
- Malware clean-up included on every plan, along with daily scans.
It also has a stronger independent speed record: Top Tier in every WordPress band it entered in the 2026 Review Signal benchmarks, which SiteGround did not take part in. And it has a London data centre, so a UK site stays close to UK visitors.
What you give up: phone support (WPX is 24/7 chat, which it says answers in about 30 seconds), SSH access, and SiteGround's AI tools. Business holds five sites rather than GrowBig's unlimited.
What it costs compared with staying
SiteGround GrowBig at renewal is £287.88 a year before VAT, about £345 with VAT. WPX Business is $299.90 a year, roughly £220–£240 depending on the exchange rate, with no VAT charged according to WPX. For most UK customers, moving saves over £100 a year.
Moving from SiteGround to WPX
WPX's team copies your site across for free, usually within 24 hours. Your SiteGround site stays live until you switch, so nothing goes offline. 30 days to get your money back.
See WPX Plans →Already sure? Pay yearly. You get two months free.
Affiliate link. We earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
2. Krystal: UK Budget Pick
Krystal is UK-owned with London servers. Its entry WordPress plan is £7 a month including VAT, with unlimited mailboxes, daily backups, weekday phone support and a 60-day money-back guarantee. It earned an Honourable Mention in the 2026 Review Signal $25–50 band. If you run one small site and want to keep a UK phone line, Krystal is a sensible move.
3. Hostinger: Lowest Cost
Hostinger is the cheapest well-known option over several years, if you pay 48 months up front. The trade-offs are weekly backups on the entry plan and support that starts with an AI agent. See SiteGround vs Hostinger for the detail.
4. Kinsta: For Developers and Bigger Sites
Kinsta is a premium host, popular with developers, now running on Oracle Cloud with 30 locations including London. Its entry Launch plan is $35 a month, or $30 paid yearly, for one site and about 75,000 visits a month. It includes malware removal and free moves, but no email. It costs more than SiteGround's renewal for a single site, so it suits people who want a premium developer platform rather than a cheaper bill.
5. Bluehost: US Budget, Many Sites
Bluehost's renewal prices are lower than SiteGround's, and its entry plan holds ten sites. Phone support is not included on its cheapest plan, and it is built mainly for the US market. See SiteGround vs Bluehost.
When You Should Stay With SiteGround
- You rely on phone support and use it.
- You use SiteGround's AI tools or its AI Agent for WordPress.
- You run lots of sites on GrowBig or GoGeek, where "unlimited" is worth a lot.
- You need a data centre in a part of Europe or Asia that other hosts do not cover.
If any of those apply, the renewal price may simply be the cost of what you are getting. Our SiteGround review and WPX vs SiteGround comparison can help you decide.
How to Move Without Downtime
- Buy your new hosting. Do not cancel SiteGround yet.
- Ask the new host to move your site, or use their migration tool. WPX does it for you.
- Check the copy on the new host using the temporary address they give you.
- Point your domain at the new host.
- Keep SiteGround running for a week or two, then cancel before it renews.
Moving your email too? Do that at the same time, and make sure every mailbox is copied before you change the domain settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to SiteGround?
For most people leaving SiteGround because of the renewal price, WPX. Its price stays the same every year, malware clean-up is included, and it was Top Tier in every WordPress band it entered in the 2026 independent Review Signal tests. Krystal is a cheaper UK option and Hostinger is the cheapest overall.
Why do people leave SiteGround?
Mostly the renewal price. SiteGround's first year is cheap, then the plan renews at around six times the price: on siteground.co.uk, GrowBig goes from £3.99 to £23.99 a month before VAT. Paying extra for malware clean-up is the other common reason.
Is it hard to move away from SiteGround?
No. WPX moves WordPress sites for you free of charge, usually within 24 hours. Your SiteGround site stays live until you point your domain at the new host, so there is no downtime. Keep SiteGround running for a week or two afterwards just in case.
Is there a cheaper alternative to SiteGround?
Yes. Hostinger is cheaper over four years if you pay up front, and Krystal's UK WordPress plan is £7 a month including VAT. Both are cheaper than SiteGround after its first year.
Should I leave SiteGround at all?
Not necessarily. If you value phone support, SiteGround's AI tools or its eleven data centres, paying the renewal price may be worth it. Compare what you would pay elsewhere over the next three years, not just next month.