ChemiCloud Review: Better Shared Hosting Alternative

Web hosting is like gym memberships:

• SiteGround = “$10/month!” (fine print: kicks you out mid-workout if you breathe too hard, renewal is $40/month + $15 for towels)
• ChemiCloud = Honest pricing, no surprise fees, doesn’t throttle your treadmill speed when you start making progress
• Hetzner = Pay €4/month for the space, bring your own equipment, no hand-holding

My ranking: Hetzner #1 (unmanaged VPS), Scala #2 (managed VPS), ChemiCloud #3 (best shared hosting).

If you need shared hosting (not ready for VPS), ChemiCloud is what you thought SiteGround was. Modern AMD EPYC hardware, cPanel, free migrations, no CPU limit hostage situations.

I rejected SiteGround’s $50-$100 commissions after watching their CPU limit forced upgrades. ChemiCloud offers comparable commission (~$100/sale) without the scams.

⚡ 30-Second Verdict

• Founded: 2016 (Sofia, Bulgaria - independently owned, NOT EIG/Newfold)
• What to use: Shared/WordPress hosting (best SiteGround/Bluehost alternative)
• Pricing: $4.49/mo intro → $19.95/mo renewal (344% increase, BUT $239/year total vs SiteGround’s $1,400+/year after forced upgrades)
• Hardware: AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz), 3 CPU cores, 3GB RAM, 100% CPU allocation
• Storage: PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs
• Web Server: LiteSpeed (faster than Apache/Nginx, includes caching)
• Control Panel: cPanel + Imunify360 security (no learning curve like SPanel)
• Migrations: 10-200 free migrations (vs SiteGround’s $30/site)
• Money-back: 45 days (vs industry standard 30 days)
• Inode Limit: 500,000 files (generous for shared hosting)
• Target Audience: Shared hosting users escaping SiteGround/Bluehost, want cPanel

Bottom line: ChemiCloud is the best shared hosting alternative to SiteGround/Bluehost. Modern hardware, no CPU limit forced upgrades, free migrations. If you need managed VPS, use Scala Hosting instead. If you can handle unmanaged VPS, Hetzner is 70% cheaper.

Why I Recommend ChemiCloud

Now I recommend:

• Hetzner - Best unmanaged VPS
• Scala Hosting - Best managed VPS
• ChemiCloud - Best managed shared hosting

Here’s what guides my recommendations:

1. I rank Hetzner #1 for VPS even though they don’t have an affiliate program
2. Renewal prices (ChemiCloud has 344% increase—it sucks, but better than SiteGround’s total cost)
3. Recommend based on use case (shared hosting → ChemiCloud, VPS → Scala/Hetzner)
4. All claims link to sources you can verify

What ChemiCloud Actually Is

ChemiCloud is NOT a VPS provider. That’s Scala or Hetzner.

ChemiCloud is NOT the cheapest option. Intro pricing is $4.49/mo, but renewal is $19.95/mo.

ChemiCloud IS:

• Shared/WordPress hosting provider (founded 2016, Sofia, Bulgaria)
• Best alternative to SiteGround/Bluehost for shared hosting
• Modern hardware (AMD EPYC 9354, LiteSpeed, NVMe) without predatory scams
• cPanel included (familiar interface, no SPanel learning curve)
• Cloudflare-ready (no proprietary CDN crap)
• For users who need shared hosting, not VPS

Who started ChemiCloud:

• Founded 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria
• Independently owned (not EIG/Newfold private equity)
• ~50+ employees
• Focus: Better shared hosting, not VPS or unmanaged servers

Their target market: Users who:

• Are escaping SiteGround/Bluehost/HostGator shared hosting scams
• Need cPanel (familiar interface)
• Want modern hardware without CPU limit forced upgrades
• Don’t need full VPS (shared hosting is sufficient)

The Business Model

What ChemiCloud does differently:

1. No CPU limit forced upgrades - 100% CPU allocation, no artificial throttling like SiteGround
2. 10-200 free migrations - vs SiteGround’s $30/site
3. cPanel included - familiar interface, no learning curve
4. LiteSpeed web server - faster than Apache/Nginx
5. 45-day money-back guarantee - vs industry standard 30 days
6. Modern hardware - AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz), NVMe SSDs

What ChemiCloud does that I’m NOT happy about:

1. 344% renewal increase: $4.49/mo → $19.95/mo
   • To be fair: Still cheaper than SiteGround’s $39.99/mo renewal
   • No CPU limit forced upgrades (SiteGround’s real scam)
2. 500k inode limit - Large WordPress sites can hit this (then you need VPS)
3. 2024 uptime was below average - 99.92% (improved to 99.98% in Q1 2025)

Why I still recommend them for shared hosting:

Compare to alternatives:

ChemiCloud’s 344% renewal increase is terrible. But:

• No forced CPU limit upgrades to $100+/mo cloud (SiteGround’s scam)
• 10-200 free migrations (vs $30/site)
• Better hardware (3.8 GHz vs SiteGround’s older CPUs)
• 500k inode limit (vs SiteGround’s lower limits)

If you need VPS instead of shared hosting:

• Scala Build #2 VPS: $44.95/mo (0% renewal increase)
• Hetzner CPX31: €13.60/mo (~$15, unmanaged)

⚠️ Let’s Talk About That 344% Renewal Increase

I called SiteGround’s 167% renewal increase “predatory.”

ChemiCloud’s 344% increase is objectively WORSE.

So why do I still rank ChemiCloud as the best shared hosting option?

Because renewal percentage isn’t the whole story. Here’s the total cost of ownership comparison:

Real-World Cost Analysis

SiteGround GoGeek (after you hit inevitable CPU limits):

• Renewal: $39.99/mo
• CDN (was free, now paid): $14.99/mo
• Malware scanning (was free): $2.99/mo
• Migration fees: $30/site (ChemiCloud: 10-200 free)
• Forced cloud upgrade when CPU limits hit: $100+/mo
• Real annual cost: ~$1,400+ (after forced upgrade)

ChemiCloud Turbo:

• Renewal: $19.95/mo
• CDN: Included (Cloudflare integration)
• Malware scanning: Included (Imunify360)
• Migration fees: 10-200 free
• CPU limits: None (no forced upgrades)
• Real annual cost: $239.40 (stays constant)

Winner: ChemiCloud saves you $1,160+ per year despite the higher renewal percentage.

Why Percentage Doesn’t Tell the Full Story

Yes, 344% renewal increase is deceptive pricing. I hate it.

But I hate it less than:

• SiteGround’s CPU limit forced upgrades ($40/mo → $100+/mo when you hit arbitrary limits)
• Bluehost’s outdated hardware (Intel Xeon vs ChemiCloud’s AMD EPYC 9354 @ 3.8 GHz)
• HostGator’s 353% renewal (higher %) PLUS CPU throttling PLUS Newfold ownership

The question isn’t “which shared host has the lowest renewal percentage?”

The question is: “Which shared host gives you the best total value without forcing you into expensive upgrades?”

That’s ChemiCloud.

My Actual Recommendation Hierarchy

1. Can afford $45/mo VPS? → Scala Build #2 ($44.95/mo, 0% renewal increase, dedicated resources - best option)

2. Can handle unmanaged VPS? → Hetzner CPX11 (€5.46/mo, 0% renewal increase, requires Linux skills - cheapest option)

3. Must use shared hosting? → ChemiCloud (344% renewal sucks, but total cost is still lowest without forced upgrades)

I’m ranking ChemiCloud #1 for shared hosting not because their renewal pricing is good (it’s terrible), but because:

• No CPU limit forced upgrades (saves you $1,000+/year vs SiteGround)
• Modern hardware (AMD EPYC 9354 vs competitors’ old Intel Xeon)
• 10-200 free migrations (saves $30-$6,000 vs SiteGround)
• Everything included (no $15/mo CDN, $3/mo malware scan upsells)

Is this hypocritical after crucifying SiteGround?

No. Here’s why:

• SiteGround: 167% renewal PLUS CPU limit forced upgrades PLUS removed features = $1,400+/year total cost
• ChemiCloud: 344% renewal BUT no forced upgrades AND everything included = $239/year total cost

I’m ranking by total cost and value, not just renewal percentage.

If ChemiCloud added CPU limits and forced $100/mo upgrades, I’d drop them immediately. But they don’t.

Why ChemiCloud is the Best Shared Hosting Option

Option 1: SiteGround ($14.99 → $39.99/mo, 167% increase)

Cheaper renewal percentage, but:

• CPU limits force upgrades to $100+/mo cloud hosting
• $30 per site for migrations (ChemiCloud: 10-200 free)
• Older hardware (AMD EPYC 7002 vs ChemiCloud’s 9354)
• Removed free features (Cloudflare $14.99/mo, malware scans $2.99/mo)

Total cost with add-ons: $39.99 + $14.99 + $2.99 = $57.97/mo

When you hit CPU limits (inevitable), forced upgrade to $100+/mo cloud.

ChemiCloud Turbo renewal: $19.95/mo, no CPU limit forced upgrades, no add-on fees.

Read my full SiteGround review for details on their CPU limit scam.

Option 2: Bluehost ($5.45 → $23.99/mo, 340% increase)

Similar renewal percentage, but:

• Outdated hardware (Intel Xeon, SATA SSDs)
• Apache web server (slower than LiteSpeed)
• CPU throttling (artificial limits)
• Owned by Newfold Digital (ruins everything they acquire)
• No free migrations

ChemiCloud has: AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz), LiteSpeed, NVMe, 10-200 free migrations.

Option 3: Use VPS Instead

If you hate renewal price games:

• Scala Build #2 VPS: $44.95/mo intro = $44.95/mo renewal (0% increase)

  • Managed VPS, SPanel, OpenLiteSpeed
  • Read my Scala review

• Hetzner CPX31: €13.60/mo (~$15, 0% increase)

  • Unmanaged VPS, requires Linux skills
  • Read my Hetzner review

My honest recommendation:

1. If you MUST use shared hosting → ChemiCloud (best option despite 344% renewal)
2. If you can handle managed VPS → Scala (0% renewal increase)
3. If you can handle unmanaged VPS → Hetzner (70% cheaper)

I make ~$100 from ChemiCloud and Scala, $0 from Hetzner. This recommendation isn’t about money, it’s about ranking honestly by use case.

Hardware & Infrastructure: Modern Specs

Data Centers (7 locations):

• USA: Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Newark
• Europe: Frankfurt, London
• Asia: Singapore

Hardware:

CPUs:

• AMD EPYC 9354 (Genoa, 5nm, 4th generation)
• Clock speed: 3.8 GHz
• Turbo plan: 3 CPU cores, 100% allocation (not shared/throttled)
• vs SiteGround: SiteGround uses AMD EPYC 7002 (older, slower)
• vs Bluehost: Bluehost uses Intel Xeon (outdated, slower)

RAM:

• Turbo plan: 3GB RAM (100% allocation)
• vs competitors: Hostinger gives 1.536GB, SiteGround limits vary

Storage:

• PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs (faster than SATA, standard for modern hosts)
• vs Bluehost: Bluehost uses SATA SSDs (10x slower)

Web Server:

• LiteSpeed (faster than Apache/Nginx, includes caching)
• LiteSpeed Cache plugin support for WordPress
• vs Bluehost: Apache (slower, no built-in caching)
• vs SiteGround: Nginx (fast, but LiteSpeed has better WordPress caching)

Control Panel:

• cPanel (industry standard, no learning curve)
• Imunify360 security included
• vs Scala: Scala uses SPanel (proprietary, requires adaptation)

Inode Limit:

• 500,000 files (generous for shared hosting)
• What this means: Large WordPress sites (100k+ files) might hit this
• When you hit limit: Upgrade to VPS (Scala or Hetzner)

Comparison:

Bottom line: ChemiCloud’s hardware is modern (better than SiteGround/Bluehost), but Scala’s VPS hardware is superior (faster CPU, more RAM, managed).

Performance: What You Actually Get

I’m not going to bullshit you with marketing claims. Here’s real data:

Speed:

• Global TTFB: Sub-100ms potential (Time To First Byte)
• LiteSpeed Cache: Significant performance boost for WordPress
• PHP 8.3 support: Latest PHP version for better performance

Uptime:

• 2024 uptime: 99.92% (below average)
• Q1 2025 uptime: 99.98% (improved, only 5 brief outages totaling 30 minutes)
• Trend: Performance improving over time

CPU Performance:

• AMD EPYC 9354: 3.8 GHz, 3 cores, 100% allocation
• No artificial CPU throttling like SiteGround
• What this means: Your WordPress site won’t randomly slow down from hitting “CPU limits”

The honest take:

ChemiCloud’s performance is excellent for shared hosting. You get:

• Modern AMD EPYC CPUs (faster than SiteGround’s older chips)
• LiteSpeed web server (faster than Apache/Nginx for WordPress)
• NVMe SSDs (10x faster than SATA)
• No artificial CPU throttling

Is it faster than Scala’s VPS with AMD EPYC 9474F (4.1 GHz)? No. But it’s shared hosting, not VPS.

Is it faster than SiteGround/Bluehost? Yes, significantly.

Features: What You Get

Included:

• cPanel (industry standard, no learning curve)
• Imunify360 security (malware scanning, firewall)
• LiteSpeed web server (faster than Apache)
• LiteSpeed Cache plugin (WordPress performance boost)
• Free SSL certificates (Let’s Encrypt)
• Daily off-site backups (automatic)
• PHP 8.3 support (latest version)
• Cloudflare integration (optional CDN)

Free Migrations:

• 10-200 free migrations depending on plan
• cPanel to cPanel migration (easy)
• Non-cPanel migrations: Up to 10 free
• vs SiteGround: SiteGround charges $30/site

Money-back Guarantee:

• 45 days (vs industry standard 30 days)
• Why this matters: More time to test under real-world conditions

Support:

• 24/7 live chat, ticket, phone
• Response time: Average 16 minutes (per reviews)
• Quality: Human support, generally helpful

Add-ons:

• Turbo+ Boost: $5.95-$6.45/mo (optional performance boost)
• Domain registration: Available but not required

The Honest Cons: What Sucks About ChemiCloud

No service is perfect. Here’s what I don’t like:

1. 344% Renewal Increase (Deceptive Pricing)

The problem: $4.49/mo → $19.95/mo renewal.

Why it’s shitty: After calling out SiteGround’s 167% and Bluehost’s 340% renewal scams, I can’t pretend ChemiCloud’s 344% is acceptable.

My recommendation:

• If you MUST use shared hosting → ChemiCloud is still the best option (no CPU limit forced upgrades)
• If you can use VPS → Scala (0% renewal increase) or Hetzner (0% increase, unmanaged)

2. 500k Inode Limit (File Limit)

The problem: 500,000 files maximum.

Why it matters: Large WordPress sites (especially WooCommerce with many products/images) can hit this limit.

What happens: When you hit 500k files, you can’t upload more. Need to upgrade to VPS.

My take: This is generous for shared hosting, but power users will outgrow it. When you do, migrate to Scala VPS or Hetzner.

3. 2024 Uptime Was Below Average

The problem: 99.92% uptime in 2024 (industry standard is 99.95%+).

Why it improved: Q1 2025 showed 99.98% uptime (only 5 brief outages totaling 30 minutes).

My take: Uptime is improving. Still worse than Hetzner/Scala, but acceptable for shared hosting.

4. Still Shared Hosting (Not VPS)

The problem: Shared hosting = shared resources with other users.

Why it matters:

• Less control than VPS
• Resource limits (500k files, 3 CPU cores, 3GB RAM)
• Can’t install custom software

My take: If you need VPS control/power, use Scala (managed) or Hetzner (unmanaged). ChemiCloud is for users who need shared hosting.

ChemiCloud vs Competitors: The Honest Comparison

ChemiCloud vs SiteGround

Renewal Pricing:

• ChemiCloud Turbo: $4.49/mo intro → $19.95/mo renewal (344% increase)
• SiteGround GoGeek: $14.99/mo intro → $39.99/mo renewal (167% increase)

Winner: SiteGround (lower percentage increase)

BUT:

SiteGround has CPU limit forced upgrades to $100+/mo cloud + $14.99/mo CDN + $2.99/mo malware scanning = $117.98/mo total when you hit limits.

ChemiCloud has no CPU limit forced upgrades, stays at $19.95/mo.

CPU Limits:

• ChemiCloud: No artificial CPU throttling, 100% allocation
• SiteGround: CPU limits force upgrades to $100+/mo cloud plans

Winner: ChemiCloud (no scam forced upgrades)

Hardware:

• ChemiCloud: AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz), LiteSpeed, NVMe
• SiteGround: AMD EPYC 7002 (older, slower), Nginx, NVMe

Winner: ChemiCloud (faster CPU)

Migrations:

• ChemiCloud: 10-200 free migrations
• SiteGround: $30 per site

Winner: ChemiCloud

Bottom line: SiteGround is a predatory business model with CPU limit forced upgrades. ChemiCloud has higher renewal percentage but no forced upgrade scams. ChemiCloud wins for shared hosting.

ChemiCloud vs Bluehost

Renewal Pricing:

• ChemiCloud Turbo: $4.49/mo → $19.95/mo (344% increase)
• Bluehost Choice Plus: $5.45/mo → $23.99/mo (340% increase)

Winner: ChemiCloud (cheaper renewal in absolute terms)

Hardware:

• ChemiCloud: AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz), LiteSpeed, NVMe
• Bluehost: Intel Xeon (old), Apache, SATA SSD

Winner: ChemiCloud (modern hardware vs outdated)

Ownership:

• ChemiCloud: Independently owned
• Bluehost: Newfold Digital (owns 50+ brands, ruins everything)

Winner: ChemiCloud

Bottom line: Bluehost uses outdated hardware, runs on Apache (slow), owned by Newfold. ChemiCloud is significantly better. Not even close.

ChemiCloud vs Scala Hosting

Target Use Case:

• ChemiCloud: Shared hosting (escaping SiteGround/Bluehost)
• Scala: Managed VPS (outgrowing shared, need dedicated resources)

Winner: Different markets (not direct competitors)

Pricing:

• ChemiCloud Turbo: $4.49/mo → $19.95/mo (shared hosting)
• Scala Build #2 VPS: $44.95/mo → $44.95/mo (0% increase, managed VPS)

Winner: ChemiCloud (cheaper, but shared vs VPS is apples-to-oranges)

Control Panel:

• ChemiCloud: cPanel (familiar, no learning curve)
• Scala: SPanel (proprietary, slight learning curve)

Winner: ChemiCloud (if you prefer cPanel)

Hardware:

• ChemiCloud: AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz), 3 cores, 3GB RAM (shared resources)
• Scala: AMD EPYC 9474F (4.1 GHz), 4 cores, 8GB RAM (dedicated resources)

Winner: Scala (VPS has better specs + dedicated resources)

My Bias: I make money from both ChemiCloud and Scala affiliate links.

Bottom line: ChemiCloud for shared hosting (cPanel, cheaper, escaping SiteGround/Bluehost). Scala for managed VPS (outgrowing shared, need dedicated resources, 0% renewal increase).

ChemiCloud vs Hetzner

Pricing:

• ChemiCloud Turbo: $19.95/mo renewal (shared hosting, managed)
• Hetzner CPX11: €5.46/mo (~$6, unmanaged VPS)

Winner: Hetzner (70% cheaper)

Management:

• ChemiCloud: Fully managed (cPanel, support, updates)
• Hetzner: Unmanaged (you do everything via SSH)

Winner: ChemiCloud (if you need management)

Target Audience:

• ChemiCloud: Shared hosting users, want cPanel
• Hetzner: Developers, can manage own servers

Winner: Different markets

Bottom line: Hetzner for developers who can manage unmanaged VPS. Hetzner is 70% cheaper but requires Linux skills. ChemiCloud for users who need managed shared hosting with cPanel.

User Reviews: What People Actually Say

TrustPilot: 4.9/5 stars

Common praise:

“The migration was painless (their support literally handled everything for me)” - GoDaddy → ChemiCloud migration

“Very quick - had my site back up and running in no time after the migration.” - Migration experience

“Been using ChemiCloud for 2 years. No surprise charges, no CPU limit issues like SiteGround.” - Long-term user

Common complaints:

• Renewal pricing (344% increase)
• Some users hit 500k inode limit (need to upgrade to VPS)
• 2024 uptime was below average (improved in 2025)

The pattern: Users migrating from SiteGround/Bluehost/GoDaddy report painless migrations, no CPU limit issues, and better performance. Main complaint is renewal pricing (like all shared hosting).

My take: The user consensus aligns with my research. ChemiCloud is the best shared hosting alternative to SiteGround/Bluehost, despite renewal pricing issues.

🔍 Verify This Yourself

Don’t trust me. Here’s how to fact-check everything I’ve said:

1. Pricing:

• Visit ChemiCloud pricing page
• Check Turbo plan: $4.49/mo intro, $19.95/mo renewal
• Compare to SiteGround, Bluehost

2. Hardware Specs:

• Verify AMD EPYC 9354 CPUs (3.8 GHz)
• Compare to SiteGround’s older AMD EPYC 7002

3. User Reviews:

• Check TrustPilot: 4.9/5 stars
• Read migration experiences
• Search r/webhosting: “ChemiCloud review”

4. Commission Claims:

• Check ChemiCloud affiliate program (exists, pays ~$100/sale)
• Compare to Scala (+$100/sale), Hetzner (no affiliate program)

5. Performance:

• Sign up for ChemiCloud (45-day money-back guarantee)
• Test speed, uptime, support response
• Compare to current host

I’m not asking you to trust me blindly. Verify the facts, make your own decision.

Final Verdict: 7.5/10

What ChemiCloud does right:

• Best shared hosting alternative to SiteGround/Bluehost (modern hardware, no CPU limit scams)
• 10-200 free migrations (vs SiteGround’s $30/site)
• cPanel included (no learning curve like Scala’s SPanel)
• LiteSpeed web server (faster than Apache/Nginx for WordPress)
• 45-day money-back guarantee (vs industry standard 30 days)
• No CPU limit forced upgrades (unlike SiteGround)
• Modern hardware (AMD EPYC 9354, NVMe SSDs)

What ChemiCloud doesn’t do well:

• 344% renewal increase ($4.49 → $19.95/mo, deceptive pricing)
• 500k inode limit (large sites will outgrow this, need VPS)
• 2024 uptime was below average (99.92%, improved to 99.98% in Q1 2025)
• Still shared hosting (not VPS - less control, shared resources)

Points deducted:

• -1.5 for 344% renewal increase (deceptive, though still better than SiteGround’s forced upgrades)
• -0.5 for 500k inode limit (power users will outgrow it)
• -0.5 for being shared hosting (VPS is better if you can afford it)

Why this score matters:

If you need shared hosting (not ready for VPS), ChemiCloud is 9/10. Best alternative to SiteGround/Bluehost.

If you can use managed VPS, Scala is better (0% renewal increase, more resources).

If you can handle unmanaged VPS, Hetzner is 70% cheaper.

Rating: 7.5/10 - Best shared hosting alternative to SiteGround/Bluehost, points off for 344% renewal increase and being shared hosting (not VPS).

Who Should Use ChemiCloud

Use ChemiCloud if:

• You need shared hosting (not ready for VPS)
• You’re escaping SiteGround/Bluehost/HostGator shared plans
• You want cPanel (familiar interface, no learning curve)
• You need free migrations (10-200 sites)
• You have small-to-medium WordPress sites (less than 500k files)
• You want modern hardware (AMD EPYC, LiteSpeed, NVMe) without CPU limit scams

Examples of good ChemiCloud use cases:

• Small business websites
• WordPress blogs
• Portfolio sites
• WooCommerce stores (small-to-medium)
• Migrating from SiteGround/Bluehost shared hosting

Use Alternatives if:

• You need VPS power → Scala (managed VPS, 0% renewal increase)
• You can manage unmanaged VPS → Hetzner (70% cheaper)
• You have large sites (>500k files) → VPS required
• You hate renewal price games → Scala VPS or Hetzner (0% increases)

Bad ChemiCloud use cases:

• “I need VPS control/resources” (use Scala or Hetzner)
• “I have a huge site with 1M+ files” (need VPS, hit inode limit)
• “I want absolute cheapest option” (Hetzner is 70% cheaper for unmanaged VPS)

Bottom line: ChemiCloud is for users who need shared hosting with cPanel, modern hardware, and no CPU limit scams. If you need VPS, use Scala (managed) or Hetzner (unmanaged).

Migration Guide: Leaving SiteGround/Bluehost for ChemiCloud

Why migrate to ChemiCloud:

• Escape SiteGround’s CPU limit forced upgrades
• Escape Bluehost’s 340% renewal increases
• Get modern hardware (AMD EPYC 9354 vs their old CPUs)
• Get 10-200 free migrations (vs SiteGround’s $30/site)

Step 1: Choose your ChemiCloud plan

If you’re on SiteGround GoGeek ($39.99/mo renewal):

• ChemiCloud Turbo: $19.95/mo renewal
• Save $20/mo, no CPU limits, better CPU (3.8 GHz vs SiteGround’s older)

If you’re on Bluehost Choice Plus ($23.99/mo renewal):

• ChemiCloud Turbo: $19.95/mo renewal
• Save $4/mo, modern hardware, LiteSpeed vs Apache

Step 2: Sign up for ChemiCloud

1. Visit ChemiCloud
2. Choose Turbo plan (best value)
3. Select billing period (3-year for lowest intro price)
4. Add domain (or transfer later)
5. Complete purchase

Step 3: Request free migration

ChemiCloud offers 10-200 free migrations (depending on plan):

1. Open support ticket: “Free migration request”
2. Provide:
   • Old host login credentials (cPanel or FTP)
   • Database credentials
   • Site URLs
3. ChemiCloud migrates for you (usually within 24-48 hours)

Alternatively: DIY migration

If you prefer manual control:

1. Export database from old host (phpMyAdmin)
2. Download wp-content folder (FTP/SFTP)
3. Import database to ChemiCloud (cPanel → MySQL)
4. Upload wp-content to ChemiCloud (cPanel → File Manager)
5. Update wp-config.php with new database credentials
6. Update site URL in database (if changed)

Step 4: Test before switching DNS

1. Use ChemiCloud’s temporary URL to test site
2. Verify all pages load correctly
3. Test forms, checkout (if WooCommerce)
4. Check SSL certificate (Let’s Encrypt auto-installed)

Step 5: Update DNS

1. Log into domain registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.)
2. Update A record to point to ChemiCloud’s IP
3. Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours)
4. Monitor old site for any final traffic

Step 6: Cancel old host

Don’t cancel immediately! Keep old host for 1-2 weeks to ensure smooth transition.

When ready:

• Download final backups from old host
• Cancel subscription (SiteGround: expect retention attempts)
• Request refund if within money-back period (unlikely but worth trying)

Migration cost:

My recommendation: Use ChemiCloud’s free migration. Let their support team handle it.

Conclusion: Why ChemiCloud Despite 344% Renewal Increase

Let me spell this out one last time:

I make ~$100/sale from ChemiCloud. Same as Scala.

I called SiteGround’s 167% renewal increase “predatory.” ChemiCloud’s 344% is objectively WORSE.

So why do I rank ChemiCloud as the #1 shared hosting option?

Because I’m ranking by total cost of ownership, not single metrics.

The Math

SiteGround total annual cost (after inevitable CPU limit forced upgrade):

• $39.99/mo renewal + $14.99/mo CDN + $2.99/mo malware scanning = $57.97/mo
• Forced cloud upgrade when CPU limits hit: $100+/mo
• Annual cost: $1,400+ (after forced upgrade)

ChemiCloud total annual cost:

• $19.95/mo renewal (everything included, no forced upgrades)
• Annual cost: $239.40 (stays constant)

ChemiCloud saves you $1,160+ per year despite the higher renewal percentage.

My Actual Ranking

1. Hetzner - Unmanaged VPS, 0% renewal increase
2. Scala Hosting - Managed VPS, 0% renewal increase, best if you can afford $45/mo
3. ChemiCloud - Best shared hosting, 344% renewal increase, but lowest total cost

The difference: I’m not ignoring the 344% renewal increase. I’m showing you the total cost math: $239/year (ChemiCloud) vs $1,400+/year (SiteGround after forced upgrades).

Is this hypocritical after crucifying SiteGround?

No. Here’s why:

• SiteGround: 167% renewal PLUS CPU forced upgrades PLUS removed features = predatory total cost
• ChemiCloud: 344% renewal BUT no forced upgrades AND everything included = better total value

I’m ranking by total value, not single metrics.

If ChemiCloud added CPU limits and forced $100/mo upgrades like SiteGround, I’d drop them immediately. But they don’t.

This ChemiCloud review is based on:

• Total cost of ownership analysis (not just renewal %)
• Direct comparison with SiteGround, Bluehost, Scala, Hetzner
• Actual hardware specs (AMD EPYC 9354, LiteSpeed, NVMe - all verifiable)
• Understanding my own bias (~$100/sale commission)
• Ranking by total value instead of single metrics

Bottom line for this ChemiCloud review: If you need shared hosting, ChemiCloud is the best option. Yes, 344% renewal increase sucks. But total annual cost ($239) is $1,160 less than SiteGround (after forced upgrades). If you can afford VPS, use Scala ($44.95/mo, 0% renewal) or Hetzner (€5.46/mo, 0% renewal).

Rating: 7.5/10 - Best shared hosting option by total cost/value, points off for deceptive 344% renewal pricing (even though total cost is still lowest).

---

Legal Note: This review contains both documented facts (linked to sources) and my personal opinions based on those facts. All opinions are clearly marked as such.

Affiliate disclosure: I make money from affiliate links to ChemiCloud, Scala Hosting, and nothing from Hetzner because they don’t have an affiliate program.