{"id":14651,"date":"2025-12-19T13:15:40","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T13:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/?p=14651"},"modified":"2026-03-19T08:15:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T08:15:14","slug":"five-hidden-fees-you-will-find-elsewhere-but-not-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/five-hidden-fees-you-will-find-elsewhere-but-not-here\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Hidden Fees You\u2019ll Find Elsewhere (But Not Here)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There are lots of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/en\/hosting\/shared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">web hosting<\/a> providers on the market. Their services are often very similar, but their prices can vary significantly. One of the reasons is that many hosting plans include features with hidden fees that quietly increase the overall cost. These charges are rarely highlighted by providers, and customers usually don\u2019t think about them \u2013 yet they directly affect the final price of a hosting plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we will look at five common hidden fees. As you will see, we don\u2019t add any of these charges to the prices our customers pay. Being a smaller web hosting provider has its advantages and one of them is that we are independent and self-sufficient in many ways. We invest in developing our own services and improving our support. These efforts pay off, allowing us to offer transparent pricing without hidden fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-advgb-summary advgb-toc alignnone\"><li class=\"toc-level-1\"><a href=\"#why-are-there-hidden-fees-f9a2316d-206a-4572-b4be-b136f73936dc\">Why are there hidden fees?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-level-1\"><a href=\"#the-five-hidden-fees-to-watch-out-for-d6d845c0-6f2c-4072-83e4-9ceea8d06e0a\">The five hidden fees to watch out for<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-level-2\"><a href=\"#hosting-control-panel-8acc8b2b-32c9-4914-b93c-5f02ae4590db\">Hosting control panel<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-level-2\"><a href=\"#backup-service-58766460-2fa7-407f-bcba-5c65fe5f1b12\">Backup service<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-level-2\"><a href=\"#app-installer-a6ff20c9-3c58-4ae9-aa7c-9884442b5a02\">App installer<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-level-2\"><a href=\"#billing-platform-8b911ec5-08ad-43f5-9fa5-4a377d315fa5\">Billing platform<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-level-2\"><a href=\"#support-535a9910-a40f-4ce7-a8a8-4cd3a9cef0d3\">Support<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-level-1\"><a href=\"#wrap-up-1edfaf28-3989-44e4-8471-b9ba1f3efa97\">Wrap-Up<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-are-there-hidden-fees-f9a2316d-206a-4572-b4be-b136f73936dc\">Why are there hidden fees?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hidden fees have become one of the biggest frustrations for hosting customers today. To understand why they exist, it helps to look at how the industry has evolved over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As in many other industries, some companies grew faster than others. A few acquired competitors and eventually claimed a large share of the market. In the rush to expand quickly, many providers couldn\u2019t - or didn\u2019t want to \u2013 invest in research and development. Instead, they began offering a wide range of additional services developed by third-party vendors, including various types of software.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"707\" height=\"229\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees1-1.png\" alt=\"A graph showing hosting providers aquired by EIG, such as iPage, Bluehost, JustHost, Hostgator, and the year of acquisition\" class=\"wp-image-14657 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 707px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 707\/229;width:750px;height:auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees1-1.png 707w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees1-1-300x97.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 707px) 100vw, 707px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One example of a company aquiring multiple hosting providers over the years.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Rather than building tools in-house, providers simply bought or licensed whatever they needed and added it to their portfolio. In many cases, this was the right thing to do at the time. These additional services, however, cost money, and many providers simply included those extra expenses into their hosting fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the industry grew, the number of hosting providers increased, and competition intensified. Prices dropped, and some of the larger companies looked for new ways to maintain revenue. As a result, there was a shift in business models. Some providers started charging additional fees for services they had previously offered for free.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"579\" height=\"443\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees17.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the x.com TechRadar account announcing the Plesk mid-contract price increase\" class=\"wp-image-14687 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees17.png 579w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees17-300x230.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees17-260x200.png 260w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees17-87x67.png 87w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 579px) 100vw, 579px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 579px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 579\/443;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of the largest web hosting providers has begun charging for something they previously offered for free for years.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Today, many customers unknowingly pay for licensed software that is included in their hosting fee. Others choose plans that appear affordable but exclude essential services that end up costing extra. In both cases, these fees often remain hidden when signing up. This is why it is important to do your research before ordering a new hosting plan if you want to avoid unexpected charges. Look closely at what is included, what is excluded, and which features may come with additional fees. Doing this upfront can save you money \u2013 and headaches \u2013 later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-five-hidden-fees-to-watch-out-for-d6d845c0-6f2c-4072-83e4-9ceea8d06e0a\">The five hidden fees to watch out for<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Below, we list five features and services that are typically included in almost all standard hosting plans. These are the most common examples but depending on your provider and the plan you choose, there may be additional features you are unknowingly paying for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hosting-control-panel-8acc8b2b-32c9-4914-b93c-5f02ae4590db\">Hosting control panel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use a regular hosting account, chances are that you manage your content through a control panel. Shared hosting is especially popular because it is easy to use \u2013 even for people with little or no technical experience. What many people do not realize is that the most widely used control panels on the market come with licensing fees. In other words, hosting providers pay a fee for every account or server (depending on the control panel\u2019s pricing model), and this cost is usually passed directly to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"82\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees14-1024x82.png\" alt=\"The logos of SPanel, cPanel, Plesk and DirectAdmin - hosting control panels that have licensing fees\" class=\"wp-image-14683 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees14-1024x82.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees14-300x24.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees14.png 1447w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/82;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some of the hosting control panels that have licensing fees.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While a VPS or dedicated server can be managed without a control panel, shared hosting cannot. This creates a dependency on third-party software whose pricing may change at any time. In fact, this has already happened several times in recent years, as you will see in the case study below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike many providers, we have been using our own hosting control panel since the very beginning. There are several reasons for this: the software is optimized specifically for our platform, we can add or upgrade features whenever needed, and most importantly, we don\u2019t have to pay licensing fees to third parties. Instead, we invest that money into improving our services and developing new ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8ede87787e0&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8ede87787e0\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"955\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"14659\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees2-1024x955.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the light theme of the hosting Control panel\" class=\"wp-image-14659 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees2-1024x955.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees2-300x280.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees2-1536x1432.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/955;\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8ede8778c3d&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8ede8778c3d\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"955\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"14660\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees3-1024x955.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the dark theme of the hosting Control panel\" class=\"wp-image-14660 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees3-1024x955.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees3-300x280.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees3-1536x1432.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/955;\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Our feature-rich hosting Control panel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you host your website with us, you won\u2019t come across any hidden control panel fees. If you are not a customer yet, you can see a demo of our feature-rich control panel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/en\/hosting\/controlpanel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"color:#32373c;background-color:#3373dc\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-notice gb-font-size-18 gb-block-notice\" data-id=\"46e17a\"><div class=\"gb-notice-title\" style=\"color:#fff\"><p>Case study<\/p><\/div><div class=\"gb-notice-text\" style=\"border-color:#3373dc\"><p><em>cPanel has been one of the leading control panels on the market for more than two decades and is used by a large number of hosting providers. Its pricing, however, has increased multiple times over the years. The most significant change came in 2019, when cPanel moved from a \u201cper server\u201d pricing model to an account-based model. Since then, the license fee has been tied directly to the number of accounts hosted on a server.<\/em><\/p><p><em>This shift resulted in considerable cost increases for many providers, and pricing has continued to rise. cPanel has introduced several additional fee increases since 2020, with the next one scheduled for January 2026.<\/em><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees4.png\" alt=\"A graph showing the cPanel license price increases between 2010 and 2025, including the introduction of the cPanel premier license in 2019\" class=\"wp-image-14662 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees4.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees4-300x180.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1000px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1000\/600;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"backup-service-58766460-2fa7-407f-bcba-5c65fe5f1b12\">Backup service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Backups are one of the most important features of any hosting service. It doesn't matter how powerful your account is, how much money you have invested in building your website, or how feature-rich that website may be - none of it matters if something goes wrong, and you can\u2019t restore your content. And the cause doesn\u2019t have to be a hacking incident. A failed update, a simple misclick or even a disgruntled former employee with access to your site can cause serious damage. Unfortunately, we have seen all these scenarios firsthand.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"881\" height=\"250\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees18.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the critical error message displayed by WordPress\" class=\"wp-image-14689 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees18.png 881w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees18-300x85.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 881px) 100vw, 881px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 881px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 881\/250;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A failed WordPress update or an incompatible theme\/plugin can take your website offline.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Because backups require storage space, many hosting providers charge extra for them or limit what gets backed up \u2013 such as only part of the content or only up to a certain size. Others generate backups at no cost but then charge a fee to restore them. In both cases, users usually discover these fees only when they need to back up or restore their website, leaving them with no real choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"453\" height=\"295\" data-id=\"14664\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees5.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the help article of a popular web hosting provider describing the terms and the price of restoring a backup.\" class=\"wp-image-14664 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees5.png 453w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees5-300x195.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 453px) 100vw, 453px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 453px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 453\/295;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"354\" height=\"218\" data-id=\"14665\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees6.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the backup limit of a hosting provider that backs up content up to 10 GB and requires a paid upgrade to back up larger accounts\" class=\"wp-image-14665 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees6.png 354w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees6-300x185.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 354px) 100vw, 354px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 354px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 354\/218;\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Left - a popular hosting provider asking for a fee to restore a backup. Right - a limited backup service that can be upgraded if you want all of your content to be backed up.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Here at ICDSoft we take a different approach.<\/em> We create two daily backups of every hosting account on our servers regardless of its size. Depending on the plan, we keep these backups for 7 or 15 days. We also provide unlimited on-demand backups. All backups are fully browsable, and you can restore anything \u2013 from a full account backup to individual files \u2013 with just a few clicks and at no additional charge.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"759\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees15-1024x759.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the browsable backups provided in the ICDSoft hosting control panel\" class=\"wp-image-14684 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees15-1024x759.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees15-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees15.png 1061w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/759;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">You can browse any of our automatic backups and restore only the files or folders that you need.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Since we offer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/en\/hosting\/wordpress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordPress<\/a>-focused hosting plans, we also provide unlimited on-demand WordPress backups, including automatic backups before site or plugin updates.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1023\" height=\"335\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees16.png\" alt=\"The Backup section of the WordPress manager that lists automatic and manual backups.\" class=\"wp-image-14685 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees16.png 1023w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees16-300x98.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 1023px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1023px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1023\/335;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Our WordPress Manager backs up your website before any update.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"color:#32373c;background-color:#3373dc\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-notice gb-font-size-18 gb-block-notice\" data-id=\"5e5432\"><div class=\"gb-notice-text\" style=\"border-color:#3373dc\"><p><em>Our optional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/en\/hosting\/backup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Extended backups<\/a> upgrade provides access to monthly backups stored for a full year. This upgrade is useful if you don\u2019t monitor your website regularly, and you want the reassurance of having long-term copies of your content available at any time. Our standard backups remain fully accessible regardless of whether you use this upgrade, and their availability is never affected by it.<\/em><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"app-installer-a6ff20c9-3c58-4ae9-aa7c-9884442b5a02\">App installer<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"289\" height=\"236\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees12.png\" alt=\"Single licenses pricing of the Fantastico script installer\" class=\"wp-image-14679 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 289px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 289\/236;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>App installers such as Fantastico and Softaculous are very popular among hosting providers. They allow users to browse and install hundreds of applications with a few clicks (how many of those apps are actually useful is another question). Like hosting control panels, these installers come with licensing fees based on the number of accounts, the number of servers, or the license period. Even if the fee seems small, it is ultimately passed on to customers. On virtual servers, installers are often not included at all, meaning a single customer may have to pay the full license cost if they don\u2019t want to install applications manually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid these issues, some hosting providers develop their own application installers, and ICDSoft is one of them. Our App Installer is included with all hosting plans for free. Beyond eliminating third-party licensing fees, using our own software gives us flexibility \u2013 we can add or remove applications as needed, support specific versions, and avoid the clutter commonly found in other installers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees13.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"438\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees13-1024x438.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the applications installer that includes a number of popular applications such as Moodle, Drupal, Joomla\" class=\"wp-image-14680 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees13-1024x438.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees13-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees13-1536x658.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees13.png 1637w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/438;\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A screenshot of the applications installer that includes a number of popular applications such as Moodle, Drupal, Joomla, and more.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"billing-platform-8b911ec5-08ad-43f5-9fa5-4a377d315fa5\">Billing platform<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For many, it may come as a surprise that the billing platform used by a hosting provider can slightly increase the price of a hosting service. After all, it isn\u2019t part of the hosting itself. However, many providers - especially smaller companies or resellers - use ready-made billing solutions. Naturally, these applications come with a monthly fee. As with other software, billing platforms follow different pricing models \u2013 some charge a flat rate, while others use tiered pricing based on the number of client accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you purchase hosting from a small reseller, which is common in many local communities, they are almost certainly using such software, and its cost is already factored into the price you pay.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"862\" height=\"291\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees10.png\" alt=\"Pricing plans of ClientExec, a popular hosting billing platform\" class=\"wp-image-14676 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 862px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 862\/291;width:560px;height:auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees10.png 862w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees10-300x101.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 862px) 100vw, 862px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"209\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees11-1024x209.png\" alt=\"Pricing plans of HostBill, a popular hosting billing platform\" class=\"wp-image-14677 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees11-1024x209.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees11-300x61.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees11.png 1191w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/209;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Monthly and one-time pricing plans of two popular billing platforms.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>To eliminate the limitations and potential security risks of third-party billing software, we developed our own billing platform. Having full control allows us to create custom solutions, update or expand features, integrate additional payment processors, and refine our interfaces whenever needed \u2013 without depending on someone else\u2019s release schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to resell our services, your customers can use the same platform at no additional cost to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8ede877a8b1&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8ede877a8b1\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"156\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees19-1024x156.png\" alt=\"Two orders, one new and one completed, listed in the ICDSoft Account panel, along with services, payment method, creation date and total amount to pay\" class=\"wp-image-14690 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees19-1024x156.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees19-300x46.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees19-1536x233.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/156;\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Our in-house billing platform is very flexible.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"support-535a9910-a40f-4ce7-a8a8-4cd3a9cef0d3\">Support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As strange as it may sound, many hosting providers charge extra for handling support requests. Some apply fees only for time-consuming or advanced tasks, such as debugging scripts or performing server-level management, and those charges are justified. Others, however, bill customers even for basic assistance, despite those customers already paying for hosting. These charges are almost never disclosed during signup, and users often discover them only when they need help. Most providers that follow this model charge per support request, meaning the more questions you have, the more you pay. Free support is often limited to browsing help articles or dealing with a chatbot. This has gradually evolved into a common practice among many providers, making free human support harder to find.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"452\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees7-1024x452.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the premium support plans of a well-known web hosting provider\" class=\"wp-image-14668 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees7-1024x452.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees7-300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees7.png 1220w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/452;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A well-known hosting provider asks for money to help with tasks such as manual backup creation, fixing mixed content errors, or transferring emails from another provider. We performs all of these tasks for you at no additional cost.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We don\u2019t believe support should work that way. Whenever you need assistance \u2013 whether it is with our Control Panel, reseller tools, or WordPress manager \u2013 our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/en\/support\/contact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">support team<\/a> is available 24\/7 at no additional cost. All requests are handled by Level 3 experts with an average of 10 years of experience, and you never have to pay extra for \u201cpremium\u201d or \u201cpriority\u201d support. Thanks to our streamlined processes, our average ticket resolution time is just 7 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"188\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees8-1024x188.png\" alt=\"A banner highlighting the exceptional quality of the ICDSoft support team, its remarkably short average response time of only 15 minutes per ticket, and its 24\/7 availability.\" class=\"wp-image-14671 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees8-1024x188.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees8-300x55.png 300w, https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefees8.png 1099w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/188;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A team of senior-level specialists is available to assist you. The ICDSoft support team resolves tickets in an average of just 7 minutes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"wrap-up-1edfaf28-3989-44e4-8471-b9ba1f3efa97\">Wrap-Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are choosing a hosting plan for your next project, it is important to understand all potential costs. The price you see often includes hidden charges for features you might not need - or excludes essential ones you do. Backups, support, and control panel licensing are common examples, but there may be others as well. That\u2019s why you should research providers carefully and choose a company that is transparent about its pricing. In the end, you want a hosting partner you can trust.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this article, we will look at five common hidden fees. As you will see, we don\u2019t add any of these charges to the prices our customers pay. We invest in developing our own services and improving our support. These efforts pay off, allowing us to offer transparent pricing without hidden fees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14654,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-14651","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general","8":"category-online-business"},"author_meta":{"display_name":"ICDSoft","author_link":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/author\/icdsoft\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefeestitle-300x200.png","featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefeestitle.png","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fivefeestitle.png","author_info":{"display_name":"ICDSoft","author_link":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/author\/icdsoft\/"},"coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/category\/general\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">General<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/category\/online-business\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Online Business<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">General<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Online Business<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 8 months ago","modified":"Updated 5 months ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on December 19, 2025","modified":"Updated on March 19, 2026"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on December 19, 2025 1:15 pm","modified":"Updated on March 19, 2026 8:15 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14651"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15010,"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14651\/revisions\/15010"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.icdsoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}