Most hosting prices you see online are in US dollars, even on pages that look Australian. Whether you pay GST, and whether you get a tax invoice you can claim it back on, depends on one thing: whether the supplier is an Australian entity or a non-resident one. This page sets out which is which, what the ATO rules actually say, and how to read your own invoice.
Is web hosting priced in AUD or USD?
Both, and the page you are reading rarely makes it obvious. A "$14.99/mo" with no currency code is USD far more often than it is AUD, and at current rates that is roughly a 50% difference in what leaves your account. Three things decide it: where the supplier is incorporated, whether they run a localised Australian price list, and whether they are quoting inclusive or exclusive of GST.
The reliable test is not the currency symbol on the marketing page. It is the checkout total and the invoice. Add the plan to the cart, get to the payment step, and read the line that says what will actually be charged. If the invoice says USD, your bank will also add a foreign transaction fee of roughly 2-3% that no comparison table shows you.
Currency, GST and ABN by provider
The ABN and GST-registration columns below were read from ABN Lookup, the Australian Business Register's public search, on 29 August 2026. That is a primary source and it is definitive. The currency column is weaker evidence: it reflects our own pricing checks and the providers' published policies, and providers change currency handling by region and over time, so treat it as a starting point and confirm at checkout.
| Provider | Australian ABN | Registered for GST in Australia | Billing currency (check at checkout) | Tax invoice with an ABN? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VentraIP | 91 137 543 018 (Nexigen Digital Pty Ltd) | Yes, since 1 Jul 2009 | AUD | Yes |
| Conetix | 47 126 365 268 | Yes, since 6 Jul 2007 | AUD | Yes |
| Serversaurus | 56 213 841 739 (Arktisma Unit Trust) | Yes, since 1 Oct 2010 | AUD | Yes |
| Micron21 | 68 148 180 661 | Yes, since 1 Apr 2014 | AUD | Yes |
| Digital Pacific | 65 111 823 333 | Yes, since 16 Nov 2004 | AUD | Yes |
| Binary Lane | 24 168 554 863 | No - not currently registered | AUD | Invoice, but no GST to claim |
| Crazy Domains | 95 851 604 390 (Dreamscape Networks International Pte Ltd, Singapore) | Yes, since 1 Jun 2020 | AUD | Yes, but the entity is Singaporean |
| GoDaddy (retail) | 52 500 944 661 (GoDaddy Singapore Pte. Ltd.) | Yes, since 1 Oct 2017 | AUD on the AU storefront | Yes, Singapore entity |
| WP Engine | 32 619 342 568 (WP Engine Australia Pty Ltd) | Yes, since 25 May 2017 | AUD price list published | Depends which entity invoices you |
| DigitalOcean | 91 654 082 470 (DigitalOcean Australia Pty Ltd) | Yes, since 1 Jan 2022 | USD | Depends which entity invoices you |
| HostPapa | 47 150 231 459 (HostPapa, Inc.) | Yes, since 25 May 2011 | Not verified | Foreign company with AU GST registration |
| SiteGround | None | No Australian registration | Localised pricing shown to AU visitors | No Australian ABN |
| Hostinger | None | No Australian registration | Localised pricing shown to AU visitors | No Australian ABN |
| Kinsta | None | No Australian registration | USD | No Australian ABN |
| Bluehost | None | No Australian registration | USD | No Australian ABN |
| Cloudways | None | No Australian registration | USD | No Australian ABN |
| Namecheap | None | No Australian registration | USD by default; A$ available in the site currency selector | No Australian ABN |
(ABN and GST columns checked against ABN Lookup on 29 August 2026. Currency column reflects our pricing checks and published provider policy, and is the column most likely to change - confirm it at checkout before you rely on it.)
Why a foreign host still charges you GST
From 1 July 2017 Australia extended GST to imported services and digital products sold to Australian consumers. The rule is the one people call the Netflix tax, and hosting, domains, SaaS and email all fall inside it. A non-resident supplier that makes A$75,000 or more a year in sales to Australian consumers must register for Australian GST and charge 10% on those sales, even though it has no Australian company and no Australian ABN.
The reason it does not always apply to you is the second half of the rule. The law distinguishes an Australian consumer from an Australian-based business recipient:
- An Australian consumer is broadly someone who is not registered for GST, or who is buying at least partly for private use. Non-resident suppliers must charge them 10% GST.
- An Australian-based business recipient is registered for GST, carries on an enterprise in Australia, and is buying for that enterprise rather than private use. Under the cross-border business-to-business rules the supply is treated as not connected with Australia, so the non-resident supplier is not required to charge GST at all.
That is why so many overseas billing pages ask for an ABN. It is not marketing data collection - it is the supplier deciding which of the two categories you fall into.
The clearest published example: WP Engine
WP Engine publishes its Australian GST policy in its support centre, and it is the most explicit statement any of the major hosts makes. In its own words, under Australian GST rules WP Engine calculates and collects GST on sales to Australian customers who do not have an Australian Business Number and are not registered for GST; if you are an Australian resident with an ABN, you provide it to avoid having GST applied to your invoice. The company began charging GST on 1 December 2017, and states it does not apply the charge retrospectively - it applies from the invoice date forward. That support article was last updated on 28 July 2025 and we checked it on 29 August 2026.
Treat that as the template for how the other non-resident hosts behave, because they are all operating under the same ATO rules. But do not assume it - each supplier implements it slightly differently, and only the invoice tells you what actually happened. Our WP Engine review covers the platform itself.
When can you claim the GST back?
If you are registered for GST and the hosting is used in your business, the GST you were charged is generally claimable as an input tax credit - but only if all of the following are true:
- You are registered for GST.
- The hosting was acquired for your enterprise, not for private use.
- GST was actually charged and is shown on the invoice. If no GST was charged, there is nothing to claim.
- You hold a valid tax invoice for any purchase over A$82.50 including GST.
A valid tax invoice has to show the words "tax invoice", the supplier's identity, the supplier's ABN, the date, a description of what was sold, the price, and the GST amount. A supplier that is GST-registered must give you one for taxable sales over A$82.50 including GST, or on request.
Two cases catch Australian businesses out. First, a foreign supplier that correctly stops charging you GST because you gave them your ABN: there is no GST on the invoice, so there is no credit to claim - the expense is still deductible for income tax, but the GST line is zero. Second, a supplier that is not registered for GST at all, such as Binary Lane on its current ABN record: same outcome, no GST, no credit. Neither is a problem, but both will look wrong if you budgeted a 10% recovery.
How to check what you are actually being charged
Four checks, in the order that finds problems fastest:
1. Read the invoice, not the pricing page. The pricing page is marketing and is often localised by IP address. The invoice is the contract. It names the legal entity, the currency, and the GST.
2. Look for an ABN on the invoice. If there is one, search it at abr.business.gov.au and confirm the entity is registered for GST. Our ABN register of Australian web hosts has the major providers already looked up.
3. Check your card statement for a foreign transaction fee. A USD-billed host costs you the exchange rate plus roughly 2-3% on most Australian cards. On a A$50/month plan that is A$15-18 a year that never appears in any comparison table.
4. Give the supplier your ABN if you are GST-registered. With a non-resident supplier this usually removes the 10% from your bill straight away. With an Australian supplier it will not - they must charge GST regardless - but you can claim it back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is that price in AUD or USD?
Assume USD unless the page or the checkout explicitly says AUD. Australian-registered suppliers such as VentraIP, Conetix, Serversaurus, Micron21 and Digital Pacific bill in Australian dollars. Most large international hosts quote in US dollars, though several show localised pricing to Australian visitors that may or may not be the currency you are finally charged in. The only reliable check is the checkout total or the invoice - and if it is USD, add roughly 2-3% for your card's foreign transaction fee.
Do Australian hosting prices include GST?
It varies, and it is the single most common source of confusion in comparison tables. Some Australian hosts quote GST-inclusive prices to consumers, others quote ex-GST because they sell mainly to businesses. A price quoted ex-GST is 10% higher than it looks. Always confirm at the checkout step, where the GST line has to be shown separately.
Does a foreign web host charge GST in Australia?
Yes, if it is selling to Australian consumers and its Australian sales reach A$75,000 a year. Since 1 July 2017 the ATO's imported services and digital products rules require non-resident suppliers to register for and charge 10% GST on those sales. If you are an Australian business registered for GST and you give the supplier your ABN, the cross-border business-to-business rules generally mean they stop charging it. WP Engine publishes exactly this policy for Australian customers.
Will I get an Australian tax invoice with an ABN?
Only from a supplier that has an Australian ABN and is registered for GST. Of the providers we checked on 29 August 2026, VentraIP, Conetix, Serversaurus, Micron21, Digital Pacific, Crazy Domains, GoDaddy's retail entity, WP Engine Australia, DigitalOcean Australia and HostPapa all hold Australian ABNs with active GST registration. SiteGround, Hostinger, Kinsta, Bluehost, Cloudways and Namecheap have no Australian ABN, so their invoices cannot carry one - they may still show GST if they collect it under the non-resident rules.
Can I claim GST back on web hosting?
If you are registered for GST, the hosting is for your business, GST was actually charged, and you hold a valid tax invoice for any purchase over A$82.50 including GST, then yes, generally as an input tax credit. If the supplier did not charge GST - because you gave a non-resident supplier your ABN, or because the supplier is not GST-registered - there is no GST to claim. The expense is still deductible for income tax either way. This is general information, not tax advice.
Do I need an ABN to buy web hosting in Australia?
Not for hosting itself - anyone can buy hosting. You do need an ABN, ACN or another eligible Australian presence to register a .com.au or .au domain name, under auDA's rules. Separately, giving a non-resident host your ABN is what usually removes the 10% GST from their invoices, so it is worth providing if you have one. See our guide to registering a .com.au domain for the eligibility rules.
Why is my hosting bill higher than the advertised price?
Usually one of four reasons, in rough order of frequency: the advertised price was the introductory rate and you are now on the renewal rate; the price was ex-GST and 10% was added at checkout; the price was in US dollars and you paid the exchange rate plus a card fee; or an add-on such as a domain, SSL, backups or "domain privacy" was pre-ticked in the cart. Our hosting cost breakdown works through the real annual totals.
Is it cheaper to use a host that does not charge GST?
Only if you are not registered for GST. If you are registered, GST is a wash - you pay it and claim it back, so a GST-free foreign invoice saves you nothing and may cost you more once foreign transaction fees are counted. If you are not registered for GST, a supplier that does not charge it is genuinely 10% cheaper on the same headline price. That is the one case where it changes the maths.