Spend a few minutes researching the best web hosting providers, and you'll quickly come across Bluehost. It's a widely used and highly popular option.
In this comprehensive review, we'll explore Bluehost in depth to help you decide if it's the right web hosting choice for you in 2024.
What is Bluehost?
Bluehost is a prominent and well-established web hosting company that offers a variety of hosting services and domain registration.
Founded in 2003, it has grown to become one of the industry's leading hosting providers. Bluehost provides a range of hosting solutions, including shared hosting, virtual private servers (VPS), dedicated hosting, and specialized WordPress hosting.
If you are looking for other websites like Bluehost, read our guide on Bluehost Alternatives.
What Products Does Bluehost Offer?
Bluehost, a leading US-based web hosting provider, offers a wide range of hosting-related products, from domain names to dedicated servers.
Let's take a quick look at their extensive catalog.
Domain Names
Although not the cheapest domain name registrar, Bluehost allows you to buy domain names directly from them, starting at $18.99 per year for renewal, with an additional $15 per year for domain privacy.
Personally, I prefer Namecheap for domain names due to its lower prices and easier management.
Shared Hosting
For most users, especially those not managing large projects or needing extensive server customization, a shared hosting plan is ideal.
This is akin to sharing an apartment; you’ll share a server but have your own hosting space, making it a cost-effective but potentially noisier option. Bluehost’s shared hosting prices range from $9.99 to $28.99 per month.
WordPress Managed Hosting
Bluehost offers a specialized WordPress hosting service optimized for WordPress sites and includes features like a staging area.
While it provides several advantages, it starts at $24.95 per month, which is pricier compared to SiteGround's $17.99 and other affordable WordPress hosting services.
Dedicated Servers
Ideal for websites that generate substantial traffic or require top-performing servers, dedicated hosting is like having your own house—no neighbors or roommates.
Bluehost's dedicated hosting plans start at $124.99 per month, going up to $209.99.
VPS
A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a middle ground between shared hosting and dedicated hosting. You’ll share a server with other clients, but there's a virtual separation between your projects and theirs.
This type of hosting is recommended for those needing specific server configurations, such as using particular programming languages. Bluehost’s VPS hosting plans range from $29.99 to $119.99 per month.
Bluehost Pros and Cons
Below are some of Bluehost's main pros and cons.
Bluehost Pros
1. Seamless WordPress Integration: Setting up a WordPress site through Bluehost is incredibly easy.
2. Budget-Level Pricing: Bluehost has an overall value score of 4.7 out of 5. Prices remain competitive even after the first year, and the variety of tiered pricing plans ensures there’s an affordable option for every site.
3. Dependable Features: Bluehost’s plans are packed with features, including unmetered bandwidth, a free domain, and cPanel access.
Bluehost Cons
1. Limited Basic Plans: Bluehost’s cheapest plans might not suffice for significant online growth, but they are a good starting point.
2. Unreliable Uptime: Despite advertising a 99.98% uptime, Bluehost performed poorly in our site speed and uptime testing.
Conclusion: Should You Use BlueHost?
It's an easy Yes. Bluehost is an excellent web hosting provider, especially for WordPress users. Their plans are reasonably priced, and their performance justifies the cost. Bluehost offers an intuitive suite of packages that even hosting newcomers can easily navigate.
Their WP Pro plans highlight their dedication to WordPress, making them the No. 1 WordPress-recommended host for many years.
The only potential downside is that Bluehost is a subsidiary of Endurance International Group (EIG), a hosting giant with numerous other acquisitions. Despite this, Bluehost continues to stand out.
