Bluehost Overview

Bluehost has been a WordPress-recommended hosting provider since 2005, powering over 2 million websites worldwide. Owned by Newfold Digital (formerly Endurance International Group), Bluehost is known for its beginner-friendly approach and WordPress optimization.

Our Verdict

Bluehost remains one of the best choices for WordPress beginners, offering solid performance, excellent integration, and reliable support. While not the cheapest option, its ease of use and official WordPress recommendation make it worth considering for new site owners.

After 6 months of testing their shared hosting plans, we've identified where Bluehost excels and where competitors might offer better value depending on your needs.

Bluehost Pricing & Plans

Bluehost offers four main shared hosting tiers with WordPress-specific optimizations. Prices reflect the 36-month term for maximum savings:

Plan Price Websites Storage Key Features
Basic $2.95/mo (renews at $9.99/mo) 1 10GB Free domain 1st year, free CDN
Choice Plus $5.45/mo (renews at $18.99/mo) 3 40GB Domain privacy, automated backups
Online Store $9.95/mo (renews at $24.95/mo) 3 40GB WooCommerce integration, product listings
Pro $13.95/mo (renews at $28.99/mo) 5 100GB Dedicated IP, optimized CPU resources
Important Note

The advertised prices require a 36-month commitment. Month-to-month plans are significantly more expensive. The Choice Plus plan offers the best value with included domain privacy and backups.

Performance Tests

We monitored a Bluehost Choice Plus shared hosting account hosting a medium-traffic WordPress site for 6 months. Key findings:

Strengths

  • 99.99% uptime in our tests
  • Average load time: 1.4s (with caching)
  • Excellent WordPress-specific optimizations
  • Free Cloudflare CDN integration

Weaknesses

  • Higher renewal prices than competitors
  • Basic plan has limited storage (10GB)
  • Upsells during checkout process
  • No free backups on Basic plan

Our test site handled up to 300 concurrent visitors before showing performance degradation. Bluehost uses custom-built servers with SSD storage and PHP 8+ for improved WordPress performance.

Key Features

Bluehost includes several valuable features even on their entry-level plans:

  • Free Domain: 1 year free with all annual plans
  • Free SSL Certificate: Auto-installed Let's Encrypt SSL
  • WordPress Integration: One-click installs and auto-updates
  • Custom Dashboard: Simplified interface for beginners
  • Marketing Credits: $200 in Google Ads/Bing credits
  • Resource Protection: Prevents one site from hogging resources
  • Staging Environment: Available on higher-tier plans

While Bluehost may lack some advanced developer tools, it covers all the essentials for launching and managing a successful WordPress site.

WordPress Experience

As an officially recommended WordPress host, Bluehost provides exceptional WordPress-specific features:

WordPress Optimized

Bluehost's custom WordPress dashboard simplifies management with one-click staging (on select plans), automatic updates, and built-in security features. Their servers are specifically configured for WordPress performance.

Notable WordPress features:

  • Pre-installed WordPress with optimized configuration
  • Automatic WordPress core updates
  • Custom Bluehost WordPress plugin for management
  • Easy access to themes and plugins
  • WooCommerce-ready on all plans

Customer Support

Bluehost offers 24/7 support via phone, live chat, and email. We tested their response times and knowledge:

  • Average response time: 2 minutes for chat, 5 minutes for phone
  • Technical expertise: Good WordPress knowledge, basic server expertise
  • Knowledge base: Extensive WordPress tutorials and guides
  • Unique feature: Video tutorials for common tasks

Bluehost's support is above average for shared hosting, especially for WordPress-specific issues. Phone support is a notable advantage over some competitors.

Bluehost Pros & Cons

Advantages

  • Official WordPress recommendation
  • Excellent beginner-friendly interface
  • Reliable performance and uptime
  • 24/7 phone and chat support
  • Free domain and SSL certificate
  • Good WordPress integration

Disadvantages

  • Higher renewal prices
  • Aggressive upsells during signup
  • Limited storage on basic plan
  • No free backups on entry plan
  • Not the fastest host we've tested

Bluehost Alternatives

Depending on your needs, these alternatives might be better suited:

  • SiteGround: Better performance but higher prices
  • Hostinger: More affordable but less WordPress-optimized
  • DreamHost: More developer-friendly with similar pricing
  • Kinsta: Premium managed WordPress hosting

For most WordPress beginners, Bluehost remains a top recommendation. But if you need more resources or better performance, considering alternatives might be worthwhile.

Conclusion: Is Bluehost Right For You?

Our Final Rating: 4.3/5

After extensive testing, we recommend Bluehost for:

  • WordPress beginners needing an easy start
  • Small business websites and blogs
  • Users who value phone support
  • Those wanting official WordPress integration

The Choice Plus plan offers the best value with included domain privacy and backups. Consider the 36-month term for maximum savings.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bluehost really recommended by WordPress?

Yes, Bluehost is one of only three hosting providers officially recommended by WordPress.org since 2005. This means their infrastructure is optimized specifically for WordPress performance and security.

Does Bluehost offer a money-back guarantee?

Bluehost provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on shared hosting plans. Domain registrations ($15.99 value) are non-refundable but you keep the domain.

Can I migrate my existing WordPress site to Bluehost?

Yes, Bluehost offers free WordPress migration on all plans except Basic. They have a dedicated migration plugin and team to handle the transfer for you.

Is Bluehost good for eCommerce?

Bluehost offers specialized WooCommerce hosting plans with store setup assistance. For serious eCommerce, consider their Online Store plan or dedicated WooCommerce hosting.