BLUEHOST REVIEW
Bluehost is a hosting provider known for its excellent customer service, reliable uptime, and good value for money. It’s an ideal choice if you’re looking to host a WordPress site.
Bluehost is a prominent and widely recognized name in the web hosting industry. If you’re familiar with web hosting, you’ve likely heard of this prominent provider. As one of the oldest web hosting companies still thriving, Bluehost has earned the distinction of being the top recommended hosting service by WordPress.org.
Bluehost has established itself as a top choice for WordPress hosting, catering to everyone from beginners to large enterprises. It offers a variety of plans and provides 24/7 customer support. With Bluehost, you can rely on expert assistance through live chat, email, and phone support to resolve any website issues. Plus, you won’t have to worry about your site slowing down, even during peak traffic times.
Are you considering Bluehost.in as your hosting provider and want to know more about their service? You’re in the right place.
Bluehost is an affordable web hosting option similar to Hostinger, aimed at beginners. I purchased a Bluehost India shared hosting plan to test its server capabilities and obtained mixed results. I evaluated various performance metrics to provide you with a comprehensive review.
My testing included speed tests, uptime checks, server response evaluations (including tests for the US server), and load tests with different caching plugins. We’ll also examine the different hosting plans, their pricing, the refund policy, customer support, pros and cons, and security features.
Stay with me until the end for recommendations on plans suited for various types of websites, as well as some alternatives to Bluehost. Read through this complete review to understand why Bluehost is so popular and manages over 2 million domains.
4.8
Ranked 1318 from 3860 Website Builders
Pricing
Web Hosting ₹248 – ₹1158
VPS Hosting ₹2490 – ₹5810
Dedicated Server ₹7469 – ₹11621
WordPress Hosting ₹248 – ₹1158
Bluehost |4.8| 
Bluehost is a prominent web hosting provider known for its reliability and extensive range of hosting services. Established in 2003 and headquartered in Orem, Utah, Bluehost has become a leading name in the hosting industry, particularly noted for its strong association with WordPress.
Key Highlights:
Reputation: Bluehost is officially recommended by WordPress.org as the top choice for WordPress hosting due to its seamless integration and specialized features for WordPress sites.
Hosting Services: Bluehost offers a variety of hosting options, including:
Shared Hosting: Ideal for beginners and small websites, featuring affordable plans with sential features.
VPS Hosting: Provides a middle ground between shared and dedicated hosting, offering more control and dedicated resources within a virtual environment.
Dedicated Hosting: Best for large businesses and high-traffic sites, providing exclusive access to a server for enhanced performance and security.
WordPress Hosting: Tailored specifically for WordPress sites with optimized features and support.
E-commerce Hosting: Designed for online stores with features and tools to manage e-commerce sites effectively.
Features: |4.0|
Performance: Reliable uptime and robust server performance.
Support: 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone.
Security: Includes SSL certificates, advanced security features, and regular backups.
Money-Back Guarantee: Most plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Additional Services: Bluehost also offers domain registration, email hosting, and various website-building tools to enhance your online presence.
| Free domain name? | ✔ |
| Free SSL? | ✔ |
| Money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Uptime guarantee? | ✘ |
| Managed hosting features? | ✔ |
| Data centers | Orem, Utah – US |
Who Is Bluehost Best For?
Bluehost’s diverse hosting options, robust features, and affordable plans for beginners make it a reliable choice. This is why we have rated it as the best overall hosting provider on the market. It is particularly well-suited for WordPress sites, having earned the title of best for WordPress hosting in our research with a score of 4.6 out of 5. Additionally, WordPress has been recommending Bluehost since 2005. Bluehost also stands out as a strong option for ecommerce website hosting if that’s what you’re looking for.
Pros and Cons
Bluehost Pros:
Seamless WordPress Integration: Setting up a WordPress site with Bluehost is straightforward and hassle-free.
Budget-Friendly Pricing: With a value rating of 4.7 out of 5, Bluehost offers competitive pricing even after the first year. Its range of tiered plans provides affordable options for various types of sites.
Reliable Features: Bluehost’s plans come with valuable features, such as unmetered bandwidth, a free domain, and cPanel access.
Bluehost Cons:
Limited Basic Plans: The most affordable plans may not be sufficient for more ambitious growth, but they are a good starting point.
Inconsistent Uptime: Despite claiming an uptime of 99.98%, Bluehost showed underwhelming results in our site speed and uptime tests.
Pricing |4.7|
Bluehost excels in value for money, earning a score of 4.7 out of 5 in our research. It also ranks highest for pricing among VPS, dedicated, and WordPress hosting options. Plus, all Bluehost plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.
For shared hosting, Bluehost’s most affordable plan starts at $2.95 per month for the first year, with a renewal rate of $9.99 per month. Dedicated hosting plans, being the most premium option, start at $99.99 per month for a 12-month term.
Security |4.8|
A key indicator of a secure website is the presence of an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. SSL certificates assure users that any information shared on your site is protected, as shown by the padlock icon and “https” at the start of the URL.
All Bluehost plans include a free SSL certificate, so visitors won’t see warnings about your site’s security. For enhanced security, especially for ecommerce sites or any site requiring sensitive information, you can purchase a premium SSL certificate starting at $49.99 per year.
Bluehost also provides other free security features such as Spam Assassin protection, hotlink protection, and Secure Shell (SSH) access. These measures are generally sufficient for a standard site. However, if you plan to scale your site or run an online store, additional security options might be worthwhile.
While Bluehost offers various extra security measures, they can add up quickly. For instance, SiteLock Find, which provides advanced ecommerce security, costs $1.99 per month but is billed annually at $23.88. Although this is relatively affordable for protecting online transactions, it’s important to consider these costs carefully to avoid surprises at checkout.
Popular Web Hosting Provider
Migration
If you’re considering switching to Bluehost because you’re dissatisfied with your current hosting provider, here’s what you need to know about making the transition:
1. DIY Migration:
Migrating your site to Bluehost yourself is relatively straightforward. Bluehost uses the standard cPanel dashboard, allowing you to follow general migration guides (like ours) without unexpected issues. The process is step-by-step and can take some time, so it may be intimidating for those who lack technical confidence.
2. Paid Site Migration:
For $149.99, Bluehost offers a comprehensive site migration service. This service covers the migration of up to five websites and 20 email accounts. Bluehost guarantees no downtime during the migration and provides 24/7 support throughout the process. Many users find that the convenience of having Bluehost handle the migration is worth the cost. However, this service is not available for reseller, VPS, or dedicated server accounts.
3. Free Migration for Most WordPress Sites:
Certain WordPress sites are eligible for free migration to Bluehost. After signing up for a hosting plan, you can fill out a form on Bluehost’s website. If your site doesn’t have any complex requirements, a Bluehost expert will handle the migration at no additional cost.
Additional Products
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.In addition to the costs associated with upgrading your Bluehost plan, there are several features included with every Bluehost package. Even the most basic plan, the Basic shared hosting plan (introductory price of $2.95/month), includes:
- 10 GB SSD storage
- Unmetered bandwidth
- Free SSL certificate
- Free domain for 1 year
- 1 domain
- 5 parked domains
- 25 sub-domains
If you upgrade to the Plus Shared plan (introductory price of $3.95/month), you’ll enjoy unlimited websites, domains, parked domains, and sub-domains, along with double the storage. Additionally, Bluehost’s shared hosting plans include 30 free days with one Office 365 mailbox and anti-spam email filtering through Spam Experts.
Shared Hosting
If you’re a beginner seeking an affordable hosting solution to start your business, shared hosting is an excellent choice. It’s budget-friendly and ideal for newcomers. The basic plan begins at $2.75/month for the initial purchase, with a renewal rate of $7.99/month. This plan includes 1 website, 50GB SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, an SSL certificate, standard performance, 1 domain, 5 parked domains, and 25 sub-domains.
The Plus plan offers everything in the Basic plan with unlimited features, plus additional services like Spam Experts and 1 Office 365 mailbox. Shared hosting also includes the Choice Plus and Pro plans, which are similar to the Plus plan but with some extra features. Each plan includes a 30-day money-back guarantee and round-the-clock customer support. For more options, check out the best WordPress hosting providers.
VPS Hosting
VPS hosting acts as an intermediary between shared and dedicated hosting. Although it is physically similar to shared hosting, it offers a virtual private environment with dedicated resources, making it ideal for those who are uncertain between shared and dedicated hosting.
The Standard plan starts at $18.99/month for the initial purchase, with a renewal rate of $29.99/month. It includes 2 cores, 30GB SSD storage, 2GB RAM, 1TB bandwidth, and 1 IP address. The Enhanced plan offers 2 cores, 60GB SSD storage, 4GB RAM, 2TB bandwidth, and 2 IP addresses, while the Ultimate plan provides 2 cores, 120GB SSD storage, 8GB RAM, 3TB bandwidth, and 2 IP addresses. All these plans come with a money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is the most expensive type of hosting, ideal for large commercial enterprises that need complete control over their resources. With dedicated hosting, you lease an entire server exclusively for yourself, resulting in faster, more efficient, and secure hosting.
The Standard plan starts at $79.99/month for the initial purchase, with a renewal rate of $119.99/month. There are also Enhanced and Premium plans available. The Standard plan provides 4 cores at 2.3 GHz, while the Enhanced plan offers 4 cores at 2.5 GHz, and the Premium plan features 4 cores at 3.3 GHz. Storage options range from 500GB to 1TB mirrored, RAM starts at 4GB and goes up to 16GB, and bandwidth ranges from 5TB to 15TB depending on the plan. Each plan includes 3 to 5 IP addresses. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, a free domain for one year, a free SSL certificate, and 24/7 customer support.
Standard Plan: Starts at $79.99/month for the initial purchase, with a renewal rate of $119.99/month. It includes 4 cores at 2.3 GHz, 500GB mirrored storage, 4GB RAM, and 5TB bandwidth. This plan also provides 3 IP addresses.
Enhanced Plan: Offers 4 cores at 2.5 GHz, 1TB mirrored storage, 8GB RAM, and 10TB bandwidth. It includes 4 IP addresses.
Premium Plan: Features 4 cores at 3.3 GHz, 1TB mirrored storage, 16GB RAM, and 15TB bandwidth. This plan comes with 5 IP addresses.
WordPress Recommended
Bluehost and WordPress Hosting
Bluehost is recognized as one of the top WordPress hosting providers, offering features like one-click WordPress installation and one free WordPress site migration for all users. Our research indicates that Bluehost’s WordPress hosting, including installation and migration, is user-friendly and straightforward. The native Bluehost Site Migrator simplifies the migration process by handling most of the work.
Here’s how to install or migrate a WordPress site with Bluehost:
Install WordPress:
1. After creating or logging into your account, select the “Install WordPress” option from the “Add Website” panel.
2. Enter your site name, connect a domain, or opt for a temporary domain. You can also skip this step.
3. Wait for the installation to complete, which typically takes less than a minute.
4. Once the installation is finished, you’ll be directed to a summary page. Click “Edit Site” to start editing your WordPress site. From here, you can choose to migrate an existing site or start a new one.
For a fresh WordPress site:
You will be prompted to use the Bluehost website builder, which provides numerous design and template options and guides you through setting up your site based on its purpose (e.g., shop, blog, portfolio).
For migrating an existing site:
Enter the URL of your current WordPress site.
Install the Bluehost Site Migrator.
Copy and paste the transfer key to complete the migration.
The Site Migrator will handle most of the migration process for you.
If you prefer professional assistance with site migration, you can purchase Bluehost’s migration service for $149.99, where an expert will manage the entire process.
However, the Bluehost Site Migrator has received mixed reviews, with a rating of 1.5 stars from 24 reviews and over 8,000 active installations. Our research suggests that other migration tools, such as the Updraft Migration Plugin, are more highly rated, with a 5-star rating from over 7,000 reviews and more than 3 million active installations.
As previously noted, Bluehost has been endorsed by WordPress.org for many years. Recently, they’ve significantly enhanced their offerings. I’m truly impressed by how they’ve streamlined the WordPress site creation process for beginners while still incorporating numerous premium features for more experienced WordPress users. Here’s why Bluehost has also made it onto our recommended list for WordPress hosting.
Bluehost WordPress Features
Bluehost has made notable enhancements to their WordPress hosting services. Here are some of the key features included with your Bluehost hosting plan.
1. Automatic WordPress Installation
2. User-Friendly Guided WordPress Site Creation
3. Customized WordPress Dashboard Interface
4. Performance Caching
5. Automatic Updates for WordPress Plugins and Themes
6. Website Staging Included
7. Fast Website Provisioning
8. Free Let’s Encrypt SSL
9. Free SiteLock CDN
Among these features, the automatic updates for plugins and themes and the website staging stand out as particularly impressive. These features are typically found in more expensive managed hosting plans, making them a valuable addition to Bluehost’s offerings. Currently, the website staging functionality is in beta mode but is accessible through your Bluehost dashboard.
Bluehost cPanel Hosting
Bluehost has consistently excelled in delivering a tailored version of cPanel, and their latest iteration continues this trend with a clean and user-friendly design. cPanel is integrated into your Bluehost web hosting control panel, which you access upon logging into your Bluehost account. Through cPanel, you can manage your websites, email accounts, and domains, alongside other cPanel features.
Performance – Bluehost Speed, Uptime, and Stress Testing
To evaluate Bluehost’s performance, we conducted several tests, including uptime, response time, load speed, and capacity to handle simultaneous visitors. These tests were performed on a shared hosting plan with a fully built site to closely mimic real-world conditions. Consequently, metrics like load speed and server response time might be higher compared to an empty site.
Overall, Bluehost’s performance is notably above average. The sites load quickly, downtime is minimal, and the hosting handles traffic spikes effectively. This makes Bluehost a reliable choice for small to medium-sized websites.
Bluehost Uptime and Response Time
Uptime measures the availability of your site, indicating how consistently it remains online. Over 30 days of monitoring, Bluehost achieved a 99.63% uptime. While Bluehost doesn’t offer an uptime guarantee like some other providers, this near-perfect uptime is commendable. Achieving 100% uptime is rare, so Bluehost’s performance in this area is considered very good.
Server Response Time
Server response time, or Time to First Byte (TTFB), measures the duration it takes for a host server to process a visitor’s request and deliver a response from the website. This metric includes latency, which is the minimal time a server needs to start responding, not counting the time needed for processing. As a result, the total server response time (TTFB) will always be greater than latency.
In our Bluehost tests, the average server response time was 971 milliseconds. While this is neither outstanding nor poor, it is a satisfactory result given that the tests were conducted with a fully built site.
Ranked 1318 from 3860 Website Builders
Frequently Asked Question
Bluehost is a web hosting company that provides a variety of hosting services, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, and WordPress hosting.
You can sign up for Bluehost by visiting their website, selecting the desired hosting plan, and following the registration process.
Bluehost offers shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, WordPress hosting, and WooCommerce hosting.
Shared hosting is a form of web hosting in which multiple websites utilize the resources of a single server. It’s an affordable solution for small to medium-sized websites.
VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting provides a virtualized server environment with dedicated resources, offering more control and flexibility compared to shared hosting.
Dedicated hosting gives you an entire server for your website, providing maximum control, performance, and security.
WordPress hosting is tailored specifically for WordPress sites, providing improved performance, increased security, and straightforward WordPress installation and management.
WooCommerce hosting is tailored for eCommerce websites using the WooCommerce plugin on WordPress, offering specialized features for online stores.
To cancel your account, you need to contact Bluehost support and follow their cancellation process.
Technical Support
Yes, Bluehost provides 24/7 customer support through phone, live chat, and email.
You can contact Bluehost support via their support phone number, live chat on their website, or through their ticket system.
Domains and Websites
Yes, Bluehost offers domain registration services, allowing you to purchase and manage domain names directly through their platform.
You can indeed transfer your current domain to Bluehost. They provide a domain transfer service and guide you through the process.
Yes, Bluehost offers website migration services to help you move your existing website to their hosting platform.
Performance and Security
Bluehost guarantees a 99.9% uptime for their hosting services, ensuring your website remains online and accessible.
Yes, Bluehost provides free SSL certificates with all hosting plans to ensure secure connections for your website.
Bluehost offers various security features, including SiteLock, CodeGuard, and advanced firewall protection to safeguard your website.
Billing and Pricing
Yes, Bluehost provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on their hosting plans.
Miscellaneous
Yes, Bluehost allows you to host multiple websites, depending on the hosting plan you choose.
Yes, Bluehost includes email hosting with all of their hosting plans, allowing you to create professional email addresses associated with your domain.
