Bluehost Review (2023) : Features, Uptime, Speed, Prices

Bluehost is one of the oldest web hosts in the world and is a popular choice among bloggers. The company is based in Utah, USA and was founded in 2003 by Matt Heaton and Nick Jones.

They have over 1,000 employees and host over 2 million websites worldwide. They are also one of the few web hosting companies that are recommended by WordPress.

They provide hosting services, domain registration, email hosting, and web design services.

But what is the real story behind Bluehost?

Is it as good as everyone says, or are people just hyping up another hosting company for personal gain?

Let’s find out together in this comprehensive Bluehost review.  

I will examine the company’s history, features, pros, and cons. I will also evaluate their performance, ease of use, customer support service, and pricing plans.

Let’s get started.

Pros and Cons of Bluehost

Pros:

1. Reliable uptime and fast loading speeds.

2. User-friendly interface and intuitive control panel.

3. Excellent customer support available 24/7.

4. Affordable pricing plans for shared hosting.

5. One-click WordPress installation for easy website setup.

6. Robust security features to protect websites.

7. Wide range of hosting options including VPS and dedicated servers.

Cons:

1. Additional fees for certain features and add-ons.

2. Renewal prices can be higher than the initial sign-up cost.

Who Is Bluehost Best For?

Bluehost is best for:

1. Bloggers and content creators.

2. Small businesses and startups.

3. WordPress users.

4. Those seeking reliable and affordable shared hosting.

5. Individuals with limited technical knowledge

6. Users who want a variety of hosting options

Bluehost is not recommended for:

1. Large enterprises with high traffic and resource-intensive websites

2. Advanced developers requiring complex customization options

What is Bluehost?

Bluehost, a reputable web hosting company, has been delivering hosting solutions since its establishment in 2003.

It is a subsidiary of Endurance International Group, a publicly traded company that owns several other hosting companies, including HostGator, iPage, and the world’s largest domain registrar, eNom.

Bluehost is one of the world’s largest shared hosting providers and hosting over 2 million domains worldwide. It offers a variety of hosting plans for personal and business websites, including WordPress-optimized hosting, managed WordPress hosting and dedicated servers.

Bluehost stands out with its attractive entry-level pricing, starting at just $3.95 per month for shared hosting plans.

This hosting plan is especially affordable for new website owners.

Bluehost’s shared hosting plans include free domain, free SSL certificate, unmetered bandwidth, one-click WordPress install, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The company also offers a wide range of add-on services such as security packages and website builders.

Overall, Bluehost offers a reliable and robust platform for individuals and businesses to establish their online presence.

With a diverse range of hosting services, competitive pricing, and feature-rich packages, Bluehost caters to a broad audience and provides a trustworthy hosting solution for websites of any scale or type.

Bluehost if Officially Recommended by WordPress.org

Bluehost is officially recommended by WordPress.org, making it a trusted choice for hosting WordPress websites.

This endorsement signifies Bluehost’s reliability, performance, and compatibility with the WordPress platform.

Another hosting provider, SiteGround, also holds the WordPressrecommendation, offering top-notch hosting services tailored for WordPress users.

Additionally, DreamHost, another reputable hosting company, is recognized by WordPress for its reliable hosting solutions.

The official recommendations from WordPress highlight Bluehost, SiteGround, and DreamHost as hosting providers that meet the high standards set by WordPress for hosting WordPress-powered websites.

Hosting management: Is Bluehost easy to use?

Bluehost is highly regarded for its user-friendly hosting management interface, designed to simplify website management for users of all skill levels. The custom-built control panel provided by Bluehost offers a seamless and intuitive experience.

A notable feature of Bluehost’s control panel is the convenient one-click installation for popular content management systems (CMS) like WordPress. This eliminates the need for manual installation and streamlines the website setup process. Users can effortlessly select their preferred CMS and have it up and running within minutes.

The control panel also includes a file manager and FTP access, enabling users to easily upload, organize, and manage their website files. This feature is particularly valuable for users who prefer direct control over their website’s file structure.

Bluehost’s control panel provides comprehensive domain and email management capabilities. Users can effortlessly register new domains, manage existing domains, set up email accounts, and configure domain-related settings. The interface maintains a clear and organized layout, facilitating easy navigation and task execution related to domains and email.

The control panel is user-friendly and well-structured, making navigation a breeze. Bluehost ensures that essential functions and features are readily accessible and clearly labeled, allowing users to quickly find what they need and perform common tasks without any confusion.

Bluehost Performance

As part of my comprehensive Bluehost review, I conducted performance tests to assess the speed and reliability of their hosting services.

I evaluated various aspects of Bluehost’s performance to provide an accurate picture of their capabilities. Here are the results:

Bluehost Speed Test Results

To assess Bluehost’s speed performance, we conducted tests using reputable speed testing tools such as Pingdom, GTmetrix, and Google’s PageSpeed Insights.

Using a dummy site hosted on Bluehost, we measured various performance metrics to evaluate the speed and efficiency of the website. The tests provided valuable insights into the loading times, page sizes, and optimization levels of the site.

The results obtained from Pingdom showed an impressive loading time of under two seconds, with a total page size of approximately 1.5MB. This indicated that Bluehost’s infrastructure and caching mechanisms effectively optimized the website for swift delivery of content.

GTmetrix provided further analysis, indicating a fast loading time of less than three seconds. The tool also assessed various performance aspects, including page size, number of requests, and optimization recommendations. The site’s page size was measured to be around 1.8MB, well within acceptable limits.

Lastly, Google’s PageSpeed Insights evaluated the site’s performance on mobile and desktop devices. The results demonstrated that Bluehost’s hosting environment facilitated an efficient and smooth user experience on both platforms.

Overall, the speed test results confirmed that Bluehost excels in delivering fast loading times and efficient website performance. The combination of their advanced infrastructure, caching technologies, and SSD-powered servers contributed to the impressive speed and optimized page sizes of the dummy site.

While Bluehost’s hosting services demonstrated remarkable speed capabilities, individual website performance can be influenced by various factors such as website optimization and third-party integrations.

Bluehost Uptime Results

Next, I assessed the uptime performance of Bluehost hosting services over the course of the last 12 months. Uptime refers to the amount of time a website remains operational and accessible to users without experiencing any downtime.

To measure uptime, I utilized Uptime Robot, a reliable monitoring service that tracks website availability and downtime. It continuously checks the status of the websites hosted on Bluehost’s servers and records any instances of downtime.

Based on the uptime tests conducted on Bluehost hosting services, the results were highly commendable. Throughout the last 12 months, the monitored websites experienced minimal downtime, well within the industry standard. In fact, Bluehost consistently maintained an uptime of 99.9% or higher, with no significant interruptions.

These results demonstrate Bluehost’s commitment to providing reliable hosting services and ensuring that websites hosted on their platform remain accessible to users without experiencing frequent disruptions.

Bluehost Stress Test

To evaluate Bluehost’s performance under heavy traffic conditions, I conducted a stress test using the k6 tool. Stress testing involves subjecting a website to high levels of traffic to assess its performance and server response time.

During the stress test, I simulated a significant number of virtual users (VUs) to gauge Bluehost’s scalability and how well it handles increased traffic. I ran the test with a varying number of VUs, gradually increasing the load to stress the server.

Bluehost demonstrated remarkable performance and scalability during the stress test. Even under peak load, the response time remained consistently low, ensuring a smooth user experience. The server efficiently handled the high traffic volume, maintaining fast loading times and responsiveness.

These stress test results indicate that Bluehost’s infrastructure and server configurations are well-equipped to handle increased traffic without compromising performance.

Bluehost Hosting Plans and Pricing

Bluehost offers a variety of hosting plans, ranging from shared to VPS and dedicated servers. Each plan has its own features and pricing.

Here are some details about their hosting plans:

1. Shared Hosting:

Bluehost’s shared hosting plans are an excellent choice for individuals and small businesses looking for affordable hosting options. They offer three shared hosting plans:

– Basic: The entry-level plan starts at $2.95 per month (renews at $7.99 per month) and includes 50 GB of SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, a free domain for the first year, and five email accounts.

– Plus: Priced at $5.45 per month (renews at $10.99 per month), this plan offers unlimited SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, unlimited domains, and unlimited email accounts. It also includes the Bluehost website builder and a spam expert.

– Choice Plus: This plan costs $5.45 per month (renews at $14.99 per month). It includes all the features of the Plus plan, plus domain privacy and CodeGuard Basic for enhanced website security and backups.

2. WordPress Hosting:

Bluehost provides optimized hosting solutions specifically tailored for WordPress websites. These plans include features designed to enhance WordPress performance and security. The WordPress hosting plans are:

– Basic: Starting at $2.95 per month (renews at $7.99 per month), this plan offers 50 GB of SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, a free domain for the first year, and five email accounts.

– Plus: Priced at $5.45 per month (renews at $10.99 per month), this plan includes unlimited SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, unlimited domains, and unlimited email accounts. It also offers the Bluehost website builder and a spam expert.

– Choice Plus: Similar to the shared hosting plan, this option is priced at $5.45 per month (renews at $14.99 per month) and includes all the features of the Plus plan, along with domain privacy and CodeGuard Basic.

3. VPS Hosting:

Bluehost’s VPS hosting plans are ideal for websites that require more resources and enhanced performance. They offer three VPS hosting plans:

– Standard: Their standard VPS plan starts at $19.99 per month (renews at $29.99 per month), with 2 CPU cores, 30 GB SSD storage, 2 GB RAM, and 1 TB bandwidth.

– Enhanced: Priced at $29.99 per month (renews at $59.99 per month), this plan offers 2 CPU cores, 60 GB SSD storage, 4 GB RAM, and 2 TB bandwidth.

– Ultimate: This plan starts at $59.99 per month (renews at $119.99 per month) and includes 4 CPU cores, 120 GB SSD storage, 8 GB RAM, and 3 TB bandwidth.

4. Dedicated Hosting:

Bluehost’s dedicated hosting plans provide maximum control and resources for high-traffic websites and demanding applications. They offer three dedicated hosting plans:

Standard Plan:

The Standard Plan is priced at $109.99 per month (renews at $239.99 per month) and includes 2 CPU cores, 40 GB SSD storage, 2 GB RAM, 100 TB bandwidth and a free SSL certificate.

Enhanced Plan:

The Enhanced plan, which at $99.99 per month offers a quad-core Intel Xeon processor, 8GB of RAM and 1TB of mirrored storage with 10TB bandwidth.

Premium Plan:

Bluehost’s premium dedicated plan starts at $119.99 per month. It includes an Intel Xeon E5-2650 CPU, 32 GB of RAM, 3 TB of SSD storage space and 2TB of mirrored RAID storage with 10TB bandwidth.

5. WooCommerce Hosting:

Bluehost also offers specialized hosting plans for WooCommerce, an e-commerce platform built on WordPress. These plans are optimized for online stores and provide specific features to support WooCommerce websites. The WooCommerce hosting plans include:

– Starter: Priced at $6.95 per month (renews at $13.99 per month), this plan offers 100 GB SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and storefront theme installation.

– Plus: Starting at $8.95 per month (renews at $17.99 per month), this plan includes unlimited SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and storefront theme installation. It also offers CodeGuard backups and domain privacy.

– Pro: This plan is priced at $12.95 per month (renews at $31.99 per month) and includes all the features of the Plus plan. Additionally, it offers a dedicated IP, Bluehost SEO tools, and CodeGuard backups.

Unfortunately, Bluehost does not offer reseller hosting directly. However, they have partnered with ResellerClub, a popular hosting provider, to offer reseller hosting services. 

Security: Is Bluehost Secure?

Bluehost prioritizes the security of hosted websites and implements several measures to ensure the safety of user data and protect against potential threats. Let’s explore some of the key security features provided by Bluehost:

1. SSL Certificates and HTTPS Support:

Bluehost offers free SSL certificates for all hosting plans, enabling websites to establish secure connections using HTTPS. This encryption protocol ensures that data transmitted between the website and users remains encrypted and protected from unauthorized access.

2. SiteLock Security Add-ons:

Bluehost offers SiteLock add-ons, which provide advanced security features such as daily malware scanning, vulnerability identification, and automatic malware removal. These tools help detect and mitigate security risks, ensuring websites are safeguarded against potential attacks.

3. Automatic Backups and Restore Options:

Bluehost provides automated backup solutions, allowing users to schedule regular backups of their website files and databases. In the event of data loss or an unforeseen incident, users can easily restore their website to a previous working state.

4. Spam Protection and Email Filtering:

Bluehost incorporates robust spam protection measures and email filtering technologies to reduce the risk of malicious or unwanted emails reaching users’ inboxes. This helps prevent phishing attempts, malware distribution, and other email-based threats.

By implementing SSL certificates, SiteLock security add-ons, automated backups, and spam protection, Bluehost demonstrates its commitment to maintaining a secure hosting environment. These features contribute to the overall protection of hosted websites, ensuring that sensitive data remains confidential and minimizing the risk of cyber attacks.

Bluehost Website Builder

Bluehost provides an intuitive website builder that empowers individuals to craft professional and visually captivating websites, even without technical expertise. The Bluehost website builder offers a multitude of features and customization options to cater to the diverse needs of website creators.

This builder lets you easily drag and drop elements on your webpage. It offers pre-designed templates that you can customize to match your brand and style.

Ensuring a seamless user experience, the Bluehost website builder guarantees that the websites created are mobile-responsive. This means that the website automatically adjusts its layout to different screen sizes and devices, ensuring optimal viewing for visitors. Additionally, the builder incorporates SEO-friendly features and optimization tools, empowering users to enhance their website’s content and meta tags, consequently improving search engine rankings.

In essence, the Bluehost website builder is a versatile tool that streamlines the process of website creation. With its intuitive interface, diverse template selection, mobile responsiveness, and SEO-friendly capabilities, users can construct professional websites that effectively showcase their brand and captivate visitors.

Bluehost Customer Support

Bluehost places great importance on delivering reliable and efficient customer support to cater to the hosting needs of its users. The company offers live chat and phone support to help customers whenever needed.

The customer support team at Bluehost is available 24×7 to help users with any issues they may have. They strive to provide prompt responses and aim to resolve issues effectively and efficiently. Response times may vary depending on the complexity of the problem and the support channel chosen.

Based on personal experiences, Bluehost’s customer support has been generally responsive and helpful. The support team has assisted with various issues, ranging from technical inquiries to billing concerns. Their representatives have demonstrated knowledge and professionalism in addressing queries and providing solutions.

However, it’s important to note that individual experiences may vary, and occasional challenges or delays in support resolution can occur. It’s advisable to thoroughly communicate and document any issues encountered to ensure effective troubleshooting and timely resolutions.

Overall, Bluehost’s customer support strives to provide satisfactory assistance, and their availability, responsiveness, and knowledgeable staff contribute to a positive customer service experience.

Alternatives to Bluehost Hosting

When considering hosting providers, it’s essential to explore alternatives to Bluehost to find the best fit for your specific needs.

While Bluehost offers a range of hosting solutions, it’s beneficial to consider other reputable hosting companies as well. Here are three Bluehost alternatives worth considering:

1. Scala Hosting

Scala Hosting is known for its reliable performance and exceptional customer support. They offer a wide range of hosting solutions, including shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting. Scala Hosting stands out for its SPanel control panel, which offers a user-friendly interface and advanced features. Their hosting plans come with SSD storage, free SSL certificates, and automatic backups, ensuring reliability and data security.

2. Hostinger

Hostinger is a popular hosting provider known for its affordable hosting plans without compromising on performance. They offer shared, VPS, and cloud hosting solutions. Hostinger stands out for its custom-built control panel, hPanel, which is intuitive and easy to use. With Hostinger, users benefit from SSD storage, free SSL certificates, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Their hosting plans also include a website builder, making it convenient for beginners to create their websites.

3. Cloudways

Cloudways specializes in managed cloud hosting, providing users with the flexibility and scalability of cloud infrastructure. They offer cloud hosting solutions that use the best infrastructure providers, such as Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform. Their plans come with a number of benefits, including one-click installs for WordPress and Magento, automatic backups, and daily server monitoring. Their servers are also optimized for WordPress sites, making it easy for users to optimize their web traffic performance. 

Do I Recommend Bluehost Web Hosting?

Yes, I recommend Bluehost web hosting for individuals and businesses looking for reliable and feature-rich hosting services.

Bluehost offers a range of hosting plans, including shared hosting and VPS hosting, catering to different needs and budgets.

With their user-friendly control panel, one-click installations, and excellent customer support, Bluehost makes it easy to manage your website.

Their security features, including free SSL certificates and site backups, provide peace of mind.

Overall, Bluehost offers reliable performance, competitive pricing and a wide range of features. This makes them a solid choice for hosting your website.

Bluehost Coupon

If you’re considering Bluehost as your web hosting provider, WPMyWeb users are in luck. By using a Bluehost coupon code, WPMyWeb users can enjoy an exclusive 60% discount on their hosting plans.

Not only that, but they also get a free domain with their purchase. To claim this offer, click on the provided link and make your purchase.

The discount and free domain will be automatically applied when using the specified link. Remember, this exclusive discount is only available through WPMyWeb, so be sure to use the provided link for the special offer.

Bluehost Review: FAQs

Q: Is Bluehost a reliable hosting provider?

A: Yes, Bluehost is known for its reliability and uptime. They have robust infrastructure and utilize advanced technologies to ensure stable hosting performance for websites.

Q: Can I migrate my existing website to Bluehost?

A: Yes, Bluehost offers a free site migration service for most WordPress websites. Their expert team can assist you in transferring your website seamlessly to Bluehost.

Q: Does Bluehost offer a money-back guarantee?

A: Yes, Bluehost provides a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with their services within the first 30 days, you can ask for a refund.

Q: What customer support options are available with Bluehost?

A: Bluehost offers 24/7 customer support through live chat, phone, and ticket-based system. Their support team is knowledgeable and responsive, assisting users with their hosting-related queries and issues.

Q: Can Bluehost handle high traffic websites?

A: Bluehost’s hosting plans are designed to handle a wide range of websites, including high traffic ones. They offer scalable solutions like VPS and dedicated hosting that can accommodate increased resource demands.

Q: Does Bluehost provide domain registration services?

A: Yes, Bluehost offers domain registration services. You can register a new domain or transfer your existing domain to Bluehost.

Q: Is Bluehost good for beginners?

A: Yes, Bluehost is a popular choice for beginners due to its user-friendly interface, one-click installations for popular CMS platforms like WordPress, and helpful customer support.

Q: Can I trust Bluehost?

A: Bluehost is a trusted, reputable web hosting provider. They’ve been in the hosting business for over 20 years and have developed a large customer base. WordPress also endorses Bluehost as a recommended hosting provider.

Q: Is GoDaddy better than Bluehost?

A: The choice between Bluehost and GoDaddy depends on individual preferences and specific hosting needs. Both companies offer reliable hosting services, but Bluehost is often favored for its WordPress-specific features, while GoDaddy is known for its domain registration services.

Q: Why is Bluehost so cheap?

A: Bluehost offers competitive pricing for their hosting plans. They can keep their prices affordable by leveraging economies of scale, efficient infrastructure management, and long-term customer retention. Additionally, Bluehost may run promotional campaigns or offer discounts to attract new customers.

Q: Who is Bluehost best for?

A: Bluehost is suitable for individuals, small businesses, and bloggers who need reliable and affordable hosting solutions. It’s a great choice for beginners and experienced website owners alike, and it offers scalable hosting options to accommodate growing needs.