Bluehost Review: Everything You Need to Know Before Signing Up

If you’re looking for a web hosting provider, you may have come across Bluehost. But is it worth considering? In this article, we’ll explore the history, features, pricing, and pros and cons of Bluehost to help you decide.

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Bluehost Review 2023

History of Bluehost Bluehost was founded in 2003 by Matt Heaton and Danny Ashworth. Over the years, it has grown to become one of the largest web hosting providers in the world, hosting millions of websites. In 2010, Bluehost was acquired by Endurance International Group, which also owns other hosting brands such as HostGator, iPage, and more.

Bluehost’s Features

  • Free domain name

When you sign up for a hosting plan with Bluehost, you can get a free domain name for the first year. This is a great way to save money and get your website up and running quickly. Bluehost offers a wide variety of domain extensions to choose from, including popular ones like .com, .net, and .org.

  • Website builder

Bluehost includes a drag-and-drop website builder called Weebly, which makes it easy for anyone to create a professional-looking website without any coding knowledge. You can choose from a wide variety of templates and customize your site with your own images, text, and branding. Weebly also includes features like e-commerce functionality, SEO tools, and social media integration.

  • One-click WordPress installation

If you want to use WordPress for your website, Bluehost makes it easy to get started with a one-click installation process. This means you don’t need to worry about setting up databases or configuring settings manually – everything is done for you automatically. Once WordPress is installed, you can start customizing your site with themes, plugins, and widgets.

  • Free SSL certificate

Bluehost includes a free SSL certificate with all of its hosting plans, which encrypts data transmitted between your website and your visitors’ browsers. This helps to improve security and build trust with your visitors, as they can see that your site is secure and trustworthy. An SSL certificate is especially important if you’re collecting sensitive information from your visitors, such as credit card details or personal data.

  • 24/7 customer support

Bluehost offers round-the-clock customer support via phone, chat, and email, so you can get help whenever you need it. Its support team is knowledgeable and friendly, and can assist with a wide range of issues, from technical problems to billing questions.

  • User-friendly interface

Bluehost’s control panel (called cPanel) is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, even for beginners. It provides access to all the tools and settings you need to manage your website, including file management, email accounts, domain management, and more. You can also easily install applications like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla with just a few clicks.

  • Good uptime and performance

Bluehost has a strong track record of providing reliable uptime and fast loading speeds. This is crucial for ensuring your website is accessible and responsive to visitors, as slow loading times or downtime can lead to frustration and lost business. Bluehost’s servers are optimized for WordPress and other popular CMS platforms, and use the latest technologies like SSD storage and HTTP/2 to ensure fast loading times.

  • Scalability

Bluehost offers a range of hosting plans to meet the needs of different users, from small blogs to large e-commerce sites. If you start with a shared hosting plan and find that you need more resources as your site grows, you can easily upgrade to a VPS or dedicated hosting plan. Bluehost also offers a range of add-ons like SiteLock security, CodeGuard backups, and more, to further enhance your site’s functionality and security.

Bluehost’s Pricing

  • Shared Hosting: Bluehost’s shared hosting plans start at $2.95/month for the Basic plan, which includes hosting for one website, 50 GB of website space, unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and one free domain name for the first year. The Plus plan starts at $5.45/month and includes hosting for unlimited websites, unmetered website space, unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and unlimited email accounts. The Choice Plus plan starts at $5.45/month and includes all the features of the Plus plan, as well as domain privacy and site backups.
  • VPS Hosting: Bluehost’s VPS hosting plans start at $18.99/month for the Standard plan, which includes 2 CPU cores, 2 GB of RAM, 30 GB of SSD storage, 1 TB of bandwidth, and one free domain name for the first year. The Enhanced plan starts at $29.99/month and includes 2 CPU cores, 4 GB of RAM, 60 GB of SSD storage, 2 TB of bandwidth, and one free domain name for the first year. The Ultimate plan starts at $59.99/month and includes 4 CPU cores, 8 GB of RAM, 120 GB of SSD storage, 3 TB of bandwidth, and one free domain name for the first year.
  • Dedicated Hosting: Bluehost’s dedicated hosting plans start at $79.99/month for the Standard plan, which includes a quad-core 2.3 GHz CPU, 4 GB of RAM, 500 GB of mirrored storage, 5 TB of bandwidth, and three IP addresses. The Enhanced plan starts at $99.99/month and includes a quad-core 2.5 GHz CPU, 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB of mirrored storage, 10 TB of bandwidth, and four IP addresses. The Premium plan starts at $119.99/month and includes a quad-core 3.3 GHz CPU, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of mirrored storage, 15 TB of bandwidth, and five IP addresses.
  • WordPress Hosting: Bluehost offers managed WordPress hosting plans starting at $9.95/month for the Basic plan, which includes hosting for one website, 50 GB of website space, unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and one free domain name for the first year. The Plus plan starts at $14.95/month and includes hosting for unlimited websites, unmetered website space, unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and unlimited email accounts. The Choice Plus plan starts at $14.95/month and includes all the features of the Plus plan, as well as domain privacy and site backups.

Pros:

  • Free domain name: Bluehost offers a free domain name for the first year when you sign up for a hosting plan.
  • User-friendly interface: Bluehost’s control panel is easy to use and navigate, even for beginners, and provides access to all the tools and settings you need to manage your website.
  • One-click WordPress installation: Bluehost makes it easy to get started with WordPress, with a one-click installation process that saves time and hassle.
  • Good uptime and performance: Bluehost has a strong track record of providing reliable uptime and fast loading speeds, which is crucial for ensuring your website is accessible and responsive to visitors.
  • 24/7 customer support: Bluehost offers round-the-clock customer support via phone, chat, and email, so you can get help whenever you need it.
  • Scalability: With a range of hosting plans and the ability to easily upgrade as your website grows, Bluehost provides scalability and flexibility to meet your changing needs.

Cons:

  • Upselling: Bluehost can be quite aggressive with its upselling tactics, which can be frustrating for some users.
  • Renewal rates: While Bluehost offers competitive pricing for the first term of your hosting plan, renewal rates can be higher than expected.
  • Limited resources: Bluehost’s shared hosting plans come with some limitations on resources like disk space and bandwidth, which may not be sufficient for larger sites or high-traffic sites.
  • No Windows hosting: Bluehost only offers Linux-based hosting plans, which may not be suitable for users who require Windows-specific applications or technologies.
  • Site migration fees: Bluehost charges a fee for site migrations, which can be a drawback for users who want to switch to Bluehost from another hosting provider.

Overall, Bluehost offers a good balance of features, pricing, and performance, making it a popular choice for many website owners. While there are some downsides to consider, its strengths make it a strong contender in the crowded web hosting market.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Bluehost is a web hosting provider worth considering. With its variety of hosting plans, key features, and competitive pricing, it’s a solid choice for hosting your website. While there are some drawbacks, overall Bluehost offers good value for money and a reliable service. If you’re in the market for a web hosting provider, give Bluehost a try.