When my client asked me to recommend a web hosting provider for their new company blog, I had a flashback to my early days as a content strategist. Back then, I spent weeks buried in comparison charts and conflicting reviews — until my head spun with options and I still had no clue which to pick. I didn’t want my client to go through that headache.
After all that trial and error, I found a provider that simplifies everything. I now point new bloggers and small businesses to Bluehost. With over two million sites powered by their servers and an official recommendation from WordPress, they've built a solid reputation for reliability and ease of use.
Bluehost gives you everything you need to get a WordPress site up and running without drowning in technical details. Let’s break it down so you can see if Bluehost is the right fit for you.
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Key Features of Bluehost
While Bluehost offers a range of WordPress hosting services, its shared WordPress hosting packages are a good option for new bloggers looking to keep their costs down.
There are three different plans with resources that scale up at each price point. While other hosting service providers limit the storage and bandwidth available on shared hosting, Bluehost offers unmetered bandwidth across all three plans. Meaning, you are not billed according to the amount of bandwidth, or data transfer, you use.
Bluehost also provides unmetered storage with these plans, save for the lowest tier. That way, anyone — no matter what hosting service they can afford — has the resources necessary to build an online presence.
Say you start with the basic shared hosting plan and need to move to another tier as your website grows. With Bluehost, you can upgrade in just a few clicks.
If your traffic and storage needs increase, then you may consider moving to one of Bluehosts’s managed hosting plans. That’s because while you won’t be charged for the amount of bandwidth you use on a shared hosting plan, you are constrained to the amount of data transfer required for the “normal” operation of a personal or small business website. According to regular statistical analyses by Bluehost, 99.95% of customers fall into this normal range.
However, if you exceed this range by using your account to store large media files or file sharing, for example, then you’ll receive an email asking you to reduce your usage. At that point, you can either make the necessary adjustments or upgrade to one of Bluehost’s managed hosting plans for unlimited bandwidth and storage.
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Host your website on a fully managed and optimized infrastructure that scales with your business.
- Fully managed hosting
- No setup required
- No storage, traffic, or usage hosting fees
- Keep your website secure
Upgrade options like these are an important feature to consider when shopping for a hosting service. By offering them, Bluehost can support your growth over time — no matter how you choose to host your blog.
If you’re a blogger or small business just starting a WordPress blog, then one of Bluehost’s shared WordPress hosting packages can provide you with enough resources to begin growing. Below, we’ll take a closer look at some additional advantages of choosing Bluehost as your provider.
Security Measures
With over 90,000 attacks against WordPress sites happening every minute, keeping your site safe is a top priority. While you can take steps to protect your site by choosing a secure username and password and regularly updating your theme and plugins, you share the responsibility with your hosting provider.
With over 40% of websites being hacked because of a vulnerability in their hosting service, it is imperative that you choose a secure host that provides monitoring services and other security add-ons.
To help protect your blog as well as your visitors’ data, Bluehost offers SSL certification, daily automatic WordPress updates, and built-in tools to prevent spam on your site. You can also use the Site Backup Pro tool in your control panel to create and restore backups made of your account's files to help prevent malware attacks.
Optimized Load Time
The speed of your site matters — to both visitors and search engines. According to a KISSmetrics report, 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in two seconds or less, and 40% abandon a website that takes more than three seconds to load. Recognizing this consumer demand for speed, Google uses load times as a ranking factor for search.
To help ensure your site is optimized for visitors and search engines, you need a high-speed hosting provider like Bluehost.
According to an analysis by WPBeginner, Bluehost’s average load time is 1.1 seconds, and its average response time is 140 ms. Here are the other results from their test:
99.9% Uptime
Any downtime on your site can not only damage your brand credibility but also cost you visitors and money. We’re not talking pennies either. An unexpected outage in Amazon Web Services, which lasted for about three to four hours in early 2017, cost companies an estimated $150 million.
Choosing a hosting provider like Bluehost that guarantees as much uptime as possible can help you avoid downtimes that disrupt the visitor experience and cost you potential customers.
In the same analysis by WPBeginner, Bluehost had an uptime of 100% over 30 days. That means you won’t have to worry about any unplanned outages on your site, even during peak traffic. You can take a look at the uptime statistics of the demo site below.
Pros of Bluehost
It‘s been a few years since I last used Bluehost directly, so I spent some time reviewing recent G2 reviews and Reddit discussions to get a current picture of the platform. Like any hosting provider, it has its strengths and limitations — let’s start with what works well.
Beginner-Friendly
The control panel layout is straightforward and walks you through basic tasks like WordPress installation and email setup without assuming technical knowledge.
One G2 reviewer described their experience: “On its surface, Bluehost looked like an entry-level web hosting platform. But there was a ton of functionality and features hidden beneath its surface. It was straightforward to create and configure employee email addresses. We could easily apply company signatures, manage passwords and password resets, and specify different settings depending on the account we were adjusting.”
In my experience helping clients set up their first websites, this accessibility matters. While you might outgrow some features as your needs become more complex, the platform provides enough functionality for most small business websites and blogs to get started.
The learning curve isn‘t too steep, but you’ll still need to familiarize yourself with basic hosting concepts.
Responsive Customer Support
Customer support can make or break your experience with a hosting provider, especially when you‘re new to managing a website. Bluehost’s support team gets consistent praise for their availability and helpfulness.
As one user noted: “Bluehost's customer service is phenomenal. I have chatted with agents several times, and they have always been able to support me and point me in the right direction.”
Their 24/7 support team is available through live chat, phone, and email — though, like most large hosting providers, wait times can vary during peak hours. In reviewing support interactions, the agents generally know their stuff and can help with common WordPress and hosting issues, even if you're not technically inclined.
Free Web Hosting with HubSpot
Host your website on a fully managed and optimized infrastructure that scales with your business.
- Fully managed hosting
- No setup required
- No storage, traffic, or usage hosting fees
- Keep your website secure
Affordable Initial Pricing
For new bloggers watching their budget, Bluehost's introductory pricing is attractive. They regularly run promotions offering up to 75% off your first year, though be aware these rates increase at renewal.
One user put it clearly: “Bluehost is an affordable solution if you have a new site and just want to get the framework up. Once you get any real traffic, you’ll want to switch to a better platform.”
The initial pricing makes it accessible to test out your website idea without a huge upfront investment. You get basic essentials like a free domain name and SSL certificate included. However, it's worth factoring in the full renewal rates into your long-term budget, as the jump in pricing after the promotional period can catch some users off guard.
Good Quality Hosting
Bluehost delivers reliable performance across their different hosting tiers. Whether you're on shared hosting (their most popular option) or have upgraded to VPS, most sites run smoothly with decent load times. They include practical basics like a free domain name for your first year and SSL certificates to keep your site secure.
Their hosting plans scale from basic shared hosting to more robust VPS and dedicated options. While shared hosting works well for most blogs and small business sites, it's good to know you can upgrade as your traffic grows.
That said, keep in mind that, like all shared hosting providers, performance can vary depending on server load and your site‘s optimization — you’ll still need to do your part to keep your site running efficiently.
Cons of Bluehost
Hidden Upsells and Expensive Renewals
Bluehost's marketing tactics can feel aggressive, especially during the checkout process. One customer summed it up well:
“The only concern is when we have to renew the free domain, the renewal price is significantly higher. Another thing is that there is an aggressive upsell process during signup.”
The pricing structure follows a common pattern in the hosting industry — hook you with low introductory rates, then significantly increase prices at renewal. Even more concerning, some users report ongoing billing issues:
“Bluehost is riddled with upsells. They try to charge you for everything, and there are still charges made to my account, even though I switched away from the service over a year ago.”
For budget-conscious website owners, these constant upsells, and billing practices can make Bluehost a frustrating choice.
Malware Issues
Security concerns have emerged as a significant issue for some Bluehost users, particularly on shared hosting plans.
As one frustrated customer reported: "Since they have switched me to new servers, my websites have been hacked twice. On two different accounts. And when I contacted their support about the malware problem that I face, I automatically get transferred to their Sucuri.net partner, which has no idea about my account, all they want to do is upsell me something.”
Another user highlighted a common shared hosting vulnerability: “Shared hosting sometimes has the risk of getting malware, has limitation of number of files stored in on the server.”
While these issues aren't unique to Bluehost, their approach of redirecting customers to paid third-party security services rather than providing direct support can be frustrating, especially for users on tight budgets.
Which Blue Host plan is best for bloggers?
For most bloggers just starting out, the Basic plan at $2.95/month (renewing at $11.99/month) provides enough resources to get going.
With support for one website, 10GB of storage, and enough bandwidth for around 40k monthly visits, it covers the essentials for a new blog. You'll get all the core features like free SSL, CDN, and DDoS protection.
However, if you're planning to run multiple blogs or expect quick growth, the Choice Plus plan at $5.45/month might be worth considering.
While the initial price difference is minimal, be aware that it renews at a much higher $21.99/month. Don‘t be tempted by the higher tiers unless you’re running an ecommerce site or expecting significant traffic.
Blogging With Bluehost
For beginners who prioritize simplicity and don't mind potentially switching hosts as their site grows, Bluehost might work well.
But read the fine print, keep an eye on your billing, and stay proactive about security if you choose them. From my experience managing my own website as well, success with any hosting service often comes down to managing expectations and understanding exactly what you're signing up for.
No hosting provider is perfect, and what works for one website might not work for another. Take time to assess your specific needs, budget (both short and long-term), and technical comfort level before making your decision.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in July 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
Free Web Hosting with HubSpot
Host your website on a fully managed and optimized infrastructure that scales with your business.
- Fully managed hosting
- No setup required
- No storage, traffic, or usage hosting fees
- Keep your website secure
