Screenshot of Bluehost's homepage, captured for this review.
Bluehost Review
Bluehost remains one of the easiest on-ramps to WordPress, with genuinely helpful onboarding and a free domain - just budget for the much higher renewal prices from year two.
Review last updated 2026-08-19 · How we rate hosts
Scorecard
Pros
- Officially recommended by WordPress.org for two decades
- Free domain for the first year on all shared plans
- Beginner-friendly dashboard with guided WordPress onboarding
- NVMe storage and bundled CDN on current shared plans
- 24/7 phone and chat support
Cons
- Intro pricing requires a 36-month prepay
- Renewal prices are two to three times the promo rate
- Site migration costs extra on most plans
- Aggressive upselling during checkout
Bluehost plans & pricing
Promotional monthly rates as of August 19, 2026; most require the listed prepaid term and renew at the higher rate shown. Confirm on Bluehost's site before buying.
| Plan | Intro price | Renews at | Storage | Sites | Bandwidth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StarterShared Hosting | $3.99/mo36 mo prepay | $9.99/mo | 10 GB NVMe | 10 | unmetered | |
| BusinessShared Hosting | $6.99/mo36 mo prepay | $13.99/mo | 50 GB NVMe | 50 | unmetered | |
| eCommerce EssentialsShared Hosting | $14.99/mo36 mo prepay | $21.99/mo | 100 GB NVMe | 100 | unmetered | |
| Standard VPSVPS Hosting | $31.99/mo12 mo prepay | $79.99/mo | 125 GB NVMe | unmetered | ||
| Standard DedicatedDedicated Servers | $91.98/mo12 mo prepay | $141.99/mo | 1 TB SSD | 5 TB/mo | ||
| WP Cloud 1Managed WordPress | $29.99/mo | $29.99/mo | 10 GB NVMe | 1 |
Our Bluehost review
Bluehost is often the first host a new site owner meets: it has sat on WordPress.org's short list of recommended hosts for two decades, and its entire experience is built around getting a first WordPress site online quickly.
The custom dashboard walks you through installing WordPress, picking a theme and connecting a domain without ever showing you a server setting. For a beginner, that polish matters more than raw specs, and it is the main reason Bluehost keeps its place in this guide despite stiff competition on price.
The current plan lineup is more generous than the old one: even the $3.99 Starter tier now includes 10 websites, 10 GB of NVMe storage, weekly backups and a CDN. Performance is respectable rather than exceptional - the NVMe move helped, but heavier WooCommerce stores will outgrow shared plans and should look at the VPS or WP Cloud tiers.
The pricing model is classic promotional hosting: $3.99/mo looks unbeatable, but it requires three years prepaid and renews at $9.99/mo. To Bluehost's credit, that renewal multiple has come down from the 3-4x of past years, and the rates were confirmed on its live pricing page for this review.
Bluehost is owned by Newfold Digital (formerly EIG), a portfolio owner with a mixed reputation for post-acquisition service quality. In practice Bluehost is one of Newfold's better-run brands, but support quality can be inconsistent on complex technical issues.
Support is available around the clock by chat and phone. Quality is generally good for beginner questions; expect escalation delays for anything unusual.
Notable facts
- Owned by Newfold Digital (formerly EIG)
- Powers millions of WordPress sites
- Recommended by WordPress.org since 2005
At a glance
| Founded | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Orem, Utah, US |
| Data centers | United States, India |
| Hosting types | Shared Hosting, VPS Hosting, Dedicated Servers, Managed WordPress |
| Starting price | $3.99/mo |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Support | chat, phone (24/7) |
| Free migration | No |
Frequently asked questions
Does Bluehost include a free domain?
Yes - all shared plans include a free domain registration for the first year. It renews at the standard rate afterward.
What does Bluehost cost after the promo?
The Starter plan renews at $9.99/mo after the initial 36-month term. Business renews at $13.99/mo and eCommerce Essentials at $21.99/mo.
Bottom line
Bluehost remains one of the easiest on-ramps to WordPress, with genuinely helpful onboarding and a free domain - just budget for the much higher renewal prices from year two.
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