Bluehost is the "Coca-Cola" of the hosting world. Everyone knows the name. They are officially recommended by WordPress.org, and they power over 2 million websites.
But popularity doesn't always mean quality. I've been critical of Bluehost in the past for being slow. However, in 2026, they've made some major changes to their infrastructure.
I bought the Choice Plus plan to see if these improvements are real. The verdict? It's still not the fastest host on the block, but it is hands-down the easiest host for a beginner to use. If you are terrified of "DNS records" and "FTP," Bluehost is your safety net.
TL;DR: The Executive Summary
How We Tested Bluehost
We don't trust marketing claims. We trust data.
- The Plan: Choice Plus ($5.45/mo intro).
- The Site: A standard WordPress blog with the "Astra" theme and dummy content.
- The Tools: GTMetrix, WebPageTest, and UptimeRobot.
- The Locations: Tested from Virginia (US East) and Oregon (US West).
I also called their 24/7 phone support at 2 AM on a Tuesday to see if a human would actually answer. (Spoiler: They did).
Speed Test Results: Good Enough?
Bluehost isn't trying to be a Ferrari. It's trying to be a Honda Civic. Reliable, gets you there, but won't win a drag race.
4.1 US East (Virginia)
Performance is solid for US audiences.
- TTFB (Time to First Byte): 450ms (Average)
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): 1.2s
- Fully Loaded: 1.8s
4.2 US West (Oregon)
- TTFB: 520ms
- LCP: 1.4s
4.3 Global Speed Snapshot
| Location | TTFB | Load Time |
|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | 420ms | 1.7s |
| London, UK | 850ms | 2.4s |
| Bangalore, India | 1.2s | 3.5s |
Note: Bluehost is US-centric. If you have global traffic, you MUST use a CDN like Cloudflare (which they include for free).
Pros & Cons
✅ The Good
- Onboarding: The best setup wizard in the industry. Period.
- Support: 24/7 Phone support is huge for beginners.
- Free Domain: Saves you $15 right off the bat.
- Reliability: 99.98% uptime in my tests.
❌ The Bad
- Upsells: They try to sell you SEO tools you don't need.
- Renewal Price: Jumps to ~$11-15/mo after the first term.
- Speed: Not as fast as Hostinger or A2.
Who Should Use Bluehost?
✅ Best For
- Beginners: If you've never built a website before.
- Bloggers: Perfect for starting a personal blog.
- Local Businesses: Restaurants, salons, and plumbers.
❌ Not For
- Developers: You will feel restricted by the interface.
- High Traffic: If you get 50k+ visits, move to Cloudways.
Feature Deep Dive: Why Is It So Popular?
7.1 The Onboarding Wizard
This is Bluehost's secret weapon. When you first log in, it doesn't show you a scary control panel. It asks: "What kind of site are you building?"
It then automatically installs WordPress, picks a theme for you, and installs necessary plugins. It turns a 2-hour process into a 5-minute process.
7.2 Data Centers
Bluehost has servers primarily in Utah (USA). They also have servers in London, Mumbai, and Shanghai, but you don't always get to pick.
Pro Tip: Since you can't easily pick your server location, use the free Cloudflare CDN integration in the dashboard to speed up your site globally.
7.3 The "Bluehost Marketplace"
Inside the dashboard, there is a marketplace for themes and plugins.
Warning: Be careful here. They sell a lot of "Premium Themes" for $50 that you can often find free alternatives for. Don't buy anything until you are sure you need it.
7.4 Customer Support Experience
I called their support line at 2 AM.
Wait Time: 4 minutes.
Quality: The agent was friendly and patient. They are trained to help beginners who might ask "What is a plugin?" This is very different from A2 Hosting's support, which expects you to know technical terms.
Pricing: The "Intro" Discount
Bluehost is cheap to start, but expensive to renew. This is standard for the industry, but you need to be aware of it.
| Plan | Intro Price | Renewal | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $2.95/mo | $11.99/mo | 1 Website Only |
| Choice Plus | $5.45/mo | $21.99/mo | Unlimited Sites + Privacy |
| Pro | $13.95/mo | $28.99/mo | More CPU Power |
My Advice: Buy the Choice Plus plan for 36 months. This locks in the $5.45 price for 3 years. By the time it renews, your business should be making enough to cover the cost.
Real-World Use Cases
🧁 The Local Bakery
You need a menu, a contact form, and a map. You don't have an IT guy.
Verdict: Perfect. Bluehost is stable and easy to update.
📸 The Photographer
You need a portfolio to show clients.
Verdict: Great. The "Basic" plan is enough for a portfolio site.
Bluehost vs. The World
Bluehost vs. Hostinger
Hostinger is faster and cheaper. Bluehost is easier to use and has phone support.
Winner: Hostinger for value/speed, Bluehost for beginners.
Bluehost vs. SiteGround
SiteGround is much faster and has better support, but it costs 3x more on renewal.
Winner: SiteGround if you have the budget, Bluehost if you want to save money.
Alternatives to Consider
- DreamHost: A great alternative if you want a "month-to-month" payment plan instead of yearly.
- WP Engine: If you have a high-traffic site and need premium managed hosting (starts at $30/mo).
Final Verdict: Is Bluehost Still Good?
Yes, but you need to know what you are buying.
You are buying convenience. You are buying a host that holds your hand, sets up your SSL, installs your WordPress, and answers the phone when you break something at 3 AM.
If you are a developer, you will hate it. If you are a small business owner who just wants a website that works, you will love it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bluehost really recommended by WordPress?
Yes. They have been on the official WordPress.org recommendation list since 2005. This means they meet all the technical requirements for running WordPress smoothly.
Does Bluehost include email?
Yes, you can create professional email addresses (like you@yourdomain.com) for free on most plans.
Can I upgrade my plan later?
Absolutely. If your traffic grows, you can upgrade to a VPS or Dedicated server with a single click from your dashboard.
Is the free domain really free?
It is free for the first year. After that, you will pay the standard renewal rate (usually ~$15-20/year), which is standard for all registrars.