Why Bluehost is the default WordPress hosting that's also the most-criticized
Bluehost (owned by Newfold Digital, formerly Endurance International Group) is the WordPress hosting brand most commonly recommended by WordPress.org itself — "officially recommended" for over a decade. Powers ~2M+ websites. Affiliate-heavy marketing means Bluehost is mentioned in virtually every "best WordPress hosting" listicle you'll find.
The pitch: cheapest shared WordPress hosting tier ($1.99-3.99/mo intro pricing), free domain first year, automatic WordPress install + updates, 24/7 support. For absolute beginners launching their first WordPress site on a budget, Bluehost is the lowest-friction starting point.
The criticisms: aggressive renewal price hikes (3-4x intro), upsells throughout the signup flow, mediocre performance compared to managed WordPress hosts, customer support quality has declined post-EIG-acquisition. Most experienced WordPress users moved to SiteGround, Cloudways, or managed hosts (Kinsta, WP Engine) years ago.
For complete beginners with budget under $5/mo first year, Bluehost works. For anyone who's launched a WordPress site before, SiteGround at $3-15/mo (slightly higher renewals) is meaningfully better hosting.
What Bluehost actually offers
Hosting tiers:
Shared WordPress Hosting (most users): - Basic: 1 website, 10GB SSD storage - Choice Plus: 3 websites, 40GB storage, free CDN, free domain privacy - Online Store: WooCommerce optimized, 1 website, 40GB storage, $20/mo of cloud retainers + premium themes - Pro: 5 websites, 100GB storage, free dedicated IP
WP Pro (managed WordPress) (their step up): - Build: 1 website, basic managed - Grow: 1 website, with caching + restore points - Scale: 1 website, with advanced features
VPS Hosting: 2GB-8GB RAM tiers Dedicated Hosting: 4-16 core servers
Bundled features (varies by tier): - Free domain for first year (Basic + Choice Plus) - Free SSL certificate (Let's Encrypt) - Automatic WordPress install + updates - Daily backups (Choice Plus + above) - Free CDN via Cloudflare - 1-click WordPress install - WordPress staging environment (higher tiers)
Add-ons (constantly upsold during signup): - SiteLock security ($1.99-$24.99/mo) - CodeGuard backups ($2.99-$5.99/mo) - Microsoft 365 Mailbox ($5-15/user/mo) - SEO Tools by AttractWell ($25/mo) - Domain Privacy Protection ($11.99/yr)
Most of these can be skipped — security + backups are partially handled by base hosting + free WordPress plugins.
Bluehost pricing breakdown ({{ year }})
Bluehost uses extreme intro-vs-renewal pricing — the gap is the biggest in shared hosting:
Shared WordPress hosting:
| Plan | 36-month intro (per mo) | Renewal (per mo) | Intro total | Renewal total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $2.95 | $11.99 | $106.20 (3yr) | $143.88/yr |
| Choice Plus | $5.45 | $20.99 | $196.20 (3yr) | $251.88/yr |
| Online Store | $9.95 | $24.99 | $358.20 (3yr) | $299.88/yr |
| Pro | $13.95 | $34.99 | $502.20 (3yr) | $419.88/yr |
Critical math: Choice Plus saves $145/year vs renewal. 12-month plans cost more per month than 36-month plans. Bluehost wants you locked in 3 years intro pricing.
Important: prices shown are with the 36-month commitment. 12-month and 24-month plans cost ~50% more per month. Always pick 36-month or accept paying more.
Bait + switch: at checkout, Bluehost adds $25-100+ in pre-selected addons (privacy, SiteLock, backups). Uncheck them unless you specifically want them.
Compared to competitors at similar tier: - Bluehost Choice Plus: $5.45/mo intro, $20.99/mo renewal - SiteGround StartUp: $3.99/mo intro, $17.99/mo renewal (slightly less aggressive renewal) - Hostinger Premium: $2.99/mo intro, $7.99/mo renewal (cheaper renewal) - DreamHost Shared Unlimited: $3.95/mo intro, $7.99/mo renewal (cheaper renewal) - Kinsta starter (managed): $30/mo (no renewal hike)
Where Bluehost wins
Lowest intro pricing in major WordPress hosting — $2.95/mo Basic intro is hard to beat. For first-year cost optimization, Bluehost is competitive.
WordPress.org "official recommendation" — Bluehost has been in WordPress.org's "Recommended Hosting" list since 2006. This carries weight with new WordPress users.
Free domain first year — Basic + Choice Plus tiers include a free .com domain for first year. Saves $10-15.
1-click WordPress install — signup flow auto-installs WordPress + creates admin account + sets up SSL. New users go from $0 to live WordPress site in 10-15 min.
24/7 phone + chat support — many hosts only have chat. Bluehost offers phone. Support quality is hit-or-miss but availability is consistent.
Adequate for low-traffic WordPress sites — for blogs + portfolios + small business sites doing under 10K monthly visits, Bluehost Basic handles the load. Where Bluehost fails is high-traffic or technical sites.
Beginner-friendly account dashboard — single interface for domains + hosting + email + add-ons. Less overwhelming than SiteGround's more technical interface.
Constantly running promos — Black Friday + Cyber Monday Bluehost regularly drops to $1.99/mo for first year. For users who can predict timing, intro pricing can be $24/year for a full year of hosting.
Where Bluehost loses
Renewal price hikes are brutal — $2.95/mo intro → $11.99/mo renewal is 4x increase. $5.45 → $20.99 Choice Plus is similar. Many users feel trapped after renewal.
Performance lags managed WordPress hosts — Lighthouse scores typically 70-85 on Bluehost vs 90-100 on Kinsta or WP Engine. For SEO-focused sites, the gap matters.
Customer support quality varies — post-EIG-acquisition (2011), support quality declined. First-tier support agents often don't have deep WordPress knowledge. Escalations to senior support work but require persistence.
Aggressive upsells throughout signup — pre-checked addons add $50-150 to checkout total. Easy to accidentally buy services you don't need.
Slower for international users — Bluehost's data centers are US-based primarily. For global audiences, hosts with international data centers (Cloudways, Kinsta) outperform.
Daily backups are not on Basic tier — Choice Plus + above only. Basic users need a backup plugin (UpdraftPlus, BackWPup free tiers work).
WordPress installation has bloatware — Bluehost's WordPress install includes Jetpack + Mojo Marketplace + Bluehost-branded plugins. Many users remove these immediately.
Owned by Newfold Digital (formerly EIG) — same corporate family as HostGator + iPage + many other heavily-criticized hosts. EIG's reputation for cost-cutting + support degradation is widely documented.
How Bluehost compares to alternatives
Bluehost vs SiteGround: SiteGround has better performance + better support + slightly less aggressive renewals. Slightly higher intro pricing ($3.99 vs $2.95). For most users wanting reliable shared hosting, SiteGround.
Bluehost vs Hostinger: Hostinger has even lower intro pricing AND lower renewal pricing. Performance is comparable. Less polished UI. For pure budget, Hostinger.
Bluehost vs DreamHost: DreamHost has month-to-month pricing option (no 3-year lock-in), more transparent pricing, better unlimited storage policies. Slightly more expensive intro but no renewal shock. For users hating lock-in contracts, DreamHost.
Bluehost vs Kinsta: Kinsta is managed WordPress hosting at $30/mo starting. 5-10x better performance than Bluehost. No upsells, no renewal hikes. For serious WordPress sites with revenue justifying $30/mo, Kinsta is dramatically better hosting.
Bluehost vs WP Engine: WP Engine is managed WordPress competing with Kinsta. $20/mo starting. Similar quality to Kinsta. Same arguments — if site generates revenue, WP Engine/Kinsta worth the upgrade.
Bluehost vs Cloudways: Cloudways is managed cloud hosting (DigitalOcean/AWS backend). $11/mo starting. Pay only for resources used. Better performance than Bluehost; requires more technical skill. For semi-technical WordPress users wanting performance, Cloudways.
When Bluehost actually makes sense
Bluehost is the right pick when:
- You're launching your first WordPress site with budget under $5/mo for first year
- You won't have meaningful traffic for 12 months (give Bluehost time to be replaced)
- You want zero technical setup — Bluehost handles WordPress install + SSL + domain
- You're willing to migrate in year 2 when renewal hits
Bluehost is NOT the right pick when:
- You expect meaningful traffic within 6 months (use SiteGround or managed WordPress instead)
- You're technical enough to manage WordPress yourself (use Cloudways or Hostinger)
- You already have a WordPress site generating revenue (use Kinsta or WP Engine)
- You want honest pricing without renewal shock (use DreamHost or month-to-month options)
- You're building an ecommerce store doing real revenue (use Kinsta or proper managed hosting)
The migration plan
If you do go with Bluehost, plan migration in advance:
Year 1: Bluehost Choice Plus at $5.45/mo = $65/year. Live with it. Month 11 (before Year 1 renewal): Sign up for SiteGround, Cloudways, or Kinsta. Migrate WordPress site (1-2 hours of work). Cancel Bluehost before renewal charges. Year 2 onwards: SiteGround at $99/year (renewed) or Kinsta at $360/year (no hidden hikes).
Net: pay $65 first year, $99-360 subsequent years. Avoid Bluehost's $200-$250 renewal trap.
Our verdict
Bluehost is the right pick if you want: - Lowest intro pricing for your first year of WordPress hosting - WordPress.org "official" recommendation for first-time WordPress users - Free domain first year (Basic + Choice Plus tiers) - 24/7 phone support for beginner reassurance - 1-click WordPress setup with zero technical configuration - Willing to migrate before renewal in year 2
Skip Bluehost if: - You want honest pricing → SiteGround or DreamHost - You want best performance at WordPress hosting → Kinsta or WP Engine - You're technically comfortable → Cloudways or Hostinger - You'll forget to migrate before renewal → Pick a host without renewal hikes - You're running a revenue-generating site → Worth paying $20-30/mo for managed hosting
Best Bluehost use case: complete WordPress beginner launching their first site, willing to invest $65 in Year 1 + migrate Year 2 to a better host. Choice Plus tier ($5.45/mo intro × 36 months = $196 total prepaid) covers most beginner needs including SSL + CDN + 3 sites + daily backups. Set calendar reminder for month 30 (before 36-month renewal) to migrate to SiteGround/Kinsta/Cloudways.
For the affiliate angle: Bluehost runs one of the highest-paying affiliate programs in hosting — $65-$130 per signup via Impact Radius. Combined with Bluehost's massive search volume ("Bluehost review" is one of the most-searched hosting queries), Bluehost is consistently a top-5 affiliate revenue driver for hosting-focused content sites. The affiliate margins are why every WordPress hosting listicle features Bluehost prominently. Conversion rates are moderate (high traffic, ~3-7% sign up). For affiliate sites, recommending Bluehost honestly while disclosing the renewal trap is the right ethical play. Apply at bluehost.com/affiliates or via Impact Radius.