Do you have any idea why Blue Host charges such high prices? If your answer is yes, then you’ve come to the right place because I’m going to discuss this topic in detail here.
Due to the high renewal rates that the company charges, Bluehost is often thought to be an expensive option.
The hosting options offered by Bluehost give the impression of being inexpensive for beginners, but in reality, they are not. Actually, the initial payments which you will make are the only time you’ll be able to lock in a low rate. But, after that, the high renewal rates will come as a pleasant surprise to you.
Observe the difference after just one month. Quite high right?? But for me personally, it is the best web hosting service, and I strongly recommend it to you.
Everything is fine if you have no issue with the high renewal rates. Yes, it’s true. Also, I am quite sure that you will be pleased with its excellent features, high quality customer service and uptime.
But, if the cost of renewal is going to consume the majority of your money, you should consider selecting an alternate plan.
So, in this post, I’ll discuss why BlueHost costs so much and also offer suggestions for cheaper web hosting services. So without any further delay, let’s begin!
Why Is Bluehost So Expensive?
If you are talking about hosting pans, Bluehost offers costs that are comparable to those of its competitors. However, the difficulty arises when your initial hosting term expires and you are hit with a significant price increase. However, the difficulty arises when your initial trial pack expires and you are hit with a significant price increase.
Sounds scary but it’s true. You will be required to pay a sum that is more than three times greater than the initial investment.
A $2.95 plan has a renewal charge of nearly $10, a significant and on-going increase to the cost of maintaining a website.
It is correct that the host makes it abundantly clear on the front page of its website that the discounted introductory rates are applicable for the very first term alone. Despite this, there is still no getting around the reality that renewals are somewhat pricey.
Bluehost’s web hosting solutions are quite popular and also recommended both by industry veterans and newcomers. In this blog, I will also provide a brief summary of the most expensive and least-priced Bluehost web hosting plans as well. So read on!
But before we get into pricing specifics, let’s talk about the products Bluehost offers that are related to web hosting.
Different hosting-related products offered by Bluehost
Several hosting products are offered by this US-based company. The catalogue they have is quite extensive, so let me briefly review it
- Use of domain names: You can purchase domain names straight from Bluehost, despite the fact that they are definitely not the one that offers the lowest prices. They begin at $18.99 per year when renewed, and an additional $15 per year is added to that price if domain privacy is activated. Namecheap is my personal all-time favourite when it comes to purchasing domain names because it is more cost-effective and simpler to administer.
- Shared hosting: This hosting plan is the way to go unless you’re handling a massive project or you need extensive control over your server’s settings. Comparing this arrangement to flat sharing, each user will have their own dedicated hosting area within a larger server. Bluehost’s monthly shared hosting plans cost between $9.99 and $28.99
- Managed WordPress hosting: Bluehost offers a hosting service that is tailored specifically for use with WordPress. It is designed to work best with WordPress websites and comes packed with a number of useful features. It has a starting price of $24.95 per month, which is significantly higher compared to other competitors.
- VPS: Virtual private servers (VPSs) offer a middle ground between dedicated and shared hosting. While your projects will be hosted on the same server as those of other clients, they will be separated by a firewall. If your website requires customised server settings, then you should look into managed hosting. It offers VPS hosting options for a monthly fee of $29.99 up to $119.
- Dedicated servers: It is suitable for sites that receive a lot of visitors and/or require a fast server. Just like when you live in your own home, there are no annoying next-door neighbours or annoying roommates to contend with, the same is with this server. The lowest monthly price for dedicated hosting is $124.99, while the highest is $209.99
Bluehost Pricing
Renewal will result in a price increase
The costs that are listed above are what you may expect to pay on a monthly basis once the original promotional offers have expired.
The prices of most web hosting plans are discounted during the first year, but once the contract is up, they revert to their original prices
In the table below, t can be seen how the prices of several web hosts’ plans climb after one year.
It is clear now that Bluehost provides an exceptionally affordable beginning pricing, but then significantly raises that price when it comes time for the service to be renewed.
It is essential that you examine the various renewal fees offered by the various web hosts. Don’t waste your time checking out the introductory rates since what matters will be the renewal price which you need to pay later.
Bluehost basic plan’s speed comparison, uptime, customer services time
It has become incredibly popular as a host for more than 2 million websites. BlueHost is so successful as a WordPress host that it is now the platform’s preferred host. For the basic plans speed comparison, uptime, customer services time, looks at the chart below-
BlueHost basic plan overview-
Speed | Shared Hosting: 2.6 sec (no caching plugins) |
uptime | Shared Hosting – 99.97% |
Downtime | 8 hours 45 minutes/year |
Security | For each plan- Free SSL certificate |
Customer services | Incredibly prompt live chat, multilingual phone support (in several Indian languages) |
Pricing | Starts at Rs.179/month |
Refund Policy | 30 days refund policy |
Backup scedule | CodeGuard’s PRO and CHOICE PLUS plans include free daily backups. |
Cheapest Plan- For Bluehost Shared Hosting
The shared hosting plan offered by Bluehost is the most affordable option for those looking to host their websites with Bluehost. Website hosting, domain registration, and an SSL certificate are all included in the low monthly fee of only $2.95. Shared hosting also include plans like choice plus, pro and plus. Automatic backups are included at no extra cost with Choice Plus and Pro. Monthly costs might be as low as $5.45 or as high as $13.95 USD. If you select a Shared hosting plan during signup, you’ll get these rates. You won’t find better deals than these on hosting services anywhere else. As a result of its low starting price and abundance of useful extras, shared hosting is a favourite among webmasters. If you aren’t completely satisfied with the service during the first 30 days, then you can always ask for a full refund.
US (W) | US (E) | London | Singapore | Sao Paulo |
23 ms | 78 ms | 183 ms | 193 ms | 164 ms |
Bangalore | Sydney | Japan | Canada | Germany |
330 ms | 168 ms | 125 ms | 92 ms | 174 ms |
Source: https://www.bitcatcha.com/hosting-reviews/bluehost/
Expensive Plan- For Bluehost Dedicated Hosting
Whichever webhosting platform you select, dedicated web hosting services will always be the most costly option. In order to handle the volume of visitors, high-traffic websites are ideal candidates for Bluehost’s dedicated servers. Using a cheaper package on a high-traffic website will slow its response time.
If you consistently receive more than 500,000 page views per day, it’s probably time to upgrade to a dedicated server. With this package, you’ll have a dedicated server that can process as much traffic as you get.
Bluehost offers three tiers of dedicated hosting: standard, enhanced, and premium. The monthly fees range from $79.99 to $119.99. This package is ideal for massive business sites, and the upgraded plan is more than enough to power any website. Large corporations and well-known brands can benefit from this strategy.
First-time WordPress installation experience & Customer feedback
My first-time experience for WordPress installation was quite simple and easy. Bluehost makes it easier for first-time users to install WordPress by providing an installation method that just requires one click. Also, it was really an easy-to-navigate interface in addition to detailed instructions that walk you through the process of installing the software. In addition, Bluehost has specialised WordPress hosting plans that are already optimised for maximum efficiency with the WordPress content management system as well. So overall, the experience was quite simple.
If you are talking about Customer feedback, then yes there are neutral reviews. While it’s possible that there will be few customers who had great excellent experiences with the company’s services, other customers might have run into problems or had preferences that were different. It is recommended that you read evaluations written by third-party companies, conversations on online forums, and posts made on social media platforms in order to gain a full grasp of client feedback
Affordable alternatives for Bluehost
It is advisable to go with a different provider for hosting and domain services rather than opting for Bluehost due to the high cost. I’ve compiled an alternative list that won’t break the bank:
Hostinger-
US (W) | US (E) | London | Singapore | Sao Paulo |
75 ms | 21 ms | 92 ms | 244 ms | 136 ms |
Bangalore | Sydney | Japan | Canada | Germany |
211 ms | 265 ms | 172 ms | 37 ms | 107 ms |
If you’re looking for an alternative to Bluehost, your best bet is Hostinger. There are three different shared hosting options to choose from, with the least one costing only $1.99 per month. Here also, plan renewal costs are higher than those of the original plan. However, these prices are lower than those of Bluehost
DreamHost-
In addition to having the lowest possible monthly hosting costs, it also continuously backs up your data in case of loss. DreamHost is an excellent choice if you’re trying to find a dependable alternative to Bluehost. The WordPress.org team recommends Bluehost and DreamHost as managed hosting providers.
US (W) | US (E) | London | Singapore | São Paulo |
70 ms | 2 ms | 77 ms | 242 ms | 117 ms |
Bangalore | Sydney | Japan | Canada | Germany |
194 ms | 210 ms | 169 ms | 16 ms | 87 ms |
SiteGround-
It consistently outperforms the competition in terms of how reliably it maintains your website. SiteGround is known for its dependability, speed, and top-notch support. The company, like Bluehost, has been around for than a decade, and it keeps growing and improving its offerings in the hosting market
US (W) | US (E) | London | Singapore | São Paulo |
56 ms | 3 ms | 98 ms | 229 ms | 138 ms |
Bangalore | Sydney | Japan | Canada | Germany |
307 ms | 222 ms | 141 ms | 1 ms | 103 ms |
HostGator-
Due to their shared ownership by EIG, HostGator and Bluehost are considered to be close relatives. It’s a good option for getting started on a low-cost plan and upgrading as needed as traffic increases to your site. Also if you register for the first time, you’ll get a free domain name for one year
US (W) | US (E) | London | Singapore | Sao Paulo |
32 ms | 36 ms | 221 ms | 221 ms | 139 ms |
Bangalore | Sydney | Japan | Canada | Germany |
717 ms | 205 ms | 153 ms | 36 ms | 140 ms |
Hosting plan comparison table for each hosting
Hosting Provider | Plan | SSL certificate | Maximum email account |
Hostinger | Single- Rs 69.00/month Premiere-Rs 149/month Business-Rs 289/month | Yes | Single- 1 Premiere-100 Business-100 |
DreamHost | Shared Starter-Rs 214.11/month Shared Unlimited-Rs326.54/month | Yes | Shared Starter- Unlimited Shared Unlimited- Unlimited |
SiteGround | StartUp-Rs 329.82/month GrowBig-Rs 553.01/month GoGeek-Rs 883.66/month | Yes | StartUp- Unlimited GrowBig- Unlimited GoGeek- Unlimited |
HostGator | Starter- Rs 79/month Hatchling- Rs 199/month Baby- Rs 249/month Business- Rs 349/month | Yes | Starter- 1 Hatchling- Unlimited Baby- Unlimited Business- Unlimited |
Bluehost’s renewal fees are way more expensive for current customers. Its high price tag is a result of the prestigious reputation it has earned over the years. But everyone can’t afford it.
So, I propose Hostinger and SiteGround as more affordable and superior alternatives to Bluehost for web hosting signup.
Also, I would advise you to secure your domain hosting and registration completely distinct from one another. If you do this, switching to a new web host won’t be difficult in the future.
That’s all for today! For any queries, please let us know in the comment section below!