Nayan Dhumal
Bluehost is one of the most familiar names in WordPress hosting, and for many new bloggers it is the first host they consider. This review looks at what each plan includes in 2026, what it costs once the first term ends, where Bluehost is strong and who should pick something else.
If you are starting a blog, you want hosting that is cheap, simple and does not get in your way. Bluehost aims squarely at that reader. It installs WordPress for you, includes a free domain for the first year and is one of only three hosts listed on the WordPress.org recommended hosting page.
Like every budget host, it has small print. The lowest price needs a three-year term paid upfront, the renewal price is higher, and a few details on Bluehost’s own pages do not quite agree with each other. None of that is a reason to avoid it. It is a reason to read carefully before you pay.
A note on how I wrote this. I have not run my own speed or uptime tests on Bluehost, so you will not find benchmark numbers here. Every plan detail and price below comes from Bluehost’s own website, checked on 13 October 2026. Where something is my opinion, I say so.
Disclosure
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what I recommend.
Key takeaways
- Bluehost’s entry plan, Starter, was listed at $3.99 a month on a 36-month term, renewing at $9.99 a month.
- Starter allows 10 websites, which is generous for an entry plan.
- Phone support starts on the Business plan. Starter has 24/7 chat only.
- Every plan includes a free domain for the first year, free SSL, a free CDN, staging and weekly backups.
- The 30-day money-back guarantee is real, but a domain fee is deducted if your plan came with a free domain.
- It suits beginners who want several sites on one plan and a renewal price lower than some rivals.
Bluehost at a glance
| Detail | Bluehost in October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Best for | New bloggers and small sites, especially if you run more than one |
| Entry plan | Starter, listed at $3.99 per month on a 36-month term |
| Renewal price of entry plan | $9.99 per month |
| Websites on entry plan | 10 |
| Free domain | Yes, for the first year, redeemed within 90 days |
| Backups | Weekly on the shared plans |
| Staging site | Yes, on all three plans |
| Phone support | Business and eCommerce Essentials |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days, minus a domain fee if a free domain was included |
| Recommended by WordPress.org | Yes |
Prices are in US dollars and are listed without VAT. Bluehost may show different prices in other countries, so check the price in your own currency before you decide.
What is Bluehost?
Bluehost is a web hosting company that sells shared hosting, managed WordPress hosting, VPS servers and other services. For bloggers, the product that matters is shared hosting, which on Bluehost is built around WordPress. The same three plans appear on both its shared hosting and WordPress hosting pages.
Shared hosting means your site sits on a server with other websites. That keeps the price low and is fine for a new blog. If you are not sure which type of hosting you need, my guide to the best hosting for a new blog explains the differences.
Bluehost says it is “trusted by over 5 million WordPress users” and has been “officially recommended by WordPress.org since 2005”. I can confirm that it is on the WordPress.org hosting page today, alongside Pressable and Hostinger.
Bluehost plans and pricing
These are the three shared hosting plans Bluehost listed on 13 October 2026.
| Plan | Listed price | Renews at | Websites | Storage | Phone support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $3.99 per month | $9.99 per month | 10 | 10 GB NVMe SSD | No |
| Business | $6.99 per month | $13.99 per month | 50 | 50 GB NVMe SSD | Yes |
| eCommerce Essentials | $14.99 per month | $21.99 per month | 100 | 100 GB NVMe SSD | Yes |
All three listed prices are for a 36-month term. Bluehost also gives a rough traffic guide for each plan: about 40,000 visits a month on Starter, 200,000 on Business and 400,000 on eCommerce Essentials. There is also an Enterprise and Custom option with pricing on request.
How the pricing really works
The monthly figure is not a monthly bill. On a 36-month term, Starter comes to about $143.64 paid upfront and Business to about $251.64, before tax.
When the term ends, the plan renews at the regular price. For Starter that is $9.99 a month, about two and a half times the introductory rate. That is still lower than some rivals: in my Hostinger vs Bluehost comparison, Bluehost’s entry plan renews for a dollar a month less than Hostinger’s.
Watch out
Check the cart before you pay. Bluehost’s plans include a one-month free trial of Pro Email, which renews at $2.50 a month unless you cancel. Remove any add-on you did not ask for, and note the “renews at” price shown next to your plan.
Which plan should a blogger choose?
- Starter is enough for a first blog. Ten sites and 10 GB of storage will last a new blogger a long time. The compromise is chat-only support and a lighter security bundle.
- Business adds phone support, 50 sites, more storage and extra security: AI-powered malware removal, a web application firewall and DDoS protection. If you want to be able to call someone, this is the plan.
- eCommerce Essentials adds WooCommerce auto-install, secure payments, subscriptions, memberships and paid courses. Only choose it if you plan to sell.
Key features
WordPress setup and management
Bluehost is built for WordPress. The plans list managed WordPress updates, AI site creation tools and the free Yoast SEO plugin. If you would like to see the installation process step by step first, read my guide on how to install WordPress.
Staging site
All three plans include a WordPress staging site. This is a private copy of your site where you can test a new theme or plugin before your readers see it. Many budget hosts keep staging for their higher plans, so it is a useful extra on the entry plan.
Speed technology
Bluehost lists NVMe SSD storage, static content caching, object caching and a free CDN on every shared plan. Those are sensible foundations. They do not guarantee a fast site on their own. Your theme, images and plugins matter just as much, and my guide to speeding up WordPress shows how to test your own pages.
Backups
The plan lists show weekly website backups on all three shared plans. The FAQ on Bluehost’s WordPress hosting page mentions daily off-site backups, which does not match. I would go by the plan list and assume weekly, then add your own backup plugin that stores copies somewhere else.
Security
Every plan includes free SSL, malware scanning and malware detection and removal. Business and eCommerce Essentials add AI-powered malware removal, a web application firewall and DDoS protection.
Developer tools and migration
SSH access and WP-CLI are listed on all plans, which is unusual at this price and useful if you are comfortable with the command line. A free site migration tool is included if you are moving an existing WordPress site.
Uptime
Bluehost’s pricing section says it “promises 99.99% uptime on shared hosting, based on server and Apache performance”. The FAQ on the same page cites 99.9%. I have not measured uptime myself, so I am simply noting that the two figures differ.
Support and refunds
All plans list 24/7 chat support. Phone support is included on Business and eCommerce Essentials, but not on Starter. If being able to call someone matters to you, that alone is a reason to choose Business.
Bluehost’s guarantee says: “If you cancel within 30 days you’ll receive a full refund on Hosting and/or Solutions attached to your account.” There are two catches. If your plan included a free domain, Bluehost deducts a non-refundable domain fee from your refund at the regular cost of the domain. And there are no refunds for cancellations after 30 days.
Bluehost pros and cons
Pros
- Low entry price on a 36-month term
- 10 websites on the cheapest plan
- Free domain for the first year, free SSL and free CDN
- Staging site, SSH and WP-CLI on every plan
- Renewal price lower than some rival entry plans
- Recommended on WordPress.org
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- The best price needs a 36-month term paid upfront
- Renewal prices are much higher than the introductory price
- Weekly backups on the shared plans
- No phone support on Starter
- Email is a one-month trial, not included free
- Some details on Bluehost’s pages contradict each other
Who should use Bluehost?
Bluehost is a good fit if:
- You are starting your first blog and want WordPress set up for you.
- You plan to run more than one site and want room on the entry plan.
- You care about the renewal price, not only the first-term price.
- You want a staging site without paying for a premium plan.
It is a weaker fit if:
- You want to pay month by month without a long contract.
- You need free email at your own domain from day one.
- You want daily backups included on the cheapest plan.
- Your site already has heavy traffic. Managed cloud hosting may suit you better.
My tip
If you are choosing between Starter and Business, think about support first. The extra sites and storage on Business are nice, but phone support is the difference you will feel on the day something breaks. If you are happy with chat, Starter is all a new blog needs.
How to get started with Bluehost
- Choose a plan. Starter for one blog, Business if you want phone support or several sites.
- Pick your term. Compare the total charged today, not only the monthly figure.
- Review the cart. Remove trials and add-ons you did not ask for.
- Claim your free domain. Bluehost says it must be redeemed within 90 days of purchase.
- Install WordPress. Follow Bluehost’s setup steps.
- Add a backup plugin and set a renewal reminder. Do both before you publish your first post.
Verdict: is Bluehost worth it in 2026?
For a new blogger, yes, with clear expectations. Bluehost gives you what a first blog needs at a low first-term price, with useful extras such as staging and ten sites on the entry plan.
The trade-offs are the three-year commitment, weekly backups and the lack of phone support on Starter. If you can live with those, Starter is a sensible first host. If you want phone support, Business is the plan I would choose. Before you buy, it may also be worth checking my Bluehost Black Friday guide, because Bluehost ran a Black Friday sale last November.
See Bluehost’s plans for yourself
Prices and plan details change, so check the current offer and the renewal price on Bluehost’s own site.
Sources I checked
The facts in this review come from these pages, checked on 13 October 2026:
- Bluehost shared hosting page for plans, prices, renewal prices, features, the guarantee and the email and domain terms.
- Bluehost WordPress hosting page for the uptime and backup statements, user numbers and WordPress.org claim.
- WordPress.org hosting page for the list of recommended hosts.
- Bluehost blog: Black Friday Deals 2025 for last year’s sale.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bluehost good for beginners?
Yes. It is built around WordPress, includes a free domain for the first year and free SSL, and every plan has a staging site. Starter has chat support only, so choose Business if you want phone support.
How much does Bluehost cost?
On 13 October 2026, Starter was listed at $3.99 a month on a 36-month term, renewing at $9.99. Business was $6.99 a month, renewing at $13.99. Prices are paid upfront for the term and exclude VAT.
Does Bluehost include a free domain?
Yes, for the first year. Bluehost says it must be redeemed within 90 days of purchase. After the first year, you pay the normal renewal fee.
Can I get a refund from Bluehost?
Yes, within 30 days. If your plan included a free domain, Bluehost deducts a non-refundable domain fee at the regular domain price. There are no refunds after 30 days.
Does Bluehost include email?
The shared plans include a one-month free trial of Pro Email, which then renews at $2.50 a month unless you cancel.
Is Bluehost better than Hostinger?
It depends on what you value. Bluehost gives you more sites on its entry plan and a lower renewal price. Hostinger has a lower listed monthly price and free email for the first year. My Hostinger vs Bluehost comparison covers the details.