BlueHost Review : Reliable & Feature Rich Web Hosting
Introducing BlueHost
Whenever we are starting our blogging journey and looking for a reliable Web Host then generally we see that most of the professional bloggers will recommend to you BlueHost as their personal favorite.
BlueHost has been there for many years now and those who have become professional bloggers today, most of them started their journeys with BlueHost and that is why they all will definitely recommend BlueHost for newbies.
So there is a whole Generation of Bloggers recommending BlueHost to be the best Web Host if you are thinking of starting your Online Journey.
BlueHost having the good image as a good Web Host but what extra performance and Security features it has to offer and can it be the Web Host for you !! Let’s see in this BlueHost review article.
Review Highlight
Before starting this review it is better you get to know the three main Highlight sections of this article.
You can jump directly to these three main highlight sections through the buttons given below if you are in a hurry.
Here is a brief understanding regarding the 3 (Three) main Highlight segments or sections of this review.
Overall Ratings :
The Overall Rating Section shows to you the total average combined rating of the Web Host based on 9 (nine) different parameters or features that you will see in details in this review.
Overall Ratings segment can be seen like a summary of a whole review and so you can take your decision regarding any Web Host based on that Web Host’s Overall Ratings only.
Possible Alternatives :
The Possible alternative section shows you various other web hosts that can be a possible future web host for you.
In the Possible Alternatives section also we have shown Overall Ratings out 5 of every Web Host so that you can compare the different Hosting Providers easily based on their Overall Ratings.
Question & Answers :
In this section you may find answers regarding which plans can be better for you and which are the better alternatives you can go for.
To help you better we also have a Quick Advice page where you can see different Web Hosts and what best they have to offer to you.
Let’s Begin The Review in Detail
Before starting the review it is advised that you read each section like Recommendable, Uptime, Speed, Security, Affordability, Support, Backup, Moneyback Guarantee and Features etc. carefully because these sections have been given ratings so that you can easily figure out that in which section or feature the particular Web Host is stronger or Weaker.
Please try to read all and everything by scrolling down till the end. It will be a useful read for sure.
So now let’s begin this review in depth with the first parameter and that’s Recommendability :
This section is about Web Host Recommendability :
1) Recommendability
From this parameter or factor you can decide how much recommendable the product or service is to others.
Through this parameter you can decide what are the chances that I as a customer would recommend this particular service to others like me.
Through this parameter you can decide the trust value and overall quality the particular company offers to you.
4.5 out or 5 stars out 5 means it’s Highly Recommendable.
So How many stars to BlueHost for Recommendability ?
BlueHost gets 4.5 out 5 for Recommendability.
What makes it Highly Recommendable Web Host?
There are certain reasons for BlueHost to be recommended Highly.
- BlueHost has been there for so long and it is one of the most reliable names in the business.
- BlueHost is one of the very few Web Hosts that has been recommended by WordPress.
- All in all BlueHost is one of the very affordable Web Host.
So these are the top reasons to Highly Recommend BlueHost However for clear picture you can scroll down or directly move to Overall Ratings Segment where you can see how much Overall this Web Host has scored.
This second segment is about Uptime :
2) Uptime :
Uptime is a feature or factor that everyone is worried about all the time, so on the basis of Uptime Guarantees provided and technologies used for enhancing Uptime the Web Hosts are given rating.
In this section you will be able to easily decide that this particular Hosting Provider is going to give you the reliable Uptime or not !!
4.5 or 5 stars out 5 are only given when we are super convinced about the Uptime.
How many stars to BlueHost for Uptime ?
BlueHost gets 4 out 5 stars for Uptime.
Will it give reliable Uptime ?
There are certain reasons and ways to get Reliable or Continuous Uptime :
- With Cloud plans you will get more reliable Uptime. So always a Cloud plan is better than traditional shared plans.
- New Technologies like Nginx and Lite Speed are considered better than Apache servers for better performance and Uptime so try to choose better servers.
Here in this segment we have give 4 out of 5 stars to BlueHost which is good but they can better it by deploying Nginx or Lite Speed for better performance, Uptime and Security.
This section is about Speed or Loading Time :
3) Speed :
Speed
BlueHost gets 4 stars for Speed which is good. To know more about Speed click learn more button below.
Speed or Loading time is essential for any website and in this section you can figure out how much dedicated the particular Hosting Provider is to bring you the best possible Speed.
On the basis of various technologies used by the Web Hosts and analyzing many other factors related to Speed we have rated the Web hosts for Speed and Performance.
4.5 or 5 out 5 stars for Speed are only given when we are fully assured that Speed is going to be delivered for sure.
So How many stars for Speed ?
BlueHost gets 4 out 5 stars for Speed.
What is the Guarantee for Speed ?
It heavily depends on your plan that which plan you have chosen. Here are some points to clarify :
- With traditional shared Hosting there are always going to be problems with Uptime and Speed.
- On the other hand new Cloud Technology keeps your Website Up for longer period of time and you can also expect higher Performance or Speed with Cloud Plans of the same Web Host.
- SSD (Solid States Drives) also play a vital role in enhancing speed because through SSD visitors can access or reach your website quickly. BlueHost uses SSD in their plan which is great.
Apart from SSD there is more important thing that can affect your Website speed and that is types of Servers used and Lite Speed and Nginx are considered better than Apache.
As BlueHost uses Apache Servers there is always room for improvements for speed that is why BlueHost gets 4 out 5 which is considered good.
This fourth section is about Security features :
4) Security :
Security
Security is great from BlueHost. To know more about Security click the learn more button below.
Most of the folks think about Uptime and Performance and select their Hosting Provider but it is better to check whether your Web Host provides good enough Security features or not.
There are many features and factors we have thought of to give ratings on security. You might find about various factors we have considered when you further read the section.
However Security features get better with Higher Plans but there are a few Web Hosts who give great features for Security and even 4 stars out 5 would be considered good for Security.
So How many stars for Security ?
BlueHost gets 4.5 out 5 stars and it’s Highly secure.
How to Increase my Website Security with BlueHost ?
Site lock is the feature that BlueHost gives along with all its plans and it is a great feature that will keep your site secure than anywhere else.
It is called Free Automatic Daily Malware Scan that you get along with all plans.
Apart from this your security increases along with higher plans with any web host.
For Example :
With traditional Shared Hosting Plans you might get basic cPanel security but if you move to higher plans like VPS (Virtual Private Servers) then you will get full cPanel security features and many other kind of Security features.
Furthermore, using 2FA (two factor authentication) and stronger passwords are highly advised.
Plus security plugins like Wordfence are essential these days.
This fifth section is about Affordability :
5) Affordability
Depending on various factors like promotional prices and Yearly and Monthly plans etc we have given ratings out 5 to help you decide which particular Web Host is affordable for you.
For any small beginning you need a small start with affordable investment and that is why we have included Affordability as a factor to rate various Web Hosting Providers.
Highly Affordable Web Hosts have scored 4.5 or 5 out 5 stars and 4 star for affordability is also considered good.
So How many stars for providing Affordable plans ?
BlueHost gets 4 out 5 for Affordability.
Why on Renewal I get to pay more ?
There are certain Web Hosts like MilesWeb and DreamHost that at present are giving some schemes that you can enjoy same promotional prices for lifetime which can be great but at some point in future you might think of growing your Website on bigger platforms no matter how costly the plans are.
Full answer regarding renewal prices you can find it here in this article.
Talking about Bluehost prices it is affordable.
Are there any Super Affordable options to BlueHost ?
Talking about affordability of BlueHost, it is affordable but there are Competitors like Namecheap, HostGator, TMDHosting, GreenGeeks, InterServer and DreamHost that can give some tough competition to BlueHost.
There are some Highly affordable or Super affordable plans you may find with HostGator, Namecheap, MilesWeb, TMDHosting, InterServer and FastComet etc Web Hosts.
You can see all the alternatives on the Quick Advice Page.
This Sixth Section is about Support :
6) Support :
Support
Support is Fantastic from BlueHost. You will never get disappointed with BlueHost Support.
Support from the web hosts is essential for beginners and non techy people and that is why on the basis of various factors we have rated the Web Hosts who can give you the support or help whenever you need for getting your website running smoothly.
On the basis of various factors like Speed to solve the problem, Courtesy and attitude we have given stars out 5 accordingly.
So How many stars for Support ?
BlueHost gets 5 out of 5 stars for support. Support is superb from BlueHost.
Can Support really be a factor to decide a Web Host ?
It depends on your will and skill that how much support you might need when you are in trouble.
The thing is that if you have paid to your Hosting provider for any service and if there is a tradition of providing Support to the customers then why not use it !!
Support from your Web Host can be vital in certain circumstances where you need to recover from a hacked site or maybe in case of Broken site you can have at least someone by your side to help you out.
What is great about BlueHost Support ?
- Talking about BlueHost Support free Site Migration is also provided.
- Support is 24/7 and chat support can be connected by easy navigation on the website.
- Apart from this the support people are friendly and will answer all your queries.
This Seventh Section is about Backup :
7) Backup :
Backup
BlueHost gives daily Backups which is great. To know more about importance of Backup click learn more button below.
Backups are essential when you want a recovery from a hacked or broken site and that is why hosting providers giving regular backups are given better stars.
It is heavily advised that if your Hosting Provider is not keeping your Backups regularly then develop a habit of taking Backups manually by your self. It’s a very easy task.
Updraft Plus (affiliate link) is widely popular and used for taking backups of sites and you can take Backups through your cPanel also.
See here how to take Backups of your site (affiliate link).
If daily backups are provided we have given 5 out 5 stars for that.
How many stars for providing Backups ?
BlueHost gets 5 out of 5 stars for providing daily Backups.
Why to Judge Hostings on the basis of Backups ?
Well, we are not Judging anyone but there are Hosting providers giving daily Backups and Backup features takes us towards “managed hosting” where you as a website owner don’t have to worry about most the things.
Those Web Hosts which are providing regular daily Backups they are no doubt doing great and it only improves the security features overall.
So those Hostings which are providing daily Backups you can say they are more reliable because they are taking away a burden from your shoulder by taking daily Backups for you. It’s great isn’t it !!!
So 5 on 5 for this Web host for giving regular daily Backups.
This Eighth Segment is about MoneyBack Guarantee :
8) MoneyBack Guarantee :
MoneyBack Guarantee
BlueHost gives 30 days long Moneyback Guarantee. To know more about this feature click the Learn More Button below.
The longer MoneyBack Guarantees are not only in favor of customers but longer MoneyBack Guarantees also shows how much confidence the companies or the Web Hosts in this case have in their own service.
Moreover and obviously longer MoneyBack Guarantees give more time to customers to get to know the Web Hosts and their services and accordingly customers can take actions.
The longest MoneyBack Guarantees have won 5 out 5 stars.
So How many stars for MoneyBack Guarantee ?
BlueHost gets 3 out 5 stars for providing 30 days long MoneyBack Guarantee.
Is MoneyBack Guarantee really important ?
If you like the features and prices and you have decided to go with any particular Web Host then MoneyBack Guarantee is not really important.
If you have long term strategy with your website then also MoneyBack Guarantees doesn’t count but in certain circumstances if you are given a longer MoneyBack Guarantee and you think you have taken a wrong decision then this features really helps.
Moreover longer MoneyBack Guarantees shows the confidence of the Web Hosts in their own service. There are web hosts like DreamHost (affiliate link) and InMotion who give long MoneyBack Guarantees of 97 days and 90 days respectively.
Then there are Web Hosts like TMDHosting who give a 60 day MoneyBack Guarantee.
HostGator and FastComet give 45 days long MoneyBack Guarantee.
So definitely the Web Hosts that give longer MoneyBack Guarantee seem more reliable.
So in compare with these longer MoneyBack Guarantees BlueHost gets 3 out of 5 for providing 30 days long MoneyBack Guarantee.
This Ninth segment is about Features that your Web Host provide :
9) Features :
Features are the first things that we see on the Web Hostings site when we want to select any Hosting for us and generally people make decisions seeing the features provided only.
Here seeing this review completely I expect that those who read articles or reviews on this site may start thinking beyond features also when it comes to Web Hosting selection. (Heavy statement, You can take it as a joke). 🙂
We have given 4.5 or 5 out of 5 stars when we are highly convinced about the overall service and the features offered.
So How many stars for features ?
BlueHost gets 4.5 out of 5 stars for some really nice features in all plans.
Are the features like Unlimited Bandwidth really important ?
On the basis of various features like free domains, Unlimited Bandwidths etc we cannot get the overall idea about the hosting provider and that is why these features cannot be the only factor to decide the right Web Host for you.
Talking about features like Unlimited Bandwidth and Unlimited Disk Space it is really good but it cannot be the only reason to select any Web Host.
See this article to get some of you questions answered about selecting a web host.
To decide the right Web Host you should see all the aspects and features of any particular Web Host properly and then make a decision that which is the right Web Host for you.
What are the best features that BlueHost provides ?
Here are some of the features that you might like with BlueHost :
- Free Domain for one year is provided.
- Sufficient SSD (Solid State Drives) space with Basic plan and Unlimited SSD storage with higher plans is provided.
- 5 parked Domains and 25 Sub Domains are allowed in the Basic plan which is great.
- Free Automatic Daily Malware Scan or Site lock is also a great feature.
- Free SSL certificates are also provided.
- Plus there is free Jet Pack Plugin with higher plan named “Choice Plus” plan.
You can see the prices and features yourself by going through the button below.
This segment is about Overall Ratings :
10) Overall Ratings :
Overall Ratings
To know more about the Overall Ratings for this Web Host you can click the button below.
If you have jumped directly to this segment then it might be a time saving decision. Here you will find the combined Overall Ratings for your Web Host.
In short this Overall Ratings you can take it as a final average rating which will decide in total or in general how great a Web Hosting can prove to be for you.
Further clarifying, Overall Rating just give you an overall idea about the Web Host however different Web Hosts can be best in certain criteria and can be just average in certain other criteria.
For example : TMDHosting is best in Cloud plans where on the other hand InterServer provides best security features.
The Web Hosts getting 4.5 or above 4.5 stars out of 5 are the best Web Hosts as per our ratings and research and these are really one of those who should be on your favorite list at least.
So How many Overall stars to this Web Host ?
BlueHost gets 4.3 stars out of 5 for Overall Ratings which is considered good.
What are some Important features that makes BlueHost a good Web Host ?
Here are some features and things about BlueHost that will make you fall in love with BlueHost :
- There is a Free Domain for a year.
- Free JetPack plugin in choice plus plan.
- Free Site Lock feature for security.
- Parked and Free Domains.
- BlueHost is also recommended by WordPress so BlueHost is Highly Reliable.
More things about features and offerings you can see in the Conclusion section.
About the best plans related questions are answered in the Question & Answers Segment.
What is the importance of this Overall Rating Segment ?
The best thing is that if you know the Overall Ratings you don’t have to worry about knowing other factors and parameters because all factors are included in the Overall ratings.
However all the parameters have their own importance and it is good to see all parameters like Uptime, Moneyback Guarantee etc properly if you want to know better about any Web Host.
In this part you may find the Conclusion regarding this review :
Conclusion
Concluding this article BlueHost certainly can be your choice if you are starting up and thinking of longer time.
Generally you get more advantage of promotional prices if you select the plans for 3 years time period.
BlueHost can be your choice for two reasons :
- Highly recommended and Reliable Web Host
- Features offered are really nice.
Though there are a lot positives we can find in this article about BlueHost but BlueHost can rule the Web Hosting Business if they concentrate more on investing on new technologies like Nginx and Lite Speed.
So for better performance and Uptime and new technology you may want to find some alternative Web Hosts as well.
You may find the answers regarding which can be the best Web Hosting plan for you and what can be the alternatives in the Questions & Answers segment.
You may find in details what can be the other Web Hosts that should be on your lists in the Possible Alternatives segment.
This section is about Question & Answers :
Q & A
Question & Answers
In this segment I have tried answering all possible questions that I thought might be important to you :
Hopefully you will find satisfying answers.
In this section you will Possible Alternatives :
Possible Alternatives :
In this section you may find all Possible Alternatives to BlueHost.
The best alternatives to BlueHost can be GreenGeeks (full review), DreamHost (full review), TMDHosting (full review) and InterServer (full review).
If you are looking for saving money while starting up HostGator (full review) can be the one that you are looking for.
To save your time we have the Quick Advice Page on which you can find prime details that what best any Web Host has to offer to you.
[…] from experts BlueHost (Full Review) is one of those very few hosts that are recommended by WordPress. So BlueHost is one […]