Bluehost is one of the best-known names in WordPress hosting, largely because it has been recommended on WordPress.org for many years and pre-installs WordPress for new customers. That reputation makes it a common first host for bloggers and small businesses. This guide explains where Bluehost comes from, how its plans are structured, what the onboarding looks like, and the things worth checking before you buy, so you can decide whether it fits your site.
A short history of Bluehost
Bluehost was founded in Utah in the early 2000s and grew into one of the large shared hosting providers in the United States. Around 2010 it was acquired by Endurance International Group, a company that owned a portfolio of hosting brands. In 2021 Endurance became part of Newfold Digital, which today operates Bluehost alongside other web services brands.
Why this matters to you: Bluehost is a large, established company with standardized products, round-the-clock support and a big knowledge base. It is not a boutique host, and its plans are designed to serve a very large number of customers efficiently. That shapes both its strengths and its trade-offs.
Bluehost and the WordPress.org recommendation
The WordPress.org hosting page lists a small number of hosts, and Bluehost has appeared there for a long time. WordPress.org describes the list as hosts that it believes provide good service for WordPress users. It is not a performance benchmark, and it is not a guarantee about any individual plan. The list also changes over time, so check the page itself for the current selection.
Treat the listing as one signal among several. It tells you the host supports current versions of PHP and the database software WordPress needs, and that WordPress is a core part of its business. It does not replace reading the plan details or comparing alternatives, which we cover in our guide to choosing the best WordPress hosting.
How Bluehost plans are structured
Plan names, limits and prices change often, so go to the Bluehost website for current details. The overall structure has been fairly stable, though, and usually includes these families:
| Product family | What it is | Typical user |
|---|---|---|
| Shared WordPress hosting | Several tiers on shared servers, differing in number of sites, storage and extras | Blogs, portfolios, small business sites |
| WooCommerce hosting | Shared plans bundled with WooCommerce and store-related tools | Small online stores |
| Managed or cloud WordPress | Higher-tier plans with more resources and more of the maintenance handled for you | Busier sites and agencies |
| VPS and dedicated servers | Your own virtual or physical server resources | Developers and sites that outgrow shared hosting |
How pricing usually works
Like most large shared hosts, Bluehost advertises an introductory rate that applies to your first term and renews at a higher regular rate. The lowest advertised monthly figure normally requires paying for a multi-year term up front. Shared plans have commonly included a free domain for the first year and a free SSL certificate. None of this is unusual in the industry, but it means the number on the home page is not the number you will pay in year two or three. Before buying, find the renewal price for your plan and term and budget for it.
Onboarding: what setting up looks like
Bluehost’s onboarding is designed for people who have never set up a website. A typical flow looks like this:
- Choose a plan and term, then register a new domain or connect one you already own.
- Review the add-ons on the checkout page and untick anything you do not want.
- Create your account. WordPress is installed for you, so there is no database or
wp-config.phpto set up by hand. - Follow the guided setup in the Bluehost dashboard, which may suggest a theme, ask about your goals and install a Bluehost helper plugin inside WordPress.
- Log in to WordPress, replace the starter theme if you want, and begin adding pages.
If you are new to the process, the guided setup is genuinely helpful. If you prefer a clean install, you can deactivate plugins you did not ask for and choose your own theme. Our guide to installing WordPress explains what the installer is doing behind the scenes, and our theme catalogue is one place to look if you want a design for a news, magazine or sports site.
Things to check before choosing Bluehost
None of these are reasons to rule Bluehost out. They are the questions to answer for any large shared host.
Renewal rates and term length
Compare the total cost over three years, not the first-month figure. Note the refund policy, which typically covers hosting for an initial period but may not cover domain registration.
Upsells and add-ons
Checkout and the dashboard may offer extras such as security scanning, backup services, domain privacy and professional email. Some can be worthwhile, but many have free or cheaper equivalents. Decide what you need before you reach the checkout page.
Backups
Find out exactly what backups your plan includes, how long they are kept, and how restores work. Even with host backups, keep your own off-site copy. Our WordPress backup guide explains a simple approach.
Resource limits and staging
Shared plans share CPU and memory with other accounts, so read the acceptable use policy and the resource limits. Check whether your tier includes a staging environment, which lets you test updates and theme changes before they reach visitors.
Data center location
Bluehost’s infrastructure has historically been centered in the United States. If most of your visitors are elsewhere, a CDN can help, or you may prefer a host with servers closer to your audience.
Who Bluehost suits, and who might look elsewhere
Bluehost is a reasonable choice if you are launching your first WordPress site, want WordPress installed and a domain registered in one place, value 24/7 chat and phone support, and expect modest traffic. Its guided setup removes most of the technical friction, and its long association with WordPress means documentation is easy to find.
You might prefer a different option if you need fine-grained server control, run a high-traffic or resource-heavy site on a small budget, want servers in a specific region, or would rather pay a flat price without introductory discounts. Developers who want SSH-first workflows and agencies managing many client sites often look at VPS or specialist managed hosts. Our explainer on managed WordPress hosting covers that tier.
Whichever host you choose, the security basics are your responsibility too: strong passwords, two-factor authentication, prompt updates and sensible user roles.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bluehost owned by WordPress?
No. Bluehost is a commercial hosting company that is listed on the WordPress.org hosting page. WordPress itself is open-source software stewarded by the WordPress community and the WordPress Foundation.
Can I move my site away from Bluehost later?
Yes. A self-hosted WordPress site is portable: you can copy the files and database to another host with a migration plugin or by hand, then point your domain to the new server. If your domain is registered with Bluehost, you can keep it there or transfer it.
Does Bluehost include email?
Email features vary by plan and have changed over time, with some plans relying on paid professional email services. Check what your chosen plan includes before you assume mailboxes are part of it.
Key takeaways
- Bluehost is a large, long-established host owned by Newfold Digital and listed on the WordPress.org hosting page.
- Plans span shared WordPress, WooCommerce, higher-tier managed or cloud plans, VPS and dedicated servers.
- Introductory pricing renews higher, so compare the multi-year total and the renewal rate.
- Review checkout add-ons, included backups and staging before you buy.
- Bluehost suits beginners and small sites; high-traffic sites and developers may prefer other tiers or hosts.
