Choosing the right hosting service is a nerve-wracking experience because hosting can make or break your website. You have to spend hours upon hours doing research, trying to understand what sounds like gibberish and then comparing all these companies.
You’re picking a hosting provider for your site and can’t decide between SiteGround and Bluehost? You’re not alone.
We’ve done our own research to compare the leading providers and help you make the right decision. So take a deep breath, put your feet up, and let’s dive into our in-depth comparison of SiteGround and Bluehost.
In this SiteGround Vs Bluehost comparison, we will find out which brand is performing best at this level.
Bluehost vs Siteground: Features
Both SiteGround and Bluehost offer more functionality than your average WordPress host, including plenty of value-added features to make your life easier.
Overall, they’re pretty even on this feature front, though Bluehost gives you a slightly simpler dashboard to use those features, which gives it a slight edge.
SiteGround features
Automatic updates for WordPress core software.
Free SSL certificate via Let’s Encrypt, which helps make your site more secure with HTTPS.
Built-in caching system to make your site load faster.
Host unlimited sites on most plans (only one site on the cheapest StartUp plan, though).
10-30 GB website storage depending on your plan.
Easy Cloudflare CDN integration for faster global page load times.
Modern technologies, including HTTP/2 and PHP 7.2 (which is recommended by WordPress.org).
Easy staging sites (only on the GrowBig plan, though).
To access most of your features, you’ll use the standard cPanel dashboard, which looks like this:
Bluehost features
Custom hosting dashboard (though you can still access cPanel if needed).
Unlimited storage and bandwidth on most plans (the Basic plan has a 50 GB storage limit, though).
Automatic WordPress updates.
Built-in caching system to speed up your site.
Host unlimited sites on most plans (only one site on the cheapest Basic plan, though).
Free SSL certificate via Let’s Encrypt, just like SiteGround.
Easy WordPress staging sites for testing.
Modern technologies, though it only supports PHP 7.0, whereas SiteGround supports PHP 7.2.
While there are a lot of feature similarities, one area where Bluehost excels is the aforementioned custom hosting dashboard. It offers a much more beginner-friendly interface to manage important aspects of your site:
Bluehost vs Siteground: Price
Bluehost is a little bit cheaper and offers a free domain name.
When it comes to SiteGround vs Bluehost pricing, Bluehost comes out to be a little cheaper. Let’s start with the monthly promotional pricing. This is the starting pricing that applies to your first billing cycle (for example, if you pay for a year upfront, you’ll lock in this price for the first year):
After your first billing cycle, you’ll need to pay full price. Here’s how the monthly full prices stack up:
Each host requires that you pay for a minimum of 12 months at a time. Bluehost also offers a free domain name, while SiteGround does not.
Bluehost vs Siteground: Domains
One of the ways Bluehost really stands out from its competitors is its offer of a free domain name, which is an attractive draw for a lot of users. It’s a great perk that is worth making the most of!
It’s worth knowing the domain is not included in the money-back guarantee – Bluehost takes a registration fee of $15.99 from your refund. This just means the domain name is definitely yours, no matter the status of your hosting service.
This means you own your domain, even if you cancel your plan with Bluehost. You can do what you want with it until renewal comes around, at which point you can either cancel it or pay for it in full.
Bluehost vs Siteground: Wordpress Integration
WordPress is a major presence online – in fact, it powers 31% of the internet! It’s no surprise that many of you are either looking to build your site or are already set up with WordPress.
WordPress themselves have created a list of the hosting providers they consider to be “the best and brightest of the hosting world”. Top of the list is Bluehost, so they win hands down.
Bluehost and WordPress are the power couple of the hosting world.
Interestingly, SiteGround is the third provider on the list, making it a pretty strong rival. With only three providers listed, Bluehost usually blows this section out the water, but SiteGround is certainly up there with them.
Choosing a provider for your WordPress site that doesn’t have great WordPress integration just wouldn’t make sense. It would be like taking your bicycle wheels and attaching them to your car. It won’t be a great fit, it won’t give you an easy journey, and more importantly it just won’t work!
Both SiteGround and Bluehost have a strong WordPress focus, offering one-click installation, 24/7 specialist support, auto updates, and free and easy site transfers and migrations.
They pretty much attach and maintain your tyres for you – and make sure they’re top quality to give you the best experience possible!
With extra benefits for each (such as SiteGround’s tailored security and Bluehost’s free extras), either is sure to put a smile on WordPress users’ faces.
WordPress recommends both, which is impressive! But with WordPress describing Bluehost as offering “the ultimate WordPress platform” the winner is obvious. Bluehost is top of the list.
When to pick SiteGround
On the other hand, SiteGround excels when it comes to performance and support.
SiteGround offered better performance than Bluehost in our page load tests, which is important because page load times have a big effect on your visitors’ experiences.
SiteGround also had much higher support ratings based on our WordPress hosting survey, which suggests that you’ll get better support from SiteGround.
When to pick Bluehost
Both hosts do a great job offering helpful functionality that you won’t get with many other cheap shared hosts. For example, each offers staging sites, built-in caching, and a really easy setup wizard that helps you create a new website.
With that being said, Bluehost’s dashboard is a little more user-friendly. So if you’re looking for the most beginner-friendly experience, Bluehost will be a better fit.
Additionally, Bluehost’s plans are a little cheaper and come with a free domain name. So if you’re on a tight budget, Bluehost will cost you less money.
Overall, if you want the most beginner-friendly experience and the most affordable price, Bluehost is the winner.
Watch this video to learn more.
Conclusion
Both Bluehost and SiteGround are leading providers who have earned their places in the front of the pack. They are very different providers. Bluehost is known for its established and reliable reputation as well as its appeal to beginners.
SiteGround is the fast-growing up and comer who deserves its place next to its competitors with its excellent speed, security and outstanding customer support.
Overall Bluehost is our winner, coming first place in our total rankings with a 95% score, giving it a whopping 4.7 stars. With its impressive WordPress recommendation, ease of use and great value for money, Bluehost is a reliable choice for beginners and pros alike.
It was by no means a one-sided battle. SiteGround scored 80% in our rankings, giving it 4 stars just behind Bluehost. Its extensive resources for customer help and support, WordPress focus, and high uptime scores make it a strong contender.
So which one is better for you? As with anything, which provider you choose will really depend on your needs and what you value most. If you’re not on a tight budget and think that you’ll rely heavily on customer support, go with SiteGround.
If you’re unsure, are watching the pennies, or if you’re a beginner, then Bluehost is the better option for you. With its wide range of benefits, it’s got something for everyone.
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