BlueHost Review: A Web Designer’s Take.

If you’ve ever thought about starting a website, you’re not alone. Millions of people worldwide use website as a platform to share their ideas, showcase their expertise, or even make money online.

The first step to starting a successful website is choosing the right web host, and that’s where BlueHost comes in.

With its user-friendly setup, excellent customer support, and robust features, BlueHost is the perfect solution for beginners and seasoned website designers alike.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through why BlueHost is the ideal choice for hosting your website and how to get started step-by-step.

By the end, you’ll be ready to launch your website and take the first step toward your online journey.

Is Bluehost a good web host for WordPress websites in 2025?

Yes, Bluehost is still a solid choice for WordPress hosting in 2025—especially if you’re starting a small business website or personal brand.

As a web designer with 20+ years of experience and someone who has worked with many hosting providers over the years, I’ve found Bluehost to offer excellent compatibility with WordPress.

It’s officially recommended by WordPress.org and includes one-click WordPress installs, automatic updates, and a user-friendly dashboard that simplifies site management.

For new users, Bluehost strikes the right balance of affordability, performance, and ease of use.

If you’re just getting your site online, their built-in tools make it easy to launch and manage your WordPress site without needing to be a developer.

It’s not the fastest or most advanced host on the market, but for many business owners and bloggers, it does the job well—and reliably.

How fast is Bluehost for WordPress websites?

Bluehost offers decent speed for most WordPress websites, especially for small business sites, portfolios, and blogs.

While it’s not as lightning-fast as premium hosts like WP Engine or Kinsta, it’s fast enough for most use cases if your site is optimized properly.

I’ve built client sites on Bluehost that load in under 2 seconds using lightweight themes like Astra or GeneratePress, paired with good caching and image optimization.

Bluehost also includes free Cloudflare CDN integration and solid-state drives (SSDs) on all plans, which help boost performance.

But keep in mind, speed can depend on your theme, plugins, and traffic volume.

For beginners and small business owners, Bluehost is fast enough—but if you’re running a high-traffic WooCommerce store, you may want to upgrade to a higher-tier or managed WordPress host.

Is Bluehost reliable and secure for WordPress hosting?

Yes, Bluehost is reliable and offers solid security for most WordPress websites.

I’ve used it for both client projects and test environments, and I’ve rarely experienced downtime or major security issues.

They offer free SSL certificates, automatic WordPress updates, and 24/7 server monitoring, which gives peace of mind—especially for users who don’t want to deal with backend maintenance.

Security-wise, Bluehost also includes free malware scanning with SiteLock (on some plans) and account isolation, which helps prevent vulnerabilities from spreading across shared servers.

That said, I always recommend pairing any host with a good security plugin like Wordfence or iThemes Security, and keeping plugins and themes up to date.

Bluehost does its part, but security is always a shared responsibility.

What are the pros and cons of using Bluehost for WordPress?

As someone who builds WordPress websites professionally, here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons I’ve seen firsthand:

Pros:

• Beginner-friendly interface
• 1-click WordPress install
• Free domain for the first year
• Free SSL & CDN
• Good pricing for the first term
• Officially recommended by WordPress

Cons:

• Higher renewal prices
• Upsells during checkout
• Limited resources on basic shared plans
• Support can be hit-or-miss

For small businesses and bloggers, Bluehost provides good value. But for larger or high-traffic sites, it may not scale as well as some premium hosts.

Always choose the plan that matches your site’s needs—not just the cheapest option.

Is Bluehost easy to use for beginners building a WordPress site?

Absolutely. Bluehost is one of the most beginner-friendly WordPress hosts I’ve worked with.

From the moment you log in, you’re guided through a simplified setup process with options to choose a theme, install WordPress, and create basic pages.

Their custom dashboard makes it easy to manage your website, domains, and emails without needing to log into cPanel (though cPanel is still available for advanced users).

I’ve helped several non-tech-savvy clients launch their first site on Bluehost, and the learning curve is minimal.

If you’re a solo entrepreneur or small business owner looking to get online fast, Bluehost makes the process as painless as possible.

How does Bluehost pricing compare to other WordPress hosts?

Bluehost is one of the most affordable WordPress hosting options—at least for the first year.

Their basic shared hosting plan often starts under $3/month (with promotional pricing), which includes a free domain, SSL, and 1-click WordPress install.

However, the renewal rates can jump significantly after the initial term.

Compared to SiteGround, WP Engine, or Kinsta, Bluehost is much more budget-friendly, but with fewer advanced features.

If you’re just starting out and watching your costs, Bluehost is a great entry point.

Just be prepared for higher renewal rates after year one—and avoid unnecessary upsells during checkout.

Does Bluehost offer good customer support for WordPress users?

Support has been a mixed bag in my experience.

Bluehost offers 24/7 live chat and phone support, which is great, but the quality can vary.

Sometimes you’ll get a knowledgeable tech who resolves your issue quickly; other times, you may end up waiting or being transferred multiple times.

That said, they do have a solid knowledge base with WordPress tutorials and setup guides.

If you’re comfortable doing some research, you’ll find answers quickly.

But for mission-critical support or advanced troubleshooting, I usually recommend managed WordPress hosts that specialize in deeper WordPress knowledge.

Can I build an eCommerce site with WordPress on Bluehost?

Yes, you can absolutely build an eCommerce store using WordPress and WooCommerce on Bluehost.

They even offer WooCommerce-specific hosting plans that include pre-installed WooCommerce, a free SSL certificate, and a dedicated IP address.

I’ve set up WooCommerce stores on Bluehost for clients selling physical and digital products, and it works well for smaller stores with moderate traffic.

Keep in mind, for high-volume stores or stores that need blazing speed and advanced caching, you might eventually outgrow shared hosting.

But to start your online store on a budget, Bluehost is more than capable.

What are the limitations of using Bluehost for WordPress?

While Bluehost offers good value, it does have some limitations.

First, shared hosting plans can slow down if your site sees traffic spikes.

You also have limited server resources (like memory and CPU), which might not be enough for resource-heavy plugins or large WooCommerce stores.

The support team, while available 24/7, can be inconsistent. And renewal rates are significantly higher after the first term.

Lastly, Bluehost tends to push a lot of upsells, which can be overwhelming for beginners.

These limitations don’t make Bluehost a bad host—but they’re important to keep in mind so you can scale or switch when needed.

Is Bluehost still worth it for WordPress in 2025, or should I choose another host?

Yes, Bluehost is still a worthwhile option in 2025—if you’re just starting out or building a low- to medium-traffic WordPress site.

It’s a solid entry-level host with decent performance, strong WordPress integration, and competitive pricing (especially for the first year).

That said, if you’re running a serious business site, eCommerce store, or expect high traffic, I’d recommend looking at SiteGround, Cloudways, or managed hosts like WP Engine.

As a professional web designer, I always match the host to the project. Bluehost is great for the basics. But if you need more speed, scalability, or advanced features, there are better options.