Updated October 12, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team
Bluehost vs Hostinger
Bluehost
Hostinger
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | BluehostReviewVisitVisit | HostingerReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Intro price | $2.99 | $2.99 to $7.99 |
| Renewal price | $9.99Lower | $10.99 to $25.99 |
| Hosting types | Shared, WordPress, WooCommerce, VPS, Dedicated, Cloud | Web hosting (shared/managed), WordPress hosting, Cloud hosting, VPS hosting, Agency hosting |
| Websites allowed | 10 on the Starter plan | 3 on Premium; unlimited on Unlimited and Cloud Startup |
| Uptime guarantee | 99.99%Higher | 99.9% |
| Data centres | North America, South America, Europe, Asia | France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil |
| Intro price term (months) | Not confirmed | 48 months |
Same on both: Money-back period (30 days), Features (Free SSL, Backups, Staging, CDN, Email).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Hostinger scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Renewal price is lower at Bluehost: $9.99 vs $10.99 to $25.99.
- Hosting types: only Bluehost offers Shared, WordPress, WooCommerce.
- Hosting types: only Hostinger offers Web hosting (shared/managed), WordPress hosting, Cloud hosting.
- Data centres: only Bluehost offers North America, South America, Europe.
- Data centres: only Hostinger offers France, Germany, Lithuania.
- Support channels: only Bluehost offers Phone.
- Uptime guarantee is higher at Bluehost: 99.99% vs 99.9%.
- Founded is lower at Bluehost: 2003 vs 2004.
Our verdict on each
Bluehost
Bluehost suits beginners and small businesses who want hosting, domains and a store builder in one place, and the Starter plan entry fee of $2.99 makes opening an account cheap. The catch is the climb to $9.99 at renewal, a store plan at $14.99, and no free plan.
Hostinger
Hostinger suits beginners and small businesses who want hosting, a builder and a store plan in one place, with entry hosting prices of $2.99 to $7.99 a month. Renewal is the trade-off, since the same plans renew higher and support is limited to chat and help centre.
Score breakdown
| Area | Bluehost | Hostinger |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9Entry fees of $2.99 look cheap, but $9.99 at renewal and $23.99 for a .com push cost up. | 9.2HigherEntry hosting of $2.99 to $7.99 sits under the €2.99 site median, but renewal at $10.99 to $25.99 climbs past €5.99. |
| Offer | 9.2Higher | 9.1 |
| Trust | 9.4HigherFounded in 2003 as Bluehost Inc. in US, with a 99.99% uptime guarantee and support on chat, phone and help centre. | 9.0Backed by a money back period of 30 days, an uptime guarantee of 99.9% and a named legal entity, Hostinger International Limited. |
Feature by feature
| Features | Bluehost | Hostinger |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Backups | Yes | Yes |
| Staging | Yes | Yes |
| CDN | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes |
Pick Bluehost if, pick Hostinger if
Pick Bluehost if trust, renewal price, and uptime guarantee matter most.
Pick Hostinger if cost matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Bluehost | Hostinger |
|---|---|---|
| Web hosting | 33 of 530 | 24 of 530 |
| Domain registrars | 30 of 501 | 22 of 501 |
| Website builders | 44 of 370 | 36 of 370 |
| Ecommerce platforms | 31 of 190 | 27 of 190 |
| Business email hosting | 32 of 425 | 23 of 425 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Bluehost | Hostinger |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Beginners, Small business | Beginners, Small business |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free trial |
| Legal entity | Bluehost Inc. | Hostinger International Limited |
| Headquarters | United States | Lithuania |
| Founded | 2003Lower | 2004 |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Chat, Help centre |
Domain registrars
| Fact | Bluehost | Hostinger |
|---|---|---|
| .com first year | $12.99 | Not confirmed |
| .com renewal | $23.99 | Not confirmed |
| .com transfer | $12.99 | Not confirmed |
| Free WHOIS privacy | No | Not confirmed |
Website builders
| Fact | Bluehost | Hostinger |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $3.99 | $2.99Lower |
| Free plan | No | No |
| E-commerce plan price | $14.99 | $11.99Lower |
| Transaction fee | Not confirmed | 0% |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 14 days |
| Templates | Not confirmed | from 600 |
| Builder type | Site, Store | Site, Store, LandingCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Bluehost | Hostinger | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro price | $2.99below the median | $2.99 to $7.99below the median | $3.72 |
| Renewal price | $9.99above the median | $10.99 to $25.99above the median | $7.67 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Uptime guarantee | 99.99%above the median | 99.9%at the median | 99.9% |
| Intro price term (months) | Not confirmed | 48 monthshighest quarter | 12 months |
Median across 380 listed software products.
Pros and cons
Bluehost
Pros
- Support runs on chat, phone and help centre, and the money-back period is 30.
- Included extras cover free SSL, backups, staging, a CDN and email, with uptime guaranteed at 99.99%.
- Data centres span North America, South America and Europe, so the site can sit near the visitors who matter.
Cons
- Renewal is where the cost jumps: the $2.99 entry fee becomes $9.99 when the term ends.
- Free plan: no, so the way in is a free trial and the cheapest hosting still costs money.
- Free WHOIS privacy: no, and a .com that starts at $12.99 renews at $23.99.
Hostinger
Pros
- Entry hosting of $2.99 to $7.99 a month sits under the €2.99 monthly median across the brands compared here.
- A money back period of 30 days, matching the 30 day median on the site.
- Bundled features cover the common ground: free ssl, backups and staging.
Cons
- Renewal is the real price: $10.99 to $25.99 once the 48 month first term ends, well above the $2.99 to $7.99 entry rate.
- Support is limited to chat and help centre, which leaves out a phone line.
- There is no free plan, so trying the builder means a 14 day trial rather than a no cost tier.
Who each suits
Bluehost
Who it suits
- People starting out who want hosting, a domain and a store in one place, since the beginners and small business audience is who the plans are built around.
- Shop owners who can budget $14.99 for the store plan and want WordPress hosting beside it.
- Anyone who would rather reach help on chat, phone and help centre than wait on a form.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who need a permanent free tier: Render lists an intro price of $0.
- Shoppers who want more than one shared-hosting quote: Afrihost lists ZAR 84 and Hosting.cl lists CLP 159,900.
Hostinger
Who it suits
- Beginners and small businesses, which is the audience Hostinger names: beginners and small business.
- Store owners who want hosting and a store on one bill, with the store plan at $11.99.
- WordPress projects that may outgrow shared hosting, since web hosting (shared/managed), WordPress hosting and cloud hosting runs from shared through to virtual private servers.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants a free tier: Hostinger has no free plan, while Render starts at $0.
- Buyers billing in rand, since Afrihost lists ZAR 84 for shared hosting.
- Shoppers who prefer a host priced in another currency, such as Hosting.cl at CLP 159,900.
Current offers
Bluehost
Current offer
First period offer
Free domain name for the first year: 1 year free domain
On 12 or 36-month terms, must be claimed within 90 days; renews at the standard domain rate; a non-refundable domain fee is deducted from any refund if hosting is cancelled within the 30-day guarantee window
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Professional Email one-month free trial: 1 month free, then $2.99/month
Auto-renews at $2.99 per month unless cancelled
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Hostinger
Current offer
First period offer
Premium plan 75% off introductory term: $2.99/mo instead of $11.99/mo
48-month prepaid term, $143.52 upfront (regular price $575.52)
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Unlimited plan special offer 79% off: $3.99/mo instead of $18.99/mo
48-month prepaid term, $191.52 upfront (regular price $911.52)
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Personal affiliate coupon code: 10%
available to approved affiliates on request from their affiliate account manager
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
Bluehost
What does Bluehost cost to start?+
Entry fees begin at $2.99, and the wider range starts at $3.99. There is no free plan, so the way in is a free trial rather than a standing free account. Treat the entry figure as a promotional number and budget from the renewal price.
What happens to the price at renewal?+
The advertised entry fee does not carry over. Renewal is listed at $9.99, and a .com domain moves from $12.99 to $23.99 at renewal. Both sit above their entry rate, so the honest comparison is entry against renewal.
Hostinger
How much does Hostinger hosting cost to start?+
Entry hosting runs at $2.99 to $7.99 a month and that rate is held for a 48 month first term, so the cheapest plan works out well for a first site. The builder and the wider plan list sit on the same $2.99 starting point, below the €2.99 monthly median across the brands compared here.
What will the same plan cost when it renews?+
Renewal is where the entry price stops being the price. Plans renew at $10.99 to $25.99, above the €5.99 monthly renewal median on the site, so budget the renewal figure rather than the first term figure if you plan to stay.