Bluehost is one of the names that comes up most often when people search for web hosting, partly because of its long-standing relationship with WordPress. Founded in 2003 by Matt Heaton and Danny Ashworth in Provo, Utah, Bluehost has been officially recommended by WordPress.org since 2005, which has been a massive driver of its growth.
The company was acquired by Endurance International Group (now Newfold Digital) in 2010 and currently operates as part of a portfolio that includes HostGator, Domain.com, and other hosting brands. Despite being part of a larger conglomerate, Bluehost maintains its own brand identity and product lineup.
Their offerings center around shared hosting, with plans that include a free domain for the first year, free SSL certificate, and one-click WordPress installation. They also offer VPS hosting, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress hosting through their WP Pro plans. The company hosts over 2 million websites.
Bluehost’s pricing is aggressive for the initial term — shared hosting often starts at just a few dollars per month — but renewal rates are significantly higher, which is a common criticism. The introductory pricing has made it popular among beginners and small business owners who are launching their first website.
The hosting infrastructure runs on their own custom-built servers in Provo, Utah. Performance reviews are mixed; Bluehost is generally considered adequate for small to medium sites but not the choice for high-traffic or performance-critical applications. Their 24/7 customer support is available via phone, chat, and tickets, which is important for the less technical audience they primarily serve.
