Bluehost Review 2026: Plans, Pricing & Renewals
Introduction
Overview of Bluehost in 2026
Bluehost has a long-standing presence on the web hosting market. This review focuses on its current shared hosting plans, what they include and what they cost at renewal.
Bluehost targets bloggers, small businesses, WordPress users and small online stores.
This review is based on Bluehost’s published plans, pricing and terms.
Plans and Pricing
The figures below were read on Bluehost’s official shared hosting page (September 2026). The promotional prices apply to a 36-month term; renewal is billed at the regular price.
| Plan | Promotional price | Regular (renewal) price | Websites | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $3.99/mo | $9.99/mo | 10 | 10 GB NVMe SSD |
| Business | $6.99/mo | $13.99/mo | 50 | 50 GB NVMe SSD |
| eCommerce Essentials | $14.99/mo | $21.99/mo | 100 | 100 GB NVMe SSD |
Prices and terms change often: check the checkout page for the term you actually select, because shorter terms are usually priced higher.
What every shared plan includes
- Free SSL certificate (Let’s Encrypt)
- Free domain name for the first year; the domain then renews at Bluehost’s current rate
- Weekly website backups
- Free malware scanning
- 24/7 chat support
- A 99.99% uptime SLA, as advertised by Bluehost
Refund terms
Bluehost states that cancelling within 30 days gives a full refund on hosting and attached solutions. Domain fees are not refunded if you cancel within the first year.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Low entry price on the Starter plan, with 10 websites allowed.
- SSL, weekly backups and malware scanning are included in every shared plan.
- Free domain name for the first year.
- 24/7 chat support.
Cons
- The promotional price requires a 36-month commitment, and renewal prices are up to two and a half times higher (Starter: $3.99 to $9.99/mo).
- Backups are weekly, not daily, on the shared plans.
- The free domain renews at the regular rate after the first year.
FAQ
How much does Bluehost cost after the first term?
At renewal, Starter moves to $9.99/mo, Business to $13.99/mo and eCommerce Essentials to $21.99/mo, according to Bluehost’s pricing page.
Does Bluehost include a free domain?
Yes, for the first year on its shared plans. After that, the domain renews at Bluehost’s then-current rate.
Can I get a refund?
Bluehost offers a full refund on hosting if you cancel within 30 days. Domain registration fees are non-refundable.
Conclusion
Bluehost is a straightforward option for beginners and small sites: every shared plan bundles SSL, a first-year domain, weekly backups and 24/7 chat support. The main thing to budget for is the renewal price, which is much higher than the promotional rate and the promotional rate requires a 36-month term. Compare the total cost over three years, and at renewal, before you commit.