Hostinger vs Bluehost
Both sell cheap shared hosting on a first-term price that rises at renewal. Hostinger, from Lithuania, lists the lower entry price but asks for a 48-month term. Bluehost, from the United States, is the host WordPress tutorials send beginners to and adds phone support on its Business plan, though our ranking marks its performance and support as having slipped.
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Choose Hostinger ifyou are putting a small site online on the tightest budget, want a panel a first-timer can handle, and accept paying for 48 months up front to get the listed $2.99 rate.
Choose Bluehost ifyou are building a first WordPress site by following a tutorial that assumes Bluehost, prefer a 36-month term to a 48-month one, and want the option of phone support on the Business plan.
Hostinger and Bluehost side by side
| Hostinger | Bluehost | |
|---|---|---|
| Our web hosting rank | #2 of 18 | #16 of 18 |
| Established in | Lithuania | United States |
| Pricing | Per month, published; lowest rate needs a 48-month term, renewal higher | Per month, published; introductory rate on a 36-month term, renewal higher |
| List price, 30 September 2026 | Premium from $2.99 per month on a 48-month term, renews at $10.99 per month | Starter from $3.99 per month on a 36-month term, renews at $9.99 per month |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | A small site on the tightest possible budget | A first WordPress site following a tutorial |
| Not for | A business that will be annoyed by renewal pricing | Anyone comparing on performance or renewal cost |
Both are reviewed in full in our web hosting ranking: Hostinger and Bluehost.
Where they differ
Hostinger 1 · Bluehost 0 · open 4- 01
What the first and second term cost
Hostinger lists Premium at $2.99 a month on a 48-month term, renewing at $10.99. Bluehost lists Starter at $3.99 a month on a 36-month term, renewing at $9.99. Hostinger is cheaper at the start and asks for a longer commitment; Bluehost's listed renewal is a dollar lower and its jump is smaller. Neither headline price survives the second term.
Depends on the buyer
- 02
What the entry plan includes
Hostinger Premium hosts 3 websites on 20 GB of SSD storage. Bluehost Starter hosts 10 websites on 10 GB of NVMe storage. Both include a free domain for the first year and a 30-day money-back guarantee. More room per site with Hostinger, more sites with Bluehost, so the better allowance depends on how many small sites you plan to run.
Depends on the buyer
- 03
Speed on a shared plan
Hostinger runs its shared plans on LiteSpeed servers and they perform fine for normal traffic, which is all a small business site usually asks. Bluehost advertises a 99.99% uptime commitment, but in our ranking its performance is marked as having slipped, and it is a poor fit for anyone choosing a host on speed. We rate Hostinger ahead here.
Edge: Hostinger
- 04
Getting a first site live
Hostinger offers its own hPanel, which someone who has never managed hosting can find their way around, plus managed WordPress. Bluehost states it has been recommended by WordPress.org since 2005, includes a WordPress staging site, and countless tutorials walk through its setup. Which is easier depends on whether you learn from a panel or from a guide.
Depends on the buyer
- 05
Help when something breaks
Hostinger lists priority 24/7 expert support on every shared plan and says its support is available in more than 30 languages. Bluehost lists 24/7 chat on every plan and adds phone support from the Business plan upwards, not on Starter. If you want to talk to someone, Bluehost Business is the route; for help in your own language, Hostinger.
Depends on the buyer
When neither fits
Neither fits a site where downtime costs money or where a human must fix problems quickly. SiteGround charges more and is rated best in shared hosting for support, while Kinsta is managed WordPress built for sites that earn revenue and cannot go down.
Hostinger or Bluehost: questions
4 answersIs Hostinger cheaper than Bluehost in the long run?
At the start, yes: $2.99 a month on 48 months against $3.99 on 36 months for the entry plans.
At renewal the order flips slightly, with Hostinger Premium listed at $10.99 a month and Bluehost Starter at $9.99. Compare the totals for the years you expect to stay.
Is Hostinger or Bluehost better for a first WordPress site?
Bluehost says it has been recommended by WordPress.org since 2005 and is the host many tutorials assume, which helps if you are following one.
Hostinger has managed WordPress and a simple panel, and its shared performance holds up for normal traffic. We rate Bluehost's performance and support lower.
Do Hostinger and Bluehost offer phone support?
Bluehost lists 24/7 chat on all shared plans and includes phone support on Business and eCommerce Essentials, but not on Starter. Hostinger's plan page lists priority 24/7 expert support on every plan, and the company says support is offered in more than 30 languages.
How long is the commitment for the advertised price?
Hostinger's $2.99 rate for Premium is tied to a 48-month term, billed as $143.52 in total. Bluehost's $3.99 rate for Starter is tied to a 36-month term. Both list a 30-day money-back guarantee, so the first month is the time to test.
Sources
Checked 30 September 2026- Hostinger web hosting pricing page: Hostinger plan prices, terms, renewal rates, storage, site limits, support and guarantee.
- Hostinger about page: Hostinger's Lithuanian origin and support in 30+ languages.
- Bluehost shared hosting pricing page: Bluehost plan prices, terms, renewal rates, storage, site limits, chat and phone support, uptime commitment.
- Bluehost WordPress hosting page: Bluehost's WordPress.org recommendation since 2005 and staging site.