This is my most comprehensive review yet about BlueHost that I have written. This is not a review of the dark-magic, so I won’t get into the web guru stuff like SSH/Shell Access, mod_rewrite support, mod_security support, PHP5 servers, Ruby on Rails support, etc… This review is more for the folks wanting to launch a new business website, the writer wanting to start one or more blog sites, someone considering affiliate marketing…
I have been monitoring BlueHost as an actual customer for exactly 2 years and 2 months since February 21, 2008. As a busy WordPress and Thesis website designer who creates sites for paying customers, and many for non-profits, I have inadvertently collected over 60 websites ALL hosted on my ONE BlueHost account! I can attest to their marketing claims and promises.
I have witnessed BlueHost’s incredible growth to one of the most successful web hosting companies in the mix. This is especially so for hosting companies that are WordPress ® FRIENDLY! . In this comprehensive review, I want to point out some of the advantages of having BlueHost host your static, coded Website, your Blog, or better yet, your WordPress-Powered Website!
I use BlueHost – I’m a Happy Camper
As previously mentioned, I have been using BlueHost for more than 2 years now. The reason I remain with them while under constant bombardment from newer, sometimes “slicker” outfits; some promising lesser-cost solutions (if that is possible), is because they are always on the cutting edge. Many other web hosting companies seem to merely be following their lead. Also, I never wonder if my sites are UP or DOWN — they are more dependable than my Power Company, my Internet Provider and my Cable TV provider!!! Enough said.
Unlimited Disk Space and Bandwidth
BlueHost was one of the first on the block to take advantage of the incredible disk drive densities we’ve all witnessed. They have been passing down these technological increases to their customers increasing BOTH disk space and bandwidth while other hosting companies are slower to follow.
Host Unlimited Domains under ONE (1) Hosting Account!
It Got Better – BlueHost was one of the first affordable hosting firms that offered multiple domain hosting to their customers. Sure, it is commonplace nowadays, but I have to give credit to BlueHost to be the first to champion this fabulous trend to the benefit of webmasters and individual website / blog owners. BlueHost is one of the first web hosting companies out there to offer lots and lots of disk space and more-than-adequate bandwidth AND, technically, you can host UNLIMITED websites under the same hosting account! While my 60+ sites is far from “unlimited,” I suspect that most readers of this review will not host anywhere near the 60 that I currently do.
Me? - I like BlueHost – can you tell? And, more importantly to my livelihood, my website clients who own multiple-domains, and thus have multiple-websites, they too had to have ONLY one BlueHost account for their multiple sites. My clients have come to appreciate my advice as well as recognizing a good value and REAL CASH SAVINGS…
BEWARE!
Many hosting companies may lure you in by offering huge amounts of disk space and impressive bandwidth but they only allow you to host ONE (1) domain per account! My WordPress and Thesis customers who are business owners, or for other reasons have more than one domain, have learned to BEWARE of hosts that limit you to a single domain.
As I write this review, I have mentally reviewed my client list. Almost ALL of my customers have more than one website. Sure, when we got together they had only one – but they’ve come to learn and appreciate that if one website brings them business, blog-readers, fame, traffic, etc., then more than one site will often bring them MORE! Life is GOOD.
I spend a lot of time designing focused and targeted websites that cater to my clients various niche customers. Anyone creating a website for their business should minimally add a second site after the first site is fleshed out. Then, you can more accurately measure how well your website design, SEO, and other intangibles are received by the world at large… So get a hosting company that will not penalize you as you add-on new domains.
What are your long-term goals? - As stated above, my typical customer has, on average, 4 to 6 websites for niche-marketing their products and services and also to test the effectiveness of one website design against another. This makes the website hosting companies’ policies important to ME and I suspect to MANY similar readers looking for a web host! If a 6-website business owner were not at BlueHost where they can have UNLIMITED domains for $83.40 per year, they could be paying $500.00 or more per year with some other hosts! I just did the math. My 62 sites @ $83.40 per year could cost $5,170.80 at a host that does not have an unlimited domain policy. Now THAT is some serious cash! What good is a ton of disk space and bandwidth if your wallet is being held hostage PER DOMAIN?
More than Disk Space and Bandwidth
These days, many BlueHost-like companies are now offering increased or unlimited disk space and significant bandwidth. Hosting has come a long way since I launched my first website in 1996. So now that many hosting companies offer lots of disk space and bandwidth, we are more able to concentrate on the OTHER CRITICAL components that make for the BEST web hosting company: Server Reliability (UP-time) and Customer Support. Disk Space and Bandwidth are useless if your web hosting company is often slow or worse: DOWN! Have you ever owned a website that was “off the air?” You are on pins and needles fretting over the embarrassment from current customers and visitors – let alone the lost potential as your site is down. Arrgh!
Add-on Domains
Unlike some hosting companies, you do not need to make a special request or call tech-support to add your 2nd or 62nd domain to your BlueHost account. You can manage your add-on domains directly in your BlueHost CPanel. This is a BIG DEAL! Some web hosting companies insist that you email their support department every time you need to add or remove an add-on domain, making a simple task frustrating! Remember, the add-on domains are absolutely FREE.
“Dude, you’re repeating yourself…” – Sorry, I don’t mean to restate this, but listen up! Some web hosting services CLAIM that you can host multiple domains in your ONE (1) account, but they are disingenuous. After you sign up, your credit card is dinged and you are beginning to buy or transfer that SECOND domain you are broadsided for MORE MONEY! Sure it was in the fine print, but like many of us, you failed to read carefully. Bummer… There is that pop-up screen asking you to approve another charge – there is an EXTRA FEE. That fee can cost you $3 or more per ADD-ON domain. Read the fine print.
93 Video Tutorials!
BlueHost suggests they have 60 video tutorials that you can watch online. I suspect they are being a tad conservative as I counted 93 videos last visit. The video tutorials will teach you how to use the BlueHost CPanel, how to transfer domains, how to setup your email accounts, how to setup spam protection, how to use and set up FTP accounts, how to use Fantastico, how to install WordPress, etc…
100 MySQL Databases Included
You can have up to 100 MySQL databases! What is a MySQL database you ask? Hmmm. Even if you don’t know (or care) what they are, they are necessary for many of the free SimpleScripts and Fantastco scripts to run properly. Just know that you are allocated 100 without any further charges and use this information if you are comparing web hosts. With my 62 sites and a bunch of Plug-Ins and scripts running, so far I am using 38 MySQL databases.
Fantastico and SimpleScripts Library
Fantastico is an add-on to the powerful CPanel control panel that allows you to quickly install about 40+ popular open-source scripts. These scripts include forums, poll-taking, guestbook, shopping-carts, Drupal, Joomla, Mambo, picture galleries, calendars, etc. By selecting a script and providing some basic information for each, you can literally install a script within minutes. Fantastico, though not as fast at delivering up-to-date scripts as SimpleScripts, is designed so that the scripts that you install are always the newest available.
By investigating the Legal address of SimpleScripts I learned sometime back that the creator and owner of SimpleScripts is none other than BlueHost! The folks at BlueHost have created an even better version of the Fantastico script delivery and installation process called SimpleScripts. It is more up-to-date than Fantastico to the point where they took over the delivery of the more popular scripts, including the very popular WordPress delivery of new version releases to BlueHost customers. SimpleScripts is really simple and effortless. One day you see a notification that your current WordPress version is out of date (say 2.8) and with one click your WordPress platform is updated to 2.9 or 3.0 beta – “just like that!” Woo Hoo! BlueHost is always perfecting their services. BlueHost is not my only hosting company, but 2 years and 2 months into their service and I find myself always smiling! 
Free Domain Name For Life
If you sign-up for the 12 month plan your first domain will be FREE of charge and will continue to be FREE FOR LIFE as long as you continue to host your website with BlueHost! If you sign up for less than a year, each domain will cost $10. So-called, cost-cutter, GoDaddy charges $10.69 per domain to keep things in perspective. If you have a registered domain elsewhere, transfer your domain name to BlueHost and get 1 years’ renewal for FREE.
Darn Good Customer Support
I have called BlueHost Customer Support maybe 6 times in two years. When you are STUCK, I don’t care how awesome a Web Guru you might consider yourself (or not), you NEED service and you need it NOW! BlueHost 24/7/365 telephone support is WAY COOL! I have a couple of non-profit sites for local churches and of course the odd challenge comes up at 11:00 PM on a Sunday evening when even fast food drive-thrus are closing for the night – but not BlueHost! My personal experience? – The support staff is fast to take your call, knowledgeable, LOCAL (not contracted out), and have yet to leave me with a question unanswered or an issue not addressed. If you have ever dealt with a host that outsources their support to some offshore 3rd party – you know the definition of FRUSTRATED! Next time you venture into Utah to go skiing, swing by Provo, UT and pay their sales and support staff a personal visit.
Guarantee – 30 Day Money Back. Pro-rated Money Back after that!
This is about as RISK FREE as it gets.
1). How many web hosting companies offer a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee?
Okay, now that you have made your list, ask question #2:
2). How many web hosting companies offer a Pro-Rated Money Back Guarantee for the rest of the contract?
Yeah! Exactly! Gosh, IF ONLY they were my Cell Phone company!!!
Upshot – Therefore, if you were to cancel after the 30 days, you will get prorated refund depending on how many months left in your contract. OMG – if your business that you set your website up for were to fail and you close your site you get the remaining months’ investment back! Yeah, there’s some fine print about that first free domain – but hey, BlueHost once again gets two thumbs up from me and my clients.
Account Set-Up: Utterly Automated – No Waiting!
If you have set up a web hosting account before, think back to the utter frustration involved. Sometimes there is a phone call involved, verification of you and your payment methods, emails needed, hours or a day or more before your account really works and you can make a domain (i.e. a website LIVE and UP)…
Instant Activation: Instant Satisfaction!
At BlueHost, I can have a new client go online, set up the account, purchase one or a dozen domains and I can have the first website LIVE in under one hour – start to finish! No waiting for some person in some vague location to process your account. No waiting 15 minutes or 2 hours for that magical email that tells you that your hosting account “should be” LIVE soon. Nope! No waiting when you set up a hosting account at BlueHost. Immediate!
That confirmation email will be in your inbox virtually instantly. (Don’t forget to check your spam folder) if you have all your draw bridges raised. Things may change one day, should owner Matt Heaton sell his awesome hosting company, but until then, trust me and 500,000 others that have Matt host their websites from Provo, Utah – you will have a smooth, automated, painless experience when you choose BlueHost. If you are that odd duck who decides that you had anything less than a fabulous experience – you can pull the plug – no harm – no foul with their rock solid guarantee. The only company on the planet that ranks this high in this reviewer’s book is Costco – but you don’t have an hour right now to read my Costco Blog… So go forth and get your website UP and LIVE for the whole world to see right NOW! —Good Hunting.
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