Choosing a quality web hosting provider is important when you run a website, regardless of whether you are new or experienced at site management. While there are plenty of web hosting service providers out there, not all are trustworthy and reliable. Both Bluehost and Hostinger deserve mention for being affordable and dependable hosting providers. But the question then arises, which one should you choose?
To be able to choose the right web host for your business, there are a number of parameters that one should look into, like affordability, uptime guarantee, reliability, security, customer support services, etc. Both Bluehost and Hostinger offer a wide variety of hosting options, low-cost plans that are ideal for small business owners, and blogging websites. Here is a comparison of the features, prices, functions, tech support services of both these popular web hosting services that can help you make the right decision:
Different Plans and Features
While both Bluehost and Hostinger offer many types of hosting plans in common like shared hosting, VPS hosting, WordPress hosting, etc., Bluehost alone offers dedicated hosting and Hostinger is popular for its eCommerce hosting plans. Shared hosting plans from Bluehost are known for their tools and features; these are typically meant for people running small and medium-sized enterprises. So, you can enjoy features like single-click WordPress installation, free domains for the first year, free SSL certificate, easy WordPress staging websites, and unlimited websites, unlimited storage, unmetered bandwidth, etc. for all hosting solutions except basic plans only.
In comparison, Hostinger’s shared hosting plans are a tad cheaper; this finds reflection in its features. In general, Hostinger shared hosting plans will offer free domains, 99.9% uptime, single-click WordPress installation, daily backups, free site migration, etc. This makes Hostinger ideal for people who run a limited number of key websites. Their features ensure that these important sites are taken care of properly and stay up and running at all times.
Pricing
As far as prices are concerned, both Bluehost and Hostinger provide myriad shared hosting solutions but prices are different. The difference becomes noticeable when you renew the hosting plans. Bluehost plans are differently priced depending on the duration of the contract. When you choose a long-term plan, your costs are expected to be less. Bluehost makes customers pay the full amount on signing up but there is a money-back guarantee for dissatisfied customers. So, in case you wish to discontinue Bluehost plans, you can claim a refund.
Hostinger offers far cheaper plans and a longer contract means cheaper solutions. With Hostinger, you can choose to pay every month. This may be more expensive in the long run but can be useful to many people. Besides, renewal prices for Hostinger are far lower than Bluehost plans. So, if you want the best prices for web hosting, you should opt for Hostinger.
User Experience
In terms of ease of use, you need a web host that offers quick installation and hassle-free set-up along with an intuitive dashboard. Both Hostinger and Bluehost can offer you a user-friendly experience. Bluehost, in fact, provides many attractive features for newcomers lacking expertise. In comparison, Hostinger also provides a customized dashboard with a minimalist design allowing users to find what they need easily. Besides, the dashboard mimics the control panel and allows you to easily manage multiple websites. It also offers an Auto-Installer tool for installing WordPress.
So, the user experience offered by the two hosts in question is not exactly identical. Hostinger does not use the Panel although it offers a customized alternative that may appeal to users. Secondly, the Bluehost offers a handy set-up menu for the WordPress dashboard that Hostinger does not. While the differences may not be very striking, you need to make a choice depending on your personal requirements.
Customer Support
As far as support goes, both the web hosting service providers provide tech support for both existing and new clients. For users who need instant solutions or responses to their queries, Bluehost is better. Bluehost provides a variety of customer support services for troubleshooting. So, you can benefit from their knowledge base containing plenty of tutorials and videos, live chats round-the-clock, phone support 24×7, etc. In short, you can expect your problems to be addressed and resolved right away.
In comparison, Hostinger offers ticketed email support. So, this web host is for customers who do not need a lot of tech support all the time and can make do with whatever is available on the knowledge base. Hostinger’s knowledge base has many easy-to-follow guides and how-to articles. The “getting started” section is very valuable for newcomers who need guidance on how to set-up web hosting. You can use their ticketed email support option; through this you can get your queries submitted and addressed by customer support representatives. There is a 24×7 live chat facility for people looking for communications in real time.
Performance
As far as their performance is concerned, both these web hosts are known for their uptime guarantees. How a site performs is definitely one of the most significant criteria for evaluating a hosting provider. When the site takes a long time to load up or experiences frequent downtime, the viewers are disgruntled and may navigate to other faster-loading sites instead. This not only diminishes traffic to a site but also affects sales and revenues. Poor performance will pull down a site’s rankings. Bluehost is known for offering 100% uptime while Hostinger also offers relatively fast loading times, usually 99.9%.
Storage
Bluehost is known for offering superior dedicated hosting solutions that are ideally suited for large-scale projects demanding a huge amount of resources like storage and RAM.
Conclusion
One can argue that both Bluehost and Hostinger have their own advantages and drawbacks. When you are looking for unlimited resources at great prices and superior tech support round-the-clock, you should stick to Bluehost. If, on the other hand, you are interested in bargain prices and quick site-loading times, Hostinger can be your best bet. Bluehost appeals to businesses because of its superior performance and superlative user experience. Prices may however be slightly high when you are just about to launch a website. This is why Bluehost is more popular amongst medium-sized business owners and large business owners. Hostinger, on the other hand, appeals to users looking for superior customer support without burning a hole in your pocket. It offers affordable solutions without compromising on features.
