When comparing Bluehost vs WP Engine, we find Bluehost to be the better web host overall. Bluehost is a household name that offers a far wider variety of affordable hosting plans that come at a fraction of WP Engine’s premium priced plans. Bluehost also offers ease of use with automatic WordPress installation, the cPanel interface and unlimited resources. WP Engine delivers high performance managed WordPress hosting but demands a higher monthly price.
In this article, we compare Bluehost vs WP Engine on the grounds of plans, pricing, features included and performance.We also compare the data center coverage, software supported, developer tools, customer support, and security features.Finally, we answer the question of “Hostinger vs WP Engine: Which is better for you?”
Plans
| Hosting Plan Type | Bluehost (US$ /month) | WP Engine (US$ /month) |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $2.95 – $13.95 | Not Available |
| VPS Hosting | $46.99 – $94.99 | Not Available |
| WordPress Hosting | $2.95 – $13.95 | $20 – $2000 |
| Cloud Hosting | $29.99 – $109.99 | Not Available |
| Dedicated Hosting | $141.19 – $312.19 | Not Available |
| Reseller Hosting | Not Available | Not Available |
| Managed Hosting | Available for Shared, Cloud, and WordPress Hosting | Available for WordPress Hosting |
Bluehost provides a broader range of 5 types of hosting which are Shared, VPS, WordPress, Cloud, and Dedicated Hosting. WP Engine, on the other hand, focuses exclusively on WordPress Hosting only. Both hosts offer managed hosting, but Bluehost extends this service to Shared and Cloud plans as well as managed WordPress plans.
Pricing
| Pricing Type | Bluehost (US$ /month) | WP Engine (US$ /month) |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Price | $2.95 | $20 |
| Renewal Price | $11.99 | $20 |
| Monthly Payment Option | Yes | Yes |
Bluehost starts with a lower introductory price at $2.95 per month, compared to WP Engine’s $20 per month. The renewal price for Bluehost increases to $11.99 per month, representing a price hike of about 307%, whereas WP Engine maintains a consistent price of $20 per month, avoiding any significant renewal shock. Both providers offer the flexibility of a monthly payment option.
Features Included
| Feature | Bluehost | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Space | 10 GB SSD | 10 GB SSD |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered | 50 GB |
| Number of Websites | 10 | 1 |
| Email Hosting | Separate service ($14.99/yr – $24.99/yr) | Not Available |
| Free Domain | Yes | No |
| AI Website Builder | Yes, Bluehost WordPress Website Builder | No |
| Unlimited Storage | No | No |
| Unlimited/Unmetered Bandwidth | Higher plans | No |
| Additional Features | WonderSuite AI tools, Free Yoast SEO | Nothing notable |
Both Bluehost and WP Engine offer 10 GB SSD storage in their cheapest plan. Bluehost includes unmetered bandwidth on higher plans, support for up to 10 websites, and an AI Website Builder. Bluehost also includes a free domain that adds extra value to beginners. WP Engine, in contrast, limits bandwidth to 50 GB and only supports one website per plan. Additionally, WP Engine does not provide email hosting or a free domain, making Bluehost a more feature-rich option overall despite its lower cost.
Performance
| Performance Feature | Bluehost | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| CDN | Yes, Cloudflare with Argo Routing | Yes, Cloudflare |
| Type of SSD Server | SSD | SSD |
| Caching | Higher plans | Yes |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.95% |
| Additional Performance Features | HTTP/2, NGINX+ Cache | LightSpeedWP, EverCache® caching for WordPress |
Both Bluehost and WP Engine offer great uptime guarantees with Bluehost at 99.9% and WP Engine at 99.95%. Both hosts use fast SSD storage and include Cloudflare CDN for improved site performance. However, WP Engine stands out with advanced performance features such as LightSpeedWP and EverCache®, specifically optimized for WordPress. Bluehost’s performance enhancements, like HTTP/2 and NGINX+ Cache, are available on higher-tier plans.
Data Center Coverage
| Geographical Coverage | Bluehost | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Data Centers | 1 | 14 |
| HQ Location | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Austin, Texas, United States |
| Data Center Locations | USA (Utah) | USA (Iowa, South Carolina, Oregon, Montreal), Belgium, UK (London), Germany (Frankfurt), Netherlands, Finland, Taiwan, Japan (Tokyo), Australia (Sydney), Singapore, Israel (Tel Aviv) |
WP Engine significantly outpaces Bluehost in data center coverage with 14 data centers across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. This broad coverage makes WP Engine a superior choice for users targeting global audiences. Bluehost, by comparison, has just one data center located in Utah, USA. This makes it most suitable for sites focusing on traffic in the American continent.
Software Supported
| Software Feature | Bluehost | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Control Panel | cPanel | Management tools: SFTP, phpMyAdmin, SSH Gateway, WP-CLI, MySQL command line |
| 1-Click WordPress | Yes | Yes |
| OS Supported | Linux | Linux |
Bluehost uses the popular cPanel for its control panel. This easy to navigate and widely recognized among users. WP Engine offers a more developer-centric suite of management tools, including SFTP, phpMyAdmin, and WP-CLI, catering to those with more advanced technical needs. Both hosts support Linux and provide 1-click WordPress installations, simplifying the setup process.
Developer Tools
| Developer Tool | Bluehost | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Staging Tools | Yes | Yes |
| Root Access | Yes (VPS and Dedicated) | No |
| GIT Access | Yes | Yes |
| WP-CLI | Yes | Yes |
| Cron Jobs | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple PHP Versions | Yes | Yes |
| SSH | Yes | Yes |
| Node.js Support | Yes | Yes |
| Python Support | Yes | Yes |
| Java Support | Yes | Yes |
| Django Support | Yes | No |
| Perl Support | Yes | No |
| Ruby on Rails Support | Yes | Yes |
| ASP.NET | No | No |
Both Bluehost and WP Engine provide a comprehensive set of developer tools including staging tools, GIT access, WP-CLI, and support for multiple PHP versions. Bluehost offers additional support for Django and Perl, which WP Engine does not, making it more suitable for developers working with these technologies. Moreover, Bluehost allows root access for VPS and dedicated hosting whilst WP Engine does not offer root access at all.
Customer Support
| Customer Support Feature | Bluehost | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Support Methods | Live chat, phone support, email | Live chat on lower plans; phone and email on higher plans |
| Support Hours | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Website Migration | For WordPress plans only | Yes |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 60 days |
Bluehost offers 24/7 support through live chat, phone, and email for all plans. WP Engine, in contrast, restricts phone and email support to higher-tier plans. Lower WP Engine plans only have access to live chat support. Both hosts provide free website migration services for their WordPress plans. WP Engine also provides a twice as generous 60-day money-back guarantee compared to Bluehost’s 30-day policy which gives users more time to evaluate their services.
Security Features
| Security Feature | Bluehost | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Backups | Yes (Daily) for Choice Plus and above plans | Daily and on-demand backups |
| DDoS Protection | Yes, in-house | Cloudflare and layer 3 & 4 DDoS protection |
| Firewalls | Yes | Yes |
| Proactive Monitoring | No | Yes |
| Unique Security Features | SiteLock partnership, brand reputation protection, defense against malicious attacks (DDoS, SQL injection, cross-site scripting) | Cloudflare CDN, Global Edge Security. |
Both Bluehost and WP Engine provide essential security features to protect your website. They both include free SSL certificates and offer daily backups, though Bluehost restricts this to higher plans. DDoS protection is standard for both and Bluehost usesin-house solutions whilst WP Engine leverages Cloudflare and advanced layer 3 and 4 protection. WP Engine goes further by offering proactive monitoring and Global Edge Security. Bluehost partners with SiteLock for additional security at an extra cost.
Bluehost Vs WP Engine: Which Is Better For You?
Bluehost is the better host. Use Bluehost if you’re a small business owner looking for affordable hosting with free domain. Also use Bluehost if you’re a beginner starting your first website and needing a user-friendly control panel andAI website builder. Also use Bluehost if you’re looking to host a personal blog, online portfolio or simple landing page. Finally, use BlueHost if you require more powerful forms of hosting such as VPS Hosting, Cloud Hosting and Dedicated Hosting since WP Engine does not provide these.
Use WP Engine if you’re running a high-traffic WordPress site that requires advanced security features and top-tier performance. Also WP Engine for growing or medium-sized WooCommerce sites who want the convenience of highly-specialized managed WordPress hosting services.
More web host comparisons can be found here.
Who is Bluehost?
Bluehost is a web host that was founded in 2003 in Jacksonville, Florida. It focuses on providing user-friendly hosting solutions, especially for beginners and small businesses. Bluehost is known for its easy WordPress installation and straightforward custom cPanel interface. It offers solid performance and valuable features like a free domain for the first year. Its data center is in the US. Check out our Bluehost review for more details.
Who is WP Engine?
WP Engine is a web host that was founded in 2010 in Austin, Texas. It specializes in managed WordPress hosting, offering high-performance services tailored specifically for WordPress sites. WP Engine provides advanced security features and optimized tools for high-traffic websites. While its services are premium and come at a higher cost, they offer significant benefits for users needing reliable and secure WordPress hosting. Find more info in our WP Engine review.