Best Bluehost Alternatives 2026

Bluehost is a popular web hosting company, but if you need an alternative, Namecheap is likely to fit the bill.

Namecheap's shared hosting plans include cPanel, email accounts, and most of the same features you get with Bluehost, but at a much lower long-term cost. Plus, Namecheap offers a separate line of managed WordPress plans that are ideal for high-powered single websites. Beyond Namecheap, several other Bluehost alternatives might work better if you have some unique requirements.

For example, if Bluehost's Starter plan website and storage limits aren't enough for you, but you don't need to upgrade to tier two either, then DreamHost's entry-level plan is an ideal choice.

For more horsepower across all plans, consider InMotion Hosting, whose bottom-tier plan offers the same amount of storage as Bluehost's highest tier. Ultimately, you've got options, and we've laid out the best ones for you below. Keep reading to make an informed decision on the best host for your next website(s).

When to look for a Bluehost alternative

Bluehost can be a great option for hosting your new website (or transferring an existing one). It includes almost all the features that an average website needs across all plans:

• SSL certificates
• a free domain in the first year
• a CDN
• email
• staging sites
• comprehensive security
• 24/7 support
• an AI website builder

However, it's not without its limitations: renewal fees are pricey, domain privacy is a paid add-on, backups are only weekly (vs. daily for many competitors), and many functions are provided by paid third-party add-ons like SiteLock and CodeGuard rather than native solutions. Luckily, there are alternatives to Bluehost that address those limitations.

The best Bluehost alternatives 2026

Compare the best Bluehost alternatives

Best for	Best for robust features and security	Best for overall long-term value	Best for entry plan with higher resource limits	Best for power users with heavy resource needs
Star rating	4.9 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.8 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.5 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Starting price	$1.99/mo	$9.88/mo	$2.89/mo	$12.49/mo
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 90 days
Uptime guarantee	99.99%	100%	100%	99.99%
Monthly visits	40K - 400K	Unmetered	40K - 400K	70K - 520K
Number of websites	10 - 100	3 - unlimited	25 - 100	1 - 40
Storage	10 GB - 100 GB NVMe	20 GB - 50 GB SSD**	25 GB - 100 GB NVMe	100 GB - 300 GB NVMe
Free SSL certificate	On all plans	On all plans — free for first year only	On all plans	On all plans
Free domain for a year	On all plans	On all plans	On all plans	On all plans
Learn more	Get Bluehost Read Bluehost Review	Get Namecheap Read Namecheap Review	Get DreamHost Read DreamHost Review	Get InMotion Read InMotion Review

Namecheap: Best for overall long-term value

What we liked

Diversity of plan choices: Bluehost and many of its alternatives lump managed WordPress features into their shared hosting plans. Depending on your preference, this may or may not be ideal. If you fall into the latter camp, you'll appreciate Namecheap's segmented approach, which offers a set of managed WordPress plans called EasyWP and an entirely separate set of shared hosting plans called Stellar.

Managed WordPress (EasyWP) control panel is very beginner-friendly: cPanel is a wonderful hosting control panel, but it can also be overwhelming for those getting started with web hosting. Luckily, Namecheap's EasyWP has an alternative custom control panel that's much easier to navigate. It's an excellent choice for beginners.

Free full-service website migration: Bluehost does offer a free website migration tool, but to get the done-for-you treatment, you must pay for Bluehost's migration service [2]. That's not the case with Namecheap, which gives you a white-glove migration service on all plans.

What we didn't like

Has not upgraded storage to modern NVMe: To be fair, this isn't a deal-breaking disadvantage for the average website. Unless you're running a high-traffic ecommerce store, a membership site with frequent database queries, or a WordPress installation with dozens of plugins making constant database calls, the faster read/write speeds of NVMe aren't going to be noticeable. Nonetheless, with most Bluehost competitors (and Bluehost itself) offering modern NVMe storage, it would be nice to see Namecheap make an upgrade.

No AI website builder on managed WordPress (EasyWP) plans: Namecheap's inclusion of AI tools in its shared hosting plans but not in its EasyWP plans is an oddly perplexing business decision. If you already have the tools available, why not integrate them into managed WordPress hosting, too? Especially given that many customers expect it nowadays.

Namecheap vs. Bluehost: Key Differences

• Long-term cost: Namecheap's renewal rates are generally lower than Bluehost's, making it the better value over a multi-year commitment.
• Plan structure: Namecheap separates managed WordPress (EasyWP) from shared hosting (Stellar). Bluehost bundles them together, which simplifies the choice but limits flexibility.
• Migration: Namecheap includes a free white-glove migration on all plans. Bluehost's done-for-you migration is a paid service.
• Storage technology: Bluehost uses NVMe across all tiers. Namecheap's EasyWP plans use SSD, though most sites won't notice a practical difference.

See our full Namecheap vs. Bluehost comparison →

Test results

For our in-depth Namecheap testing, we signed up for an EasyWP plan, built a demo site, then checked for speed and monitored uptime for several days. Namecheap came back with lightning-fast sub-second FCP and LCP scores and a nearly perfect overall performance rating.

Star rating summary

Having used both Namecheap's shared web hosting and its managed WordPress service, we've had nothing but positive experiences with both. For anyone seeking a more affordable, reliable alternative to Bluehost, Namecheap is a great option.

If you have only a single WordPress site and expect heavier monthly traffic, then you can't go wrong with the EasyWP plans. For multisite needs, opt for a shared hosting plan and install WordPress via cPanel.

DreamHost: Best entry-level plan

What we liked

Higher limits on entry-level plan: DreamHost's entry-level plan caps at 25 websites (compared to Bluehost's 10) and offers 25 GB of NVMe storage (compared to Bluehost's 10 GB).

Daily automatic backups: The only way to get daily backups on Bluehost shared hosting is to subscribe to a third-party add-on called CodeGuard. Otherwise, you'll be limited to weekly backups. DreamHost surpasses Bluehost with daily backups at no extra charge.

Free handcrafted starter site: Bluehost's AI website builder certainly speeds up the process of building a new website, but it can't compete with DreamHost's human approach to building you a website from scratch. Like Bluehost, DreamHost does offer an AI web builder called Liftoff for users who prefer to create their own sites. However, DreamHost's inclusion of a custom-built (AKA template-free) website is a unique perk we appreciate.

What we didn't like

Email is a paid add-on: Bluehost offers paid professional email plans, but it also includes free email via cPanel on all plans. With DreamHost, email is free for the first 3 months, then converts to a paid add-on.

No malware scanning on entry plan: Bluehost provides free malware scanning on all plans, whereas DreamHost adds it only starting at tier two. Even then, it's only a single monthly scan, and it's not automatic, so you have to remember to do it yourself.

DreamHost vs. Bluehost: Key Differences

• Entry plan limits: DreamHost offers 25 websites and 25 GB of NVMe storage on its entry plan, compared to Bluehost's 10 websites and 10 GB.
• Backups: DreamHost includes daily automated backups on all plans. Bluehost defaults to weekly and charges extra for daily via CodeGuard.
• Email: Bluehost includes free email through cPanel on all plans. DreamHost includes it free for 3 months, then charges a monthly add-on fee.
• Malware scanning: Bluehost includes malware scanning on all plans. DreamHost reserves it for tier two and above, and it's a one-time monthly scan rather than automated.

See our full DreamHost vs. Bluehost comparison →

Test results

When we tested DreamHost recently, it posted impressive numbers for both speed and uptime. To run the tests, we first built a mock website using DreamHost. Then we used a freemium testing tool called dotcom-tools.com to check how fast the site would load from three separate locations — Strasbourg, Montreal, and Dallas.

DreamHost had a strong overall performance score and average page load speeds below Google's recommended upper limit of 1.8 seconds for FCP and 2.5 seconds for LCP.[1] FCP stands for First Contentful Paint, and as the name implies, it measures how quickly the first piece of content loads. LCP stands for Largest Contentful Paint and refers to the point at which a web page's main content is likely to have finished loading.

Star rating summary

Our experience using DreamHost was mostly pleasant. It performed well, has great features, and solid security. Although we did mark it down a few points in the prices category. This is partly because it doesn't include email in its standard shared hosting plans. You have to buy it as an add-on, which increases the total cost. If you can look past that, DreamHost makes a great alternative to Bluehost.

InMotion: Best for high-resource sites

What we liked

Massive amounts of storage space: InMotion's entry-level plan gives you 100 GB of NVMe storage space, which is ten times more than Bluehost! It's also higher than other Bluehost alternatives and makes an excellent choice for media-heavy websites, such as ecommerce stores with many product images and videos.

200+ pro WordPress themes and plugins: WordPress has plenty of useful free themes and plugins, but developers generally reserve the best features for their paid upgrades. InMotion unlocks free access to over 200 paid versions of themes and plugins to help you customize your site.

90-Day money-back guarantee: The industry standard is 30 days, but InMotion triples it. This gives you ample time to get a website up and running and, depending on how committed you are, even to get some initial traffic.

Dedicated IP addresses: InMotion includes a dedicated IP address on its highest plan and offers the option to purchase one on lower tiers. A dedicated IP address offers benefits like improved website performance and security, better email deliverability, and more reliable access. Being able to buy one (or get it bundled in on tier four) is a nice benefit.

What we didn't like

No staging on entry-level plan: Although you can always manually install a staging plugin, it wouldn't hurt if InMotion just included the same staging tool that's available starting on the tier two plan.

InMotion vs. Bluehost: Key Differences

• Storage: InMotion's entry plan starts at 100 GB of NVMe storage, which is 10 times more than Bluehost's 10 GB Starter plan.
• Money-back guarantee: InMotion offers 90 days, compared to Bluehost's 30 days.
• Price: InMotion costs more than Bluehost, especially on renewal. That premium is worth it for resource-heavy sites but unnecessary for most basic websites.
• Ease of use: Bluehost is easier to navigate and offers a more guided WordPress setup. InMotion's dashboard and cPanel can take time to learn.

Read our InMotion Hosting review for a full breakdown.

Test results

Of the three Bluehost alternatives we tested, InMotion had arguably the best performance numbers. Even though all of them were excellent, InMotion led the way with the highest average performance score and faster FCP and LCP scores than Namecheap or DreamHost.

Star rating summary

Overall, our experience with InMotion was positive, but remember that it's generally more expensive than competitors once you age out of the promo period. The expense is absolutely justified given what InMotion offers, but if you don't need 100 GB of storage (for example), it might not be personally justifiable. For someone who does need the extra horsepower, though, InMotion is an excellent choice.

Honorable mentions

These Bluehost alternatives didn't make our main picks, but each one is worth considering depending on your needs.

SiteGround: Best for managed WordPress performance

SiteGround posted 100% uptime and near-perfect page speed scores in our testing, and it bundles daily backups, a built-in CDN, and proactive security tools on every plan. If managed WordPress performance and security are your top priorities, it's one of the strongest options we've tested.

See our SiteGround vs. Bluehost comparison for a direct breakdown.

It didn't make our main lineup because its entry plan supports only one website, and renewal pricing runs higher than Namecheap and DreamHost, making it harder to recommend for general-purpose use.

Learn more about our testing experience in our SiteGround review.

Hostinger: Best budget alternative

Hostinger is the most affordable full-featured Bluehost alternative on this list, with plans starting at $2.99/mo. It includes AI tools, a visual website builder, and 100% uptime in our testing, and it covers most of the same base features as Bluehost at a meaningfully lower price.

See our Hostinger vs. Bluehost comparison for a direct breakdown.

It didn't make our main lineup because it's less guided than Bluehost for WordPress-specific workflows, and its native security features on base plans are thinner than what the main picks offer.

Learn more about our testing experience in our Hostinger web hosting review.

HostGator: Best for cPanel familiarity

HostGator uses the same cPanel setup as Bluehost, so the transition is seamless if you're already comfortable with that interface. Plans start at $3.75/mo, include a free domain, and offer unlimited bandwidth on most tiers.

See our Bluehost vs. HostGator comparison for a direct breakdown.

It didn't make our main lineup because it lacks modern NVMe storage and the AI tools that Bluehost now includes, and average server response times ran slower than our main picks in testing.

Learn more about our testing experience in our HostGator review.

IONOS: Best for tight budgets

IONOS offers some of the lowest introductory rates in the industry, with plans starting at $1.00/mo. Unlike most budget hosts, it includes malware scanning, DDoS protection, and daily backups on all plans, features that Bluehost either charges extra for or reserves for higher tiers.

See our Bluehost vs. IONOS comparison for a direct breakdown.

It didn't make our main lineup because the dashboard is cluttered with upsells, SSL is only free for the first year on the base plan, and entry-level storage is just 10 GB, which is less than either DreamHost or Bluehost.

Learn more about our testing experience in our IONOS review.

GoDaddy: Best for all-in-one business management

GoDaddy combines domain registration, hosting, email marketing, and a website builder under one account, which is useful if you want to manage your entire online presence in one place. It posted 100% uptime in our testing and has one of the most recognizable support networks in the industry.

See our GoDaddy vs. Bluehost comparison for a direct breakdown.

It didn't make our main lineup because hosting plans are pricier than all three of our main picks, the interface is upsell-heavy, and free SSL only covers the first year on the base plan.

Learn more about our experience testing GoDaddy in our GoDaddy web hosting review.

Bottom line: The best Bluehost alternatives

Namecheap's shared hosting plans offer the best alternative to Bluehost for most websites. The reason is simple: You get most of the same features, but both domains and hosting cost much less over the long haul. Unless there is a very specific Bluehost quirk that's not included in Namecheap, it only makes sense to choose the better deal.

For more specific needs, DreamHost, InMotion Hosting, or even Namecheap's EasyWP plans make more sense. For example, if you only need to host a single WordPress site and want it to handle heavy traffic reliably, EasyWP is a smart option.

On the other hand, if you have more than ten simple websites or find that Bluehost's Starter plan doesn't have enough storage space, then DreamHost's entry-level plan will suit you better. For complex sites like large ecommerce stores or resource-intensive membership sites, InMotion's plans would be an ideal fit.

Learn more about the best web hosting services we've tested and ranked.

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