In the modern world we live in today, where businesses operate online 24/7, having the best web hosting company is crucial for the success of your online presence. Among the numerous options available, Bluehost vs WP Engine stand out.
They are the two leading web hosting companies, each with its own set of features and strengths.
This comparative Bluehost vs WP Engine review will explore the key differences and similarities between the two, helping you make an informed decision when choosing the ideal hosting solution for your business' website.
Whether you're a blogger, small business owner, or an enterprise-level website, navigating the strengths and weaknesses of Bluehost vs WP Engine will help you determine the perfect web hosting solution for your needs and dreams.
About WP Engine and Bluehost
WP Engine was founded in 2010 and is now one of the leading managed WordPress hosting companies on the market. It acquired StudioPress in 2018, the creator of the most popular theme framework known as Genesis.
With 30% of the websites worldwide running on Genesis, the acquisition was a major win for WP Engine.
Bluehost, on the other hand, has a much longer corporate history. Since its establishment in 1996, fourteen years prior to WP Engine's launch, Bluehost has consistently expanded its reach and emerged as one of the largest global web hosting companies.
Currently, Bluehost empowers over 2 million websites across the globe. You can learn even more in our Bluehost Review.
WP Engine vs Bluehost: Overview
WP Engine stands out as a highly sought-after managed WordPress hosting provider, renowned for its exclusive focus on WordPress hosting.
Given WP Engine's exclusive dedication to managed WordPress hosting, a clear contrast arises with Bluehost, which provides a wide range of hosting services.
Bluehost holds a prominent position among the leading providers of shared hosting services, earning widespread recognition in the market. Its wide-ranging popularity stems from its user-friendly interface and commendable performance, making it an attractive option for beginners.
Bluehost vs WP Engine: Pricing
In terms of pricing, WP Engine commands a significantly higher starting price point compared to Bluehost.
WP Engine provides a selection of 4 plans and a custom option, with prices ranging from $24 to $232 per month.
In contrast, Bluehost offers a more budget-friendly starting point with its cheapest plan starting at $2.95 per month, while its highest-priced plan reaches $13.95 per month.
This is what you can get with the cheapest plan of each hosting service:
WP Engine -Startup $24 Monthly
- Bandwidth: 50GB
- Storage: 10GB
- WordPress-oriented: Yes
- Free domain: No
- Daily & on-demand backups: Yes
Bluehost – Basic $2.95 Monthly
- Bandwidth: Unlimited
- Storage: 10GB
- WordPress-oriented: Yes
- Free domain: Yes
- Daily Website Backup: No
When comparing certain features to the value you receive for that price on a basic plan, it becomes evident that Bluehost offers greater storage, a complimentary domain, and unlimited bandwidth.
Although WP Engine does not offer those kinds of features that can compete with Bluehost, it does offer daily backups and custom caching.
Bluehost vs WP Engine: Features
When it comes to features, Bluehost and WP Engine offer a range of options to meet different website hosting needs.
WP Engine:
- Managed WordPress Hosting.
- Developer-Friendly Environment.
- Advanced Caching.
- Daily Backups.
- Reliable Support.
Bluehost:
- Easy-to-use Control Panel.
- One-Click WordPress Installation.
- Unlimited Bandwidth.
- Free Domain Name for the first year.
- Scalability.
While both Bluehost and WP Engine offer valuable features, the choice ultimately depends on individual preferences, specific website requirements, and budget considerations.
Bluehost vs WP Engine: Ease of use.
Bluehost is generally considered more beginner-friendly, with a straightforward interface and one-click WordPress installation.
On the other hand, WP Engine caters more to experienced WordPress users, offering a streamlined dashboard and managed WordPress features.
If you're new to web hosting or prefer simplicity, Bluehost may be a better choice. However, if you specifically need a robust and optimized hosting environment for WordPress, WP Engine might be more suitable.
Here's a comparison of their ease of use:
WP Engine:
- Specializes in managed WordPress hosting, which means their platform is optimized specifically for WordPress websites.
- Provides a clean and intuitive dashboard designed for managing WordPress sites. It offers features like easy site cloning and staging environments for testing changes before going live.
- Takes care of automatic updates and daily backups, reducing the technical aspects of maintaining a WordPress site.
- Offers advanced tools and features tailored to developers, allowing them to optimize performance and customize their WordPress installations.
Bluehost:
- Provides a user-friendly control panel that makes it easy for beginners to navigate and manage their hosting account.
- Offers a seamless one-click WordPress installation process, allowing users to set up their WordPress site quickly.
- Integrates well with popular content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, making it easier to manage and customize your website.
- Primarily focuses on shared hosting plans, which are generally simpler to set up and manage compared to more specialized hosting solutions.
Bluehost vs WP Engine: Security
When it comes to security, both Bluehost and WP Engine take measures to protect their customers' websites. However, WP Engine has a stronger focus on WordPress security due to its specialization.
WP Engine protects WordPress sites by implementing various security measures such as automatically updating the WordPress core, plugins, and themes to ensure that known vulnerabilities are patched promptly.
They also offer daily backups, data encryption, plugin vulnerability notifications, and site maintenance. WP Engine's live team also continually monitors security feeds and provides security alerts if anything arises.
Customers can also rely on WP Engine's Global Edge Security, which includes managed Web Application Firewall (WAF), advanced DDOS Mitigation, Cloudflare CDN, and SSL.
Bluehost provides free SSL certificates with all hosting plans, ensuring secure data transmission between website and their visitors. In addition, Bluehost integrates with CodeGuard, a backup service that regularly backs up your website's files and databases, allowing you to restore them if needed.
SiteLock is another feature offered by Bluehost, which is great for business owners. It provides a dynamic verifiable security badge, dashboard reports, daily 360-degree vulnerability scanning, security maintenance, and alerts/email notifications.
It helps keep businesses protected from hackers who want to try and steal customer data, inject malware, redirect site traffic, or even harm your website's reputation.
Bluehost vs WP Engine: Customer Support
Customer support is an essential aspect to consider when choosing a web hosting provider.
WP Engine offers 24/7 live chat and phone support, allowing you to get immediate assistance when needed. They have a ticketing system where you can submit support requests and get email responses from their support team. They also prioritize critical issues and respond promptly.
Similarly, Bluehost provides 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone, and email. This means you can reach out to their support team at any time for assistance. They also offer a ticket-based support system where you can submit queries or issues, and their support team will respond via email.
Bluehost's support is generally geared towards a wider range of users, including beginners. While WP Engine's support may be particularly useful for developers and users with specific WordPress-related queries.
Regardless of your technical expertise, both providers aim to resolve issues promptly and provide helpful resources through their knowledge bases.
Bluehost vs WP Engine: Recap
The choice between Bluehost and WP Engine ultimately depends on your specific needs, preferences, and priorities. It's important to consider factors such as your level of technical expertise, the type of website you want to host, budget, and any specific features you require.
If you're looking for a user and budget-friendly web host with a focus on simplicity, Bluehost is a good option. It offers easy setup, a simple interface, and a range of hosting plans suitable for various types of websites.
On the other hand, if you prioritize optimized WordPress hosting, advanced developer tools, and robust security, WP Engine could be a better fit.
Because they specialize in managed WordPress hosting, WP Engine provides features tailored to WordPress users, along with a strong emphasis on security and performance.
Related: Why Blogging Is The Best Business In The World
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Sam began investing his own money ever since he opened an online brokerage account in 1995. Sam loved investing so much that he decided to make a career out of investing by spending the next 13 years after college working at two of the leading financial service firms in the world. During this time, Sam received his MBA from UC Berkeley with a focus on finance and real estate.
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Related: The Top 10 Reasons To Start An Online Business Today
Note – the rates listed above are subject to change.