Bluehost is an American web host offering a wide range of hosting services for the past 18 years to fulfill the needs of all sizes of businesses. It is among the only 3 hosting companies that are officially recommended by the WordPress organization.
If you are confused about choosing between the Bluehost Basic vs Plus plan in shared hosting, you have come to the right place. This article brings out the differences between the two shared hosting plans offered by Bluehost.
Bluehost Basic Vs Plus Plan (Comparison)
To get a better idea of choosing between the two shared hosting plans offered by Bluehost, here is a quick comparison of different attributes of these plans:
| Attributes | Bluehost Basic plan | Bluehost Plus plan |
| Websites allowed | One | Unlimited |
| Disk space | 50 GB | Unmetered |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unmetered |
| Email accounts | Up to 5 | Unlimited |
| MySQL Databases | Up to 20 | Unlimited |
| Google Ads/Bing Credits | Not available | Up to $200 worth of credits are available |
| Spam Experts | Not available | Available for a single domain |
| Free Domain | Available for the first year | Available for the first year |
| Parked domains | Up to 5 | Unlimited |
| Subdomains | Up to 25 | Unlimited |
| Regular price (renewal price) | $9.99 per month for the renewal term of 12 months | $13.99 per month for the renewal term of 12 months |
| Discount price (introductory price) | $2.95 per month for an initial term of 12 months | $5.45 per month for an initial term of 12 months |
Basic plan review
The Basic shared hosting plan is the cheapest one offered by Bluehost. It offers all the necessary server resources to create and launch your website.
Who is the Basic plan for?
You can use this plan when your resource requirement is not very large. The Basic plan is suitable for:
- Beginners in the website-making world
- Bloggers / personal website owners
- Small business owners
- Small to medium websites with moderate traffic
- The people planning to create and manage a single website only.
Bluehost Basic plan prices
The Bluehost Basic plan is available at a very reasonable price. Here is an overview of the introductory and renewal prices corresponding to the billing terms of this plan:
| Billing term | Introductory prices | Renewal prices |
| 1 month | NA (available only on renewal) | $10.99 per month |
| 6 months | NA (available only on renewal) | $10.99 per month |
| 1 year | $2.95 per month | $9.99 per month |
| 2 years | NA (available only on renewal) | $9.49 per month |
| 3 years | $4.95 per month | $8.99 per month |
| 5 years | NA (available only on renewal) | $8.99 per month |
Bluehost does not offer the Basic plan for less than a year to the new customers. Neither will you find an option to purchase the plan for 2 or 5 years for the initial term. So the best introductory price deal can be claimed on purchasing the Basic plan for 1 year initially.
On the other hand, the host allows more flexibility in renewal terms to its existing customers. As shown in the table above, you can choose to renew for just a month or 5 years in one go! The best deal on the renewal price is available when you choose a 3-year billing term or higher.
Features of the Basic plan
The Bluehost Basic plan offers you a lot of useful features to get started. Here are the major features of the Basic plan discussed in detail:
Hosting of a single website
You will be able to host a single website with the Basic plan.
50 GB Storage
This plan comes with an SSD storage of 50 GB which is more than enough to store all your website content.
Free domain
You will also receive a free domain for the first year with the Bluehost Basic plan.
Free Let’s Encrypt SSL
The plan comes with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL for encrypting the communication channel of your website and keeping your visitor and customer data safe.
Professional email accounts
You can create up to 5 professional email accounts with the Basic plan.
MySQL databases
The plan provides you with up to 20 MySQL databases to store your website files.
Custom themes
The Basic plan provides you with custom website themes for choosing the color, font, and size of different aspects and customizing the placement of website sections.
24/7 customer support
The plan comes with 24/7 customer support to solve all your website and account-related queries.
Subdomains and parked domains
The Basic plan allows you to create up to 25 subdomains and 5 parked domains.
Website builder
You will also get an easy-to-use website builder with the Basic plan with the availability of WordPress integration, drag-and-drop functionality, and AI-driven templates.
Free Cloudflare CDN
The Basic plan offers a free Cloudflare CDN that stores your website content globally at over 200 locations for a fast response time.
Unmetered bandwidth
The Basic plan provides unmetered bandwidth that can be utilized in the normal operation of a personal or small business website.
Plus plan review
The Plus shared hosting plan by Bluehost offers more resources than the Basic plan. It can be an entry-level or an upgrade plan for you depending on your hosting needs. Check out in the next section if the Plus plan is suitable for you.
Who is the Plus plan for?
You can use this plan when your resource requirement is large. The Plus plan is suitable for:
- People planning to build an online portfolio with multiple websites
- Owners of medium to large businesses
- Website owners at the stage of a fast-growing website demanding more resources
- Medium to large websites with moderate to high traffic
Bluehost Plus plan prices
The Bluehost Plus plan is available at the following introductory and renewal prices corresponding to the billing terms shown:
| Billing term | Introductory prices | Renewal prices |
| 1 month | NA (available only on renewal) | $16.99 per month |
| 6 months | NA (available only on renewal) | $16.99 per month |
| 1 year | $5.45 per month | $13.99 per month |
| 2 years | NA (available only on renewal) | $12.99 per month |
| 3 years | $7.45 per month | $11.99 per month |
| 5 years | NA (available only on renewal) | $11.99 per month |
Just like the Basic plan, Bluehost does not offer the Plus plan for less than a year to the new customers. Neither is there an option to purchase it for 2 or 5 years for the initial term. So the best introductory price deal can be obtained by purchasing the Plus plan for 1 year initially.
On the other hand, the best deal on the renewal price is available when you choose a 3-year billing term or a 5-year one.
Features of Plus plan
You will get the following features with the Bluehost Plus plan:
Hosting of unlimited websites
You will be able to host unlimited websites with the Plus plan.
Unlimited Storage
This plan comes with unlimited SSD storage that can be utilized in the normal operation of a personal or small business website.
Free domain
The Plus plan offers a free domain for the first year with the initial sign-up.
Free Let’s Encrypt SSL
Like the Basic plan, this plan also provides a free Let’s Encrypt SSL for encrypting the communication channel of your website and keeping your customer data safe.
Professional email accounts
You can create unlimited professional email accounts with the Plus plan. The host does not set any limit on the number of email accounts for your website thereby allowing you to create any number of professional emails you desire.
MySQL databases
The plan provides you with unlimited MySQL databases to store your website files.
Custom themes
The plan comes with custom website themes for customizing the placement of different website sections and other related aspects.
24/7 customer support
Bluehost offers 24/7 customer support with the Plus plan to solve all your website and account-related queries.
Subdomains and parked domains
You can create unlimited subdomains and parked domains with the Plus plan.
Website builder
The Plus plan also provides an easy-to-use website builder that features easy WordPress integration, drag-and-drop functionality, and AI-driven templates.
Free Cloudflare CDN
You will receive a free Cloudflare CDN that stores your website content globally at over 200 locations and improves the response time of your website.
Unmetered bandwidth
Bluehost offers unmetered bandwidth with the Plus plan that you can utilize in the normal operation of a personal or small business website.
Pros & Cons of Bluehost hosting plans
Pros of the Basic Plan
The biggest advantage of the Basic plan is its cheap price that allows you to launch your website at a very low budget. A further saving is made in the form of a free domain, free SSL, and a free CDN.
The availability of custom themes and the website builder makes it easy for you to create a beautiful and fully-functional website even without any technical knowledge. Unmetered bandwidth takes away all your traffic-related worries. Lastly, the 24-hour Bluehost support keeps you covered in times of need.
Cons of the Basic Plan
The Basic plan allows the hosting of only one website which might be an issue for many website owners planning to develop a portfolio of websites. It offers a limited storage space of 50 GB only.
The plan allows you to create only up to 5 professional email accounts, 25 subdomains, and 5 parked domains. It comes with only 20 MySQL databases.
Pros of the Plus Plan
The biggest advantage of the Plus plan is the ability to host multiple websites from the same account. The host provides unlimited bandwidth and SSD space under this plan. You will also be receiving a website builder and custom themes for building the website of your dreams with ease.
The Plus comes with a free domain, SSL, and CDN. You will also benefit from unlimited email accounts, MySQL databases, subdomains, and parked domains that are available with the Plus plan. The 24/7 support from Bluehost provides a quick solution to any queries that might arise.
Cons of the Plus Plan
The Plus plan is not the cheapest shared hosting plan offered by Bluehost. Also, the host warns you against using the unmetered bandwidth and disc space generously and utilizing it only within the normal operation of a personal or small business website.
Verdict: Which Bluehost Plan To Choose?
Looking at the above comparison between the two shared hosting plans of Bluehost, it is recommended to choose the Plus plan over the Basic one. The prices of these plans are almost the same but the Plus plan offers a lot more features than the Basic plan.
With so many resources being available unlimited, the Plus plan is a better investment for the long term as you won’t have to upgrade your plan any time soon. Along with the unlimited server resources, you can create any number of websites with this plan thereby saving you a lot of money in the long run.
FAQ
Does Bluehost Basic include email?
Yes, the Bluehost Basic plan includes up to 5 professional emails with a 100 MB storage limit.
Is the Basic Bluehost plan enough?
The answer to this question depends on your hosting requirements. The Basic Bluehost plan is enough for you if you are a beginner and just building a website for the first time or when you have limited resource requirements.
Can I downgrade my Bluehost plan?
Yes. You can downgrade your Bluehost plan from the control panel by following this path:
Account →  Products → Renew → Manual Renew
Here you will find an option to downgrade your Bluehost plan.
Can I upgrade my Bluehost hosting plan?
Yes. You can upgrade your Bluehost plan following this path from your control panel:
Account → Products → Renew → Manual Renew → Upgrade
Is Bluehost Choice Plus worth it?
Yes. With the same introductory prices as that of the Plus plan, Bluehost Choice Plus is completely worth the price you pay for it. You will receive free automated backups powered by CodeGuard for the first year. Also, the plan comes with free domain privacy that otherwise costs you $11.88.
Is Bluehost Pro worth it?
No. Bluehost Pro offers almost the same features as the Choice Plus plan but the price difference between the two plans is substantial. So it is not worth the price you pay.
Web Hosting Expert, Content Writer, SEO Consultant, and Web Developer with over 10 Years of Experience.
He has a passion for technology and has spent over a decade reviewing and testing web hosting companies to provide his readers with honest and accurate reviews of the companies he had experiences with.
Tommy loves helping people and has helped hundreds of people start their own successful blogs.