Choose Hostinger If...
You want the best performance at the lowest price. Hostinger delivers ~0.8s page load times, 100GB NVMe storage on its entry plan, LiteSpeed server technology, and prices starting at just $1.99/mo. It is the best value in budget hosting by a wide margin.
Choose Bluehost If...
You are a complete beginner who wants phone support and the simplest possible WordPress setup. Bluehost is officially recommended by WordPress.org, offers 24/7 phone support, and provides a guided onboarding experience that walks you through every step of building your first site.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Hostinger | Bluehost | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $1.99/mo | $2.95/mo | Hostinger |
| Renewal Price | $8.99/mo | $11.99/mo | Hostinger |
| Load Speed | ~0.8s | ~1.5s | Hostinger |
| Uptime | 99.9% | 99.9% | Tie |
| Storage (entry) | 100GB NVMe | 10GB SSD | Hostinger |
| Free Domain | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Control Panel | hPanel | cPanel | Preference |
| AI Builder | Yes | Yes (WonderSuite) | Tie |
| Phone Support | No | Yes | Bluehost |
| WordPress.org | No | Yes | Bluehost |
| Server Tech | LiteSpeed + NVMe | Apache + SSD | Hostinger |
True Cost Comparison
Both hosts use promotional pricing that increases dramatically at renewal. Here is what you will actually pay over three years:
| Period | Hostinger (Premium) | Bluehost (Basic) | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $23.88 ($1.99/mo) | $35.40 ($2.95/mo) | Hostinger saves $11.52 |
| Year 2 | $107.88 ($8.99/mo) | $143.88 ($11.99/mo) | Hostinger saves $36.00 |
| Year 3 | $107.88 ($8.99/mo) | $143.88 ($11.99/mo) | Hostinger saves $36.00 |
| 3-Year Total | $239.64 | $323.16 | Hostinger saves $83.52 |
Over three years, Hostinger saves you $83.52 compared to Bluehost -- and that is comparing entry-level plans. The savings gap widens on higher-tier plans. Both providers offer the best rates when you commit to longer billing cycles (typically 48 months for Hostinger, 36 months for Bluehost).
Performance
Hostinger delivers the best performance in the budget hosting category. Its LiteSpeed web servers combined with NVMe SSD storage produce average page load times of ~0.8 seconds in our testing. LiteSpeed is significantly faster than Apache (used by most budget hosts) for serving WordPress sites, and NVMe storage offers 3-5x the read/write speeds of traditional SSDs.
Bluehost runs on Apache web servers with standard SSD storage, producing average load times of ~1.5 seconds. While adequate for most small sites, the performance gap is noticeable -- especially on content-heavy pages or during traffic spikes. Bluehost does include a CDN (Cloudflare) on all plans, which helps with global performance, but the underlying server infrastructure is simply slower.
Both providers deliver 99.9% uptime, so reliability is not a concern with either option. The speed difference, however, directly impacts user experience and SEO rankings, giving Hostinger a meaningful advantage.
Pricing & Value
Hostinger starts at $1.99/mo for its Premium shared hosting plan, which includes 100GB NVMe storage, free domain, free SSL, weekly backups, and hosting for up to 100 websites. The renewal price of $8.99/mo is also more competitive than most hosts. Hostinger frequently runs promotions that bring the effective first-year price even lower.
Bluehost starts at $2.95/mo for its Basic plan, which includes only 10GB SSD storage, free domain, free SSL, and hosting for a single website. The renewal price jumps to $11.99/mo. To match Hostinger's storage and multi-site capabilities, you would need Bluehost's Plus plan ($5.45/mo introductory, $18.99/mo renewal).
At every price point, Hostinger offers more storage, more sites, and faster servers for less money. The value gap is substantial.
Beginner Experience
Bluehost is the easier platform for absolute beginners. Its onboarding wizard walks you through WordPress installation, theme selection, and basic site configuration step by step. The cPanel control panel is an industry standard that millions of tutorials reference, making it easy to find help. Most importantly, Bluehost offers 24/7 phone support -- a lifeline for beginners who need real-time guidance.
Hostinger uses its custom hPanel control panel, which is modern and clean but less universally documented than cPanel. Hostinger's onboarding is good (including an AI website builder), and its 24/7 live chat support is responsive and helpful. However, the lack of phone support can be a dealbreaker for non-technical users who prefer talking to a real person.
Bluehost's WordPress.org official endorsement also provides peace of mind for beginners, signaling that it meets WordPress's own standards for performance and ease of use.
Storage & Server Technology
This is where the gap is most dramatic. Hostinger's entry plan includes 100GB of NVMe storage, which is 10x what Bluehost offers on its Basic plan (10GB SSD). NVMe storage is also fundamentally faster than traditional SSD, with sequential read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s compared to ~550 MB/s for SATA SSDs.
Hostinger runs LiteSpeed web servers, which are purpose-built for speed and handle PHP (the language WordPress is built on) significantly faster than Apache. LiteSpeed also includes built-in caching (LiteSpeed Cache for WordPress), eliminating the need for third-party caching plugins.
Bluehost runs Apache servers with standard SSD storage. While Apache is reliable and well-supported, it requires additional configuration (caching plugins, optimization) to achieve speeds that LiteSpeed delivers out of the box. For users who want the fastest possible site without technical optimization, Hostinger's server stack is the clear winner.
Our Verdict
Hostinger Wins for Most Users
Faster, cheaper, and more storage -- Hostinger dominates budget hosting.
Hostinger wins this comparison for the vast majority of users. It is nearly twice as fast, significantly cheaper (both introductory and renewal), and offers 10x the storage on its entry plan. Its LiteSpeed + NVMe server stack delivers performance that rivals hosts costing three times as much. For anyone who values speed, value, and generous resources, Hostinger is the clear choice.
Bluehost remains a solid option if phone support and the simplest possible beginner experience are your top priorities. Its WordPress.org endorsement, cPanel familiarity, and guided onboarding make it the safest choice for people who have never built a website before and want someone to talk to when they get stuck. However, you are paying more for less performance and less storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer my site from Bluehost to Hostinger?
Yes. Hostinger offers free website migration for most hosting plans. Their support team will handle the entire transfer process, including files, databases, and email accounts. The migration typically takes 24-48 hours and results in minimal downtime. You can also use WordPress migration plugins (like All-in-One WP Migration) to do it yourself.
Why is Bluehost recommended by WordPress.org but Hostinger is not?
WordPress.org's official recommendations are based on a combination of factors including partnership agreements, support quality, and historical reliability. Bluehost has been a WordPress.org partner for many years. The recommendation is legitimate but does not necessarily mean Bluehost is faster or better than alternatives -- it means WordPress has vetted it as a reliable option for beginners.
Will the renewal price shock hurt me?
Both hosts increase prices at renewal, but you can minimize the impact by signing up for the longest billing cycle available at the promotional rate. Hostinger offers up to 48-month terms, and Bluehost offers up to 36 months. Even at renewal, Hostinger remains $3/mo cheaper than Bluehost. Always budget for the renewal price when choosing a hosting provider.