Bluehost vs Dreamhost New Battle( Updated)

BlueHost vs DreamHost Comparison Review

Bluehost and DreamHost are among the most popular web hosting platforms right now. They both have competitive features and pricing plans that make them stand out. This means that making a decision between the two can be quite challenging. So, what web hosting platform is the best between BlueHost vs DreamHost?

These two web hosting providers have various takes that make them different. To help you choose an effective provider, here is a comparison review:

Features

DreamHost and BlueHost are among the most sought-after web hosting providers. They are designed with similar and different features that make each of them stand out. So, what is the best alternative in terms of features when comparing BlueHost vs DreamHost?

Core BlueHost features include:

• A free domain name for the first year
• Pre-installed WordPress
• Automatic WordPress updates
• Free SSL certificate
• Unmetered bandwidth
• CPanel access
• 99.94% uptime
• 24/7 support

DreamHost has a package of features and they include:

• A free domain name of up to one year for a 12-month plan
• Pre-installed WordPress
• Automatic WordPress updates
• Automatic daily backups
• Free SSL certificate
• 99.99% uptime
• Unmetered bandwidth

Winner: DreamHost takes the trophy for this. It’s superb and among the few web hosts that truly offer users unlimited hosting services without file limits.

Speed and Uptime

Speed and uptime are among the key factors that you should consider because they affect website performance. It’s, therefore, important that you choose a host who can offer both at cost-effective prices. Speed usually refers to how fast a page loads to users while uptime refers to the time the site stays online.

Uptime

Throughout 2020, Bluehost had an average uptime of 99.96%. On the other hand, DreamHost had an average uptime of 99.90% for the same period.

In this case, Bluehost delivered better results, based on these tests. However, an uptime of 99.90% isn’t bad at all. It only means that the site will be offline for around 5 hours and 15 minutes throughout the year.

Speed

There are a few features that determine web page speed. Based on Google Speed, Pingdom, and GT Metrix speed tests, BlueHost had an average speed of 688 ms. Using the same tools, DreamHost had an average speed of 1320 ms.

The Winner: When it comes to uptime and speed, Bluehost is definitely the winner. It loads web pages faster and remains online through most parts of the year.

Backups

Anything can go wrong when a website is up and running. But if you have your files backed up, then you don’t have to worry. Backups help to safeguard important files that would otherwise get lost in case of a data loss event.

If you choose to use BlueHost, then this hosting provider will give you three types of backup options. One daily, one weekly, and one monthly.

On the other hand, DreamHost offers up to 8 backups. So, you can always create a backup whenever you wish by simply calling this on-demand feature.

Winner: DreamHost

Dreamhost vs Bluehost WordPress Integration

Most websites currently run on WordPress. So, it’s only right that the best website hosting platforms offer quality WordPress integration services.

When it comes to comparing Bluehost vs DreamHost, it’s usually in relation to shared hosting. The good thing about these two platforms is that they both allow you to install WordPress with just one click.

The difference arises depending on the features each website hosting plan offers. Bluehost allows you to integrate one website per plan. You are also subjected to limits such as 20-80 GB storage and 50K-500K web visitors.

Meanwhile, DreamHost has a dedicated plan for WordPress known as DreamPress. It allows one website per plan. Besides that, the site offers 30-120 GB of storage and recommends 100K -1M, web visitors. You get access to support and pay $16.95.

Winner: DreamHost seems to be the best alternative when it comes to offering WordPress integration. It offers more storage space, a bigger number of web visitors, and support. Additionally, its monthly charges are cheaper by far.

Security

Your website should be fully protected by the hosting site against cyber threats and malicious attacks. Anything that breaches the safe functioning of your site is a threat and should, therefore, be taken seriously.

The security comparison between Bluehost vs DreamHost offers a different insight regarding how these two host providers run.

If you are using Bluehost, then this hosting platform has a well-integrated system of security features. You will have access to SSL, SSH, and SFTP. Note that its SLL is free and you also get default access to HTTP2.

Besides that, you can access enhanced security features for $30 annually through Site Lock, an add-on site. This will give you access to Google backlist monitoring and automatic malware detection. Additionally, you will also enjoy a 12-hour response time for ticketing.

While DreamHost supports PHP 7 and HTTP2, it also comes with an in-built firewall system. Additionally, the platform also offers multi-factor authentication (MFA) for your website’s account. Furthermore, you can access add-on security services from DreamShield. It’s ideal for removing malware and only costs $3 monthly.

Winner: if you want a secure web hosting plan, you can choose from either is they are pretty the same.

Scalability

At some point, you may be interested in taking your website to a higher level, without feeling the need to change your web host. A provider that’s highly scalable will allow you to grow since it offers more flexibility.

The comparison between Bluehost vs DreamHost offers different insights regarding how these two web hosting providers perform in terms of scalability.

With Bluehost, you have a chance of switching to higher and better alternatives such as:

• Dedicated hosting: ideal for websites that want to focus on generating more traffic.
• WordPress hosting that’s dedicated to WordPress sites
• VPS i.e. virtual private servers that are ideal for servers that have specific configurations
• Domain names that complement or suit your needs.

Note: However, Bluehost no longer offers Cloud Hosting plans which is critical in the current age. So, you have to host your site on several servers for improved security and scalability.

On the other hand, DreamHost offers the following scalability solutions:

• WordPress Hosting
• Dedicated server hosting
• VPS hosting
• Cloud hosting

Winner: It’s clear that both web hosting providers are highly competitive when it comes to scalability. So, you can conveniently take your website to the next level while using either of them. So, they both win under this category since they are both versatile.

Customer Support

Round-the-clock customer support is crucial for clients using web hosts in different parts of the globe. Unexpected errors or issues can arise and the client definitely wants to solve them as soon as possible. This is essential in ensuring the websites are accessible and running efficiently.

Comparing Bluehost vs DreamHost when it comes to customer support, the former seems to have very few complaints regarding its support. Customers have definitely experienced a few issues while using this host. However, this brand is keen on providing timely and correct solutions as soon as possible. Bluehost also offers multiple channels of communication including phone and live chat.

Meanwhile, DreamHost also offers great customer support. The agents are always courteous and offer helpful answers. However, they don’t offer a phone support option. Besides that, the live chat is only available during business hours in the US. So, if you are in a different time zone, you will have to wait longer.

Winner: Bluehost is the winner. It offers more support options and you get to be in touch with the agent 24/7. It’s ultimately the best for emergencies.

 

Service Cancellation

What happens when you what to move to a different hosting provider or simply want to cancel your current subscription? Is there a money-back guarantee?

If you had a subscription with BlueHost, then you can cancel since there is a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, it’s worth noting that you are only eligible for a refund when you have subscribed for a hosting plan. There are no refunds for admin fees, domain names, and other add-ons.

On the other hand, DreamHost offers a 97-day money-back guarantee. Of course, BlueHost can’t beat this! This means that you can get your refund more than three months later after purchasing your subscription.

This guarantee is also similar to Bluehost as it requires you to have purchased the hosting plan. It’s also worth noting that you can only get the refund if you made payments via a credit card and not 3rd-party service providers.

Winner: DreamHost is the winner in this category. It’s definitely impossible to beat such a long period of a money-back guarantee.

Server Location

Server location is critical for speed and user access to web hosting plans in different locations. The more servers, the better the access speeds.

When comparing Bluehost vs DreamHost, the former only has one server location that’s found in a facility in Orem, Utah.

On the other hand, DreamHost has two server locations in the US, in Hillsboro, Oregon, and Ashburn, Virginia.

Winner: For US-Based users, then DreamHost seems to be the best alternative. However, users outside the US can’t benefit from this hence these two hosting plans tie.

Add-ons

We all love some freebies and discounts from time to time. So, between Bluehost vs DreamHost, which one has more add-ons and freebies?

Subscribing to Bluehost means that you get almost $150 worth of credit. You can use it for advertising on search engine platforms such as Google AdWords. You will also have access to Weebly’s site builder.

In case you want to migrate to Bluehost, then you have to pay $149.99. However, most website hosting platforms do it for free.

DreamHost offers almost $100 in Google AdWords credits. However, if you choose to migrate from another site to DreamHost’s shared hosting, then you will pay a $99 migration fee.

Winner: there is no winner when it comes to add-ons and freebies. While BlueHost offers $150 worth of credit, its migration fee is higher. On the other hand, DreamHost offers a cheaper migration fee, its credit is lower.

Hosting Costs

Which platform offers cheaper services between Bluehost vs DreamHost? Well, both of them are considered the best budget hosts and one of them certainly has an upper hand. The prices vary depending on the duration of the term as well as the features offered.

But this doesn’t mean that a cheaper host has limited features or an expensive one is the best alternative.

BlueHost has a diverse pricing plan. The starter Basic plan costs $2.45 per month. There is a Plus plan that costs $4.53 per month, Choice Plus for $4.53 per month, and the Pro plan costs $11.60 per month.

Choice Plus offers value for money since it offers more extensive features at an affordable cost. The annual costs of the cheapest pricing plans are:

(Note that the price gets more expensive with shorter contracts)

• 12 month : $4.12 x 12 =49.41
• 24 month : $3.29 x 24 = $78.85
• 36 months : $2.45x 36 = $88.34

DreamHost’s shared hosting plan includes the Shared Starter which costs $2.59 per month. It’s great for entry-level and comes with pre-installed WordPress. Its Shared Unlimited costs $4.95 per month is ideal for hosting multiple websites and comes with pre-installed WordPress.

Depending on what you sign up for, here is what you are likely to pay for for the cheapest plan:

• Monthly: $4.95 a month without a free domain name
• 12 months: $2.95 per month or a total of $35.40
• 3 years: $2.59 per month or a total of $93.24

Winner: Bluehost has a pricing plan that is cheaper for longer contracts but DreamHost is better value for money on shorter terms. You get more than what you pay for.

Conclusion: Dreamhost vs Bluehost

So, which is the best web hosting provider between DreamHost vs BlueHost? The truth is that both of them have outstanding features which make the selection process still difficult. They tie when it comes to server location, add-ons, and scalability.

However, DreamHost has an upper hand when it comes to core features, backups, pricing, and service cancellation. This makes it the best choice if you are looking for a hosting provider that offers value for money.

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GET DREAMHOST FOR $2.59 PER MONTH HERE

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