Bluehost vs Domain.com
A dedicated web host vs a registrar's hosting add-on
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The verdict
9.4/10 vs 8.9/10
Bluehost is the stronger pick for most people - More hosting types. Full reasoning, pricing and the cases where Domain.com wins are below.
| At a glance | Bluehost | Domain.com |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | ~$3.99/mo (36-mo term) | ~$3.75/mo (first year, annual) |
| Renewal price | ~$9.99-$15.99/mo (Starter) | Higher at renewal (check site) |
| Storage | NVMe (10 GB on Starter) | Check plan |
| Backups | Paid on Starter; included on Business+ | Check plan |
Prices are the providers’ published rates at our last verification - confirm the final figure at checkout, as offers change. How we verify prices
A long-time WordPress favorite with a guided dashboard, free first-year domain and 24/7 phone and chat support
- Starter, Business & Pro plans
- Free domain for year one
- WordPress-first dashboard
A popular domain registrar with simple web hosting and website builder plans in the same account
- Domain + hosting in one place
- Free domain for year one
- Simple annual pricing
The full breakdown
Bluehost vs Domain.com: a closer look at each
Both are credible providers in this category, and the right pick comes down to fit. So instead of crowning a “winner,” here’s the real rundown on each - what you get, what it actually costs, and what real customers are saying - so you can pick the one that fits you.
What is Bluehost?
Bluehost has hosted websites since 2003 and is one of the core brands of Newfold Digital, which also owns Network Solutions, Domain.com and BigRock. It is best known as a WordPress host.
Read the full Bluehost breakdown▾
In 2025 it renamed its shared plans to Starter, Business and Pro. This review covers what each plan includes, the real cost after renewal and who Bluehost is right for.
What you get with Bluehost
- Shared plans: Starter, Business and Pro
- Free domain for the first year (12- and 36-month terms)
- Free SSL on every plan
- NVMe storage (10 GB on Starter)
- WordPress-focused dashboard
- 24/7 chat and phone support
Who Bluehost is best for
- WordPress beginners in the US
- Small businesses that want phone support
- Buyers who prefer a 12- or 36-month commitment
How much does Bluehost cost?
Approximate only.
Full pricing details▾
Starter is reported at about $3.99 a month on a 36-month term (about $4.99 on 12 months). Reported renewal rates for Starter are $9.99 a month on a 36-month term, $11.99 on 12 months and $15.99 month-to-month.
Business renews from about $13.99 and Pro from about $16.99 a month on 36-month terms. Daily backups are not free on Starter.
Confirm on Bluehost's site before buying.
Starter
One website, 10 GB NVMe, free domain and SSL
36-mo term
- Free domain (year one)
- Free SSL
Business
More sites and storage, backups included
Renews ~$13.99/mo (36-mo)
- Backups included
- More websites
Pro
Top shared tier with the most resources
Renews ~$16.99/mo (36-mo)
- Most resources
- Backups included
What we like about Bluehost
- Polished, WordPress-first dashboard
- Free first-year domain on 12- and 36-month terms
- Published renewal rates by term
- 24/7 phone and chat support
Worth keeping in mind
- No free daily backups on Starter (reported)
- Renewals are roughly 2.5-4 times the intro price
- Upsells at checkout
- Data centers mainly in the US
What is Domain.com?
Domain.com is a long-running domain registrar owned by Newfold Digital, the same parent as Bluehost and Network Solutions. Alongside domains it sells shared hosting, WordPress hosting and a website builder.
Read the full Domain.com breakdown▾
This review covers how its hosting compares with dedicated web hosts and who it suits.
What you get with Domain.com
- Three shared hosting tiers
- Free domain for the first year
- Annual billing - no long multi-year lock-in required
- WordPress hosting and website builder
- Professional email as an add-on
- 30-day money-back guarantee (reported)
Who Domain.com is best for
- People who mainly want a domain plus a simple site
- Buyers who prefer annual rather than multi-year billing
- Existing Domain.com customers adding a website
How much does Domain.com cost?
Approximate only. Third-party sources report three hosting tiers at about $3.75, $6.75 and $13.75 a month for the first year on annual billing, with the same rate on 1- and 3-year terms; more recent listings show higher prices, so check the current offer. Professional email is reported as an add-on from about $2.99 per user per month. Renewal rates are higher than the first-year price.
What we like about Domain.com
- Domains and hosting in a single account
- Free domain for the first year
- No need to prepay several years for the intro price
- Part of a large, established parent company
Worth keeping in mind
- Email costs extra
- Fewer hosting types than dedicated hosts
- Renewal prices higher than first-year rates
- Billing and auto-renewal complaints in customer reviews
Bluehost vs. Domain.com: What’s the Difference?
The key differences to consider when comparing the two providers.
| Bluehost | Domain.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | ~$3.99/mo (36-mo term) | ~$3.75/mo (first year, annual) |
| Renewal price | ~$9.99-$15.99/mo (Starter) | Higher at renewal (check site) |
| Storage | NVMe (10 GB on Starter) | Check plan |
| Control panel | Bluehost portal | Domain.com dashboard |
| Backups | Paid on Starter; included on Business+ | Check plan |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
| In business since | 2003 | ~2000 |
So which one should you pick?
Find the line that sounds like you - that’s your answer.
Here’s the short version
Bluehost and Domain.com share a parent - Newfold Digital - but Bluehost is a dedicated web host while Domain.com is primarily a domain registrar. Here's how their hosting compares.
The quick answer
Go with Bluehost if you want
- More hosting types
- WordPress tooling
- Free domain on longer terms
Domain.com makes more sense if you want
- Registrar-first experience
- Simple annual pricing
- Domains and site in one account
Had to pick one for most people? Bluehost. The numbers and customer feedback below are why - and where Domain.com wins instead.
Bluehost vs Domain.com: FAQs
Which is better, Bluehost vs Domain.com?
Bluehost wins for building and running a website: it has deeper WordPress tools, more hosting types and a free first-year domain. Domain.com suits people who mainly want to register domains and add a simple site later.
Hosting depth: Bluehost or Domain.com?
Bluehost offers shared, WordPress, WooCommerce, VPS and dedicated hosting; Domain.com's hosting lineup is smaller.
Email: Bluehost or Domain.com?
Domain.com reportedly sells professional email as a paid add-on from about $2.99 per user per month.
Domain management: Bluehost or Domain.com?
Domain.com is built around searching, registering and managing domains.
Related Comparisons
Sources & methodology
We built this comparison of Bluehost and Domain.com from each provider's own published pricing, plans and terms of service, cross-checked against public records and company announcements, and read alongside real customer feedback. Prices and plan details were verified against the provider's published information; we do not take providers' word for their own claims without checking.
Provider information
Pricing, renewal rates, plans and terms, checked against each provider's own site.
- Bluehost - full pricing & plan breakdown
- Domain.com - full pricing & plan breakdown
Provider data checked October 2026
Customer & community feedback
Third-party signals shown on this page and in our full reviews: Trustpilot ratings and Better Business Bureau records, as captured on the dates we note. We report what these sources say - we never fold their ratings into our own scores.
Regulatory & public-record references
- 1.Hostinger hosting plans - Hostinger
- 2.Bluehost shared hosting plans - Bluehost
- 3.Hosting.com web hosting - Hosting.com
- 4.Domain.com web hosting - Domain.com
- 5.BigRock web hosting - BigRock
- 6.Network Solutions web hosting - Network Solutions
- 7.UltaHost shared hosting - UltaHost
Last reviewed October 2026. We revisit comparisons when providers change their pricing or policies. This page is information only - always confirm current pricing and renewal terms before buying a plan.