Bluehost uses introductory pricing for new hosting customers. That means the advertised price for your first term can be significantly lower than the standard price you pay when the account renews.

This isn't unusual in the web hosting industry, but it makes comparing both prices important.

For example, Bluehost currently advertises its Starter web hosting plan at $3.99 per month with a 36-month initial term. That same 36-month plan currently renews at $9.99 per month.

We'll break down those differences below so you can estimate what Bluehost may cost both initially and over the longer term.

If you want our broader assessment of the company rather than just its pricing, see our Bluehost Review 2026.

Bluehost Pricing at a Glance

For its standard web hosting lineup, Bluehost currently advertises the following prices when choosing a 36-month initial term:

*Pricing shown reflects Bluehost's current advertised 36-month introductory offers at the time this article was updated. Hosting promotions and plan configurations can change. Always verify the final price and renewal terms at checkout.

Bluehost Starter Pricing

The Starter plan is Bluehost's entry-level web hosting option and is the most relevant plan for many people creating their first website or blog.

Bluehost currently advertises Starter at $3.99 per month on a 36-month initial term.

The current 36-month renewal rate is $9.99 per month.

What's Included With Starter?

Current Starter features include:

• Up to 10 websites
• 10 GB NVMe SSD storage
• Free domain for the first year
• Free SSL
• Free CDN
• Site migration tool
• Managed WordPress updates
• Weekly website backups
• Malware scanning and security features
• WordPress staging
• 24/7 chat support

Bluehost currently describes the plan as suitable for approximately 40,000 monthly visits, although actual resource needs vary substantially by website.

Starter is likely the first Bluehost plan we'd look at for someone creating a relatively small website and who doesn't need the additional resources of the higher tiers.

Bluehost Business Pricing

The Business plan increases the storage and website limits and adds features aimed at users managing larger or multiple websites.

Bluehost currently advertises Business at $6.99 per month with a 36-month initial term.

The current 36-month renewal rate is $13.99 per month.

What's Included With Business?

Current features include:

• Up to 50 websites
• 50 GB NVMe SSD storage
• Free domain for the first year
• Free SSL and CDN
• Managed WordPress updates
• Malware scanning and removal
• Backups
• Domain privacy for the applicable introductory period
• WordPress staging
• 24/7 support

For users managing several websites or a growing business site, Business provides considerably more room than Starter.

Bluehost Pro Pricing

Bluehost's Pro plan is positioned for websites that need additional performance and resources.

At the time of this update, Bluehost advertises Pro at $9.99 per month on a 36-month introductory term.

Its current 36-month renewal price is $16.99 per month.

That makes Pro substantially more expensive than Starter over the long term, so we'd choose it because the site needs the additional resources rather than simply because it is the higher-tier plan.

Bluehost Renewal Prices Explained

The biggest pricing issue prospective Bluehost customers should understand is the difference between the introductory price and renewal price.

Your first hosting term can receive a promotional discount. Once that initial term expires, the hosting account renews at Bluehost's then-current standard renewal rate.

Bluehost currently publishes different renewal rates depending on whether you renew monthly, for 12 months or for 36 months.

The practical takeaway is simple: the contract length can materially affect your effective monthly renewal cost.

Our Web Hosting Renewal Pricing 2026 guide explains why this distinction matters across the hosting industry.

How Much Does Bluehost Starter Actually Cost?

If you select the currently advertised $3.99-per-month Starter price for a 36-month initial term, the hosting portion works out to approximately:

$3.99 × 36 months = $143.64 for the initial three-year term.

If the plan subsequently renewed for another 36 months at today's published $9.99 monthly renewal rate, that renewal term would work out to:

$9.99 × 36 months = $359.64.

That example demonstrates why we recommend evaluating the renewal rate rather than choosing a host based entirely on the promotional headline price.

It is only an illustration using today's published rates. Bluehost can change its pricing before your future renewal date.

Does Bluehost Include a Free Domain?

Current Bluehost web hosting plans include a free domain for the first year on eligible plans.

The important words are first year.

The domain is not permanently free. After the included period, the domain has its own renewal cost.

For example, Bluehost's current published domain price list shows a .com renewal at $23.99 per year. Domain pricing can change, and other extensions have different prices.

Does Bluehost Include Free SSL?

Yes. Bluehost's current web hosting plans include a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate.

SSL encrypts data between the visitor's browser and your website and enables HTTPS.

Because SSL is included with the hosting plans we're discussing, you generally should not need to purchase a basic SSL certificate separately for an ordinary website using the included certificate.

For more website-security steps, see our How to Secure Your Website guide.

Does Bluehost Include Backups?

Bluehost's current Starter plan lists weekly website backups, while higher-tier offerings may include additional backup functionality.

Even when a host includes backups, we recommend maintaining a backup strategy you understand rather than relying blindly on a single copy controlled by the hosting company.

Our How to Back Up Your Website guide explains how to create a safer backup setup.

Bluehost WordPress Hosting Pricing

Bluehost also markets hosting specifically for WordPress.

Its current WordPress lineup starts at $3.99 per month for Starter on a 36-month promotional term, with a published 36-month renewal rate of $9.99 per month.

The current WordPress plans include features such as managed WordPress updates, CDN and caching, migration tools, global data centers and security features.

We're covering this product in more detail separately because shoppers specifically looking for WordPress hosting need to compare more than just the monthly price.

For now, you can also see our broader Best WordPress Hosting 2026 comparison.

Bluehost VPS Pricing

Bluehost's VPS products are a separate category from its entry-level web hosting.

The current self-managed VPS lineup uses NVMe storage and ranges from inexpensive entry configurations to substantially larger virtual servers.

For example, Bluehost currently advertises its NVMe 4 configuration at $9.49 per month for the promotional 24-month term, renewing at $11.99 per month for the same term length.

VPS pricing and configurations change independently from Bluehost's shared and WordPress plans, so don't use shared-hosting pricing to estimate the cost of a VPS.

See our Best VPS Hosting 2026 guide if you're deciding whether a VPS makes sense.

Are There Hidden Bluehost Fees?

Bluehost states that hosting costs and optional add-ons are disclosed during checkout rather than being hidden fees.

However, that doesn't mean your total long-term cost will always equal the promotional monthly number shown in an advertisement.

There are several legitimate costs you should understand before purchasing:

• Hosting renewal price after the introductory term
• Domain renewal after an included first year
• Optional products or services selected at checkout
• Premium security or backup products if you choose them
• Applicable taxes
• Future plan upgrades

So rather than asking only, “Are there hidden fees?” we think the better question is: What will I pay today, and what recurring products will I eventually need to renew?

Which Bluehost Plan Should a Beginner Choose?

For a typical new website or blog, Starter is the first plan we'd consider.

It already supports multiple websites and includes the basic tools most beginners need, so there is little reason to automatically pay for a higher tier unless your project needs its additional storage, capacity or features.

That's also consistent with why Bluehost appears prominently in our Best Web Hosting for Beginners 2026 guide.

Is Bluehost Worth the Price?

Bluehost's strongest pricing proposition is generally for someone who wants an accessible way to launch a website or WordPress site and is willing to commit to a longer initial term to receive the lower promotional rate.

Its entry-level plans bundle several things a new site owner would otherwise need to arrange separately, including SSL, an eligible first-year domain, CDN, WordPress tools and migration functionality.

The tradeoff is the same issue we emphasize throughout this guide: renewal pricing is higher than introductory pricing.

Before purchasing, compare the total initial payment, the term length and the published renewal price rather than looking only at the advertised monthly rate.

Bluehost Pricing FAQ

How much is Bluehost per month?

Bluehost currently advertises Starter web hosting from $3.99 per month when purchasing a 36-month initial term. Shorter terms and higher-tier plans can cost more.

How much does Bluehost cost after the first term?

Bluehost's current Starter renewal rate is $9.99 per month when renewing for 36 months, $11.99 per month on a 12-month renewal term and $15.99 for a monthly renewal term.

Why does Bluehost get more expensive when it renews?

The initial rate is promotional pricing for the first term. Renewal uses Bluehost's standard renewal pricing in effect when the account renews.

Does Bluehost charge monthly?

Bluehost publishes monthly renewal options for applicable hosting plans, but its lowest advertised introductory rates generally require longer initial commitments. Always check the term shown with the promotional price.

Does Bluehost include a free domain?

Eligible Bluehost hosting plans currently include a free domain for the first year. The domain then has a separate renewal price.

Final Thoughts on Bluehost Pricing

Bluehost can be inexpensive for a new website during the introductory period, particularly when you choose a longer initial term.

The important part is understanding the entire pricing structure before you buy.

For most beginners considering Bluehost, we'd start by comparing Starter and Business rather than automatically purchasing the highest plan.

Then check the renewal price, domain renewal and any optional services you actually intend to keep.

If Bluehost fits your needs after comparing those costs, you can check the current offer below.

Pricing and features were checked against Bluehost's published pricing information in September 2026. Promotions, plan names, features and renewal rates can change. Verify current terms directly with Bluehost before purchasing.