⏳ Do you want to skip the read and get right to my pick in this A2 Hosting vs Bluehost comparison? The better web hosting provider for most people is Bluehost.
Introduction to my A2 Hosting vs Bluehost comparison test:
It is practically a given these days that those who want to start their sites ASAP depend on WordPress to create functional sites that can be deployed at the drop of a hat. However, that’s the easy part. The hard part is getting a reliable hosting provider for one’s newly-minted website.
In this review featuring A2 Hosting vs Bluehost, we will see which of these two popular choices works best for today’s generation of WordPress site creators. To determine who takes home the bacon in our Bluehost vs A2 Hosting review, we will see how they stack up in terms of features, functionality, reliability, technical support, and value for money.
Quick Comparison Table of A2 Hosting vs Bluehost
| Criteria | A2 Hosting | 🥇 Bluehost (My Pick!) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of Hosting | Shared, WordPress, VPS, Reseller, and Dedicated Hosting | Shared, Managed WordPress, WooCommerce, VPS, and Dedicated Hosting |
| Features |
|
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| Performance | Turbo Servers, A2 Optimized caching, Cloudflare CDN | Custom CDN, Built-in Caching, NGINX |
| Security Features |
|
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| Pricing and Plans | Starts at $2.99/month | Starts at $3.95/month |
| Money-Back Guarantee | Anytime money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Customer Support | 24/7 Live Chat, Ticketing, Phone Support | 24/7 Live Chat, Ticketing, Phone Support |
| Scalability | Easy plan upgrades, VPS and Dedicated options | Easy plan upgrades, VPS and Dedicated options |
| User Reviews/Ratings | Generally positive | Mixed to positive |
| Environment Friendliness | Carbon Neutral (FutureServe Green Hosting) | Energy-efficient data centers |
| My View | Best for users looking for high performance and unlimited storage space at affordable prices. | Best for users seeking a balance between features, performance, and pricing with good WordPress integration. |
| Official Website | Visit A2 Hosting | Visit Bluehost |
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Overview:
Here's a brief background on each contender in this Bluehost vs A2 Hosting toss-up.
A2Hosting:
For a company that started out as a hobby to show off its founder and CEO’s skills with UNIX, A2Hosting has certainly come a long way. Today, the company’s service portfolio has grown from shared and managed web hosting solutions. It now includes dedicated server services, reseller solutions, as well as VPS services scaled to the size of each client’s needs.
Bluehost:
An almost constant presence in lists featuring the world’s leading hosting services, Bluehost has been in use by WordPress users since 2003 and boasts nearly two million users worldwide.
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Ease of Use:
When it comes to ease of use, who wins – Bluehost vs A2 Hosting?
A2Hosting:
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” appears to be A2Hosting’s motto as the platform continues to use a classic cPanel interface that users find easy enough to manage. However, we do wish it would rethink this and add a bit more in terms of functionality. To be fair, however, it’s a platform that works with the three big OSs: Linux, Mac, and Windows. In fact, unlike other platforms that give more perks to Mac users, the Linux and Windows crowds will have nothing to complain about here, as A2Hosting offers several options specifically tailored for them.
Bluehost:
We like how Bluehost is easy enough to set up. What we don’t like is having to configure various technical settings – CMS, DNS, and FTP – in the backend. Frankly, the platform is easy enough to use, but anything else calls for some serious technical know-how or a person on call to help you out with that.
Winner – A2 Hosting! in this A2 Hosting vs Bluehost ‘Ease of Use' comparison. Ease of use without technical headaches? We’re giving this to A2Hosting.
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Features:
Let's talk about what features users can expect in A2 Hosting vs Bluehost.
Types of Hosting:
A2 Hosting
Shared Hosting:
- A2 Hosting offers shared hosting plans optimized for speed with features such as free SSL, Cloudflare CDN, unlimited SSD storage, and a free site migration.
- A2 Hosting’s Turbo Servers provide up to 20x faster page loads, and the A2 Optimized WordPress setup enhances performance.
VPS and Dedicated Hosting:
- A2 Hosting provides both managed and unmanaged VPS hosting solutions, allowing users to either have full control or let A2 Hosting manage the server.
- Dedicated server hosting is also available, with optional root access and customization options.
Specialized Hosting:
- A2 Hosting has specialized WordPress hosting that includes an A2 Optimized WordPress setup for speed improvements.
- Reseller hosting is also available for users looking to start their own hosting business.
Bluehost
Shared Hosting:
- Bluehost offers shared hosting with features including free domain for 1 year, free SSL certificate, and SSD storage.
- Shared hosting plans come with resource protection, which ensures that your site’s performance isn’t negatively affected by other sites on the server.
VPS and Dedicated Hosting:
- Bluehost provides VPS hosting with SSD storage, which is fully managed and offers enhanced cPanel for easier management.
- Bluehost also offers dedicated hosting with full root access, allowing complete control over the server’s configurations and settings.
Specialized Hosting:
- Bluehost specializes in WordPress hosting and is officially recommended by WordPress.org.
- The plans come with automatic WordPress installation and updates, along with a staging environment for testing changes.
- WooCommerce hosting is also available, making it easy to create an online store.
Domain Names:
Who wins as a domain registrar – Bluehost vs A2 Hosting?
A2Hosting:
At its most basic, A2Hosting allows users to have a single domain name. If you want a bit more bang for your buck, though, we encourage you to consider higher-valued plans which allow for multiple domains and domain names. There’s a catch, though: a *.com domain name with A2Hosting does not come free with your plan and you need to pay an additional one-time fee of $14.95.
Bluehost:
The one subscriber = one domain rule also applies here. Additional domains and/or domain names will also set you back by a certain amount, depending on the base cost of your subscription package.
Email Rating:
Who has the better email service, A2 Hosting vs Bluehost?
A2Hosting:
You can have as many emails as you need as there are no account limits or storage limits regardless of your hosting plan. If you’re heavy into email marketing, however, take note that email blasts are not part of any package.
Bluehost:
When it comes to basic hosting plans, Bluehost lets you have five mailboxes for your account. Mid-tier and premium plan users, on the other hand, can create as many email addresses as they need.
Databases:
What about databases, which is better between A2 Hosting vs Bluehost?
A2Hosting:
Keep this in mind: five databases if you’re on the Startup plan, unlimited if you’re on a plan with a higher value.
Bluehost:
Talk about bang for your buck: at its most basic, Bluehost allows users to create twenty databases. Those on mid-tier and premium plans can create an unlimited number.
Applications:
When talking about applications that can interface with it, who wins between Bluehost vs A2 Hosting?
A2Hosting:
A2Hosting's cPanel has a single-click installer that enables you to install WordPress, as well as Drupal or Joomla. If you want to add additional apps for functionality, Softaculous is already integrated into the UI to ensure smooth installation and operation.
Bluehost:
When you’re a preferred WordPress partner, functionality is at your fingertips, as you have access to all 60,000 apps and plugins offered by the building platform, including online shop-builder WooCommerce.
Site Staging:
Does Bluehost vs A2 Hosting offer a staging environment?
A2Hosting:
Comparing A2 Hosting vs Bluehost, A2's site staging capabilities are available for both WordPress and Joomla users.
Bluehost:
Consider Bluehost’s staging feature a sandbox for experimentation and testing – provided, of course, that you built your site with WordPress. Otherwise, it’s no go.
Website Builder:
Who lets you build a better-looking website – Bluehost vs A2 Hosting?
A2Hosting:
The platform’s proprietary building platform is as basic as they come. But, if you need a working website ASAP, it works quite well. We also like the fact that the A2Hosting builder is a “try before you buy” product: you can take it out for a test drive (well, test build) to determine if it works for you.
Bluehost:
Good news: Bluehost does have its own site builder and you can use it to create a working site in minutes. The bad news is that, if you went with it as a substitute or alternative to WordPress, you’ll be sorely disappointed. The Bluehost builder is also a CMS-driven building platform.
eCommerce:
If you want to build an online store, which is better Bluehost or A2 Hosting?
A2Hosting:
A2Hosting allows users to create and deploy ecommerce sites using several apps, including PrestaShop, OpenCart, and AbanteCart.
One Let's Encrypt SSL certificate comes free with your hosting plan, but you will need to pay extra if you need a secondary certificate.
Bluehost:
Bluehost supports websites using the WooCommerce plugin, but does not offer hosting packages specific for ecommerce site creation and hosting.
Likewise, each hosting plan comes with a free SSL certificate.
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Security:
A2 Hosting
SSL:
- A2 Hosting offers free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates, which ensure secure and encrypted communication between the website and its visitors.
Backups:
- A2 Hosting provides Server Rewind, a free tool that lets you restore your account from backups.
Malware Protection:
- A2 Hosting includes HackScan Protection for free. This is a 24/7 security monitoring service that scans for malware and other attacks.
Additional Security Features:
- A2 Hosting uses a dual firewall and brute force defense to add an extra layer of security.
- It employs Cloudflare CDN to boost security and performance.
- It has DDoS protection services in place to secure your website.
Bluehost
SSL:
- Bluehost provides free SSL certificates with all of its hosting plans to encrypt data transmitted between the server and users.
Backups:
- Bluehost offers daily, weekly, and monthly backups of your account. However, these are courtesy backups and not guaranteed, so it's advisable to perform your own regular backups.
Malware Protection:
- Bluehost includes SiteLock, which scans your website for malware and vulnerabilities. However, this is a paid add-on.
Additional Security Features:
- Bluehost utilizes CodeGuard for daily backups and one-click restores, but this is available as a paid add-on.
- It offers domain privacy protection to keep your personal information private.
- It provides Postini, from Google, which efficiently takes care of spam and offers additional email authentication.
Winner – Bluehost! in this ‘Features' round of our A2 Hosting vs Bluehost comparison.
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Performance:
Now that we've discussed Bluehost vs A2 Hosting's features, let's turn to how they perform.
Performance Summary Table for Bluehost vs A2 Hosting
| Criteria | A2 Hosting | Bluehost |
|---|---|---|
| Server Locations |
|
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| Speed (Load Time) | Approx. 300ms | Approx. 600ms |
| Uptime | 99.99% | 99.98% |
| Server Response Time (US, East Coast) | Approx. 60ms | Approx. 80ms |
| Server Response Time (Europe, London) | Approx. 30ms | Approx. 120ms |
| Server Response Time (Asia, Singapore) | Approx. 150ms | Approx. 180ms |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unmetered |
| Webspace Limits | Starts from 100GB | 50GB to Unmetered depending on the plan |
| Global CDN | Yes, through Cloudflare | Yes, through Cloudflare |
| Scalability | Scalable with plan upgrades | Scalable with plan upgrades |
Server Locations:
Which provider has better and more server locations – Bluehost vs A2 Hosting?
A2Hosting:
A2Hosting servers are located in Michigan, Arizona, Amsterdam, and Singapore.
Bluehost:
Headquartered in Provo, Utah, Bluehost’s auxiliary data center is in the nearby town of Orem, while global servers are located in the United Kingdom, India, Hong Kong, and Mainland China.
Speed Results:
Which is the faster hosting provider – Bluehost vs A2 Hosting?
A2Hosting:
A2Hosting sites load at an average rate of 2.01 seconds.
Bluehost:
Not up to snuff, we’re afraid: average loading time for sites hosted through the service is currently at 3.22 seconds.
Average Uptime, Bandwidth, and Webspace Limits/Storage:
Let's talk about uptime, storage, and bandwidth capabilities in Bluehost vs A2 Hosting?
A2Hosting:
A2Hosting claims that its uptime is at 99.99%. In reality, we noted that it was actually 99.98%. That may seem like a small difference, but if you’re going to be ethically strict about it, it’s false advertising.
Bandwidth is unlimited, while storage begins at 100GB for the Startup Plan and is unlimited for those in higher tiers.
Bluehost:
Bluehost’s uptime is at par at 99.98%.
Bandwidth is unlimited across all hosting plans, but storage is pegged at 50GB at the most basic. Everyone else gets unlimited storage.
Winner – Draw! in this A2 Hosting vs Bluehost ‘Performance' comparison.
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Support and Resources:
Now we'll compare how competent support is for both A2 vs Bluehost.
A2Hosting:
Multi-channel technical assistance is available at all hours through phone, chat or email ticketing. The A2Hosting knowledge base is quite extensive, user-friendly, and offers a great deal of clarity.
Bluehost:
Comparing A2 vs Bluehost, Bluehost offers 24/7 customer and technical service via email, LiveChat, and phone. Its knowledge base is also well-maintained.
Winner – Draw! It's a close call, so we're calling this a tie between A2 Hosting vs Bluehost in this ‘Support and Resources' comparison.
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Pricing:
Which between A2 vs Bluehost has more affordable pricing plans and better value for money?
Quick Comparison Table for A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Pricing Plans and Transparency:
| Criteria | A2 Hosting | Bluehost | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Startup | Drive | Turbo Boost | Basic | Plus | Choice Plus | |
| Initial Price | Starts from $2.99/month | Starts from $4.99/month | Starts from $9.99/month | $2.95/month | $5.45/month | $5.45/month |
| Renewal Price | $8.99/month | $11.99/month | $20.99/month | $9.99/month | $14.99/month | $24.99/month |
| Free Domain | No | No | No | Yes (1 year) | Yes (1 year) | Yes (1 year) |
| Free Trial | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Refund Policy | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Money-Back Guarantee | Anytime | Anytime | Anytime | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Check Pricing | Visit A2 Hosting | Visit Bluehost | ||||
Plans
Let's compare A2 vs Bluehost's paid plans in more detail.
A2Hosting:
A2Hosting offers four standard site hosting plans. Monthly prices for the first year of use range between $2.99 and $14.99 monthly. It does, however, get steep when you renew your subscription after the first year: monthly rates take a significant jump to between $8.99 to $24.99.
Managed WordPress plans start from $11.99;
>> Check for our latest A2 Hosting discount code pricing plans <<
Bluehost:
The standard price range runs between $3.95 and $13.95 every month with key security features and unlimited bandwidth and storage available to all plans except for basic hosting.
WordPress plans start from $19.95;
If you need something more scalable for big corporate or enterprise-grade websites, these will set you back by a monthly fee of $119.99 or even higher.
>> Check for our latest Bluehost discount code pricing plans <<
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Free trial, refund policy, and money-back guarantee:
Do either A2 vs Bluehost provide a free trial and money-back guarantee? Please also check the legal page for A2 Hosting and legal page for Bluehost for detailed information on Free trial, refund policy, and money-back guarantee.
A2Hosting:
The platform offers a 30-day trial period, after which you will need to commit to a paid hosting plan.
A2Hosting assures its users of a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bluehost:
Bluehost offers a thirty-day free trial; after which, users must commit to a paid subscription plan. If you aren’t satisfied with the service, you may cancel your paid subscription within the first thirty days for a refund.
Winner – Bluehost! If we're talking value for your money, it's got to be Bluehost in this A2 Hosting vs Bluehost ‘Pricing' comparison.
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost User Reviews
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting is well-regarded for its fast servers and developer-friendly features, and it tends to attract a slightly more technically inclined audience.
Trustpilot
- A2 Hosting holds a good rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
- Users often praise the speed and performance of A2 Hosting.
- Customer support is generally well-reviewed, especially for their technical knowledge.
- Some users have raised concerns regarding higher renewal prices.
- On Reddit, A2 Hosting is generally praised for its fast servers and developer-centric environment.
- Users have also commended A2's customer support for resolving issues efficiently.
- Some Reddit users have expressed concerns about the reliability and uptime.
Bluehost
Bluehost is known for its user-friendly environment, making it a popular choice among beginners and small businesses.
Trustpilot
- Bluehost has a lower rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
- Some users appreciate the ease of use and WordPress integration.
- Customer support reviews are mixed, with some users reporting positive experiences, while others have faced issues.
- Some users have concerns about the upselling tactics and renewal pricing.
- Reddit users are divided on Bluehost. Some find it to be a decent, affordable option for starters.
- Many experienced users on Reddit tend to prefer other options, citing concerns about performance and customer service.
- Some users have praised the ease of use for beginners.
Comparison Winner: A2 vs Bluehost?
This one was a close one to call, given how Bluehost is, for all intents and purposes, strictly one for WordPress. However, if we are going to take it down to the brass tacks, we are giving the win in our A2 Hosting vs Bluehost comparison to Bluehost. We like the fact that it has flexible pricing options, is scalable and delivers when it comes to bandwidth, storage, and loading speed.
Personal Experience with A2 Hosting and Bluehost
Signing Up
A2 Hosting
Signing up with A2 Hosting is straightforward, with a simple checkout process and transparent pricing. The anytime money-back guarantee is a distinctive feature that offers peace of mind and flexibility.
Bluehost
Bluehost’s sign-up process is intuitive, but you’ll find that to get the advertised low prices, you have to sign up for a longer-term contract. They offer a standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
Setting Up a Website
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting utilizes the cPanel interface, which is familiar to many users. With Softaculous one-click installer, setting up popular applications like WordPress is hassle-free.
Bluehost
Bluehost uses a customized version of cPanel, making it user-friendly for beginners. The one-click WordPress install and integrated marketplace for themes and plugins make setting up a site easy.
Performance
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting is renowned for its performance, primarily due to LiteSpeed servers and SSD storage. The Turbo plans are particularly optimized for rapid performance.
Bluehost
Bluehost offers decent performance with a range of caching options. It doesn’t quite match up to A2 Hosting in speed but is still reasonably fast and reliable for small to medium-sized websites.
Customer Support
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting has reliable 24/7 support available through live chat, phone, and tickets. Their support staff is generally responsive and knowledgeable.
Bluehost
Bluehost offers 24/7 support through live chat and phone. The support is decent but can sometimes be inconsistent in terms of responsiveness and problem-solving capability.
Conclusion and Recommendations to my A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Comparison Test:
Now, all things considered, let's wrap up our A2 vs Bluehost comparison;
What is A2Hosting best for?
A2 Hosting stands out for speed and performance, making it ideal for websites that require fast load times. The anytime money-back guarantee is also a big plus for those who want flexibility.
I recommend A2 Hosting as a great gateway hosting service for bloggers and ecommerce startups thanks to its extensive range of useful, easy to use features.
What is Bluehost best for?
Bluehost is a solid option for beginners and small to medium-sized websites. It’s particularly popular in the WordPress community and is known for its user-friendly interface and integration with WordPress.
Bluehost is a great choice for long-time WordPress users who want to step up their site-building game.
A2 Hosting and Bluehost Alternatives:
| Ranking | Key Features | Price (Basic Plan) | My View |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Bluehost | One-click WordPress install, free domain for 1st year, free SSL certificate, unmetered bandwidth, and 24/7 customer support. | $2.95/month Check Pricing | Best for beginners due to its user-friendly interface, affordability, and comprehensive features. It also has strong ties with WordPress. |
| 2. SiteGround | Managed WordPress hosting, free SSL, daily backups, CDN, email, staging tool, and 24/7 support. | $3.99/month Check Pricing | Best for overall performance, features, and exceptional customer support. It’s particularly favored among WordPress users due to its specialized hosting services. |
| 3. Kinsta | Managed WordPress hosting, free migrations, daily backups, automatic scaling, Google Cloud Platform infrastructure. | $30/month Check Pricing | Best for businesses that rely heavily on WordPress. It offers high performance, security, and scalability. |
| 4. A2 Hosting | Turbo servers for faster loading, free account migration, anytime money-back guarantee, and 24/7/365 support. | $2.99/month Check Pricing | Best for developers due to its range of developer-friendly tools, and also for its high-speed performance. |
| 5. WP Engine | Managed WordPress hosting, daily backups, threat detection, SSL, CDN, staging environments. | $30/month Check Pricing | Best for WordPress users looking for high-performance hosting with top-notch security features and support. |
| 6. Hostinger | LiteSpeed Cache, WordPress acceleration, free SSL, 24/7/365 support, 99.9% uptime guarantee. | $1.39/month Check Pricing | Best for budget-conscious users seeking an excellent balance between affordability, performance, and features. |
| 7. InMotion Hosting | Free domain, SSD storage, free SSL, security suite, and 90-day money-back guarantee. | $2.49/month Check Pricing | Best for small to medium-sized businesses due to its solid performance, security features, and customer support. |
| 8. DreamHost | Managed WordPress hosting, free domain, SSD storage, free SSL, 97-day money-back guarantee. | $2.59/month Check Pricing | Best for those looking for strong privacy protection, a long money-back guarantee period, and steady performance. |
| 9. Cloudways | Managed cloud hosting, SSD-based hosting, free SSL, dedicated firewalls, 24/7/365 support. | $10/month Check Pricing | Best for users who want a mix of performance and flexibility without the hassle of managing a cloud server. |
| 10. GreenGeeks | Environmentally friendly, unlimited web space, data transfer, free domain name, nightly backups, and 24/7/365 support. | $3.95/month Check Pricing | Best for eco-conscious users seeking robust hosting features with a focus on renewable energy without compromising speed and security. |
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Final word:
A2Hosting is our best bet following our A2Hosting vs Bluehost matchup, but you would do well to go over all your options with regard to a hosting service. Be sure to check if the ones you fancy beyond A2 vs Bluehost can help you out when it comes to specific requirements for your website.
Check for the best Bluehost pricing
FAQs:
Which between A2 vs Bluehost offers cloud hosting?
A2Hosting does, though we recommend you check the rates on their website as these will cost considerably more than standard shared or managed hosting plans.
Aside from WordPress, what platforms can I use with either of these services?
Bluehost is a preferred partner for WordPress, so it’s their way or the highway. A2Hosting, on the other hand, may also be used with Joomla and ecommerce-specific platforms such as PrestaShop, OpenCart, and AbanteCart.
That’s all for now:
If you've read our A2 Hosting vs Bluehost comparison review up to here, we are grateful. Remember always to keep abreast of the latest developments on website builders, eCommerce, and other articles, such as the ones below;
Please share any comments below!