Bluehost AI Store: Upgrade to Sell Online to Publish Website

The Sell Online plan unlocks the full feature set of the Bluehost AI Store, letting you create and manage your products, track and fulfill orders, accept payments, and get performance insights.

This article discusses how you can upgrade to the Sell Online plan, what's required before you can upgrade, and what you need to do if the upgrade option is not available for you.

What You Will Get with Sell Online

Starting July 25, 2026, customers on the AI Store free trial can upgrade to the paid Sell Online plan. This upgrade gives full access to the AI Store experience, including:

• Creating and managing products
• Tracking and fulfilling orders
• Handling payments
• Store performance insights and data
• AI chat assistance for store updates

The free trial phase lets you design and preview your website. However, you need to upgrade to the Sell Online plan to sell or process real orders through your online store.

Before You Upgrade

The Sell Online upgrade is only available if you have set up your AI Store correctly during your free trial. Your original setup prompt should have clearly requested an online store. For example, it should mention that you want to sell your products online. 

If your setup prompt didn't mention selling, the Sell Online upgrade option will not appear and WooCommerce will not be installed on your website.

Not sure if this applies to you? Visit the Bluehost AI Store: Getting Started with AI Store for the full setup walkthrough, including what a working prompt looks like.

How to Upgrade to Sell Online

If you already set up your website in the free trial phase, follow the steps below to upgrade to the Sell Online plan.

1. Log in to your Bluehost Portal.
2. Look for the Upgrade Now banner at the top of the page.

   
    

3. If you don't see the "Upgrade Now" banner:
   1. Click the Edit Site button next to your online store found in the Dashboard tab.

      
       

   2. If not found in the Dashboard, click Websites in the left-hand menu, and look for the Sell Online - Free Trial section.

      
       

   3. Click Edit Site.
   4. You will find the Upgrade button and banner in the AI Store editor.

      

4. Select Continue with Sell Online.

   
    

5. On the Checkout page, select the billing term for your Sell Online plan.

   
    

6. Add a Promo code, if available.
7. Click on Submit Payment to complete your purchase.

   

Once the upgrade is successful, you can begin managing your products, orders, and payments through the AI Store Dashboard.

What's Next After the Upgrade: Set Up Your AI Store Dashboard

After upgrading, you can view and manage your online store through the AI Store dashboard. For detailed instructions on how to set up your AI Store dashboard, visit the Bluehost AI Store: Setting Up the AI Store Dashboard article.

You can also refer to the following support articles:

• Add and manage products - Bluehost AI Store: How to Create, Edit and Delete a Product
• Set up payments - Bluehost AI Store: How to Connect Stripe
• Manage orders - Bluehost AI Store: How to Process and Fulfill an Order
• Monitor your online store's performance - Bluehost AI Store: Understanding the AI Action Plan
• Set up shipping - Bluehost AI Store: How to Add, Edit, and Delete a Shipping Method

Need to familiarize yourself with the AI Store dashboard? For more information, see the Bluehost AI Store: Navigating the AI Store Dashboard article.

Publish Your Website When You're Ready to Launch

Upgrading to the Sell Online plan gets you access to the backend features of the AI Store, but your website is not yet visible to customers unless you publish it. Publishing your site is the final step in launching your online store.

Before You Publish

Perform a final review of your online store to make sure it is ready.

• Products - Confirm that every product has a title, description, price, and image. Make sure that inventory counts are accurate.
• Payments - Make sure Stripe is fully connected.
• Shipping and taxes - Double-check your shipping zones and rates. Tax settings should be configured for the regions you sell to.
• Content - Review the AI-generated product listings and page copy, and personalize them with your own photos and brand details.
• Domain - Connect your online store to an active domain. Visit the How to Connect a Domain Name from Websites Tab article to learn more.

How to Publish Your Website

1. Log in to your Bluehost Portal.
2. Click the Edit Site button next to your AI Store website.
3. In the AI Store editor, click Publish in the upper-right corner.

   

Once published, your online store is live and can accept real orders and payments.

Summary

Learn how to upgrade from the AI Store free trial to the Sell Online plan, including eligibility requirements, upgrade steps, and post-upgrade setup. This article also explains how to manage your online store and publish your website to start accepting orders and payments.