Choosing the right web hosting service can make all the difference for your website, and both Bluehost and InterServer offer a lot. In this comparison, look closely at what each hosting company offers regarding performance, pricing, customer support, and scalability. Whether you’re starting out or switching hosting providers, understanding the differences will help you choose the right one.
Overview of Bluehost
Since its launch in 2003, Bluehost has become a major player in the web hosting industry. A member of Newfold Digital and a WordPress.org recommended provider since 2005, Bluehost has earned the trust of both new and experienced developers with its dependable service. Bluehost is known for its high standards for ensuring consistent uptime and stellar performance. It guarantees that websites operate smoothly and remain accessible.
Bluehost offers a wide array of hosting options such as shared hosting, VPS, dedicated hosting, managed WordPress hosting, WooCommerce hosting, and cloud hosting to suit every need—from simple personal blogs to comprehensive business websites.
At Bluehost, the user experience is crucial. That’s why it includes cPanel for streamlined management, including benefits like free SSL certificates, automatic backups, and robust security measures. With competitive pricing and unwavering 24/7 customer support, Bluehost stands out as a top choice for anyone eager to start or grow their online presence with ease.
Overview of Interserver
Founded in 1999, Interserver offers a range of web hosting services, from shared hosting to cloud VPS and dedicated servers. They operate primarily from Secaucus, New Jersey. Interserver provides a price lock guarantee to keep hosting fees consistent and employs measures like automatic virus scans and machine learning firewalls to enhance security. They also offer scalable hosting options and 24/7 customer support to assist users’ hosting needs.
Bluehost vs. Interserver: Hosting plan comparison
Review the hosting plans that each provider offers below:
Bluehost hosting plans
- Shared hosting: Ideal for beginners, this plan starts at just $2.95 per month. It includes user-friendly features such as one-click WordPress installation, along with a free domain and SSL certificate for the first year. This is a cost-effective option for those just starting out.
- VPS hosting: Priced at $31.99 per month, this option offers enhanced power and control. It includes unmetered or unlimited bandwidth, a cPanel license, dedicated resources, and scalable SSD storage, suited for websites that require more robust performance.
- Dedicated hosting: Starting at $91.81 per month, dedicated hosting provides top-tier performance with exclusive server use. Features include unmetered bandwidth, a Linux operating system, and cPanel with root access that caters to high-traffic sites and large-scale business needs.
- WooCommerce hosting: Tailored for eCommerce sites, this plan starts at $9.95 per month and includes pre-installed WooCommerce, secure payment gateways, and a storefront theme. This option offers a complete solution for online stores.
- WordPress hosting: Specifically optimized for WordPress sites, this plan starts at $2.95 per month. It comes with automatic WordPress installation, automatic platform updates, and a free domain for the first year, making it perfect for bloggers and small business owners.
- Cloud hosting: Offers exceptional reliability and scalability for $29.99 per month. Multiple devices automatically mirror data to ensure increased uptime and performance. This choice is ideal for businesses with fluctuating traffic.
Interserver hosting plans
- Standard web hosting: Created for small businesses or personal blogs, this plan starts at just $2.50 a month. It includes unlimited SSD storage, email accounts, and even free website migration, which is excellent if you’re looking to switch hosts without hassle.
- Cloud VPS hosting: Starting at $6.00 a month, Interserver’s cloud VPS hosting is flexible and customizable. Whether you need Linux or Windows, or have specific resource requirements, these plans are scalable to match your site’s growth and complexity.
- Dedicated servers: If your enterprise demands the utmost in performance and control, Interserver’s dedicated servers are ideal for you. Starting at $189 per month, you can tailor your server to your exact specifications.
Bluehost vs. Interserver: Ease of use
User interfaces
Bluehost and Interserver both offer user-friendly interfaces that are perfect for anyone from beginners to seasoned webmasters. Bluebook’s dashboard is especially simple to navigate because it has a modern design that neatly organizes everything you need right at your fingertips. This makes managing your hosting environment seamless, whether you’re installing WordPress, setting up email accounts, or tweaking your site settings.
For example, when you log into your Bluehost dashboard, you’ll find:
See the navigation column on the left where you can click on different tabs like Websites. For example:
The (1) Add Site button will allow you to create a WordPress site. With the (2) Settings button, you’ll be able to adjust your website’s settings to suit your needs.
When you click the (3) Edit WordPress Site, you’ll be taken to the WordPress dashboard where you can customize your site’s look, manage users, or optimize SEO plugins like Yoast. In the (4) management area, you can manage various site settings, such as toggling automatic updates, activating or deactivating plugins, setting up SSL for security, checking WordPress file integrity, tweaking cache settings for optimized performance, and overseeing user permissions and backups.
In the Advanced section above, you’ll be taken to Bluehost’s cPanel, where you have comprehensive control over your hosting details like managing email accounts, tracking resource usage, editing site files, and more.
On the other hand, InterServer’s user interface has elicited various feedback from users. Some describe the interface as clunky and outdated, with several encountering difficulties in navigating and functional issues, such as forms not working correctly and challenges in setting up VPS services.
On the flip side, there are customers who report positive experiences, highlighting the interface’s ease of use and efficient signup process. While the interface might lack the sleekness of some competitors, others value its straightforwardness and find it sufficient for their needs.
Bluehost vs. Interserver: Website builder and email services
In this section, compare the website building and email services offered by Bluehost and Interserver to help you determine which web host best suits your online presence needs.
Website builder
- Bluehost: Bluehost offers a user-friendly tool called Wondersuite, a WordPress AI website builder that simplifies the process of creating a professional website. You start by answering some basic questions about your website needs, then follow easy, guided steps to use the builder’s range of customizable templates. For those who prefer a more custom solution, Bluehost also provides professional website design services to help you achieve the exact look and functionality you want for your site. This makes it an excellent choice for both beginners and those looking for expert design assistance.
- Interserver: Interserver also has a website builder powered by SitePad that’s included in their web hosting plans. Although it doesn’t have the advantages of AI, it still allows you to create a professional website.
Email services
- Bluehost: Bluehost’s Professional Email ($1.49 per month) and Professional Email ($2.49 per month) provide you with an effective way to handle business communications. Alternatively, Google Workspace Business Starter ($3.00 per month per user), Google Workspace Business Standard ($6.00 per month per user), and Google Workspace Business Plus ($9.00 per month per user) offer a rich suite of collaborative tools. Both services seamlessly integrate with your business operations, ensuring efficient and professional email communication.
- Interserver: Interserver offers Private Email Hosting that starts at $2.50 per month for 12 months. This offers a secure and cost-effective solution for managing your emails. It’s especially suited for small businesses or individuals seeking to enhance their professional communication tools.
Bluehost vs. Interserver: Performance and reliability
Look at how Bluehost and Interserver perform when it comes to your website’s reliability.
Uptime and speed statistics
- Bluehost ensures your site stays online with a 99.9% uptime guarantee by using Cloudflare CDN to enhance speed and reduce outages. Meanwhile, for cloud hosting, you get 100% uptime. Bluehost aims to resolve issues quickly, typically within 15 minutes, but more complex issues can take longer. Bluehost’s commitment to quick resolutions minimizes disruptions to keep your online operations smooth.
- Interserver is dedicated to maintaining high service standards as outlined in their Service Level Agreement (SLA). They offer a 99.9% network uptime guarantee each month, not including scheduled maintenance. If Interserver fails to meet this guarantee, they provide affected clients with credits, potentially up to 50% of the monthly fee, on a case-by-case basis. The SLA covers everything from routers and switches, but it excludes software issues on client servers. Interserver also promises 100% uninterrupted power and provides equivalent credits for any failures. Claims for credits must be made through a trouble ticket submitted within a week of the incident.
Bluehost vs. Interserver: Security features
Take a look at the security features of Bluehost and Interserver to see how each hosting service works to keep your website secure.
Bluehost security features
- Jetpack: Bluehost integrates Jetpack into its hosting services, offering two distinct plans: Jetpack Backup Premium and Jetpack Backup Professional. Both options include essential security features like real-time cloud backups, 30-day archives, and easy one-click restores, but they differ in storage capacity—10GB for Premium and 1TB for Professional. This setup ensures your site stays secure and easily recoverable. Explore an article on how to setup Jetpack for more details.
- SiteLock: SiteLock helps keep your website safe. It checks your site on a daily basis for any security risks or malware. If it finds anything wrong, SiteLock will notify you and can even automatically remove the malware. Learn more about SiteLock by exploring these articles:
- CodeGuard: CodeGuard automatically backs up your website every day and keeps an eye out for any changes. If it spots something out of the ordinary, it’ll alert you right away. Plus, if things go wrong, like a hack or accidental data deletion, you can quickly restore your website to a previous version with just a couple of clicks.
- SSL certificates: Encrypt all data exchanged between your website and its visitors. This ensures that their information remains private and secure.
Interserver security features
- InterShield Security: Interserver’s InterShield Security provides advanced protection for your website at no additional cost. Leveraging a vast amount of data from thousands of servers, it anticipates and blocks potential web attacks before they occur. Features include automatic virus scanning, a machine learning firewall, and access to an extensive in-house malware database, all working together to create a robust defense against various cyber threats. This proactive security solution is designed to keep your online environment safe and secure.
- Inter-Insurance: Interserver offers a vital service called Inter-Insurance at no additional cost, which is especially beneficial for cleaning up compromised or hacked accounts. They specialize in restoring WordPress sites, not just cleaning up after an incident but also investigating to find out why it happened, restoring the site to how it was before, and making the necessary fixes to prevent future issues. This service is particularly helpful during account migrations to ensure a secure and smooth transition to their platform.
- SSL certificates: These work by encrypting the data that flows between your website and its visitors. This ensures that personal information like their passwords and credit card numbers is safely transmitted and kept private from prying eyes.
Bluehost vs. Interserver: Customer support
Explore how Bluehost and Interserver stack up against each other in terms of customer support.
- Bluehost: Bluehost provides 24/7 customer support through live chat and phone to ensure users anywhere can access help whenever needed. Their team is renowned for quick and effective responses, helping to swiftly tackle any issues and keep your website running smoothly.
- Interserver: Interserver also provides 24/7 customer support through phone, live chat, and ticket systems. This ensures that you can have your issues addressed round-the-clock.
Final recommendations: Choosing between Bluehost and Interserver
When comparing Bluehost and InterServer for web hosting, Bluehost often stands out for those who value seamless customer support and user-friendly operations. Bluehost provides a user-friendly platform with a variety of hosting plans to meet various user requirements, supported by robust security measures such as free SSL certificates and automatic backups.
Although Interserver provides competitive pricing and reliable service guarantees, Bluehost’s superior user experience and comprehensive support make it a particularly appealing choice, especially for newcomers looking for an effortless web hosting solution.
