Selecting the appropriate web hosting is essential for the overall success of your site. With so many options to pick from, Bluehost and A2 Hosting, now officially known as Hosting.com, are two of the most popular options, with both companies offering a variety of features dedicated to particular needs. If you are asking yourself (and many others) Is Bluehost or A2 Hosting better? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
This comprehensive comparison covers everything you want to know, including Bluehost vs A2 Hosting performance test, A2 Hosting vs Bluehost load time, pricing, beginner-friendly, uptime, and much more, to find a clearer conclusion.
Table Of Content
Company Insights: What Sets Them Apart
Bluehost
Bluehost is one of the most popular hosting providers in the world, serving more than 2 million websites. It offers beginner-friendly services and is also recommended by WordPress.org. Bluehost has a primary focus on shared hosting services, but it does offer VPS hosting, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress hosting. It’s marketed primarily to beginners or small businesses because it’s focused on ease of use.
A2 Hosting (Hosting.com)
A2 Hosting, now known as Hosting.com was founded in 2001 and is known for its blazing-fast hosting solutions. Hosting.com provides shared hosting, VPS storage, VPS hosting, dedicated servers, and reseller hosting plans. This Bluehost alternative focuses on speed and includes developer-friendly tools. A2 Hosting also markets itself to speed and performance-based users, such as developers or advanced website owners.
Target Audience
As Bluehost is targeting more beginner users and those who want a simple setup, A2 Hosting is targeting speed-oriented users and those with advanced hosting needs.
Bluehost vs A2 Hosting Performance Test
Speed and uptime are key parts of the Bluehost vs A2 Hosting performance test comparison. Let us dive deeper into how these two hosting accounts perform in real-time.
Page Load Time and Server Speed/Responsiveness
A frequently asked question is A2 Hosting vs Bluehost load time. There are multiple key independent benchmarks that show that A2 Hosting is consistently faster for page load time. A2 Hosting’s Turbo Servers allow you to use NVMe SSDs and optimize caching to allow for page load times that are as much as 20-30% faster than Bluehost’s standard shared hosting account.
While Bluehost’s page load time is decent and respectable, generally between 800ms and 1.2 seconds in most load time tests, A2 Hosting’s speed can often be clocked less than 600ms, which often makes it one of the fastest in the shared hosting marketplace.
Uptime and Reliability
A2 Hosting typically outperforms with an uptime of more like 99.95-99.99% and only a few minutes of downtime a month. Bluehost generally has good uptime as well, depending on server loads, which are typically heavier in their shared hosting plans, and they occasionally fall just under 99.9% uptime.
Summary of Performance
Bluehost: Very reliable, good speeds for most users, good for beginners
A2 Hosting: Faster load times, better uptime, good to consider if your website’s main objective is speed
A2 Hosting vs Bluehost Features Comparison
In terms of functionality, Bluehost and A2 Hosting include all the needs, but you may find a few differences.
| Feature | Bluehost | A2 Hosting |
| Storage | SSD Storage, 50 GB+ | NVMe SSD Storage, unlimited* |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unmetered |
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Free CDN | No | Yes (Cloudflare integration) |
| Backup | Daily backups on higher plans | Free automatic backups |
| Developer Tools | Limited SSH, cPanel | SSH, staging, Git, WP-CLI |
| Control Panel | Custom cPanel | cPanel |
Storage and Bandwidth
Generally, Hosting.com provides more storage compared to its competitors, especially on higher-end plans, and it also provides faster NVMe drives, while Bluehost has dependable SSD storage. Most plans from both A2 Hosting and Bluehost offer unlimited, or unmetered, bandwidth.
Security & Backups
In terms of backup policies, A2 Hosting generally provides more automation and backups more frequently. Hosting.com includes a free Cloudflare CDN to improve performance and security.
Bluehost vs A2 Hosting: Pricing and Plans
Price can be an important aspect to consider. Both Bluehost and A2 Hosting are competitive, but there are minor variations in their offerings.
- Shared Hosting Pricing: Bluehost’s shared hosting services originally start at around £2.22/month for the cheapest plan (introductory rate), and will give you a free domain for the first year. A2 Hosting’s basic shared plan starts at approximately £2.25/month. However, they aren’t providing a free domain name.
- VPS and Dedicated Hosting: Generally speaking, A2 Hosting VPS plans are generally regarded as being more geared toward performance and are slightly higher in rate, while Bluehost’s VPS plans seem more beginner-friendly and are more “managed”.
- Renewal Pricing: Both A2 Hosting and Bluehost reprice higher after the initial term for the services; however, it seems that Bluehost tends to raise the prices higher than A2 Hosting does.
Free Domain Inclusion
Is a free domain name included with the Bluehost or A2 Hosting basic plan?
- Bluehost hosting platform includes a free domain name for the first year as part of the basic shared hosting plan.
- Hosting.com does not include a free domain name with the basic plan, so you would have to purchase a domain name separately.
User-Friendly Design & Beginner Accessibility
Bluehost
Bluehost matches best when it comes to being beginner-friendly. Its own control panel is simple, clean, and integrates nicely with WordPress. The onboarding process takes you through getting your domain set up, theme installed, and site live with minimal fuss.
A2 Hosting
While A2 Hosting provides a cPanel (the industry standard), its interface is somewhat more technical. It is fast to set up, but it’s a better option for someone with some hosting experience or someone who wants the control that the setup offers to a developer.
Verdict
For a total beginner, Bluehost is a better overall fit due to its user-friendly interface and the included domain registration. A2 Hosting is better suited for those comfortable with cPanel or those wanting a more advanced offering to developers.
Reliable Customer Support & Customer Satisfaction
Support Channels
Both A2 Hosting and Bluehost provide 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone (also as phone support), and via tickets.
Quality of Support
The support provided by Bluehost is typically helpful, but it can lag during peak hours. A2 provides “Guru Crew” support that is often faster and has better knowledge when it comes to technical inquiries.
Uptime Guarantees
Both of the hosts offer a 99.9% uptime guarantee:
Which host offers better guaranteed uptime, Bluehost or A2 Hosting?
- Bluehost also ensures maximum uptime, but it may experience issues on higher-traffic days.
- A2 Hosting’s real-world uptime tends to be more reliable and often exceeds 99.9%.
So, who comes out on top in the Bluehost vs A2 Hosting duel? It all comes down to what you want the most.
If you’re just starting out and want a straightforward, buttoned-up experience that includes a free domain, Bluehost is the host for you. On the other hand, if performance, uptime, and developer-friendly features are your top criteria, Hosting.com does better in this experience.
Either way, both hosts offer reputable value and have their own unique strengths. Think about your website’s needs and choose the host that suits your needs best.
FAQs
1. Which hosting platform is ideal for beginner users: Bluehost or A2 Hosting?
Bluehost is better for beginner users due to their easy-to-use custom control panel, one free year of domain name registration, and easy onboarding. On the other hand, A2 Hosting is better suited to users with some technical knowledge or those who want advanced feature sets.
2. How does A2 Hosting stack up when looking at page load times and server response times compared to Bluehost?
Most independent Bluehost vs A2 Hosting performance tests have shown A2 Hosting as being faster than Bluehost based on both page load times and server response times. A2 Hosting has a speed advantage over Bluehost primarily due to A2 Hosting’s Turbo Servers and NVMe built-in storage. As such, Hosting.com is a better option for users focused on performance.
3. Which host has better guaranteed uptime, Bluehost or A2 Hosting?
While both hosts provide a promise of guaranteed uptime of 99.9%, A2 Hosting’s real uptime is slightly better, usually falling in the 99.95-99.99% range, which means less time that websites are down compared to Bluehost.
4. Does A2 Hosting or Bluehost provide free domain name registration with the basic plan?
Bluehost provides free registration of a domain name for the first year, adding convenience for new websites with its basic shared hosting plan, while A2 Hosting does not offer that in its basic plan, and you will incur costs to register a domain name.
