How each company prices the first term
On 30 October 2026 Bluehost's WordPress hosting page showed Starter at $3.99, Business at $6.99 and eCommerce Essentials at $14.99 a month on a 36-month term, renewing at $9.99, $13.99 and $21.99. SiteGround showed StartUp, GrowBig and GoGeek at $2.99, $4.99 and $7.99 a month for 12 months prepaid, renewing at $17.99, $29.99 and $44.99.
Bluehost also ran a holiday offer from 1 October to 30 November 2026: 15% off one eligible product, 20% off two, or 25% off three or more in the same order, applying to the first 12-month term only and not combinable with other offers. Its pricing table showed 36-month terms, so ask at checkout how the two interact before relying on it.
Side-by-side from the official pages
| Item | SiteGround StartUp | SiteGround GrowBig | Bluehost Starter | Bluehost Business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intro price and term | $2.99/mo, 12 months prepaid | $4.99/mo, 12 months prepaid | $3.99/mo, 36-month term | $6.99/mo, 36-month term |
| Renewal | $17.99/mo | $29.99/mo | $9.99/mo | $13.99/mo |
| Websites | 1 | Unlimited | 10 | 50 |
| Storage | 10 GB | 50 GB | 10 GB NVMe | 50 GB NVMe |
| Backups | Daily, up to 30 copies | Daily, up to 30 copies, 5 on-demand | Weekly in plan table (FAQ says daily off-site) | Weekly in plan table (FAQ says daily off-site) |
| Staging | Not listed on plan card | Included | Included | Included |
| Phone support | Not listed per plan | Not listed per plan | Chat; phone not included | Chat and phone |
| Money-back | 30 days from activation | 30 days from activation | 30 days, new signups | 30 days, new signups |
Refund and migration fine print
SiteGround refunds shared hosting within 30 days of activation and excludes domain fees, paid support and third-party services. Bluehost's refund policy covers shared, VPS and dedicated hosting fees for new signups within 30 days, deducts a fee for the domain and applicable taxes, excludes add-ons such as SSL certificates and AI products, and does not apply to Bluehost Cloud Hosting or monthly-term services. Its WordPress page FAQ adds that the money-back refund is valid for credit card payments only. Bluehost renewals are refundable only within a 15-day prebill window.
Both advertise free migration. SiteGround's WordPress page advertised free migration and, for a limited time, a free site transfer on all plans. Bluehost lists a free site migration tool on its plans; its separate migration services page says migrations are subject to review, not all accounts qualify, and its contract buyout credit requires buying Bluehost Cloud for a term at least as long as the one you are leaving.
Worked example: three years for one LearnDash site
Take one LearnDash course site that needs staging so plugin updates can be tested before students see them. On SiteGround that means GrowBig: $59.88 for year one, then $719.76 for years two and three at $29.99 a month, a total of $779.64. On Bluehost, Starter already lists staging: $3.99 x 36 = $143.64 for the same three years. Business, for phone support and more storage, is $6.99 x 36 = $251.64.
On list price alone Bluehost costs $528 to $636 less over three years. What SiteGround offers for the difference is a clearly documented backup history: daily copies, up to 30 kept, stored off-server, plus 5 on-demand backups before risky updates. Bluehost's own page was inconsistent on the check date (weekly in the plan table, daily in the FAQ), so ask Bluehost in writing how many restore points you get and how a restore is requested before you rely on them for enrollment and payment data.
Who fits each, and who should skip
- Bluehost fits: a price-sensitive seller who can prepay three years and wants staging on the entry plan.
- Skip Bluehost if you need a documented, frequent restore history today; confirm backup frequency first because its page contradicted itself.
- SiteGround GrowBig fits: an owner who wants daily backups with a published 30-copy retention and on-demand backups before plugin updates.
- Skip SiteGround StartUp for a live course site that you update yourself; the plan card lists no staging and no free on-demand backups.
- Already on Bluehost and unhappy? Use our Bluehost to SiteGround migration guide; it covers backups, email and DNS cutover.
Questions before you decide
Is Bluehost cheaper than SiteGround?
Yes on list price. On 30 October 2026 Bluehost Starter was $3.99 a month on a 36-month term and renews at $9.99; SiteGround StartUp renews at $17.99 after a 12-month intro.
Which has staging on the cheapest plan?
Bluehost listed staging on Starter. SiteGround lists staging from GrowBig, not on the StartUp plan card.
How do the refund windows compare?
Both are 30 days. SiteGround counts from activation and excludes domain fees; Bluehost limits it to new signups, deducts a domain fee and excludes Cloud Hosting and monthly terms.
Does Bluehost back up daily or weekly?
Its WordPress page was inconsistent on 30 October 2026: the plan table said weekly and the FAQ said daily off-site backups. Ask Bluehost before relying on either.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- SiteGround WordPress hosting plans and prices Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- SiteGround KB: How to use the Backup service in Site Tools Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- SiteGround KB: Refund policy Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bluehost WordPress hosting plans Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bluehost help: Hosting refund policy Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bluehost: WordPress migration services Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.