look at two options you might be considering: Bluehost and Wix. I’ll explain what both options offer, cover all the key features you need to know about, and let you know which one I recommend. Here’s what we’ll cover. You can click on the quick links to jump straight to different parts of this article .
Contents hide
1 Important distinction
2 Why I Recommend Bluehost
3 Characteristics
3.1 Hosting type
3.2 Domain name
3.3 Number of websites
3.4 Storage space
3.5 Bandwidth
3.6 Control Panel
3.7 SSL Certificate
3.8 CDN (Content Delivery Network)
4 Performance
5 User experience
6 Customer Support
7 Pricing
8 Bluehost vs Wix: Which One Is Right for You
8.1 Related publications:
An important distinction
Before we get too far, I need to explain a really important difference between Bluehost and Wix. This is something that often confuses new website owners, so I’ll explain it as clearly as I can. Bluehost is a web hosting service . This means you can use it to build a variety of different types of websites . We’ll focus on using Bluehost to build a WordPress site (since that’s the most popular option), but the main thing to know is that Bluehost doesn’t dictate how you build your site . They provide hosting – the web space your site needs to exist. There is a dedicated Bluehost website builder for WordPress, but you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to. The Bluehost website builder is there for your convenience only. Wix is a different matter entirely. It offers a complete all-in-one website builder package ( the Wix software ). Is Wix hosting? While they do offer website hosting, it’s integrated into their entire product suite. This can be very appealing when you’re just starting out because most of the work is done for you. But it also comes with some serious limitations and may end up being unexpectedly expensive in the long run.
Why I Recommend Bluehost
Your best bet is probably Bluehost… not Wix. With Bluehost, you can build your site using WordPress: the gold standard in website building software . WordPress is used by 42% of internet users (and that number continues to grow year after year). It’s great for small and large sites, and has a huge community of fans and programmers who create “plugins” (additional software features) that you can easily add to your WordPress site . This makes it easy to make money from your site over time. With Wix, you’ll be locked into their website builder – and it’s much more limited than WordPress. Wix might be a good option. If you run a standalone business (like a restaurant or store) or just need an online home to showcase your work (maybe you’re a designer ), then a Wix site might make sense for you. It can be a little faster and easier to set up than a WordPress site on Bluehost. Another important thing to consider is the cost of running a blog. To get features on Wix that are comparable to standard WordPress, you’ll need a paid plan that starts at $14/month. That’s a lot more expensive than Bluehost, which offers plans for under $3/month. So for most people, Bluehost is the better choice. But if you’re an exception, or just want to learn more, I’ve outlined everything you need to know.
Characteristics
Let's take a look at the main features that Wix and Bluehost offer.
Hosting type
With both Bluehost and Wix, you get shared web hosting . This means that your site is stored with other people's sites on a large web server . The server is connected to the Internet 24/7, so your site can be accessed at any time from anywhere in the world. Bluehost allows you to upgrade to dedicated hosting if you want. This is a good option if your site starts to grow. Wix website hosting is always shared.
Winner: Bluehost
Domain name
The address of your website is called its domain name , such as ryrob.com . Bluehost gives you a free domain name with your hosting. If you've already purchased a domain name elsewhere, you can use it with a Bluehost plan at no extra cost. On Wix, you'll have to upgrade to a paid plan (starting at $14/month) to connect a custom domain . However, you do get a free domain with that plan .
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Winner: Bluehost
Number of websites
Bluehost limits you to one website on its cheapest plan. You can pay a little more to have unlimited websites – but you’ll be limited to one free domain name. Wix lets you create as many websites as you want under one account. However, you’ll have to pay for a premium plan for each site you want premium features for.
Winner: Bluehost
Storage space
Each page on your site takes up a little bit of storage space, just like the images and files on your phone or computer. If your site has hundreds of pages and lots of large images, it will need more storage. If you only have a few pages and images, you won’t need much space. Bluehost’s cheapest plan offers 50GB of storage. That’s probably more than your site will need in the coming months or years. Wix only offers 3GB on its cheapest plan, which isn’t much — you can go over that limit very quickly. Free Wix sites only come with 500MB of storage. (That’s equivalent to 0.5GB.)
Winner: Bluehost
Bandwidth
Bandwidth measures how much data is transferred from your site’s server to people’s computers or mobil
