Bluehost vs Hosting.com (Formerly A2 Hosting): Which Is Better in 2026?
A2 Hosting is now Hosting.com. Both providers can run a WordPress site, but their current plans differ in email, backups, migration, storage, and the kind of control you get. This guide helps you choose the right plan and check the true cost before buying.
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Quick answer
Bluehost Starter is a good first option for a new WordPress blog when its guided setup, first-year domain on eligible terms, and offer price match your budget. Hosting.com deserves a close look if you want domain-based email, daily backups, and a managed migration included with the specific shared plan shown on its current hosting page. Neither host is universally cheaper or faster. Compare the exact product, term, renewal, and add-ons before deciding.
Best fit: Bluehost
A new blogger or small business owner who prefers Bluehost’s WordPress workflow, can use chat support on Starter, and wants to see whether the supplied discount improves the first invoice.
Best fit: Hosting.com
A buyer who values the included email, daily backup claims, and migration assistance on its current shared plans, or wants to compare its dedicated cPanel product with its standard panel.
First, what happened to A2 Hosting?
A2 Hosting evolved into Hosting.com. The company itself describes the change as more than a rename: new plan names, features, infrastructure, and control-panel options are advertised. You may still see old A2 terms such as Startup, Drive, Turbo Boost, and Turbo Max in reviews and search results. Do not assume those legacy packages match what a new Hosting.com customer buys today.
Hosting.com publishes a legacy-to-current plan mapping, but that comparison page and its newer product pages do not show identical website limits for every product family. That is a reason to select the actual checkout product first: standard shared hosting and cPanel hosting are different offerings, and plan limits should be checked on the chosen order summary.
Bluehost vs Hosting.com: current features at a glance
| What matters | Bluehost Starter | Hosting.com shared hosting |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Guided creation tools and managed updates on the current public plan. | WordPress supported; standard shared plan advertises an AI builder and one-click installation. Its separate managed WordPress product differs. |
| First-year domain | Advertised on eligible hosting terms. | Current shared hosting page advertises free domain registration. Check extension and term eligibility. |
| Storage | 10 GB NVMe SSD on current Starter listing. | 15 GB NVMe on the current standard shared listing; confirm product and tier. |
| Backup | Weekly website backups advertised for Starter. | Daily backups and a 30-day restore window advertised on current shared page. |
| Professional email free trial advertised; check its later subscription charge. | Domain-based email accounts advertised as included on current shared page. | |
| Migration | Free WordPress site migration tool advertised; scope of professional migration may differ. | Free managed migration advertised; confirm the types and number of sites supported. |
| Support | 24/7 chat on Starter; public plan states phone support is not included. | 24/7/365 in-house help advertised; confirm channel availability for your region and product. |
| Security | SSL and malware scanning advertised on Starter. | SSL, malware protection, and web application firewall advertised for current shared plans. |
This compares public plan pages reviewed September 26, 2026. Hosting.com has multiple hosting families; exact allowances and billing terms may differ. Verify the order summary before publishing any fixed feature or price for a chosen SKU.
Pricing: what will you actually pay?
The original article stated Bluehost Basic at $2.95/month and A2 at $2.99/month, with specific renewal numbers. Those older figures and plan names should be removed. Bluehost now promotes Starter and other tiers. Hosting.com promotes current shared products with its own term choices. A displayed monthly equivalent may require an annual or longer upfront payment.
The comparison that prevents a surprise bill
True first-term cost = hosting subtotal paid today + domain registration + required email + needed backups or add-ons + tax. Then compare next-term cost using the posted renewal, domain renewal, and recurring extras. Keep the billing periods identical when you compare.
- Choose the product: Bluehost Starter or Business versus Hosting.com standard shared or cPanel hosting.
- Select the same term length and currency on both sites.
- Write down the amount due now and the exact next renewal date and amount.
- Check the domain extension, email mailboxes, backup retention, and migration requirements.
- Remove optional extras you do not need and calculate the first two years, including any email trial that turns paid.
Illustrative math, not an advertised offer: a 12-month plan shown as $4/month costs $48 up front. If the following 12 months are $12/month, the two-year hosting subtotal is $192, before domain, tax, or extras. Use your live checkout amounts for each host in the same formula.
Setup and dashboard: which is easier?
Bluehost’s current WordPress hosting flow emphasizes guided creation. For a first blog, choose a suitable plan, connect or register a domain, set up WordPress, pick a lightweight theme, create essential pages, and review the SSL and backup settings. The Starter tier is enough to begin for many simple sites, but its email trial and support channel should be understood before paying.
Hosting.com’s standard web hosting uses its own panel, while its cPanel hosting is a separate product for people who want the familiar cPanel controls. Its documentation explicitly says the standard panel is the easier starting point if you do not need cPanel. The old article treated every A2 account as a classic cPanel account; that description no longer fits every new Hosting.com order.
Both hosts can run WordPress. If your workflow depends on a particular cPanel backup or email migration, select Hosting.com’s actual cPanel product and request confirmation before checkout. If you mainly want to create and publish, try the setup demos or help articles of each host to see which dashboard feels more comfortable.
Performance: skip the invented speed winner
The original post included a table claiming 700 ms for Bluehost and 950 ms or 300 ms for A2, described as a three-month test. No methodology, sites, location, or test data accompanied those figures, so they have been removed. Hosting.com advertises LiteSpeed, NVMe storage, and modern hardware across its newer shared plans; Bluehost advertises NVMe, caching, and a CDN on current plans. Those are infrastructure features, not proof that one specific reader’s site will load faster.
For a meaningful speed comparison, use the same WordPress theme, plugins, images, caching settings, and test locations. Measure at least the median and 75th percentile across repeat visits, and test both mobile performance and server response. Image compression, a heavy page builder, and third-party scripts can outweigh a host-level difference.
Hosting.com’s current shared page advertises daily off-server backups with a 30-day restore window. Bluehost’s Starter page advertises weekly backups. If you publish or receive orders daily, that difference may matter more than a small hypothetical speed gap. Confirm whether the backup applies to your exact selected plan and test a restore once the site is live.
Security, support, and migration
Both current offers advertise SSL and malware-related tools. WordPress still requires strong passwords, limited admin access, plugin and theme updates, and an independent backup of critical content. If you handle orders or customer data, check the exact security scope instead of assuming hosting alone covers every risk.
Bluehost currently lists 24/7 chat on Starter and marks phone support as unavailable for that tier; Business and higher tiers may differ. Hosting.com advertises 24/7/365 support and both standard and cPanel products. We did not test response times, so this guide does not claim one team answers faster.
For an existing site, Hosting.com advertises managed migration; Bluehost advertises a free WordPress migration tool. These are different types of assistance. Ask each provider whether its offer covers your site count, databases, email boxes, DNS cutover, and any non-WordPress code. Keep the old account active until the website and mail have been verified on the new host.
Domains and email: two easy costs to miss
The draft said A2 or Hosting.com provided no free domain. That is no longer a safe statement: the current Hosting.com shared page advertises free domain registration, while Bluehost advertises a first-year domain on eligible terms. The extension and renewal cost can differ. If you already own a domain, check whether a free registration benefit has any value to you.
Bluehost Starter currently promotes professional email as a free trial, not necessarily a permanent free mailbox. Hosting.com currently advertises included domain-based email on its shared page. If your business depends on multiple inboxes or an existing email archive, write down the mailbox limits and migration responsibilities before deciding. Domain registration, website hosting, and email service are separate items even when shown together at checkout.
Which plan should you choose?
New blog or simple business site
Price Bluehost Starter with your offer link. Then compare Hosting.com’s standard shared Starter, including its email and backup features. Pay for the larger tier only if storage, resource, support, or store needs require it.
Existing WordPress site or cPanel move
Get a migration scope in writing. Hosting.com’s managed move or cPanel product may suit the job; Bluehost’s tool may suit a straightforward WordPress move. Factor in email and DNS work.
Online store
Check transactional backup frequency, restoration, resource ceilings, security, and the cost of commerce tools. Bluehost advertises a separate eCommerce tier; Hosting.com’s managed WordPress and higher shared tiers may also be relevant.
Developer or agency
Compare access to SSH, staging, panel choice, PHP settings, databases, delegation, and real resource limits for the specific plan. Avoid choosing only from marketing speed labels.
Our verdict
Bluehost is a sensible starting quote for a beginner-focused WordPress launch, especially if its supplied offer yields a good first-term price. Hosting.com is a credible alternative, and its current shared plans advertise meaningful inclusions such as email, daily backups, and managed migration. We cannot honestly declare Bluehost universally cheaper, faster, or better equipped from public promotional pages alone. Decide from the two checkout totals and the features you will actually use.
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Frequently asked questions
Is A2 Hosting now Hosting.com?
Yes. Hosting.com says A2 Hosting evolved into the new brand, and it changed or expanded plans and features. Existing A2 customers should inspect their own account terms rather than assuming a new-customer plan applies automatically.
Does Hosting.com still use cPanel?
It offers a separate cPanel hosting product. Its standard web hosting uses the Hosting.com panel. Choose the exact product you want before comparing prices or migration scope.
Is Bluehost cheaper than Hosting.com?
That depends on current promotional terms, renewal, domain, email, and required extras. Compare the actual amounts charged for the same time period. The supplied Bluehost link is an offer, not proof of a guaranteed final saving.
Does Hosting.com include a first-year domain?
Its current shared page advertises free domain registration. Domain-extension and term eligibility should be checked in the order summary; renewal is generally a separate cost.
Which one is faster?
We have not measured matched sites on current plans. Both advertise performance features, and the actual result depends heavily on the website, region, and settings. Avoid using the old unsourced millisecond table.
What happens if I cancel?
Both display a 30-day money-back policy for eligible hosting services, subject to product terms and exclusions. Do not assume the legacy A2 “anytime” prorated refund applies to a new Hosting.com purchase. Read the checkout policy, especially for domains and add-ons.
Does Bluehost Starter include phone support?
Its current public plan listing says 24/7 chat is included but phone support is not included on Starter. If calling support is important, check the relevant higher tier before paying.
Sources and editorial note
Reviewed September 26, 2026. We used current public provider documentation and did not perform independent speed, uptime, or support-response tests. Live promotions and checkout terms can change.
