In this Bluehost review for Australia, I will provide you with an inside look at my website (fasterweb.com.au), which is hosted on Bluehost. Through this, you will gain a practical example of speeds and uptime for an Australian website hosted on Bluehost.
As a paying customer of Bluehost for three years, I will also share my overall experience, and thoughts on customer support, pricing, inclusions, dislikes, and much more.
Quick Overview (Australian Perspective of Bluehost)
Over the past three years, I have experienced consistently great website speeds (1-1.5 seconds), an uptime of 99.99%, cheap pricing, free SSL certificates, unlimited storage, and good customer support while using Bluehost.
These benefits have helped me grow multiple Australian websites, each receiving over 1,000 visitors per month.
Overall, I have found Bluehost to be an exceptional web host that I highly recommend to Australians.
P.S. Bluehost is also WordPress’ #1 recommended web host 😱.
- High Uptime and Fast Loading Speed
- Reliable Security
- Seamless WordPress Integration
- Unmetered Bandwidth
- 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
The Truth About Bluehost’s Website Speeds
In the world of web hosting reviews, reviewers typically test website speeds using a blank website with no images, articles, website themes, or videos. This results in artificially fast speeds that don’t accurately reflect the performance of a real-world website with content, pages, and posts.
To provide a more realistic view of speeds, I tested Bluehost’s website speeds using my own website, fasterweb.com.au, which is hosted on Bluehost. As an Australian-based website with images, articles, and menus, it was the perfect candidate for this test.
So, how did Bluehost perform when it comes to website speeds in Australia? In short, it performed exceptionally well!
Using Google Page Speed Insights, which is how Google measures a website’s speed, my website received a score of 80/100 for desktop and 75/100 for mobile. To obtain concrete load time figures, I used Pingdom, an online tool that measures website speeds. On average, my website received load times of approximately 1 to 1.5 seconds, putting it in the top 20% of high-performing websites.
It’s worth noting that other Bluehost reviews have reported speeds of around 400ms, which is not reflective of how Bluehost performs with a fully functioning website.
While the speeds I tested may be slower, they are more accurate to what an Australian Bluehost user can expect to experience. Overall, Bluehost provides top-notch website speeds even when hosting a fully functioning Australian website that receives daily traffic.
Bluehost’s Impressive Uptime Numbers
Bluehost is a web hosting provider that boasts some of the most impressive uptime numbers in the industry. For those unfamiliar with the term, uptime refers to the amount of time a website is successfully running online. Ideally, a 100% uptime would mean that the website is online for every second of the day, but this is nearly impossible to achieve due to server upgrades, maintenance, and data transfers.
To determine Bluehost’s uptime numbers, HostingFacts has been tracking their performance over the past 2 years. Their testing, using an uptime tracker software, shows that Bluehost has an average uptime of 99.99% over this period. As a satisfied Bluehost user during this time, I can attest to these claims, as I have never experienced any downtime with my website.
If you’re looking for a reliable web host with some of the best uptime numbers in the industry, Bluehost is an excellent choice.
Bluehost’s Compatibility with WordPress
Bluehost not only works seamlessly with WordPress but is also WordPress’ top recommended web hosting provider for the past 4 years. As WordPress powers 34% of all websites online, this recommendation carries significant weight.
In my experience, getting started with WordPress on Bluehost is incredibly easy and straightforward. After signing up for Bluehost, installing WordPress takes only one click. It took me only five minutes from signing up to launching my WordPress website on the internet – it’s that simple!
Aside from WordPress, Bluehost also works seamlessly with other CMS’s like Weebly, Drupal, Joomla, and 50+ others.
Bluehost Plans in Australia: What’s included?
We’ll delve into the details of their plans, pricing, and whether they offer good value for new website creators.
It’s worth noting that Bluehost charges in Australian dollars, so you won’t have to worry about any currency conversions from USD to AUD, unlike other web hosting providers.
Let’s start by looking at their beginner plan, also known as shared web hosting, which costs $5.90 per month AUD and includes:
- 1 Website
- 50 GB SSD Storage
- Unmetered Bandwidth
- Free SSL Certificate
- Free Domain Name
- 1-Click WordPress Installs
- Standard Performance
- 1 Included Domain
- 5 Parked Domains
- 25 Sub Domains
If you need more storage and want to host multiple websites, you can opt for the Plus Plan, which costs $8.90 per month AUD and includes:
- Unlimited Websites
- Unlimited SSD Storage
- Unmetered Bandwidth
- Free SSL Certificate
- Free Domain Name
- Standard Performance
- Unlimited Domains
- Unlimited Parked Domains
- Unlimited Sub Domains
- Spam Experts
Choosing the Bluehost Plus Plan has allowed me to host nearly 20 websites on a single account for the price of a few cups of coffee each month, making Bluehost a great value for money option.
So, is Bluehost a good option for Australians looking to create a website? Based on my personal experience, the answer is a resounding yes!
Let’s begin by examining Bluehost’s shared web hosting beginner plan which is priced at $5.90/month AUD. This plan includes:
Bluehost’s Customer Service Experience
Bluehost’s customer service is one aspect that I have personal experience with. Overall, I would describe their customer support as good, but there is certainly room for improvement.
One of my main concerns is that they do not provide any local Australian support or a toll-free number. Although this may not be a dealbreaker, I believe it is worth mentioning.
Instead, Bluehost offers customer support services located in the USA which can be reached through international calling or Skype, email support, ticketing, and live chat, 24/7. Additionally, there are hundreds of support articles and a customer forum for community assistance.
In terms of the actual customer support representatives, I have always found them to be very helpful and knowledgeable about web hosting and WordPress. Typically, my issues are resolved within 10 minutes, making the process very efficient and effective.
It’s worth noting that as Bluehost’s customer support is based in the US, it can sometimes take longer to connect when calling during Australian business hours. This may be due to Bluehost having fewer staff members available during the midnight hours in the US.
Bluehost’s User Interface
Another aspect I examined in my Bluehost review Australia was the user interface of the platform, particularly from a beginner’s perspective.
Although it may not seem like a significant factor, after creating many websites over the years, I have found that having an easy-to-navigate interface is crucial.
Having an easy-to-use interface allows website creators to quickly update plugins, add SSL certificates, migrate websites, add new domains, and access the cPanel.
Below is a screenshot of my own Bluehost dashboard for a behind-the-scenes look. When compared to Hostgator, Siteground, and Hostinger, I found Bluehost’s interface to be the simplest to use.
Advanced settings can be accessed from the “My Sites” tab in the left-hand menu. From there, I can easily modify users, backups, security, plugins, settings, and more (as seen below).
Areas for Improvement in Bluehost
Although I highly recommend using Bluehost, there are some aspects that I believe could be improved. While these are not dealbreakers, they are areas that could use some work.
Bluehost charges for website migrations.
It would be beneficial to have a local Australian toll-free number to call.
Preselected add-ons during the checkout process that are unnecessary and can be easily removed.
Overall Verdict Of Bluehost
In my personal experience, Bluehost is a web host that strikes an excellent balance between fast speeds, almost perfect uptimes, knowledgeable customer support, and affordable pricing. If you’re an Australian looking to get started with WordPress and want a web host that will work seamlessly, then Bluehost is a great option.
I can personally vouch for Bluehost and highly recommend it to others.
Bluehost FAQs
Where Are Bluehost’s Servers Located?
Bluehost has its data centres and servers located in Ohio, USA. Although they don’t have any servers in Australia, Bluehost uses a CDN (Content Delivery Network) that distributes hundreds of copies of a website across multiple continents.
In partnership with Cloudflare CDN, Bluehost has locations in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. This partnership delivers fast performance times for Australian-based websites.
What Security Features Does Bluehost Have?
As data breaches have become a daily occurrence, ensuring that your data and website files are secure is essential. Bluehost takes an aggressive approach to security and implements multiple levels of security within its data centres and platform to prevent DDoS and malware attacks.
Some notable security features include password-protected directories, two-factor authentication, token validation, and the option to blacklist IP addresses. Bluehost also has internal programs like SpamAssassin, Spam Hammer, and Spam Experts.
Does Bluehost Provide .com.au Domain Names?
Unfortunately, Bluehost doesn’t provide .com.au domains. However, they do provide free .com, .co, .net, and .org domain names for the first year ($11 registration per year after that).
Users will have to purchase a domain from a third-party provider and then change the DNS records to connect the domain and web host. This process is straightforward and takes about 10 minutes.
Does Bluehost Have Backups?
Yes, Bluehost does have backups. However, they don’t state how often they perform updates, only that they are done “frequently.” To ensure extra peace of mind, it’s recommended to install a WordPress backup plugin.
Does Bluehost Have CDNs?
Yes, Bluehost has partnered up with Cloudflare CDN to provide super-fast speeds for their web hosting customers.
Is Bluehost Good for eCommerce Stores?
Absolutely! Bluehost is an excellent choice for eCommerce stores. WordPress users can download plugins like WooCommerce to add eCommerce functionality. There are also additional WordPress plugins like Shopify available.
Does Bluehost Have a Refund Policy?
Yes, Bluehost has a 30-day money-back guarantee on their web hosting service (minus the $11 fee for a domain name).
What Types of Web Hosting Does Bluehost Offer?
Although Bluehost is widely known for its affordable shared web hosting plans, they also have reputable VPS, dedicated, cloud, and managed WordPress hosting options available. If you’re an intermediate/advanced webmaster who has outgrown your current shared web hosting provider, Bluehost might be worth considering for these more premium options. Just note that they are about 10 times the cost of their shared hosting plans.
To learn more about web hosting options in Australia, you can see my guides on VPS hosting, cloud hosting, and dedicated server hosting.
History Of Bluehost (The Rise, Fall, Then Rise Again)
The history of Bluehost is a story of triumph and setbacks, followed by a resurgence that has established it as one of the premier web hosting companies today.
In 1996, Matt Heaton and Danny Ashworth founded Bluehost, and quickly made a name for themselves by offering “shared web hosting” to anyone looking to host their own website without breaking the bank. This strategy worked wonders, and within six years, Bluehost had already acquired half a million clients.
However, in 2010, Bluehost was acquired by EIG, a web hosting conglomerate that is known for buying growing businesses, cutting expenses, and pocketing profits. The next few years saw a decline in customer satisfaction, major outages, slower speeds, and job cuts.
Thankfully, Bluehost recognized that this cost-cutting strategy wasn’t working, and in early 2014, the company returned to its core principles of delivering reliable and fast hosting, affordable pricing, and great customer support. By 2015, Bluehost had turned things around and had over 3 million customers.
Despite the challenges, Bluehost remains one of the top web hosting companies today, thanks to their commitment to providing excellent service and their understanding of what their customers need. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow your business, Bluehost has the tools and support to help you succeed online.