WordPress powers a massive 43.4% of the internet. 

And as a result?

The demand for hosting solutions tailored to WordPress requirements had surged. 

In response, specialised platforms like WPengine have emerged, offering WordPress-centric solutions for performance and security. 

But can these specialised services truly compete with general-purpose hosting powerhouses like Bluehost? 

Let’s find out! 

Brief Overview  

WP Engine, founded in 2010 as a dedicated service for WordPress users, aimed to address users’ unique needs by squeezing more performance from existing hardware. This focus on optimization led to significant success, with websites adopting WP Engine loading 96% faster on average. This achievement contributes to WP Engine being considered one of the best affiliate programs in the WordPress hosting niche.

Bluehost, on the other hand, is a much older company (2003) that took a different approach to the process.

By encouraging the adaptation of content delivery networks like Cloudflare, they mitigated slowdowns caused by traffic spikes.

Plans: Features & Pricing

Bluehost

• Basic Plan: Starts at $2.95/month (renews at $7.99/month) for one website and essential features.
• Plus Plan: Starts at $5.45/month (renews at $10.99/month) for unlimited websites and additional resources.
• Choice Plus Plan: Starts at $5.45/month (renews at $14.99/month) with domain privacy and enhanced features.
• Pro Plan: Starts at $13.95/month (renews at $23.99/month) for advanced tools like a dedicated IP.

WP engine

WP engine plans are as follows:  

• Shared: At $35/month (you get a website and a max of 25,000 visitors per month).
• Growth: At $115/month (you get five websites and a max of 100,000 visitors per month). 
• Scale: At $290/month (you get 15 websites and a max of 400,000 monthly visitors).
• Custom: At $290/month (you get 25 websites, a million plus visitors).

Comparison:

• WP engine offers plans curated to each level of business growth.
• Bluehost offers multi-website expansion at a higher scale.
• WP engine offers tempting custom plans. 

Flexibility

Bluehost 

• Dreamhost seamlessly adapts to the WP engine.
• Top-of-the-line site management system.
• Effective all-in-one solution.

Dreamhost

• Dreamhost offers a compact and streamlined solution.
• They provide out-of-the-box solutions to users.
• Their plans offer flexible billing. 

Comparison:

• Dreamhost’s flexible billing options make it ideal.
• Bluehost offers a more elaborate pricing catalogue.

Storage

Bluehost

• Basic Plan: Up to 50GB of SSD
• Plus Plan: Unlimited Storage 
• Choice Plus Plan: Unlimited SSD storage with extra features like domain privacy.
• Pro Plan: Unlimited SSD storage and advanced tools.

WP engine 

• Startup: 10GB of storage (SSD).
• Growth: 20GB of storage (SSD).
• Scale: 30GB of storage (SSD).
• Custom: 100GB to 1TB of SSD storage. 

Comparison:

• When compared to WordPress, Bluehost offers more storage options, including plans with unlimited SSD storage.
• Moreover, Bluehost includes storage optimization tools with each plan, improving the hosting experience.

Bandwidth

Bluehost

• Basic Plan: Unlimited bandwidth on the basic plan.
• Plus Plan: Unlimited bandwidth on the plus plan. 
• Choice Plus Plan: Unlimited bandwidth on the Choice Plus plan, 
• Pro Plan: Unlimited bandwidth on the pro plan. 

WP engine

• Startup: 50GB per month (Yearly on annual plans).
• Growth: 200GB per month (yearly on annual plans).
• Scale: 400GB per month (Yearly on annual plans).
• Custom: 400GB + per month (Yearly on annual plans).

Uptime

Bluehost

• Basic Plan: 99.9% uptime on startup plan.
• Plus Plan: 99.9% uptime on a Growth plan.
• Choice Plus Plan: 99.9% uptime on Scale plan.
• Pro Plan: 99.9% uptime on Custom plan.

WP engine

• Startup: 99.95% uptime on the Basic Plan.
• Growth: 99.95% uptime on Plus Plan
• Scale: 99.95% uptime on Choice Plus Plan.
• Custom: 99.95% uptime on Pro Plan.

Comparison: 

• Bluehost offers better uptime, with a 99.9% uptime, which amounts to about 8 hours of downtime per year. 

Security

Security is a critical aspect when considering web hosting services, including Bluehost alternatives.

Bluehost

Basic Plan

• SSL Certificate: Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate for encrypted data transmission between the website and visitors’ browsers.
• Domain Privacy Protection: Masking personal information in domain registration to prevent identity theft and spam.
• SiteLock Lite: Basic security scanning for malware detection and removal.

Plus Plan

• All Basic Plan Features: Includes SSL certificate, domain privacy protection, and SiteLock Lite.
• CodeGuard Basic: Automatic daily backups with one-click restores to protect against data loss.
• SpamExperts: Advanced spam filtering to protect email accounts from unwanted emails and phishing attempts.

Choice Plus Plan

• All Plus Plan Features
• Domain Privacy + Protection: Enhanced domain privacy protection with added security features.
• SiteLock Security: More comprehensive website security scanning for malware detection and removal.

Pro Plan

• All Choice Plus Plan Features
• Dedicated IP: Exclusive IP address for improved website performance and security.

WP engine

• Startup: Offers threat blocking, SSL, SSH, SSO and MFA along with proactive website security.
• Growth: Layer 3 + 4 DDos Security and a smart plugin manager. Scale: Advanced DDos and WAF, along with SOC II reports. 

Comparison:

• WP engine offers much more premium security options. These might be ideal, especially for larger organisations. 

Troubleshooting & Customer Support 

Bluehost

• Basic Plan: 24/7 live chat and ticket support for technical assistance.
• Plus Plan: Additional phone support for quicker issue resolution.
• Choice Plus Plan: Enhanced support with priority access and dedicated account managers.
• Pro Plan: Premium support with priority response and expert assistance.

WP engine

• Startup: Offers 24/7 chat support.
• Growth: Offers 24/7 phone and chat support, tech experts, custom onboarding and website health assessment.
• Scale: High-level tech expertise, priority requests, business planning and reviews.  

Comparison:

• They both offer robust customer service options.
• Both platforms lack call support as a service option. 

Conclusion

While Bluehost may offer more flexibility in terms of pricing and multi-website expansion.

WP engine’s specialised approach ensures unparalleled speed, security, and scalability at every stage of a website’s growth. 

The challenge comes down to the specialised nature of the WP engine, originally tailored for WordPress users.

However, except for workflow scenarios or extremely niche cases, either platform will suffice.

FAQ

• How do I choose between Bluehost and WPengine for my WordPress website?

Consider your website’s specific needs and priorities. 

If you prioritise flexibility, budget-friendliness, and multi-website expansion, Bluehost might be the better choice. 

However, if you value optimised performance, security, and scalability tailored specifically for WordPress, WPengine could be the ideal solution.

• Can you elaborate on the performance differences between Bluehost and WPengine?

While both hosting providers offer reliable performance, WPengine specialises in maximising speed and efficiency for WordPress websites. 

Their infrastructure and optimisations are designed to enhance performance on WordPress sites, resulting in faster loading times and smoother user experiences.

• Which hosting provider offers better security features?

WPengine stands out for its premium security offerings, including threat blocking, SSL, SSH, SSO, and multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Their higher-tier plans include advanced DDoS protection and a Web Application Firewall (WAF).

This makes them particularly suitable for organisations with stringent security requirements.

• Are there any limitations to consider when choosing between Bluehost and WPengine?

Bluehost’s shared hosting plans may have resource limitations and performance fluctuations.

WPengine’s plans have more defined resource allocations and optimisations for WordPress.

• Can I easily migrate my website between Bluehost and WPengine?

Both Bluehost and WPengine offer migration assistance.

However, the process may vary depending on factors such as the size of your website, customisation requirements, and platforms involved. 

It’s recommended to consult with their support teams for personalised guidance and assistance throughout the migration process.

Bonus Tips: Maximising Your Platform of Choice:

Optimise Your Website

Regardless of the hosting provider you choose, optimising your website for performance is crucial. 

This includes optimising images, minimising HTTP requests, utilising caching plugins, and keeping your WordPress installation and plugins up to date. 

WPengine’s specialised infrastructure can further enhance performance, so make sure to take advantage of their optimisation tools and recommendations.

Utilise Security Features

Both Bluehost and WPengine offer robust security features to protect your website from threats. 

Take advantage of these features by enabling SSL certificates, configuring strong passwords, and regularly scanning for malware. 

WPengine’s premium security options, such as threat blocking and advanced DDoS protection. 

Regular Backups

Ensure regular backups of your website to safeguard against data loss or website corruption.

Bluehost and WPengine both offer backup solutions, so set up automatic backups and store them securely offsite. 

WPengine’s CodeGuard Basic and advanced backup options provide peace of mind, especially for larger organisations with critical data.

Utilise Customer Support

Take advantage of the customer support offered by your hosting provider. 

Whether you encounter technical issues, need assistance with migration, or have questions about optimising your website, their support teams are there to help. 

WPengine’s higher-tier plans offer additional support options like tech experts and priority requests, so leverage these resources as needed.

Stay Informed

Be acquainted with the top developments in web hosting and WordPress best practices. 

Stay informed about industry trends and insights, subscribe to newsletters, join online communities, and attend webinars or conferences. 

Website health assessment and business planning services offered by Bluehost and WP Engine can provide valuable insights and recommendations.