Bluehost is optimized for WordPress hosting with included domain and 24/7 phone support, while Namecheap excels as a budget-friendly domain registrar with affordable shared hosting and stronger privacy protection features.
Bluehost vs Namecheap — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Official WordPress.org recommended shared hosting provider with strong WordPress integration.
Budget-friendly domain registrar with aggressive promotional pricing and unlimited free services.
Primary Focus. Starting Monthly Price (Shared Hosting). Renewal Price (Shared Hosting). Free Domain Included. Phone Support Availability. WHOIS Privacy Protection. Money-Back Guarantee
Choose Bluehost if you're a WordPress beginner who wants an all-in-one solution with free domain registration and responsive phone support for troubleshooting. Choose Namecheap if you prioritize affordability, need advanced privacy protection, and prefer managing your domain registrar and hosting separately with more control over renewals.
Bluehost: Traditional Data Centers | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: None (Third-party required) | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Standard resource allocation | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Yes (Official List) | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Restrictive limits enforced | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Paid migration service | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Phone, chat, email | Namecheap: N/A
Shared Hosting Monthly Cost (Introductory)
Bluehost: $2.95 | Namecheap: N/A (domain registrar)
Bluehost: $13.95 | Namecheap: N/A (domain registrar)
Bluehost: Free (with hosting) | Namecheap: $8.88
Bluehost: Yes, 24/7 | Namecheap: Business hours only
Bluehost: Yes, all plans | Namecheap: Yes, all plans
Bluehost: Yes, listed as recommended | Namecheap: No
Bluehost: Yes (with annual plan) | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: No - Phone/Email only | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: No - Extra charge | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: 24-48 hours (email) | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Yes | Namecheap: Yes, Positive SSL
Bluehost: No (paid add-on) | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Basic (limited) | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: First year only | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: $2.95 (intro) | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Weekly (paid tier) | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Paid add-on ($9.99/month) | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Shared, VPS, Dedicated, Reseller | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: Not on shared plans | Namecheap: N/A
Bluehost: 1 year free | Namecheap: Not included
Bluehost: 24/7 phone support | Namecheap: Email and chat only
Bluehost: Unmetered | Namecheap: Unmetered
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Under 1 second (US)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: $1.99 (promotional)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: No, lower renewal pricing instead
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Limited presence
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Free basic migration
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Third-party only
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Free with all domains
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: $0 (included)
Global Market Share (Registered Domains)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Limited (requires third-party)
Total Cost Over 5 Years (Domain + WHOIS + SSL)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: $24.88 (Comodo)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Limited (upgrade required for premium)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Not primary offering
DNS Query Response Time (Global Average)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: $1.74 (3-month promo)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Basic only (not specified)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Limited (basic DNS for registered domains)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Not available
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Yes (active 2026)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: 0 (third-party only)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: No (WHOIS privacy only)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: 8-12% (with third-party CDN)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Basic (included)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Free with hosting
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Yes, full API
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Manual DNS setup required
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Aggressive (auto-added)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Yes (bundled plans)
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: Manual setup required
Bluehost: N/A | Namecheap: 168 (full week)
How to choose between Bluehost and Namecheap
Bluehost vs Namecheap — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Bluehost vs Namecheap. Contains 153 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Bluehost vs Namecheap — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Bluehost vs Namecheap.
Is Bluehost or Namecheap cheaper overall?
Namecheap is significantly cheaper long-term. While Bluehost's introductory price is $2.95/month, renewal jumps to $8.99/month. Namecheap's renewal is only $3.48/month, saving you $65.28/year. Additionally, Namecheap includes free WHOIS privacy ($11.88/year value), making the 2-year total cost approximately 40% less than Bluehost when factoring in domain and privacy.
Should I use Bluehost if I'm new to WordPress?
Yes—Bluehost is officially recommended by WordPress.org and includes one-click WordPress installation, free domain for 1 year, and 24/7 U.S. phone support. This is ideal if you want minimal technical setup and immediate human help. However, if budget is your priority, Namecheap's shared hosting is equally capable for small WordPress sites at half the renewal cost.
Can I transfer my domain between Bluehost and Namecheap?
Yes, both allow domain transfers, though the process takes 5-7 days. Bluehost charges $8.99 to unlock and transfer a domain, while Namecheap's transfer fee is typically $8.88. Both include 1-year extension with transfers. Plan your transfer during your renewal cycle to avoid losing coverage.
Bluehost offers 24/7 phone support (a significant advantage for troubleshooting emergencies), while Namecheap only provides email and live chat during business hours. Bluehost support is faster for urgent issues, but user reviews (based on 2,400+ combined ratings) show Namecheap's email support is thorough despite being slower. For beginners, Bluehost's phone support is worth the extra cost.
Which is better for multiple domains and websites?
Namecheap is superior for managing multiple domains—its bulk registration discounts (especially for .com at $8.88/year renewal) and free WHOIS privacy save significantly. Namecheap's separate hosting/registrar model also lets you use different hosts for different projects. Bluehost is better if you want all-in-one WordPress management for a single primary site.
How to Choose Between Bluehost and Namecheap
Primary Focus: Bluehost has WordPress-optimized hosting provider, while Namecheap has Domain registrar with hosting services.
Consider: Starting Monthly Price (Shared Hosting)
Starting Monthly Price (Shared Hosting): Bluehost has $2.95/month (intro rate), while Namecheap has $1.58/month (intro rate).
Consider: Renewal Price (Shared Hosting)
Renewal Price (Shared Hosting): Bluehost has $8.99/month after intro, while Namecheap has $3.48/month after intro.
Free Domain Included: Bluehost has Yes, 1 year free, while Namecheap has No, domains sold separately.
Phone Support Availability: Bluehost has 24/7 phone support included, while Namecheap has Email and chat only (no phone).
WHOIS Privacy Protection: Bluehost has $11.88/year additional cost, while Namecheap has Free lifetime WHOIS privacy.
Money-Back Guarantee: Bluehost has 30 days, while Namecheap has 45 days.