Searching for the best web hosting provider takes considerable time because you must compare features, price points, and customer service reviews.
If you don’t carefully research web hosts, you can end up with a provider that doesn’t have the necessary features for your business’s site.
I’ve spent several years in the web hosting industry, so I understand which factors are critical when comparing providers.
Whether you’re a small business owner looking to get your company’s name online, or a freelancer who manages several websites under one brand, understanding how web hosts like Bluehost and Flywheel differ is crucial.
Let’s review these two hosts and everything they offer in 2023!
How Did We Test Bluehost & Flywheel Hosting?
At TweakYourBiz, the team and I take web hosting reviews seriously because you should have the correct information before choosing a provider.
Therefore, we utilize advanced software, staging sites, and data to offer the most accurate information about Bluehost and Flywheel.
We set up two staging sites on Bluehost versus Flywheel to compare these two hosts more accurately and observed the results in the following areas:
- Hosting plans
- Pricing and value
- User-friendliness
- Performance, uptime, and speed
- Security features
- Customer support
- WordPress hosting
- Website migrations
- Email hosting
Instead of relying on our assumptions and viewpoints, the TYB team and I relied on facts and data!
Bluehost vs. Flywheel Winner:
Bluehost or Flywheel?
You should pick Bluehost if you demand VPS or dedicated server hosting. Or if you want to spend less on a shared hosting plan.
Check out our Bluehost review here to learn more about this hosting provider.
In comparison, choose Flywheel if you need managed WordPress hosting with excellent speeds, advanced security, numerous features, and more.
For more information, read the Flywheel review!
What is Bluehost Web Hosting?
Bluehost is one of the industry’s most popular web hosting providers because the company offers low introductory rates, advanced WordPress hosting capabilities, various hosting plans, and much more!
Like any company, Bluehost has some areas where it could improve.
But overall, this web host is an excellent choice because you receive incredible value for what you pay monthly!
Who Uses Bluehost?
Several kinds of people and companies use Bluehost’s services.
For example, Bluehost is a popular web host choice for beginners because the company offers an intuitive user interface and beginner-friendly tools.
However, Bluehost is also a suitable choice for agencies and websites with considerable data, as it has VPS and dedicated server plans with more security and storage space.
What are the Benefits of Bluehost?
Choosing Bluehost as a web host comes with numerous benefits, the most significant being the low prices.
Bluehost’s introductory rates are among the most affordable in the industry!
Also, Bluehost is intuitive and easy for beginners with no technical knowledge to learn how to use.
The list of Bluehost benefits is extensive, but low prices and an intuitive interface are the biggest advantages.
Where Bluehost Falls Short
Naturally, there are areas where Bluehost falls short.
One category Bluehost could improve on is the security features provided in the shared plans.
Compared to other web hosts with comparable plans, Bluehost’s security features are elementary and don’t exceed the essentials.
What is Flywheel Hosting?
Flywheel is a specialized web hosting solution that offers excellent hosting plans and top-notch performance.
Although Flywheel isn’t designed for every kind of website, the ones that do meet the criteria have access to amazing web hosting!
Who Uses Flywheel?
Flywheel is unique in that it is designed for freelancers and creative teams.
The web host only offers managed WordPress hosting.
And while this may seem strange, Flywheel is simply trying to distinguish itself in a crowded market by offering exceptional hosting services.
What are the Benefits of Flywheel?
The primary benefit of choosing Flywheel as your web host is that the company provides excellent performance and unique features.
The managed WordPress plans are some of the best in the industry.
Also, Flywheel includes numerous features, including daily backups, cloning tools, and staging environments, to name a few.
Where Flywheel Falls Short
Flywheel falls short with the hosting plans it offers, but this also separates the web host from the pack.
If you don’t have a WordPress site, Flywheel can’t work for you, so it is rather limited in that respect.
Flywheel Vs. Bluehost: The Details
Flywheel and Bluehost both have advantages and disadvantages, as you’ve seen. But how do these hosts compare side by side?
Let’s look closer at Bluehost and Flywheel in 2023!
What Types of Hosting Does Bluehost Have?
Bluehost has the following types of hosting available:
- WordPress (managed and unmanaged)
- WooCommerce
- VPS
- Dedicated server
- Shared
The most popular hosting plan is the WordPress solution, which is the company’s specialty.
What Types of Hosting Does Flywheel Have?
Flywheel exclusively offers managed WordPress hosting plans.
Other content management systems (CMSs) aren’t compatible with Flywheel.
Winner: Bluehost!
Bluehost takes the cake in this category regarding diversity in web hosting plans, as Flywheel only provides managed WordPress plans.
Does Bluehost Have Uptime Issues?
Because Bluehost is such a popular web host, the company must have powerful and reliable servers.
Therefore, Bluehost rarely has uptime issues and consistently delivers an uptime performance at or above the industry average.
However, note that Bluehost doesn’t have an uptime guarantee, as this provides some customers with an extra layer of comfort.
Does Flywheel Have Uptime Issues?
Flywheel provides a 99.9% uptime guarantee and has the powerful servers to deliver on that promise.
Flywheel has the Google Cloud Platform, FlyCache, and Fastly CDN to ensure fast server response times and overall uptime performance.
Winner: Flywheel!
Flywheel’s hosting platform is more powerful than Bluehost’s, simply put. While Bluehost’s uptime could be better, Flywheel’s is insanely fast, giving it the win in this category.
How Fast Is Bluehost Hosting?
Bluehost’s speeds certainly aren’t the best in the industry, but they’re still fast enough to give your site visitors a great experience.
The loading times and server response times are faster than the average.
Also, speeds are quicker on Bluehost’s VPS and dedicated server plans compared to the shared hosting plans.
How Fast Is Flywheel Hosting?
Flywheel is an incredibly fast web host because it has powerful servers and various features helping boost speeds.
Our staging site consistently delivered fast loading times.
Winner: Flywheel!
Flywheel utilizes powerful technology to deliver fast loading speeds and server response times. Bluehost isn’t slow by any means, but there’s no competition compared to Flywheel.
Bluehost Hosting Stress Test
Stress testing analyzes how well a web host performs when it’s met with thousands of visitors simultaneously.
In Bluehost’s case, its servers performed well!
Our staging site on a shared Bluehost plan maintained consistent uptime and fast speeds when about 10,000 bots were on the site.
Choosing a VPS or dedicated server plan is best if your websites welcome tens of thousands of visitors, as these plans have advanced servers.
Flywheel Hosting Stress Test
Flywheel delivers excellent performance measures when hit with a sudden influx of visitors.
One nice thing about Flywheel’s plans is that they’re easily scalable.
So, if you notice more failures and slow loading times, it’s time to upgrade to a more powerful Flywheel plan!
Winner: It’s a tie!
There isn’t a clear winner in this category. Both Flywheel and Bluehost provide adequate performance when met with significant stress.
How Easy Is Bluehost to Use?
Bluehost is well-known for being easy to use, making it a perfect hosting choice for beginners and people creating their first website.
Bluehost provides several beginner-friendly tools, including:
- Automatic WordPress updates and installations
- Free, managed WordPress migrations
- Easy-to-use dashboard
- Intuitive, customizable website builder
- And much more!
If you’re looking for a web host provider that’s easy to use, Bluehost is the best option!
How Easy Is Flywheel to Use?
Flywheel’s business goal is to provide easy-to-use services.
Therefore, in terms of hosting management, Flywheel is very easy to use.
Flywheel only provides managed WordPress hosting solutions, allowing you more time on your business!
Winner: Flywheel!
This was a tough decision. But ultimately, Flywheel deserves the win because its managed solutions have professionals doing most of the work for you. However, regarding unmanaged hosting solutions, Bluehost makes the process simple.
Bluehost Pricing & Value
As we mentioned previously, Bluehost offers incredibly low introductory rates, with some plans starting as low as $2.95 per month!
The value you receive for this price is beyond your expectations.
For instance, Bluehost grants you excellent WordPress features, essential security, fast loading speeds, free migrations, and more for less than $5 monthly.
Flywheel Pricing & Value
Flywheel’s prices are higher than Bluehost’s because the provider offers managed services.
However, the rates are comparable when you compare Flywheel’s prices with other managed services.
Regardless, Flywheel provides incredible value for the monthly rates. The web host includes numerous features that other providers don’t.
Winner: Bluehost!
It’s hard to beat Bluehost’s monthly starting rate of $2.95. Plus, the company gives you everything you need to build a successful website.
How Secure is Bluehost?
Bluehost’s security provides your website with the essentials to protect it from hackers and malware.
For example, some security features include SSL certificates, malware scanning, and domain name privacy.
Bluehost offers more advanced security measures, but you must pay an additional fee to enjoy them.
How Secure is Flywheel?
Flywheel provides SSL certificates by Let’s Encrypt, a leading provider.
Also, Flywheel automates WordPress plugin updates using AI technology.
Instead of adding security plugins on your own, Flywheel recommends trusting the company’s servers, as they already include security measures.
Winner: Flywheel!
Flywheel provides more security features without customers having to take action to set them up. Bluehost offers the essentials, but they’re nowhere near the advanced functionality of Flywheel.
Can We Trust Bluehost?
We can trust Bluehost for numerous reasons.
First, the web host is trusted by millions of websites and has never had a security or data breach.
Also, WordPress.org recommends Bluehost, indicating its WordPress hosting plans are reliable and superb!
Can We Trust Flywheel?
Yes, we can trust Flywheel.
The company has years of experience in the web hosting industry and provides more than enough security to protect website data.
Winner: It’s a tie!
Flywheel and Bluehost are trustworthy web hosting providers, so it’s impossible to determine a clear winner in this category.
Is Bluehost Customer Support Good?
Bluehost’s customer support is average.
The intelligent agents can answer your hosting-related questions with clear, step-by-step instructions.
However, the response times are slightly longer compared to other hosting providers.
Bluehost offers customer support through a 24/7 live chat, email, knowledge base, and telephone.
Is Flywheel Customer Support Good?
Flywheel’s customer support is excellent, offering responses within 15 minutes.
The agents know about WordPress hosting and can answer your questions and problems.
Winner: Flywheel!
Flywheel’s customer service responds quickly and is better overall. Also, the support staff knows their products thoroughly, ensuring you get the help you need when you have questions.
Does Bluehost Offer WordPress Hosting?
Bluehost offers WordPress hosting plans, including WooCommerce services, an excellent choice for eCommerce sites.
The WordPress hosting solutions start at $2.95 and come with several helpful features.
In addition to free WordPress migrations, Bluehost also includes an easy-to-use website builder with hundreds of WordPress themes, plugins, and templates!
Does Flywheel Offer WordPress Hosting?
Flywheel exclusively offers managed WordPress hosting solutions.
Therefore, the web host is incredible at WordPress hosting and includes numerous features in its plans that make WordPress hosting easier.
Winner: Flywheel!
Because WordPress hosting is all Flywheel does, the company is proficient in it. Bluehost’s services are excellent and are available at a lower rate, but Flywheel’s performance and features make it the winner in this category.
Will Bluehost Help With Website Migration?
Bluehost offers free WordPress migrations performed by a Bluehost employee, ensuring your website makes it to Bluehost’s platform safely.
However, if you don’t have a WordPress site, you’ll have to pay a one-time fee of $150 for site migration.
This fee allows you to transfer up to five websites and 20 email accounts with the assistance of a Bluehost agent.
Will Flywheel Help With Website Migration?
Flywheel offers free, managed website migrations using the company’s free WordPress plugin.
Also, Flywheel allows you to migrate unlimited websites for free!
Winner: Flywheel!
Flywheel wins this category because it provides unlimited free website migrations, whereas Bluehost forces customers to pay $149.99 if they don’t have a WordPress site.
Does Bluehost Offer Email Hosting?
Bluehost’s email hosting plans start at $6 monthly and collaborate seamlessly with Google apps.
The starter plan includes 30GB of Cloud storage per user and allows video conferencing for up to 100 participants.
Bluehost’s email hosting plans are perfect for small, growing, and large-scale businesses!
Does Flywheel Offer Email Hosting?
Flywheel currently doesn’t host personal email inboxes.
Winner: Bluehost!
This was an easier decision, as Bluehost offers a service Flywheel currently doesn’t have. Also, Bluehost’s email hosting services are affordable and feature-rich.
Does Bluehost Have a Website Builder?
Bluehost has an incredible website builder with hundreds of customizable themes and templates.
Also, the web builder tool uses drag-and-drop functionality, allowing for easy customization.
Bluehost’s website builder plans are affordable, too, ensuring you can have a professional site even if you’re on a tight budget!
Does Flywheel Have a Website Builder?
Flywheel uses Local as its website builder, the number one WordPress development tool.
With Local, you can utilize advanced workflow features like root access and staging environments to test functionality!
Also, Local allows you to edit your website offline if needed.
Winner: Flywheel!
Flywheel’s website builder is more advanced and allows for root access. Also, the program is free, whereas Bluehost charges a monthly rate for the website builder plans.
Bluehost Alternatives
Bluehost is an excellent web host, but there are better choices for some. Here are some alternatives!
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting is a popular Bluehost alternative that offers better speeds and security than Bluehost.
The prices at A2 Hosting are slightly higher than Bluehost’s, but the advanced performance makes the cost worth it for several customers.
Also, A2 Hosting has several hosting plans to choose from, which are scalable.
DreamHost
DreamHost is another popular Bluehost alternative that offers nearly identical monthly rates.
With DreamHost, you can access managed WordPress, shared, and other types of hosting at an affordable rate.
Speeds through DreamHost are slightly faster than Bluehost’s because the web host relies on cloud servers.
Flywheel Alternatives
Flywheel exclusively offers managed WordPress hosting plans. So, we’ve lined up several options if you need an alternative.
GoDaddy
GoDaddy is an excellent Flywheel alternative that offers similar performance and security features.
However, GoDaddy has more hosting types and features that Flywheel doesn’t have, like email hosting.
WP Engine
WP Engine also offers managed WordPress hosting for an affordable rate.
WP Engine differs from Flywheel in that the plans are more flexible, allowing users to build a plan based on several sites, monthly visitors, storage space, and bandwidth!
Now You Decide
Now that you have all the information about Bluehost and Flywheel, it’s time to decide!
Remember to carefully note your website needs and analyze which host best meets those expectations.
There’s no right or wrong choice, it simply depends on your needs!
Are you interested in web hosting? Do you have any questions about our Bluehost vs. Flywheel comparison? Let us know in the comment section below!
Bluehost Vs. Flywheel FAQ
Bluehost has several excellent hosting alternatives, including Flywheel, DreamHost, and A2 Hosting. Companies that are better than Bluehost have more advanced security features and better customer support.
Flywheel hosting is worth it because the company offers managed services, meaning professionals handle the nitty gritty details while you focus on your business.
Bluehost is better than Wix because is more expensive, limited in hosting plans, and provides slower speeds. Bluehost offers more value for your money.
Bluehost is the best option for reliable, affordable web hosting, especially if you have a WordPress site. Bluehost is one of the best WordPress hosting solutions.
Bluehost is affordable because the host uses shared servers, meaning multiple websites share the same server rather than each website having its own server.