Head to head · Shared hosting
Bluehost vs IONOS
Three-year true cost on identical terms, shared hosting.
IONOS leads with a $1-a-month first year; Bluehost with a low rate for the whole first term. Which is cheaper depends entirely on how long you stay.
Bluehost
Basic, 3-year term
3-year total
$106.20
An average of $2.95 a month
Promo price
$2.95/mo
Renewal price
$11.99/mo
Checked Oct 9, 2026UnverifiedVisit Bluehostaffiliate link
IONOS
Essential, 1-year term
3-year total
$240.00
An average of $6.67 a month
Promo price
$4.00/mo
Renewal price, from month 13
$8.00/mo
Checked Oct 15, 2026VerifiedVisit IONOSaffiliate link
Verdict on cost
Over three years, Bluehost Basic costs $106.20 against IONOS Essential at $240.00: $133.80 less (56%). Each bought on its 3-year term and kept for three years, hosting only.
Entry plans, three years
Each host’s cheapest shared hosting plan over 36 months. Promo and renewal are shown at the same size on purpose.
| Plan | Term bought | Promo / mo | Renewal / mo | First invoice | 3-year true cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluehost Basic Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $2.95 | $11.99 | $106.20 | $106.20 $2.95/mo effective Cheapest over 3 years |
| IONOS Essential Checked Oct 15, 2026Verified | 1 year | $4.00 | $8.00 from month 13 | $48.00 | $240.00 $6.67/mo effective |
| Keep it for | Bluehost Basic | IONOS Essential |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $35.40 | $48.00 |
| 2 years | $70.80 | $144.00 |
| 3 years | $106.20 | $240.00 |
What the entry plans include
| Feature | Bluehost Basic | IONOS Essential |
|---|---|---|
| Websites | 10 | 1 |
| Storage | 10 GB | 10 GB |
| Bandwidth / visits | Unmetered | Unlimited |
| Free domain | First 12 months | First 12 months |
| Email hosting | Not included | Included |
| Backups | Not included | Included |
| CDN | Included | Not included |
| Staging | Included | Not included |
| SSL | Included | Included |
Every plan, three years
All current plans from both hosts, cheapest first.
| Plan | Term bought | Promo / mo | Renewal / mo | First invoice | 3-year true cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluehost Basic Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $2.95 | $11.99 | $106.20 | $106.20 $2.95/mo effective Cheapest over 3 years |
| Bluehost Choice Plus Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $5.45 | $19.99 | $196.20 | $196.20 $5.45/mo effective |
| IONOS Essential Checked Oct 15, 2026Verified | 1 year | $4.00 | $8.00 from month 13 | $48.00 | $240.00 $6.67/mo effective |
| IONOS Business Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 1 year | $1.00 | $10.00 from month 13 | $12.00 | $252.00 $7.00/mo effective |
| Bluehost Online Store Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $9.95 | $24.95 | $358.20 | $358.20 $9.95/mo effective |
| IONOS Expert Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 1 year | $12.00 | $16.00 from month 13 | $144.00 | $528.00 $14.67/mo effective |
Canonical URL: bluehost-vs-ionos. Totals are accrual-based over the horizon. Links marked “affiliate link” may earn a commission; it does not affect the arithmetic. Methodology.