Head to head · Shared hosting
Bluehost vs SiteGround
Three-year true cost on identical terms, shared hosting.
Two of the most recommended shared hosts, with very different renewal behaviour. The three-year numbers below use each host's entry plan on identical terms.
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
SiteGround
StartUp, 1-year term
3-year total
$467.64
An average of $12.99 a month
Promo price
$2.99/mo
Renewal price, from month 13
$17.99/mo
Checked Oct 15, 2026VerifiedVisit SiteGroundaffiliate link
Verdict on cost
Over three years, Bluehost Basic costs $106.20 against SiteGround StartUp at $467.64: $361.44 less (77%). 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 |
| SiteGround StartUp Checked Oct 15, 2026Verified | 1 year | $2.99 | $17.99 from month 13 | $35.88 | $467.64 $12.99/mo effective |
| Keep it for | Bluehost Basic | SiteGround StartUp |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $35.40 | $35.88 |
| 2 years | $70.80 | $251.76 |
| 3 years | $106.20 | $467.64 |
What the entry plans include
| Feature | Bluehost Basic | SiteGround StartUp |
|---|---|---|
| Websites | 10 | 1 |
| Storage | 10 GB | 10 GB |
| Bandwidth / visits | Unmetered | ~10,000 visits/month |
| Free domain | First 12 months | Not included |
| Email hosting | Not included | Included |
| Backups | Not included | Included |
| CDN | Included | 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 |
| Bluehost Online Store Checked Oct 9, 2026Unverified | 3 years | $9.95 | $24.95 | $358.20 | $358.20 $9.95/mo effective |
| SiteGround StartUp Checked Oct 15, 2026Verified | 1 year | $2.99 | $17.99 from month 13 | $35.88 | $467.64 $12.99/mo effective |
| SiteGround GrowBig Checked Oct 15, 2026Verified | 1 year | $4.99 | $29.99 from month 13 | $59.88 | $779.64 $21.66/mo effective |
| SiteGround GoGeek Checked Oct 15, 2026Verified | 1 year | $7.99 | $44.99 from month 13 | $95.88 | $1,175.64 $32.66/mo effective |
Canonical URL: bluehost-vs-siteground. Totals are accrual-based over the horizon. Links marked “affiliate link” may earn a commission; it does not affect the arithmetic. Methodology.