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Bluehost vs Linode (Akamai)
Bluehost
Linode (Akamai)
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and performance to help you choose the right hosting provider.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Bluehost | Linode (Akamai) |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Price | Not offered | Not offered |
| Storage | 10 GB | 25 GB SSD |
| Bandwidth | N/A | 1 TB |
| Websites | 10 | Unlimited |
| CPU | N/A | 1 vCPU |
| RAM | N/A | 1 GB |
| Free Domain | ||
| Free SSL | ||
| Server Locations | ||
| Regions | 6 | 10 ★ |
| Locations | US West, Provo, Utah Central Europe, Frankfurt Western Europe, London, Paris India, Mumbai Australia & Oceania, Sydney South America, Sao Paulo | US West, Fremont, Seattle, Los Angeles Western Europe, London, Paris, Amsterdam Central Europe, Frankfurt, Milan Southeast Asia, Singapore, Jakarta East Asia, Tokyo, Osaka India, Mumbai, Chennai Australia & Oceania, Sydney, Melbourne South America, Sao Paulo Africa, Johannesburg US East, Newark, Atlanta, Washington DC, Chicago |
| Plan Details | ||
| Limited plan details available | ||
| Backups | ||
| Support | 24/7 | |
| Free Migration | ||
| CDN | ||
| Uptime Guarantee | ||
| Monthly Visitors | ~40k | |
| Email Accounts | 1 Month Free | |
Features | ||
CMS & Platforms (7) | ||
Languages & Frameworks (9) | ||
Databases (4) | ||
Developer Tools (8) | ||
Performance & CDN (4) | ||
| Caching | ||
| CDN | ||
| LiteSpeed | ||
| SSD Storage | ||
Security (6) | ||
| 2FA | ||
| Backups | ||
| DDoS Protection | ||
| Malware Scan | ||
| SSL | ||
| WAF | ||
Support (4) | ||
Extras & Guarantees (5) | ||
| Slight discrepancies are possible. We recommend verifying details on the provider's website. | ||
| Visit Bluehost | Visit Linode (Akamai) | |
Pricing & Plans
Bluehost Plans
Linode (Akamai) Plans
Pros & Cons
Bluehost
Pros
- Officially recommended by WordPress.org
- Wide range of plans: shared, cloud, VPS, dedicated, WooCommerce
- Free domain for the first year on all plans
- Free SSL certificate on all plans
- 99.99% uptime SLA
- 24/7 phone and chat support
- Up to 250 GB storage on higher plans
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Significant price increase on renewal (up to 2.5x)
- Starter plan limited to 10 GB storage
- All pricing requires a 3-year commitment
- No monthly billing option on shared plans
- Add-on upsells can increase the total cost
Linode (Akamai)
Pros
- Simple and predictable pricing — no hidden fees or renewal increases
- Hourly billing with monthly cap across all plans
- 25+ global data center locations
- 100% SSD/NVMe storage on all instances
- Full root access with KVM virtualization
- Comprehensive REST API and CLI (linode-cli)
- Managed Kubernetes (LKE) with free control plane
- Free inbound network transfer on all plans
- 99.99% SLA uptime guarantee
- One-click Marketplace apps for quick deployment
Cons
- No managed shared hosting (IaaS only, self-managed)
- Backups cost extra (20% of instance price)
- No free domain registration
- No cPanel/WHM — command-line or custom panel required
- No phone support — ticket and community-based only
- No live chat for standard support tier
- Stopped instances continue to charge until deleted
Frequently Asked Questions
Bluehost
How do i register the free domain included with annual hosting plans?
You can register your free domain during checkout when purchasing an annual Bluehost hosting plan. Just enter your desired domain name or use AI to generate domain names for you. After checkout, you’ll manage the domain in your Bluehost dashboard. You can also buy extra domains later using Bluehost domain purchase options, keeping your domain and hosting price in one place.
How do i activate the free ssl certificate?
Your free SSL certificate (Let’s Encrypt) is included with all hosting plans at Bluehost. Here are steps to activate a free SSL certificate on Bluehost: Log in to your Bluehost Account Manager.From the left menu, click Websites.On the website management page, look for the SSL certificate option.Under the SSL card or Security tab, click Manage.You’ll see the type and status of your SSL listed.Click the vertical ellipsis (⋮) on the right to open more options.From here, you can view SSL logs, gener
Why do different hosting plans cost different amounts?
Bluehost plans vary in price because each package offers different features, storage, performance and support levels. Bluehost Shared hosting has the beginner friendly hosting cost, while VPS and dedicated hosting are higher due to more resources. For example, Bluehost WordPress hosting is optimized for WordPress sites, while Bluehost VPS hosting provides advanced performance. The right plan depends on your website goals and budget. This flexible Bluehost Pricing structure ensures you only pay f
Are there any hidden fees with bluehost hosting plans?
No, there are no hidden fees with Bluehost hosting plans. The hosting cost you see at checkout is what you pay. Optional add-ons, like domain privacy or Bluehost email hosting, may affect your total. But you’ll always know upfront if you choose extras like Bluehost buy domain services.
Can i upgrade my bluehost plan later?
Yes, you can upgrade your Bluehost plan anytime. As your site grows, you can move from shared hosting to Bluehost VPS hosting or even dedicated servers. Upgrading ensures you get more resources without switching providers. This flexibility helps keep your hosting packages aligned with your business needs.
Does bluehost offer ecommerce hosting?
Yes, Bluehost offers eCommerce hosting through optimized WordPress and WooCommerce plans. These plans support secure payments, inventory tools and free SSL. SSL is part of your Bluehost pricing plan, so there’s no hidden cost. With hosting with Bluehost, you get reliable solutions that grow with your business. You can often find a Bluehost discount when signing up for longer terms. For WordPress users selling online, Bluehost’s eCommerce Bundle includes premium tools like YITH plugins, Jetpack,
Can i build a website on wordpress and host it with bluehost?
Yes, you can easily build a WordPress website and host it with Bluehost. We are officially recommended by WordPress.org and offer plans optimized for speed, security and ease of use. With premium hosting services offered by Bluehost, you can avail one-click WordPress installation, automatic updates and a free SSL certificate. Your domain and hosting are bundled for a simple setup and you can enjoy discounts when choosing annual plans. You may also benefit from a Bluehost discount when choosing a
How much does bluehost charge for domain renewal?
Domain renewal costs depend on the extension (.com, .org, etc.). The most Bluehost domain purchase renewals follow standard renewal rates, which can be viewed in your account. If your domain expires, you usually have up to 45 days in the Renewal Grace Period to renew it at the standard domain and hosting price. After that, it may enter a 30-day Redemption Grace Period, where you can still renew but a $99.95 reactivation fee plus the renewal fee associated with the specific domain. Note: Prices a
Are backups included in bluehost hosting plans?
Yes, Bluehost provides weekly backups with most plans and you can add advanced backup tools for extra protection. Since backups are part of your hosting package, they help reduce your overall website hosting services cost, as you don’t need a separate backup provider. Advanced users can upgrade to Bluehost’s Security Bundle for automated malware removal, daily backups and enhanced SSL.
Can i change my plans if my circumstances change?
Yes, you can change your Bluehost plan anytime. If your needs shift, you can upgrade or downgrade to match your budget and resources. This flexibility ensures your hosting cost always fits your situation, whether you’re scaling up or simplifying your website needs.
Can i host multiple websites on one plan or do i need a separate plan for each site?
Yes, Bluehost allows you to host multiple websites under a single hosting plan, specifically through our diverse “High Performance” shared hosting packages. These tiers let you run fully independent websites, each with its own specifications.
Do i get a discount if i pay annually?
Yes, Bluehost offers discounted rates when you choose annual or multi-year plans. Paying yearly lowers your overall hosting cost compared to monthly billing. These Bluehost discount options make it easier to manage your budget while getting reliable website hosting services.
I'm a professional web developer, which is better for me, web hosting, cloud hosting or vps hosting?
For developers, Bluehost VPS hosting or cloud hosting is often better than shared hosting. VPS gives dedicated resources, while cloud hosting offers scalability. Your choice depends on project size and client needs. Standard hosting with Bluehost works for small sites, but advanced options deliver more control and performance.
Can i install third-party applications on my bluehost hosting plan?
Yes, you can use third-party tools like Adobe Dreamweaver or Aloha Editor with your Bluehost plan. The cost of hosting varies by plan, but your website hosting services cost includes support for these applications. For easy file management, we recommend using FTP accounts and consulting the software’s help guides.
Linode (Akamai)
What is Linode (Akamai Cloud Computing)?
Linode is a cloud infrastructure provider, now part of Akamai Technologies. Founded in 2003, it offers cloud compute instances, managed Kubernetes, object storage, databases, and more across 25+ global data centers. It provides simple, predictable pricing with hourly billing capped at a monthly maximum.
How does Linode billing work?
Linode uses hourly billing with a monthly cap. You are charged by the hour for the time your instance is running, but the total monthly charge will never exceed the listed monthly price. Charges begin when an instance is created and stop when it is deleted — powering off does not stop billing.
What is the difference between Shared CPU and Dedicated CPU instances?
Shared CPU instances share processor cores with other instances, making them ideal for general workloads like web servers and small databases. Dedicated CPU instances guarantee physical CPU cores exclusively for your instance, providing consistent performance for CPU-intensive tasks like CI/CD, video encoding, and high-traffic applications.
What are Premium CPU instances?
Premium CPU instances use the latest AMD EPYC processors and are available in select high-performance data centers. They offer the best single-thread and multi-thread performance, ideal for latency-sensitive applications, enterprise workloads, and production databases. Pricing starts at $43/month.
What are High Memory instances used for?
High Memory instances are optimized for memory-intensive workloads such as in-memory databases (Redis, Memcached), real-time data processing, and caching layers. They offer a high ratio of RAM to CPU cores, starting at 24 GB RAM with 2 vCPUs for $60/month.
Does Linode offer free backups?
Linode Backups are an optional paid service costing approximately 20% of the instance price. The Backup Service takes automatic daily, weekly, and biweekly snapshots of your instance, and you can also create a manual snapshot. You can restore from any available backup at any time.
What operating systems does Linode support?
Linode supports Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Fedora, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, Arch Linux, openSUSE, Alpine, Gentoo, Kali Linux, and Slackware. You can also upload and deploy custom images. All instances use KVM virtualization with full root access.
Does Linode offer managed Kubernetes?
Yes, Linode Kubernetes Engine (LKE) provides a fully managed Kubernetes service with a free control plane. You only pay for the compute instances in your cluster. LKE supports auto-scaling, load balancers, and persistent storage integration.
What is Linode network transfer and how does it work?
Each Linode instance includes a monthly outbound transfer allowance (1-20 TB depending on plan). Inbound transfer is always free and unlimited. Transfer allowances are pooled across all instances on your account. Overage charges apply at $0.01/GB for outbound transfer beyond your pool.
Does Linode have a money-back guarantee?
Linode does not offer a traditional money-back guarantee. However, since billing is hourly, you can create an instance, test it, and delete it within hours for minimal cost (typically under $1). There are no contracts or long-term commitments required.
Where are Linode data centers located?
Linode has 25+ data centers across North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Spain), Asia-Pacific (Singapore, Japan, India, Australia, Indonesia), South America (Brazil), and Africa (South Africa). Pricing may vary by region.
Can I deploy WordPress on Linode?
Yes, Linode offers a WordPress One-Click Marketplace app that deploys a fully configured WordPress instance in minutes. You can also manually install WordPress on any compute instance. Linode is unmanaged hosting, so you are responsible for server maintenance, security updates, and backups.
Ready to Choose?
Both providers offer great features. Visit their websites to see the latest deals and pricing.
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US West, Provo, Utah
Central Europe, Frankfurt
Western Europe, London, Paris
India, Mumbai
Australia & Oceania, Sydney
South America, Sao Paulo
Western Europe, London, Paris, Amsterdam
Southeast Asia, Singapore, Jakarta
East Asia, Tokyo, Osaka
Africa, Johannesburg