Network Solutions vs. Bluehost (2024)

Ryan Frankel

By: Ryan Frankel

Ryan Frankel

Ryan began developing websites in the late '90s and has personally tested just about every web host and cloud platform worth trying on the market today. With a masters degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Florida, he leverages his extensive knowledge of hardware, software, and their engineering relationship to inform HostingAdvice readers of the technical implications of their hosting choices. Ryan's subject matter expertise includes, but is not limited to, WordPress, cloud infrastructure management, product UI/UX design, and popular web development languages such as JavaScript and PHP.

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Editor: Lillian Castro

Lillian Castro

Lillian brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to our team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Florida. Today, she edits HostingAdvice content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.

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Alexandra Anderson Ryan Frankel Hosting Expert
“We tested Bluehost & Network Solutions — The winner is Bluehost!”

We’re the first to admit that these web hosts don’t exactly have a lot in common. Network Solutions has been around for more than three decades. The company has gone through many seasons of change throughout the years but has turned a new leaf after Web.com acquired them in 2011. Now focused on rebuilding its reputation, Network Solutions is offering some basic but reliable shared and VPS hosting packages. Bluehost appeals to many niches in the hosting industry, but shines especially bright for its WordPress hosting plans and ability to help its users scale. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of each host a bit further.

Overall Rating
4.9/5.0 ★★★★★
Visit Bluehost »
Overall Rating
3.0/5.0 ★★★
Visit Network Solutions »

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Overall Hosting Comparison

Best Overall Rating

★★★★★ 4.9/5.0

Bluehost has long been a favorite of mine in the shared and WordPress hosting spaces. The company adheres to modern standards for hardware, and its customer service resources are now backed by hosting industry titan Newfold Digital.

Bluehost’s shared hosting options will accommodate the vast majority of customers' needs. Independent proprietors, small business owners, and non-developers needn't look beyond the host's shared server (read: cheap hosting) plans.

Once your website outgrows the traffic allowances of a shared hosting plan, however, Bluehost excels in the VPS hosting and dedicated server niches, too.

Bluehost has revamped its user experience — beefing up the user-friendliness factor significantly in recent years. Users will find the web host dashboard and overall customer experience to be welcoming.

Easily navigate installing popular apps, such as WordPress, Joomla, or Zen Cart, with the familiar cPanel control panel. The domain management panel makes it easy to add on domain services, should you choose to opt for an upgraded plan, where domain privacy and support for unlimited domain names come standard.

If you’re looking for WordPress hosting specifically, whether on a shared, virtual, or dedicated server, you’ve come to the right host. Bluehost is one of the few providers endorsed by the WordPress Core team, ranked among SiteGround and DreamHost.

Install the popular blogging platform in a single click via the web hosting control panel, or have the Bluehost pros take care of it for you by leveraging a managed WordPress hosting service.

As previously mentioned, Bluehost also tops the charts in VPS and dedicated server hosting — offering fantastic performance at competitive prices.

With two to four cores and guaranteed resources, your virtual or dedicated server will be performant, powerful, and online virtually 24/7.

The Bluehost team leverages industry-leading open-source technologies, such as KVM and OpenStack, to eke out as much performance as possible, leaving you with the utmost flexibility and reliability.

And in case you're not quite yet sold: Both the VPS and dedicated hosting plan options include instant provisioning because waiting for your server is so 2000s.

Read on for more Bluehost reviews as we rate the web hosting company for affordability, reliability, ease of use, as well as the features offered in each hosting product category.

  • Up to unlimited website domain and email hosting
  • 1-click WordPress installs and software updates
  • Support for popular shopping carts with FREE SSL
  • Up to $200 in Microsoft and Google Ad credit
  • Industry-leading hardware and uptime rates
  • Get started on Bluehost now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
10 GB SSD - 100 GB SSD
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

Best Overall Rating

★★★ 3.0/5.0

As perhaps the longest-surviving brand in the website hosting industry, Network Solutions certainly has staying power. However, some odd business practices have left the brand behind many others.

Tracing its roots all the way back to 1979, Network Solutions operated the first domain name system (DNS) registry as a subcontractor for the U.S. government in 1991. The company continued building out domain registration tools as the World Wide Web became increasingly accessible, and the brand was the sole registrar for .com, .net, and .org domain names, as well as the maintainer of the WHOIS database.

Over the years, price gouging and domain censoring soured the industry's relationship with Network Solutions, which has been rebuilding ever since. Now owned by Web.com, the company now offers modern, cloud-based hosting plans that specialize in helping small businesses create well-rounded online presences.

From a do-it-yourself website builder and professional design services to specialized WordPress and ecommerce offerings, Network Solutions aims to serve a wide range of entrepreneurs. The company offers tons of options and guidance for online marketing and email messaging, but site owners can find many similar services for less money.

  • Dozens of 1-click installations for popular apps
  • FREE domain name from a longtime registrar
  • Extensive support for programming languages
  • Virtually unlimited email accounts
  • Ample disk space and unlimited data transfers
  • Get started on Network Solutions.
Money Back Guarantee
N/A
Disk Space
15 GB - Unlimited
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

Cheap Hosting Comparison

Cheap Rating

★★★★★ 4.7/5.0

#5 out of 10 in Cheap Hosting reviews

Bluehost pricing is about as competitive as the industry offers.

Sign up for a shared hosting plan for as little as $1.99 per month, and WordPress hosting packages are consistently priced; a VPS plan starts at around $31.99 per month; and the dedicated hosting rates are as little as $91.98 per month. The only way to feasibly sweeten this deal would be a free trial, which, unfortunately, the hosting company does not offer.

However, the 30-day money-back guarantee is marketed heavily. The Bluehost customer support team promises complete service satisfaction or a full refund.

Bluehost hosting has reputation for affordability and usability, which both web novices and veterans can appreciate.

Unlimited website hosting — from domains and email to disk space — is available with almost all plans. Even the most basic Bluehost plan sets users up for success with ample hard disk storage, unmetered bandwidth, and both a free SSL certificate and free domain registration for the first year of hosting service.

Optional add-on services, such as automated backups, and complimentary marketing credits for select plan holders sweeten an already attractive hosting bargain. Some common freebies we love seeing include:

  • Free domain name registration (for the first year of service)
  • Free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate (also for the first year)
  • Free website builder (Weebly, an industry favorite)

Due in part to its affordability but mostly the quality of service, most Bluehost reviews will rank the hosting company atop (or near the top of) lists of the best shared, VPS, and/or WordPress hosting services.

You'll see similar results from our Bluehost review. We regularly recommend Bluehost hosting products that are geared toward beginners, including shared, WordPress, and WooCommerce hosting customers, where cost and ease of use are top priorities.

Bluehost is a solid, reputable choice of hosting provider with competitive pricing, industry-standard hardware performance, and all the premium add-ons imaginable.

The web host's low costs, coupled with its supremacy in the shared hosting arena, make this web host a bang-for-the-buck favorite throughout the hosting community.

  • Cheap shared hosting from a trusted provider
  • Ideal for hosting a WordPress website
  • FREE Weebly website builder and Cloudflare CDN
  • Unlimited traffic and 24/7 live chat support
  • Get 75% off today with our Bluehost coupon
  • Get started on Bluehost now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
10 GB SSD - 100 GB SSD
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

Cheap Rating

★★★ 3.0/5.0

Network Solutions is a large, popular registrar with solid — if not exciting — hosting packages. The company's cheapest shared hosting plan is priced above the bargain-basement hosting providers and more in line with top-tier affordable hosts.

Although there are ample storage and unlimited bandwidth to be had, we're not sure customers will find the best deals through Network Solutions hosting packages — particularly beyond the entry-level plan.

The brand's second and third-level packages are prices among high-end VPS providers, with the Premium Plan topping $20 per month.

Although Network Solutions promises an above-average 99.99% uptime, we'd like to see other premium features like high-performance solid-state drives, automatic backups, and DDoS protection. Network Solutions offers support for the most widely-adopted programming languages, including PHP, ASP.NET, JSP, Ruby on Rails, and many others.

The hosting company provides dozens of one-click installations for popular applications, which is always helpful, but keep in mind the company's competitors typically measure their install scripts by the hundreds.

With a 99.99% uptime and 24/7 phone or email support, Network Solutions' shared plan is very reliable. All things considered, Network Solutions offers a decent hosting package; however, the web hosting company's feature list is pretty short compared to other hosts.

  • Huge open-source library and language support
  • FREE domain registration from a longtime registrar
  • Above-average 99.99% uptime guarantee
  • 24/7 technical support via phone, chat, and email
  • Pay only $3.79 for month-to-month plans
  • Get started on Network Solutions.
Money Back Guarantee
N/A
Disk Space
15 GB - Unlimited
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

Dedicated Hosting Comparison

Dedicated Rating

★★★★★ 4.5/5.0

#5 out of 8 in Dedicated Hosting reviews

Built on modern technology, with a minimum of four CPU cores per dedicated server, Bluehost offers reliable and flexible dedicated hosting options at an extremely reasonable price.

We continually praise the company's shared hosting options for having fantastic hardware and a great management console, and the brand's dedicated server offerings are no different.

Designed and maintained in house, Bluehost servers rely on only the latest technologies. The hosting company leverages open-source platforms, such as OpenStack and KVM, to boost flexibility and performance. All dedicated machines boast at least four CPU cores, 1TB of RAID-1 storage, and at least 4GB of available RAM.

Each dedicated server is provisioned instantly and can be upgraded at any time with essentially just a few clicks.

Bluehost prides itself on the always-available customer support staff. The experienced support agents work directly with engineers who have their hands on your machine, so to speak.

As a former Bluehost customer, I've always found the support technicians to be incredibly responsive and helpful.

  • Instant provisioning for all Bluehost server plans
  • Minimum 3 dedicated IP addresses
  • Modern hardware, built and maintained in house
  • 24/7 expedited support from a dedicated team
  • Sign up to save 49% on your first term
  • Get started on Bluehost now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
500 GB - 1 TB (RAID-1)
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

Dedicated Rating

N/A

Network Solutions does not currently offer this type of hosting. We would not recommend choosing this host for this hosting category.

VPS Hosting Comparison

VPS Rating

★★★★★ 4.6/5.0

#8 out of 9 in VPS Hosting reviews

We love recommending Bluehost for its lifetime customer growth potential, meaning you can start with shared hosting and seamlessly scale to VPS hosting plans and beyond.

The price versus performance is pretty unbeatable in the virtual hosting space, and Bluehost's engineering team will kick off the customer relationship by instantly provisioning your server.

Bluehost’s VPS offerings boast several benefits compared to standard shared hosting and other VPS providers. The first is speed; Bluehost offers your choice of two or four cores and 4GB to 16GB of RAM with guaranteed resources, so you have the power you need when you need it.

The second perk is security; Bluehost offers redundant storage and optional SiteLock protection to secure your data.

For those new to VPS hosting who may not know exactly what is needed, Bluehost makes it incredibly easy and seamless to switch between plans to find the perfect package for you.

The company's enhanced cPanel interface enables users to instantly adjust computing resources. If you have questions or need some advice, Bluehost's wonderful support staff is standing by to assist 24/7.

  • Seamless migration from any Bluehost shared hosting plan
  • Root access and easy multi-server management
  • Ample RAID-1 storage and tons of bandwidth
  • Each plan gets at least 3 dedicated IP addresses
  • cPanel and WHM with root access
  • Get started on Bluehost now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
120 GB SSD - 240 GB SSD
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

VPS Rating

★★★★ 3.8/5.0

Aimed at tech-savvy users, Network Solutions offers reliable (yet minimal) semi-managed VPS services. Although costing a little more for equivalent hardware on competing plans, each VPS solution is backed by the Network Solutions name, excellent customer support, and great uptime.

Each plan is built on a Linux distribution and includes ample disk space and email accounts. Network Solutions offers a free domain name registration with most plans, harkening back to the company's days as the only domain registrar.

Although we found the entry-level VPS plan to be a little lacking, Network Solutions includes helpful features like SiteLock security and a free Network Solutions SSL certificate at the higher tiers.

Network Solutions VPS hosting is an upgrade from standard shared web hosting and allows you to install applications and gain direct root access to the underlying operating system.

If you want all of the benefits of a dedicated web hosting service, without the associated hardware or maintenance costs, and require a veteran name in the industry, consider giving Network Solutions VPS a chance.

  • Scalable, reliable cloud-based environments
  • FREE malware scanning and removal via SiteLock
  • Extensive library of developer tools and support
  • Add-ons available for SSL certificates and backups
  • Reliable infrastructure with 24/7 support
  • Get started on Network Solutions.
Money Back Guarantee
N/A
Disk Space
15 GB - Unlimited
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

WordPress Hosting Comparison

WordPress Rating

★★★★★ 4.9/5.0

#1 out of 8 in WordPress Hosting reviews

Bluehost's WordPress hosting packages are aimed at first-time site owners and personal bloggers. These services come at a premium compared to the standard Bluehost web hosting (basic shared hosting) plans, but the WordPress optimization and platform-specific resources are arguably worth the cost.

The shared WordPress hosting plans are arguably the most popular. Equipped with the web's famous MOJO Marketplace, enjoy single-click installations of popular apps and tools, including WordPress.

Bluehost is on a short list of providers officially endorsed by the experts at WordPress.org, so, when faced with WordPress-specific issues, you can reach out to the customer support team with confidence.

Bluehost's managed WordPress hosting service is based on the hosting company's VPS offering. Though not as customizable as others, this managed hosting service focuses on simplicity and speed.

The account management interface is easy to navigate, and the instant provisioning allows for speedy setup. Integrated features, such as the MOJO Marketplace and ManageWP, are nice touches as well.

Though simple by design, Bluehost doesn't skimp on WordPress fan favorites:

  • Automatic WordPress installation and updates
  • Customizable themes for WordPress in the Bluehost Marketplace
  • Global content delivery network (CDN) powered by Cloudflare

Formed in 2003, Bluehost has long been one of the foremost shared hosts on the planet, and the hosting company now powers more than 2 million websites.

With an experienced team, competitive pricing, and always-there support, Bluehost is an industry veteran when it comes WordPress hosting.

  • Recommended by WordPress.org since 2005
  • Automatic WordPress updates and initial install
  • FREE WordPress themes in the Bluehost Marketplace
  • 24/7 support via live chat, phone, and email
  • Get exclusive discounts on WordPress plans
  • Get started on Bluehost now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
10 GB SSD - 100 GB SSD
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

WordPress Rating

★★★★ 3.8/5.0

Network Solutions has a good reputation and solid support, though the company's feature list is quite short and outdated. The price tag may seem a little daunting at first glance but reflects the rare month-to-month plans Network Solutions offers by default.

You can find much lower rates by committing to at least one year of hosting for your WordPress hosting. Offering 50GB of disk space should satisfy most needs of the average WordPress blog. However, in a sea of hosts with so-called unlimited offerings, Network Solutions seems to be lacking.

A free domain from one of the most prevalent registrars is included with most service offerings — but not all. Network Solutions boasts and above-average 99.99% uptime reliability, but nothing else about this host screams WordPress-specific perks.

Installation, themes, and plugins are all up to you, as is security and performance optimization. We love to see hardware, infrastructure, and included software be more WordPress-centric in our specialized web hosts.

In a nutshell, Network Solutions has solid technical support options and decent beginner tools in its WordPress plan. The company's ease of use could certainly be improved, perhaps with the addition of more current features, in order to help offset the higher cost.

  • 1,000s of free themes and plugins for SEO-friendly sites
  • FREE SSL certificate and domain registration available
  • FREE on-demand cloud backups
  • Pay $7.99 for month-to-month plans
  • Price reductions available for longer contract terms
  • Get started on Network Solutions.
Money Back Guarantee
N/A
Disk Space
50 GB - 200 GB
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

Site Builder Hosting Comparison

Website Builder Rating

★★★★★ 4.5/5.0

#5 out of 9 in Website Builder Hosting reviews

With Bluehost, new site owners have the drag-and-drop simplicity of the WordPress website builder at their fingertips. This makes launching a new online brand, store, or personal site from scratch relatively painless.

Sure, site building has its headaches for newbies, but the Bluehost team is ready and willing to assist you every step of the way. To help prime your site launch for success, Bluehost offers a plethora of unlimited freebies:

  • Free domain hosting (unlimited domains on select plans)
  • Free email hosting (unlimited by default)
  • Unlimited storage on most plans
  • Unlimited bandwidth (site traffic)

These freebies, coupled with several options for site-building services, is everything a new website owner needs to get started, and the cost is hard to beat. If WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) isn’t for you, perhaps a CMS (content management system) option sounds appealing.

Choose from the most popular content management and blogging software, including Joomla, Drupal, and WordPress, and download and install the application(s) with a single click.

Most Bluehost hosting plan options have even been customized to cater to WordPress — and Bluehost is one of three hosts officially endorsed by the WordPress Core developers.

For quick, cheap, and easy website building — backed by one of the web’s most reliable web hosts — you can’t go wrong in choosing Bluehost.

  • FREE website builder (powered by WordPress)
  • Custom themes and easy integration with ecommerce tools
  • Expert support 24/7 via live chat, phone, and email
  • Longest-running WordPress.org recommendation
  • Pro services to design, build, and market your site
  • Get started on Bluehost now.
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
Disk Space
10 GB SSD - 100 GB SSD
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)

Website Builder Rating

★★★★ 3.8/5.0

Aimed at individuals or small businesses new to the wacky world of web design, the Network Solutions website builder and hosting package should get you online reasonably quickly and have your online presence looking professional in no time.

Similar to many other drag-and-drop website builders, there isn’t too much originality to Network Solutions' website building tool. However, the company does focus on creating a professional site at a very reasonable and affordable rate.

Network Solutions is a big name in the domain registrar business, and as such, it includes a one-year domain registration with signup. Aspiring site owners can also choose premium packages to unlock tools for online marketing and ecommerce stores to further grow their brand.

For those in need of a nice, professional site who want to get online quickly, Network Solutions should have what you need.

  • Simple, wizard-driven site builder
  • Templates tailored for personal use or small business
  • Customize with your own logos and colors
  • FREE domain and email from a longtime registrar
  • Upgraded plans for online marketing and ecommerce
  • Get started on Network Solutions.
Money Back Guarantee
N/A
Disk Space
Unlimited
Domain Name
FREE (1 year)
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Bluehost vs. Network Solutions - Our Conclusion

Alexandra Anderson Ryan Frankel Hosting Expert
“We tested Bluehost & Network Solutions — The winner is Bluehost!”

The host you end up choosing should depend on your skill level and hosting requirements. Network Solutions has some pretty decent semi-managed VPS hosting options for our tech-savvy users. However, if you’re newer to the industry or if you’re looking for something with a lower price tag, Bluehost does an excellent job in many niches. With either web host, you’re backing your website with a reliable plan.

Overall Rating
4.9/5.0 ★★★★★
Visit Bluehost »
Overall Rating
3.0/5.0 ★★★
Visit Network Solutions »

About The Author

Ryan Frankel has been a professional in the tech industry for more than 20 years and has been developing websites for more than 25. With a master's degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Florida, he has a fundamental understanding of hardware systems and the software that runs them. Ryan now sits as the CTO of Digital Brands Inc. and manages all of the server infrastructure of their websites, as well as their development team. In addition, Ryan has a passion for guitars, good coffee, and puppies.
Alexandra Anderson