Bluehost Basic vs Choice Plus vs eCommerce Essentials (Bluehost Shared Hosting Plans Compared 2025)

by

If you’re launching a WordPress website in 2025, Bluehost remains one of the top choices for beginners and small businesses. But with three shared hosting plans—Basic, Choice Plus, and eCommerce Essentials—it can be hard to know which one is right for you.

This post breaks down:

  • What each Bluehost shared hosting plan includes
  • How they differ in performance, storage, features, and pricing
  • Who each plan is best suited for (bloggers, freelancers, online stores)
  • Which plan gives you the most value for your money

By the end, you’ll know exactly which Bluehost plan to choose based on your goals—and how to save the most at signup.

Bluehost Basic vs Choice Plus vs eCommerce Essentials Comparison 2025

1. Bluehost Shared Hosting Plans Overview: Features at a Glance

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the three Bluehost shared hosting plans:

FeatureBasicChoice PluseCommerce Essentials
Websites Allowed1050100
Storage10 GB SSD50 GB SSD100 GB NVMe
Traffic Capacity~40K visits/mo~200K visits/mo~400K visits/mo
Free Domain (1st Year)✅✅✅
Free SSL & CDN✅✅✅
Daily Backups✅✅✅
Malware Scanning✅✅✅
Malware Removal❌✅✅
Domain Privacy❌✅✅
WooCommerce Tools❌❌✅ (built-in)
Price (12-month term)$1.99/mo$3.95/mo$6.45/mo
Renewal Price$11.99/mo$15.99/mo$18.99/mo

This table shows that as you move from Basic to eCommerce Essentials, you’re not just getting more storage—you’re getting premium-level tools, enhanced security, and built-in commerce features designed for serious growth.

👉 Get Bluehost at $1.99/month (Basic) or $3.95/month (Choice Plus) + Free Domain

Looking for affordable hosting in 2025? This detailed Bluehost pricing guide helps you find the best plan without overspending. Plus, apply this Bluehost savings code to get the best offer.

2. Bluehost Basic Plan: Ideal for Beginners or Personal Projects

The Basic plan is Bluehost’s most affordable shared hosting option—and it’s perfect for anyone launching their first blog, personal website, or simple portfolio site.

At just $1.99/month (12-month term), it gives you all the essentials to build and grow a small website without paying for features you might not need right away.

✅ Key Features of Bluehost Basic:

  • Host up to 10 websites
  • 10 GB SSD storage
  • Free domain name for 1 year
  • Free SSL certificate (HTTPS secure)
  • Free Cloudflare CDN
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • AI-powered site creation tools
  • Free WordPress install + updates

📈 Who Is It Best For?

  • New bloggers
  • Students & freelancers
  • Personal brand websites
  • Portfolio sites
  • Micro-niche blogs or affiliate projects

❌ Limitations to Consider:

  • No domain privacy or malware removal
  • No WooCommerce integration
  • Storage is limited (10 GB = ~2,000 images or ~100 posts)
  • No phone support (only live chat)

Verdict:
If you’re just starting and need a reliable, low-cost WordPress host, the Basic plan is a safe and smart entry point. It’s easy to upgrade later if your site grows.

👉 Get Bluehost at $1.99/month (Basic) or $3.95/month (Choice Plus) + Free Domain

3. Bluehost Choice Plus Plan: Best Value for Growing Sites & Bloggers

If you’re planning to grow beyond a single site, or want more peace of mind with security and backups, the Choice Plus plan offers the best balance of features and pricing on Bluehost’s shared hosting tier.

At $3.95/month for a 12-month term (75% off), this plan unlocks significantly more power and flexibility—ideal for serious bloggers, content creators, and small business owners.

✅ Key Features of Bluehost Choice Plus:

  • Host up to 50 websites
  • 50 GB SSD storage (5× more than Basic)
  • Free domain for 1 year
  • Free domain privacy protection
  • Free daily website backups
  • Free malware detection & removal
  • Free SSL, CDN (Cloudflare + Argo Routing)
  • WordPress staging site included
  • Static & object caching
  • 24/7 phone + chat support
  • AI-powered site builder & design tools

👨‍💻 Who Is It Best For?

  • Niche bloggers running multiple sites
  • Affiliate marketers
  • Freelancers & small agencies
  • Content-heavy blogs or review sites
  • Businesses growing SEO and email lists

⚖️ Why It’s Better Than Basic:

  • Much more storage = freedom to scale
  • Better security (malware protection, backups, privacy)
  • Professional support access (chat + phone)
  • Staging site for safe design/test changes
  • Perfect for anyone planning to run multiple WordPress installs

🛑 Drawbacks to Consider:

  • Slightly higher renewal rate ($15.99/mo) after first year
  • Still lacks built-in WooCommerce tools (unlike the next tier)

Verdict:
If you’re taking your website seriously and want the best combination of value, performance, and peace of mind, Choice Plus is the plan most users stick with long-term. It covers everything you need without jumping to more expensive business-tier hosting.

👉 Get Bluehost at $1.99/month (Basic) or $3.95/month (Choice Plus) + Free Domain

4. Bluehost eCommerce Essentials Plan: Built for Selling Online

If your goal is to run a full-featured online store or membership site, the eCommerce Essentials plan is built specifically for you. Priced at $6.45/month (12-month term), this plan includes all the features of Choice Plus—plus powerful WooCommerce tools, enhanced performance, and custom commerce functionality.

This plan is ideal for solopreneurs, course creators, content sellers, and digital product businesses who want to grow and scale quickly without hiring a developer.

✅ Key Features of eCommerce Essentials:

  • Host up to 100 websites
  • 100 GB NVMe SSD storage (faster than standard SSDs)
  • Ideal for handling ~400,000 visits/month
  • WooCommerce pre-installed with auto-setup
  • Free domain + SSL + CDN
  • Secure payment processing integration
  • Sell subscriptions, memberships, courses
  • Run your own affiliate program
  • Social login + custom email templates
  • Free malware removal + backups
  • Domain privacy, DDoS protection, WAF included
  • 24/7 phone + chat support

🛒 Who Is It Best For?

  • New or growing online stores
  • Creators selling digital content or courses
  • Coaches, consultants, and membership sites
  • Bloggers ready to monetize with products
  • Sellers wanting to offer subscriptions or accept payments online

🚀 What Sets It Apart from Choice Plus:

  • Built-in eCommerce infrastructure
  • Integrated tools for subscriptions, memberships, and paid content
  • Higher NVMe storage capacity = blazing-fast load times
  • WooCommerce auto-install and optimization
  • Advanced email marketing + sales funnel tools

🧾 Minor Drawbacks:

  • Higher starting price ($6.45/mo vs $3.95/mo)
  • Renewals cost more at $18.99/month
  • Might be overkill if you only run a content blog with no selling plans

Verdict:
If you’re serious about eCommerce and want all-in-one tools to sell online, this is the hosting plan to choose. Bluehost’s eCommerce Essentials plan removes the technical hassle so you can focus on your business, not setup.

5. Final Verdict: Which Bluehost Shared Hosting Plan Should You Choose in 2025?

Choosing the right hosting plan comes down to your goals, growth plans, and budget. Bluehost makes it easy by offering three well-structured options—each designed for a specific type of user.

Here’s a quick summary to help you decide:

🟩 Choose Basic if:

  • You’re launching your first website or blog
  • You only need to host a few small websites
  • You want the lowest upfront cost
  • You’re okay without phone support or premium security

✅ Best for: personal blogs, hobby sites, students, freelancers

🟦 Choose Choice Plus if:

  • You plan to run multiple WordPress websites
  • You want domain privacy, daily backups, and malware protection
  • You need phone support and staging functionality
  • You’re looking for the best value overall

✅ Best for: growing blogs, niche site builders, affiliate marketers, SEO-focused sites

🟧 Choose eCommerce Essentials if:

  • You plan to sell products, memberships, or digital content
  • You need WooCommerce, subscriptions, and secure checkout
  • You want to build a store without hiring a developer
  • You’re launching a course or paid membership site

✅ Best for: online stores, digital creators, solopreneurs, content entrepreneurs

💡 Pro Tip:

All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can start with confidence and upgrade later if needed.

✅ Our Recommendation for Most Users:

Go with Choice Plus if you’re building anything beyond a simple blog. It’s the best all-around option with great performance, advanced features, and room to grow.

If you’re ready to start, use this exclusive link to get the lowest price:

👉 Get Bluehost at $1.99/month (Basic) or $3.95/month (Choice Plus) + Free Domain

Read Detailed Review of Bluehost Hosting Services

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Bluehost shared hosting plan is best for beginners?

The Basic plan is perfect for beginners starting their first blog or personal website. It includes 10 websites, 10 GB SSD storage, a free domain, and SSL—all at just $1.99/month.

What is the difference between Bluehost Basic and Choice Plus?

The Choice Plus plan includes everything in Basic, but adds 5x more storage, daily backups, domain privacy, malware removal, and support for 50 websites. It’s ideal for growing websites or managing multiple projects.

Is Bluehost eCommerce Essentials worth it?

Yes, if you’re planning to run an online store or sell digital products. It includes WooCommerce auto-installation, secure payment tools, subscriptions, and 100 GB NVMe storage—optimized for eCommerce success.

Can I upgrade my Bluehost plan later?

Absolutely. You can start with Basic and upgrade to Choice Plus or eCommerce Essentials anytime without downtime. Bluehost allows seamless upgrades as your site grows.

Do all Bluehost shared hosting plans include a free domain?

Yes. All Bluehost shared hosting plans come with a free domain for the first year, free SSL, and access to Cloudflare CDN for improved site speed and security.

More Bluehost Tutorials and Reviews

Affiliate Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. This will not cost you a single penny extra. Thanks for the understanding and rewarding me for my hard work.