Choosing the Right Web Host: Bluehost vs Arvixe

Introduction

Are you struggling to decide between Bluehost and Arvixe for your web hosting needs? Let’s break down the key differences to help you make an informed decision.

Comparison Table

Feature	Bluehost	Arvixe
Founded	1996	2003
Server Options	Linux	Linux and Windows
Uptime Guarantee	No	99.9% Guarantee
Load Time	2.37s	1.05s
Data Centers	Utah	North America, Europe, Hong Kong
Customer Support	24/7 Phone, Chat, Email	24/7 Chat, Email; Phone (Monday-Friday)
Pricing	Starting at $1.99/month	Starting at $7/month
Website Builder	Weebly Basic (5 pages)	RvSiteBuilder (over 600 templates)
Databases	Unlimited MySQL	Unlimited MySQL, PostgreSQL
Email Accounts	Unlimited	Unlimited

Detailed Comparison

Ease of Use

Both Bluehost and Arvixe offer user-friendly interfaces, but there are some differences in their tools and features.

• Bluehost: Provides the Weebly Basic website builder, which is free but limited to 5 pages. For more features, you need to upgrade to Weebly Premium.

  

• Arvixe: Comes with RvSiteBuilder, a feature-rich builder with a WYSIWYG editor and over 600 web templates.

  

Stability

Stability is crucial for any website.

• Bluehost: Bluehost has an average uptime of 99.98%, which is above the industry standard. However, they do not offer an uptime guarantee.

• Arvixe: Arvixe boasts a 99.99% uptime with a guarantee, offering a free month’s refund if the monthly average falls below 99.9%.

Speed

Speed can significantly impact your website’s performance.

• Bluehost: Websites hosted on Bluehost have an average load time of 2.37s, which is faster than 65% of the sites tested.

• Arvixe: Arvixe sites load significantly faster, with an average load time of 1.05s, beating 89% of the sites tested.

Security

Security features are vital for protecting your website.

• Bluehost: Bluehost’s data center in Utah is powered and cooled with redundant sources and has diesel backups. However, they do not offer mirrored or redundant backups except for their Cloud Plans.

• Arvixe: Arvixe has fully redundant data centers in North America, Europe, and Hong Kong, with multiple power and cooling options. They also store customer data on 15K raid ten drives and use SSD storage for databases and email servers.

Pricing and Cost

Pricing can be a deciding factor for many users.

• Bluehost: Starts at $1.99/month for shared hosting, making it one of the more affordable options.

• Arvixe: Starts at $7/month for shared hosting, which is higher than Bluehost but includes more features.

Customer Support Service

Good customer support is essential for troubleshooting and maintenance.

• Bluehost: Offers 24/7 phone, chat, and email support. However, customer reviews indicate that their support could be improved.

• Arvixe: Provides 24/7 chat and email support, with phone support available Monday through Friday. Despite some decline in service quality after the EIG buyout, Arvixe still rates above average.

Client Reviews

Client reviews can give you a real-world perspective on the services.

• Bluehost: Generally positive, but some users have reported issues with customer support.

• Arvixe: Known for excellent customer support, although there has been a decline since the EIG buyout.

Pros and Cons

Bluehost

Pros:

• Affordable pricing starting at $1.99/month
• 24/7 phone, chat, and email support
• Good uptime stats (99.98%)
• Easy-to-use Weebly Basic website builder

Cons:

• No uptime guarantee
• Limited website builder features in the free version
• No mirrored or redundant backups except for Cloud Plans

Arvixe

Pros:

• 99.9% uptime guarantee
• Faster load times (1.05s)
• Fully redundant data centers
• RvSiteBuilder with over 600 templates
• Supports both Linux and Windows servers

Cons:

• Higher pricing starting at $7/month
• Phone support limited to office hours
• Decline in customer support quality after EIG buyout

FAQs

1. Which web host offers better performance?

Arvixe generally offers better performance with faster load times (1.05s) compared to Bluehost (2.37s).

2. Do both hosts offer an uptime guarantee?

No, only Arvixe offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Bluehost does not have an uptime guarantee.

3. Which host provides more server options?

Arvixe provides both Linux and Windows server options, while Bluehost is limited to Linux-based configurations.

4. How do the website builders compare?

Bluehost offers Weebly Basic, which is limited to 5 pages, while Arvixe provides RvSiteBuilder with over 600 web templates.

5. Which host has better customer support?

Arvixe is generally rated higher for customer support, although there has been a decline since the EIG buyout. Bluehost’s support is available 24/7 but has mixed reviews.