Bluehost vs STRATO Comparison
Compare Bluehost vs STRATO features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
Bluehost
5.4/10
Bluehost is a web host owned by Newfold Digital. It sells WordPress-focused shared hosting, self-managed VPS and dedicated servers, mainly to small businesses and individual site owners.
STRATO
5.3/10
Berlin-based web host selling shared hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS and dedicated servers from German data centers, mainly to small businesses and individuals.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.4/10 | 5.3/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 3/10 |
| Support | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Cost | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Reliability | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Analytics | 3/10 | 4/10 |
| Scalability | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | $4/mo Starter | €4/mo Linux VPS S |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | $4/mo Starter | €4/mo Linux VPS S |
| Features | ||
| Automatic Backups | ||
| DDoS Protection | ||
| Dedicated Servers | ||
| Free SSL Certificates | ||
| Managed WordPress | ||
| Shared Hosting | ||
| VPS Hosting | ||
| Content Delivery Network | Not listed | |
| Multiple Regions | Not listed | |
| Uptime SLA | Not listed | |
Bluehost vs STRATO cost by team size
| Team size | Bluehost | STRATO |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | $4/moStarter | €4/moLinux VPS S |
| 5 users | $4/moStarter | €4/moLinux VPS S |
| 10 users | $4/moStarter | €4/moLinux VPS S |
| 25 users | $4/moStarter | €4/moLinux VPS S |
| 50 users | $4/moStarter | €4/moLinux VPS S |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Bluehost
- Higher Integration score (6/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Ease of Use score (8/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose STRATO
- Higher Cost score (8/10 vs 7/10)
- Higher Reliability score (6/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
Bluehost
Pros
- Every shared plan includes a free CDN, Let's Encrypt SSL, weekly backups, staging and a first-year domain.
- Low entry price: $3.99 a month on a 36-month term for up to 10 sites.
- Clear upgrade path from shared hosting to NVMe VPS and dedicated servers, with data centers in the US, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands.
- The 99.99% uptime SLA carries a service credit.
- Very large review base, with a 4.6 rating on Trustpilot.
Cons
- Renewal prices are roughly 2 to 3 times the intro rate, for example Starter rises from $3.99 to $9.99.
- The best prices require 24 to 36 month prepaid terms, and renewals cannot be refunded.
- Reviewers report paid add-ons at checkout and difficult cancellations.
- The SLA credit is a single 5% monthly credit, which is small.
- VPS plans are self-managed, with no cPanel or priority support included.
- Ratings on G2 and Capterra are mediocre (about 3.4 to 3.6), with complaints about support and performance.
STRATO
Pros
- Entry prices are very low: Linux VPS starts at 4 euros a month on monthly billing, and the first months of a 12-month term are discounted.
- Data centers are in Germany, which suits EU customers with data residency concerns.
- Shared plans include Git, WP-CLI, two-factor login, DDoS protection and SiteLock scanning.
- Monthly terms can be cancelled each month.
Cons
- There is no general uptime guarantee. WebsitePlanet notes the 99 percent figure is only a claim.
- VPS plans exclude backups, so customers must set up their own.
- Prices rise after the promotional period, and monthly terms add setup fees.
- Features and phone support vary by country, and German users get the best service.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Bluehost scores higher on our Hosting & Infrastructure criteria: 5.4/10 against 5.3/10 for STRATO. The largest gap is in Integration: 6/10 for Bluehost and 3/10 for STRATO.
No, neither Bluehost nor STRATO lists a free plan.
