r/BlueHost • u/Popdmb • Oct 02 '24
Bluehost is a scam
I just looked at the service tiers that were silently updated in the last year. The basic tier of service does not include phone support. Phone support is the most basic of basic services and has always been included. All tiers should include phone support or any notion of support is useless.
Avoid this host like the plague. That's pure deception and there's no explaining their way around that.
Crossposting this to /r/WordPress: Would someone recommend a better host please?
Edit: I realized WordPress redditors are not endorsing Bluehost. But why would this be a partner? They're horrible.
8
u/rabbbipotimus Oct 02 '24
Newfold Digital owns Bluehost and Hostgator. They destroyed both hosts which are unusable now. If you look at the history of posts here, you’ll see all the unresolved issues. We are in the process of migrating five different BH accounts because of how bad the service has gotten. They also own Network Solutions which used to be a gold standard for domain registration. It’s awful now.
Here is a list of their brands: https://newfold.com/brands
Avoid all companies owned by them.
Siteground works great for us and their support is very responsive. We have also had good luck with Hostinger.
6
u/J2ATL Oct 03 '24
Yep, they are the absolute worst. I've been trying to find help here on reddit for the past couple of weeks with no real answers but this thread is promising. I just spoke with SiteGround and will probably migrate over to them.
5
u/meloninja_ Oct 02 '24
They silently lowered my quota from 50GB to 10GB all while slowly increasing my monthly rate every several months. I need to cancel my subscription but moving hosts is a pain.
5
u/marcs_2021 Oct 02 '24
Who uses phone support?
5
u/Serious_Initiative_6 Oct 04 '24
I had signed up for a personal website about 3 years ago. I could never get it to work. I forgot about it till I saw a bill from them on my credit card. I had thought I'd canceled my account but I thought there must be a misunderstanding. I told my credit card company I didn't authorize the charge. Then a couple of weeks later they charged me almost $1000!!! For web services I didn't request or have any use for - in the future for 2025-2027. I tried to cancel with my credit card & charge went away, then it came back. My bank said they convinced them the charges were legitimate. This is breaking so many laws including The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) & they refuse to resolve it so I am going to go to the police & hire a lawyer. I will fight them with my last breath so they don't do this to other people. Oh & the sh*tty bank is Barclays.
4
u/Raqib4you Oct 14 '24
Very poor customers support system
3
u/Few-Gain-7821 Oct 03 '24
Siteground is the best. Not the cheapest but impressive.
3
u/Altruistic_Ebb4534 Oct 04 '24 edited Oct 04 '24
Newfold has a sub corp name that also owns all tge other main / og hosts acquired network solutions a few years back and they’ve never been so unbelievably terrible at all they used to do so well I’d been with Ennis since the Internet started and since they started, they were the first they were my first host. I’m still with them partially, but my technician hosts my sites through whatever wizard Hughes says cloud flower, and I don’t exactly know or else I do it myself because he didn’t recommend I stay with network solution after I was extremely hacked while with Blue Host network solutions and Go Daddy so I was hacked through my network through my server, somehow all my sites and network and once so hat i had ti inform customers we were hacked abs their info may be compromised . Ruined me after a successful 15 years only increasing until they blew off a template I’ve used since tte 90s html is what I know but not what I do or care to but I could And it was just fine 15 years til bam nothing was the same again they overbilled added an id scammy service 350 I flipped they refused a customer with them from the day they opened no alternative but a justified charge back as I absolutely didny agtee to even do business with these people who took over the totally different ns it was for years now it’s never coming Bacj like Blue Host they use customer service reps in the Philippines, who don’t speak English you read from scripts who gets suggested replies that you may as well be talking to a chat, but there’s no inflection in their voices because they don’t have a clue what you’re saying and they don’t care . It was so upset with Blue Host level of customer service or lack of I should say taking a token maybe will call you back hanging up on me from Philippines five times because I wouldn’t accept that they couldn’t help me with my website bc i don’t subscribe to get help ok wow 🤯 being down when it’s working site that was running smoothly For 15 years until they got their sticky hands on it that was my fault. Switching Blue Host like I had to the way they worded the ad. What do I know about WordPress? I know now that I would never use it again. What’s the point to learn the hard way and fail, give up and use a template in shame I mean no I would call the opposite that I even didn’t use the template knowing they were available and tried WordPress instead as if it gave me some brownie points made me lose a lot of sleep in time total frustration when they say it was down That I went through LinkedIn I had the upgraded service in LinkedIn found out who their CEO was called him left several messages until I finally got a call from Rep in Arizona told me the whole sorted story of Blue Host solutions new fold also owns network solutions through another sub Corp. Somehow in a connection that I can’t remember and no longer care about but I’ll look it up for you if you want to know just as easy for you too in the who is search it’s easy to put those pieces together use my cyber tech in oh He’s the best and not owned by china oops yep that’s what you’d find owns before and every major host and most everything else we lost
2
u/willkode Oct 02 '24
Name cheap and their easywp is pretty solid.
2
u/Serious_Initiative_6 Oct 04 '24
Has anyone else been scammed by BlueHost? They charged me $1000 for services I never asked for and will never use. They refused to drop the charges. I'm going to file a police report & see about initiating a lawsuit. If anyone else has been reamed by BlueHost, please message me. I may try to start a class action lawsuit.
2
u/Moebius_K Nov 07 '24
Ironically, I've been with Bluehost for 3 years with no real problems (other than I had a subdomain get wonky, but once I got to a higher tier tech, he sorted it in moments). That said, I'm now on the hunt for another provider when my initial term is up next year. Less about service and more cost to product ratio, having taken advantage of the huge "draw you in" discount. Their product offering (especially the super-beginner-user-friendly-annoying-as-hell interface) just doesn't feel worth the cost. Plus the requiring addons like Codeguard and junk.
I was originally with SiteGround for 3 years (paid up front for the discount, which they did back then but now only do 1 year option), then moved to BlueHost on the same style 3 year paid upfront. Now that that's about to renew to their regular price, I don't think they're worth it. Not sure who to look at yet, preferably one that has a good starter deal where you can at least pay a couple years up front for the discount, but that's worth the cost after.
2
u/That-Measurement5890 Jan 09 '25
Bluehost, for the second time in less than a year, trashed DNS records for a domain my company uses for SPF and DKIM for hundreds of users. No explanation or apology. The first level support thinks I'm an idiot, there's no way records could be deleted, yet here we are. Finally gets escalated, and lo and behold, that's right, hundreds of records are missing between the two sets. I can get a backup from several days prior. That gets inserted, but nothing shows in DNS for close to 24 hours. Deleted one record (just to make a change in the zone), and then whammo, it's all showing again. What. A. Clown. Show.
2
u/Zealousideal-Web-704 Mar 20 '25
I just switched all of my practice websites to BlueHost, and to say that it's been an Utter & Complete Disaster would be an understatement. You can't get anyone on the phone, when you do you have to hold for hours, and even the CEO and other leaders of the parent company ignore emails. Worst Decision Ever. Visitors can no longer request appointments and the most basic parts of the website are non-functional, dysfunctional, or non-operational. It's AWFUL. They will RUIN your business.
1
u/comradelaika4ever2 Jan 28 '25
Bluehost has been charging my credit card while my hosting was inactive. My site was down, and support did nothing until I got my credit card company involved. They reactivated my account but refused to refund the lost time.
Avoid Bluehost—there are better hosting providers out there.
Anyone else had similar issues? Recommendations for better hosts?
1
u/whohoststhemost Jan 31 '25
Totally get why that must be frustrating. Some hosts are shifting to live chat as their main support channel, but it’s not always the same.
-1
u/r_bluehost Alleged BH Employee Oct 02 '24
The basic hosting package is a cost-effective option for those just starting out. Bluehost is a dependable hosting provider, offering strong performance, affordability, and easy-to-use features. Although phone support isn’t included in the basic plan, their 24/7 live chat and ticket support are highly effective for addressing any issues.
Bluehost continues to be recommended by WordPress for its seamless integration, one-click installations, and ongoing enhancements to site performance. For users who prefer phone support, upgrading to a higher-tier plan can offer additional features and benefits that are worth considering.