Bluehost is one of the most popular web hosting solutions on the market, with two million websites hosted and counting. It has been around since 2003, and ever since then, it has been continuously improving its services, customer support, and technology. It has been a WordPress partner for more than ten years and is one of the best WordPress solutions money can buy. Bluehost offers a wide range of services, including dedicated server hosting with full root access and dedicated customer support.
Dedicated server hosting is the next step for all users who have surpassed their VPS plan’s resources. With dedicated server hosting, you will get a whole server to yourself and be able to host whatever you want. So, when your site starts experiencing slower speeds and increased downtime, you will know the time has come to switch your VPS plan for a more powerful, dedicated server hosting plan. Also, dedicated servers are ideal for developers and large enterprises who want to host multiple sites, projects, databases, and virtually anything else they want!
Today, we will dive deeply into Bluehost’s dedicated server hosting offer by testing it and reviewing its performance, support, and features. We will also provide you with a comprehensive list of the benefits and drawbacks you will experience with Bluehost, so you can determine whether it is the right choice for you.
Bluehost
Getting Started With Bluehost Dedicated Server Plans
Bluehost’s website is extremely easy to navigate. You can find everything you need on its homepage. More specifically, you can find its dedicated server hosting offer in the “Hosting” menu next to the “WordPress” at the top of the homepage.
You can change the currency you want to use on the homepage. You can choose from Euros, USD Dollars, GBP Pounds, CAD Dollars, AUD Dollars, and INR Rupees. Now, let’s get into the details.
Bluehost offers three dedicated hosting plans with full root access and improved cPanel. With its unmanaged (or self-managed) dedicated servers, you can access and control everything, from your OS to Apache. These plans are ideal for large companies with dedicated IT teams and more advanced users who want full control over their servers and complete freedom to customize them as much as they want.
Since you have full control over your server, you will have to know how to set it up and manage it yourself. So, beginners who do not have the technical knowledge required to manage a whole server alone should consider hiring an IT expert to help them set up everything correctly instead of doing it themselves. That way, you can avoid mistakes that will cause many issues in the future and configure your server the right way so that you can fully use all of its capabilities.
With Bluehost, you will have a whole server for yourself with full root access and multi-server management that allows you to add more VPS, shared, or dedicated hosting services to your account. You will also be able to manage everything in one place, including your hosting services, websites, emails, domains, and more. You can increase your server’s storage at any time without any server admin assistance and use your server to host all kinds of large and complex projects.
Currently, Bluehost is compatible only with CentOS and does not support any other OS systems.
Bluehost’s entry-level dedicated hosting plan comes with 4GB RAM, 2 x 500GB RAID Level 1 Storage, 5TB Network Bandwidth, and a 2.3GHz CPU with four cores, four threads, and a 3MB Cache. You can upgrade your dedicated hosting plan whenever you want and a dedicated server with 16GB RAM, 2 x 1000GB RAID Level 1 Storage, 15TB Network Bandwidth, and a 3.3GHz CPU with four cores, eight threads, and an 8MB Cache.
With Bluehost, you can easily upgrade your storage and dedicated hosting plan via your control panel. You can also manage everything via your control panel, from your resources to your emails. Also, you can get full root access and perform custom installs and other customizations on your dedicated server.
All Bluehost dedicated hosting plans come with one free domain for the first year, cPanel & WHM with Root, 24/7 dedicated hosting assistance, multi-server management, a free SSL Certificate, fast provisioning (24-72 hours), and high-quality RAID Storage. What’s more, all of Bluehost’s dedicated hosting packages are subject to a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Now, it’s time for the testing to begin!
To review Bluehost’s dedicated server offer more thoroughly, I will buy a package and review it. I will buy the entry-level plan “Standard” for this test since it includes the same resources as the other plans. The only difference between the plans is in the number of resources it offers. Also, I won’t be hosting any site or app, so the entry-level plan will be more than enough for me. So, let’s begin.
To buy a plan, click on the “Select” button on the plan that you like.
Once you click on the “Select” button, you will get the following screen.
Here, you need to create a new domain or use your existing one. Whichever you choose, you need to click on “Next” to continue with the purchasing process. You can also create your domain later, which I will do here since I do not need one because I won’t be hosting anything. Once you click “Next,” you will get the following screen.
Now you need to create an account by signing in with Google or filling in the blank spaces under “Account Information.”
After you’re done, you need to scroll down, sort your package information, and get extras if you want to. You can pay for one month, three months, six months, one year, two years, or three years. As you choose the longer billing term, your monthly price will decrease.
Next, you need to type in your payment information, agree to the terms and services, and click “Submit.” Once you click “Submit,” you will get the following screen.
Now you need to create a password for your Bluehost account by clicking on the “Create your Password” button.
If you scroll down, you can also download your receipt and view your billing information, payment details, and the hosting package you bought. And you’re done! Creating a password is the last step in setting up your Bluehost account. The process takes a couple of minutes, and your account will be ready immediately!
Bluehost
Setting Up a Bluehost Dedicated Server Plan
Once you create a password for your Bluehost account, you will be redirected to your cPanel account.
Your server will be ready and running, so you will be free to add your sites and host the files, databases, software, and scripts you want. Let’s go one by one.
To create a new site or migrate your existing one, click on “My Sites” on the left side of your screen, under the “Home” button. Once you do, you will get the following screen.
You can migrate one WordPress site for free. You will have to pay an additional fee if you want to migrate more than one site.
You can create an email account and start sending and receiving emails from your domain if you click on the “Create an Email Account” link on your homepage.
On your cPanel homepage, you can also view your general information on the right side of your screen.
To view your detailed server information, click on the “Server Information” button on the right side of your screen. When you do, you will get the following screen.
Back on your homepage, you will see the following screen if you scroll down a bit.
Here, you can manage the email accounts that you have connected with your domains. Further down, you will find the following.
Via the “Files” section of your homepage, you can access your file manager, images, and directory privacy, view your disk usage and web disk, and access Git. Via the “Databases” section, you can access phpMyAdmin, MySQL Databases, MySQL Database Wizard, and Remote MySQL. Thus, you can add databases and manage them there.
If you scroll down, you will find the following.
You can view your metrics option, including Visitor metrics, Errors, Bandwidth, Raw Access, Awstats, Webalizer, and Metrics Editor. Also, you can access and manage your security, including SSH access, IP Blocker, SSL/TLS, API Tokens, Hotlink Protection, and Leech Protection.
Further down, you will find the following.
Here, you can access various software installation apps and programs, including QuickInstall, WordPress Manager by Softaculous, PHP PEAR Packages, Perl Modules, Optimize Website, MultiPHP Manager, MultiPHP INI Editor, and Softaculous Apps Installer. You can install themes, plugins, PHP extensions, CMS, and more via these apps and programs.
In the “Advanced” section, you can find advanced programs like Terminal, Cron Jobs, Indexes, Error Pages, Apache Handlers, and MIME Types. If you scroll down further, you will find the following.
In the “Preferences” section of your homepage, you can change your account’s language and manage your subaccounts.
In the “Softaculous Apps Installer” section, you can find different apps, CMS platforms, and other scripts and install them with one click.
You can find a few submenus on the right of your homepage.
In the “Marketplace” submenu, you can find all kinds of add-ons, pro services, WordPress themes & plugins that you can get for your website.
In the “Emails & Office” submenu, you can find and get email solutions like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
Via the “Domains” submenu, you can purchase a domain, transfer your existing domains, assign domains, create URL redirects, and add subdomains.
You can also find various marketing tools via your cPanel and complete advanced tasks related to your file manager, databases, phpMyAdmin, FTP, and SSH.
By clicking on the question mark button at the top right corner of your cPanel, you will be redirected to Bluehost’s Knowledge base, where you can find multiple articles, tutorials, and how-to guides. 
In the top right corner of your cPanel, you can also view your cart and checkout when you are ready.
Lastly, you can view your profile in the top right corner of your cPanel.
Here, you can access and edit your personal information, billing information, the products that you have bought from Bluehost, your account’s security measures (password and 2FA), view who has access to your account, get your validation token, and log out.
Overall Reliability – Performance and Security
You can enjoy excellent performance and limitless hosting options with Bluehost’s dedicated server plans. You will be able to host content-heavy and high-performing sites and apps without problems.
Bluehost has multiple data centers around the world, including ones in Utah, USA, Orem, USA, Mumbai, India, London, UK, Shanghai, China, and Hong Kong, China. The provider will choose the best data centers for you according to your location. That way, it will ensure that you receive the best possible services with maximum reliability and minimal latency.
With Bluehost’s dedicated server plans, you can customize your server as much as you want, add hundreds of apps and scripts, and manage everything from one place. Also, you can add more VPS, shared, and dedicated hosting plans to your account and manage them all in one place. Thus, Bluehost’s dedicated server hosting plans are perfect for large enterprises with hundreds of employees and projects they need to host online. It is also ideal for developers and more advanced users who need a whole server to themselves to run tests and create apps and other web products.
Bluehost offers a 99.98% uptime guarantee, which means it promises that your server will be online 99.98% of the time. A 99.98% uptime guarantee is excellent and shows that the downtime you are expected to experience during one year is super low – 0.02% of the time.
With dedicated servers, you will have complete control over your resources. That means that you will be in charge of everything, including security. With Bluehost, you can set up SSH keys, block IP addresses, get an SSL certificate, set up hotlink & leech protection, use firewalls to protect your server, configure cPHulk Brute Force Protection, and more. All of those measures will keep your server safe from hackers or other unwanted occurrences.
Bluehost Dedicated Server Customer Support
You will get multiple self-help documents that will assist in setting up and managing your dedicated server with Bluehost. Also, you will be able to manage everything with cPanel, which has a user-friendly dashboard that is straightforward to use and navigate. You can find numerous guides, articles, videos, and tutorials on Bluehost’s resource page, which you can find on its website.
You can reach Bluehost’s support team 24/7 via live chat and phone. And if phone support is unavailable when you call, you can request a callback and talk to a live agent directly if you want to.
Bluehost also has a blog via which it shares all the latest news and product updates that it has. In addition, if you subscribe to Bluehost’s blog, you will get a free WordPress guide written by the experts at Bluehost!
Now, let’s test Bluehost’s customer support and money-back guarantee by contacting its team via live chat and asking them how I can get a refund.
To contact Bluehost’s customer support team, you need to go to its website, click on the “Contact” button in the top right corner, and then click on “Chat Now.”
After clicking on “Chat Now,” you will be redirected to the following screen.
Now, you need to select the “Existing Customer” option, type in your first and last name, choose a way to identify yourself (via your domain, phone, or email), and click “Next.” After you click “Next,” the following screen will appear.
Here, you need to select a topic that best describes your question or issue, select a description, and provide additional information to ensure that your question or issue comes across clearly. For my purpose, I will select Billing for my topic and close VPS/Dedicated Hosting account for my description. Once you fill out all the blanks, click on “Next.” The following screen will appear.
Bluehost has provided me with a written tutorial on how to cancel my hosting account, along with some other articles and tutorials on related topics. When you scroll down on this screen, you can start a chat with an agent, which I will do now.
Once you click on the “Start Chat” option, the following will appear.
I received a reply via live chat less than a minute after I opened the live chat option. 
To cancel your dedicated server with Bluehost, you first need to provide the live chat agent with a token number which you will receive via email. Then, the agent will connect you to the correct department that can help you with your cancellation and refund.
After the new agent connects, they will ask you why you want to cancel your services. Once you state your reason, the agent will ask you the following questions, which you need to answer via the live chat.
After you answer the questions, the agent will tell you the amount that will be refunded to you. And you’re done. The whole process takes five to ten minutes max, and the agents are very friendly and helpful.
Specific Features of Bluehost Dedicated Server
Now, let’s quickly recap what makes Bluehost an excellent choice for many dedicated server users:
- Server deployment within 24-72 hours after your payment is processed
- Multiple data center locations covering three continents: North America, Europe, and Asia
- A 99.98% uptime guarantee
- 24/7 dedicated hosting assistance that responds quickly and offers knowledgeable answers
- Multi-server management, which allows you to add more VPS, shared, and dedicated hosting services
- Custom-built servers created with the latest open-source technology
- High-quality RAID1 storage that improves your security and protection
- A 30-day money-back guarantee with a fast and simple refund process
Pros and Cons of Bluehost Dedicated Server
Pros:
- Bluehost is one of the best WordPress hosting providers on the market and has been a WordPress partner for more than a decade
- Free SSL Certificate
- You will receive a free domain name for your first year with Bluehost
- Improved cPanel services that allow you to manage everything in one place
- With Bluehost, you will get full root access and control over your server
- On-the-fly storage upgrades without any server admin assistance
Cons:
- It does not support other OS templates apart from CentOS
- Prices increase on renewal (but are still affordable and worth the money)
- Paid migrations (but you still get one free WordPress migration)
Summary
Bluehost has proven to be an excellent web hosting provider that offers everything one might need in one place. Its dedicated servers offer excellent features and performance, and its decision to use cPanel as the default control panel for hosting accounts allows both beginners and more advanced users to be able to use its services.
The provider offers affordable prices, flexible billing terms, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a super easy refund process that takes 5-10 minutes to complete. Also, Bluehost’s dedicated servers are excellent for large enterprises and developers who want to have full control and freedom to do whatever they want with their servers.
All in all, Bluehost is an excellent choice for your dedicated server journey!
