Black Friday is LIVE — and Bluehost’s limited-time sale runs through December 1st. If you need an online store, the eCommerce Essential plan drops from $16.99 to $12.99/mo on a 12‑month term and as low as $9.99/mo on a 36‑month term (regular $14.99 → $9.99). Business shared pricing also falls: 12‑month from $7.99 to $6.99, and 36‑month from $6.99 to $4.19. VPS plans get an extra 8–15% off.
This guide shows who benefits most from each plan, whether eCommerce Essential is truly worth $9.99/mo, when a VPS makes sense, and how to claim the discounts without pitfalls. Act fast — these limited-time prices expire December 1st, no exceptions.
Sale snapshot: the deals, timelines, and headline savings
The headline numbers — quick and scannable
Business Plan
12‑month: $7.99 → $6.99 per month
36‑month: $6.99 → $4.19 per month
eCommerce Essential Plan
12‑month: $16.99 → $12.99 per month
36‑month: $14.99 → $9.99 per month
VPS Plans
Additional 8–15% off on top of existing VPS offers (applies at checkout)
Timing and checkout essentials
Promotion window: live now through December 1st (limited-time prices expire then).
Billing periods: promotional rates apply to the initial billing term you choose (typical options: 12, 24, 36 months). Bluehost usually charges the full term up front.
Renewal and add-ons: promotional price applies only to the first term; renewals revert to standard rates. Optional checkout add-ons (domain privacy, backups, security tools) are often pre‑checked — deselect any you don’t want.
Domain credits/onboarding: some plans include a free domain for the first year or domain credit promotions, but domain privacy and premium onboarding services are extra. Verify the cart summary before you pay.
Real math — what you actually save
Example 1 — eCommerce Essential (36‑month): $14.99 → $9.99
Monthly savings: $5.00
Annualized: $5 × 12 = $60 saved in year one (and $119.88 vs $179.88 yearly billing visibility)
Example 2 — Business (36‑month): $6.99 → $4.19
Monthly savings: $2.80
Annualized: $2.80 × 12 = $33.60 saved in year one
VPS example (illustrative): a $49.99/mo VPS with a 10% extra discount becomes ~$44.99/mo — about $5/mo saved (~$60/year).
A few quick tips: pick the shortest term you’re comfortable prepaying for, double-check domain and add‑on boxes at checkout, and remember renewal math. Next up: which Bluehost plan actually matches your site’s needs and traffic.
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Which Bluehost plan fits your site: business shared vs eCommerce vs VPS
Persona 1 — Small businesses & growing blogs (Business Plan)
Promotions: 12‑month $12.99 → and 36‑month $9.99/mo make launching a professional store cheaper up front.
Black Friday angle & examples
New store with a handful of SKUs and 50–200 visits/day: eCommerce Essential at $9.99/mo (36‑mo) is ideal — affordable and ecommerce-ready.
Established store seeing thousands of orders/month: eCommerce may work initially, but monitor resource thresholds; if you hit queueing or slow checkouts, scale to VPS.
Persona 3 — Developers / high‑traffic sites (VPS)
Technical needs
Dedicated CPU/RAM, process isolation, predictable resource allocation, higher concurrency, custom server configs.
Ideal for large WooCommerce shops, heavy APIs, or sites with bursty traffic and security isolation needs.
Relevant Bluehost features
Full root access (or managed options), scalable resources, and better I/O. Use for background jobs, larger databases, or many simultaneous checkouts.
Black Friday gives an extra 8–15% off — meaningful for multi‑month bills.
When to pick 12 vs 36 months
Choose 36 months if the deep discount offsets your cashflow concerns and you’re committed to the platform.
Choose 12 months if you’re testing, expect architecture changes, or want to avoid long renewal surprises.
Practical tip: start with the lowest plan that meets uptime and checkout speed goals, instrument resource monitoring, then upgrade before customer experience degrades.
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Deep dive: is the eCommerce Essential plan worth $9.99/mo?
What you get at a glance (live now through December 1st)
At the Black Friday rate the eCommerce Essential plan drops to $9.99/mo for a 36‑month term (12‑month: $12.99). That bundle typically includes:
WooCommerce‑optimized hosting stack and one‑click store setup
Preinstalled SSL certificate and basic staging
eCommerce performance tuning (caching and PHP workers tuned for storefronts)
Automated backups, malware scanning, and 24/7 support
Built‑in storefront builder, payment gateway connectors, and order management tools
What the $9.99 actually covers for sellers
For a small store (dozens–low hundreds of SKUs) this gets you a professional checkout, SSL for PCI surface-level needs, and enough performance for modest traffic. Example: a handcrafted-goods shop with 150 SKUs and ~200 daily visitors will likely find page load and checkout speeds acceptable after enabling caching and image optimization.
Practical tips:
Test checkout flows immediately and run a load test if you expect spikes.
Enable daily backups and confirm restore workflows.
Hidden and ongoing costs to budget for
The headline price is only the start. Expect additional expenses:
Upgrading a Business shared plan: similar cost but fewer WooCommerce optimizations — you may need plugins or tuning.
Other budget hosts (Hostinger, Namecheap): slightly cheaper but often less robust backups/support for stores.
Managed WooCommerce (WP Engine, Kinsta): $30–$100+/mo — superior performance and scale, but much higher ongoing cost.
When to stick or step up
Stick with eCommerce Essential if you’re launching, have predictable low–medium traffic, and want an affordable all‑in‑one. Step up to VPS or managed WooCommerce when you hit frequent slow checkouts, need isolated resources for background jobs, or process high-volume payments — then the extra 8–15% off VPS during the sale becomes meaningful.
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VPS explained: when to pick a virtual server and how the extra 8–15% off helps
What VPS actually gives you vs. shared
VPS hosting gives you a dedicated slice of CPU, RAM, and disk inside a larger server — think of it as your own apartment rather than a dorm room. That means stronger isolation (no noisy neighbors), configurable environments (custom PHP, Docker, or cron jobs), and steadier performance under traffic spikes. For real-life context: a growing WooCommerce store that stalls during holiday rushes on shared hosting often runs smoothly on VPS because background inventory jobs and multiple PHP workers don’t fight for resources.
Common use cases
High‑traffic sites, spikes from promotions or email blasts
Resource‑heavy apps (analytics, large imports/exports, media processing)
Hosting multiple sites with separate configs or separate IP needs
Staging, QA, and dev environments that mirror production
The extra 8–15% off — why it matters (examples)
Assume example Bluehost VPS tiers: Standard $19.99, Enhanced $29.99, Ultimate $59.99/month. With the Black Friday extra discount (live now through December 1st), savings look like:
Those first‑year savings add up if you need that extra isolation or CPU for peak seasons.
Management vs. skills required
Managed VPS: provider handles OS updates, security patches, control panel help — good if you prefer less sysadmin work.
Unmanaged VPS: you’re responsible for setup, tuning, and security — requires SSH, Linux basics, and backup/restore know‑how.
Migration and setup considerations
Expect to test PHP versions, migrate databases, and update DNS TTLs.
Take a full backup and run a staging site to validate performance and cron jobs before switching.
Quick decision checklist
Are you hitting resource limits often? (Yes = consider VPS)
Do you need custom server configs or isolated resources?
Do you have (or can you hire) basic sysadmin skills for unmanaged VPS?
Is the extra 8–15% savings enough to justify the upgrade during the sale?
If you checked any of the first three boxes, the sale window makes upgrading to VPS more cost-efficient — and now’s the time to weigh migration effort against the performance gain.
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How to claim the deal and set up your site without headaches
Quick pre‑purchase checklist
Confirm the advertised monthly rate requires a specific term (example: eCommerce Essential hits $9.99/mo only on the 36‑month offer; 12‑month is $12.99/mo).
Have your domain decision ready: register new, or transfer/point an existing one.
Note renewal pricing — promotional rates are for the initial term only.
Buying: checkout tips that save time and money
Use the Bluehost Black Friday landing page — many discounts apply automatically there. If a VPS extra discount is separate, follow the VPS promo link or enter the exact coupon shown on the promo page at checkout.
Choose the billing term that matches the price you want (36 months for the $9.99 eCommerce rate).
Watch for a visible promo-code field and a final price confirmation before paying.
Add domain registration only if you need it now; transferring can introduce DNS delays.
Domain and DNS considerations
If transferring, start it immediately — transfers can take 1–7 days.
If keeping your registrar, point A records or update nameservers and lower DNS TTL a few hours before cutover to speed propagation.
Initial setup checklist (first 48–72 hours)
Enable SSL: activate the free Let’s Encrypt SSL in the control panel and force HTTPS site‑wide.
Install CMS/store: use 1‑click WordPress + WooCommerce or the app installer for other platforms.
Import data: use Bluehost’s migration service (free if available) or plugins like All‑In‑One WP Migration / Duplicator for WordPress.
Verify email deliverability: set SPF/DKIM records, send test order emails, and check with Mail-Tester.
Schedule backups: enable Bluehost automated backups or install UpdraftPlus for daily snapshots.
Migration shortcuts and post‑migration checklist
Free migration service can save hours — request it during checkout if offered.
If using plugins, export DB + media and test on a staging site first.
Verify after migration: permalinks, SSL, payment gateway test transactions, redirects (old URL → new), form submissions, sitemap, and robots.txt.
Timing: don’t rush the cutover
Start the purchase and migration at least a week before December 1st so you can test transactions, email deliverability, and performance while the sale is still live and you can still adjust the plan if needed.
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FAQs, fine print, and deal pitfalls to watch for
This sale is live now through December 1st — use the timeline to your advantage but don’t rush past the fine print.
Refunds & money‑back guarantees
Bluehost generally offers a 30‑day money‑back guarantee on standard hosting purchases; domains, setup fees, and certain add‑ons are usually non‑refundable. VPS and dedicated plans can follow different refund/proration rules — confirm in the plan’s refund section before you buy.
Renewal pricing — what happens after the promo
Promotional rates apply only to your initial term. Examples on this sale:
VPS: additional 8–15% off on top of existing prices.
After your term ends you’ll be billed the regular (pre‑discount) rate shown on the product page. Calculate long‑term cost by adding the promotional term total plus expected renewal years at the higher rate.
Hidden or optional add‑ons
Watch for extra charges for:
Automated backups beyond basic snapshots
Advanced security/firewall or site‑scanner services
Dedicated IPs, malware cleanup, domain privacyThese can add $2–$15+/mo each. Don’t assume “free” features include advanced protection.
Domain registration and transfers
Domain registrations are often charged separately and typically non‑refundable. Transfers may add a one‑year renewal fee and take 1–7 days; DNS downtime can occur if nameservers aren’t updated carefully.
Storage, email, and traffic limits
“Unmetered” often means subject to fair‑use policies — CPU, concurrent processes, inode limits, and mailbox counts may be capped. For stores, check database size and daily visitor expectations; VPS is better for predictable resource needs.
Confirm final price & calculate TCO
Before checkout:
Verify the promo code field and final line‑item price (including tax).
Note the billing term (36 months for eCommerce $9.99/mo).
Add expected add‑ons and domain fees to the total.
Quick TCO example: eCommerce 36‑month at $9.99 = $359.64 for 3 years; expect renewals at $14.99/mo thereafter (budget accordingly).
Tips to avoid surprises
Don’t lock into unusually long implicit terms without reading renewal rates.
Test support response times and performance within your trial window.
Take screenshots of promo pages and checkout confirmation; keep emails for disputes.
Confirm SLA or support level if uptime and response time matter for your business.
Next up: weigh everything and decide whether this Black Friday offer fits your needs.
Is this Bluehost Black Friday sale right for you?
The Bluehost Black Friday sale is live now through December 1st and delivers meaningful savings: Business Plan (12‑mo $7.99→$6.99; 36‑mo $6.99→$4.19), eCommerce Essential (12‑mo $16.99→$12.99; 36‑mo $14.99→$9.99), plus an extra 8–15% off VPS tiers. Choose the plan that matches your technical needs and growth — Business for small sites, eCommerce Essential for store features, VPS for higher traffic or control. Be mindful of term lengths, promotional pricing, and post‑term renewals.
Follow the checkout and migration tips in this guide to avoid downtime or unexpected fees. If the prices and feature sets align with your roadmap, review options now and lock the deal before December 1st — act quickly and secure savings while available.
