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Website Uptime Explained
Understand uptime percentages, downtime and what an SLA means.
The short version
Uptime is the proportion of time a website or hosting service remains available. Small percentage differences can represent meaningful downtime over a long period.
- An uptime SLA is a contractual service promise, not magic
- Monitor critical sites independently
- Availability also depends on application and DNS health
Start with your actual requirements
Write down the type of site you are building, the platform you plan to use, how many sites you need, your storage needs, your tolerance for hands-on maintenance and the support you expect. That short list is more useful than comparing dozens of features without context.
Why this matters when choosing hosting
Understanding the underlying concept makes provider comparisons more useful. Instead of buying from a long feature list, you can identify which features affect your website and which ones are optional.
Considering Bluehost?
See the current Bluehost offer, plan details and checkout terms directly before deciding.
See Current Bluehost OfferAvoid the most common mistake
Do not choose hosting from the introductory price alone. A sensible decision includes the renewal cost, plan limits, migration difficulty and the operational features you will rely on after the site is live.
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Hosting Mentor is an independent publication and is not Bluehost or another hosting provider. We do not claim firsthand product testing unless it was actually performed.