[3/21 Update] I canceled after 30 days, and the SB was clawed back too. So if you don’t actually need the hosting for a full year, skip this deal—it’s not worth the hassle. If you do use it for the full year, though, it works out to basically free hosting.
About This Deal
By going through Swagbucks, an online rewards site, and signing up for one year of hosting with Bluehost, you can earn 3500-8000 Swagbucks (worth $35-$80). One year costs about $35, so after subtracting the Swagbucks you receive, it basically comes out free.
Each Swagbucks account can only do the Bluehost deal once
How to Get It
- Sign up for Swagbucks: Swagbucks signup link (new users get 400SB; see details here: how to get the signup bonus)
- After registering, search for BlueHost in the search bar
- Click Continue to enter Bluehost
- Click Get started now and choose the cheapest plan at $2.95 per month
- Next, fill in the domain section. Here’s a trick: choose I have a domain, then enter any non-existent domain name. That avoids extra hassle later. Bluehost does not verify the domain.
- Just choose the one-month option, then fill in your personal information. Be sure to uncheck sitebackup pro so the final price stays at $35.4
- Finish registration and enter your credit card information to pay
- After checkout, refresh your Swagbucks account and you should immediately see 3500/8000SB pending (the amount depends on the current deal)
- You will also receive an email from Swagbucks saying your SB is on the way
- Don’t celebrate too early—you’ll also get an email from Bluehost. Make sure to click Set your password, set your password, then log in to your account to confirm everything!
- 8000 SB can be redeemed for lots of things, such as Amazon gift cards. For other redemption options like PayPal and eBay gift cards, see: SB redemption guide
Canceling Bluehost
Between days 32-60, call to cancel your hosting. The money you paid earlier will be refunded on a prorated basis. That means you effectively only pay for 2 months of hosting. Just remember not to cancel too early, or the SB may be clawed back. For the cancellation process, see the official explanation.
[10/28 Update] The pending SB posted yesterday. Today I called BlueHost to cancel the account. The process was as follows:
- Call customer service at 844-853-6296
- After connecting, say that you want to cancel the account. The representative will ask what domain you used at signup and for the last four digits of your account password
- After verification, they will ask why you are canceling. You can simply say you want to use another provider’s service, such as godaddy
- The representative will send the account cancellation link to your email
- Click the cancellation link in the email to finish
- I confirmed with customer service that the refund is prorated, which means you only need to pay for about two months of hosting, around $6. So it still works out as a nice money maker.
- In practice, it seems like you may only need to pay for one month
Things to Keep in Mind
- You need to cancel within the one-year period
- The best-value redemption is to save up 2200SB and redeem for a $25 Amazon, Walmart, or Target gift card
- You must click through from the Swagbucks link to Bluehost, purchase the membership, and complete payment
- If Swagbucks does not track successfully, you can use its contact function and provide the order number; the points may still be credited
- For an introduction to Swagbucks, see: Swagbucks guide
- If you’re interested in other money maker deals, see: Swagbucks money maker list