HostGator is one of the most popular web hosting providers in the world, and for good reason. They offer a wide range of hosting plans to choose from, all at competitive prices. Plus, they have a reputation for providing reliable and high-quality service.
In this HostGator review, we’ll take a comprehensive look at the company’s pros and cons, so you can decide if it’s the right web hosting provider for you.
What is HostGator?
HostGator is a web hosting company that offers shared, VPS, and reseller hosting. They have been in the industry for more than twelve years, with over 200 data centers across the globe.
HostGator has excellent customer service, which can access by phone or live chat to help you solve any issue you might face during your experience with them as a customer.
The company began its journey in a Florida Atlantic University dormitory in 2002. It has considered relocating its headquarters to Austin and Houston, Texas.
Since its easy start, HostGator has grown into an international player in the hosting web phase by offering shared hosting, virtual private server (VPS), and unique hosting plans.
HostGator Pricing and Plan
HostGator has a variety of pricing plans for its customers. There are three shared hosting packages: Hatchling, Baby, and Business Hosting, which offer different features depending on the package you purchase. These range from $0 to up to $69 per month with discounts if you pay yearly or two years in advance. They also have VPS solutions that start at $24 per month and reseller options starting at just over $200 annually.
HostGator shared hosting has three packages to choose from, including Baby, Hatchling, or Business Hosting. Their costs start at $2.75 per month for Hatchling and go all the way up to $69 per month for Business Hosting. So if you are looking for a low-cost option, a package of either Baby or HostGator shared hosting can purchase at half the price.
The price you pay each month depends on the hosting you choose, in addition to the plan you have purchased.
You can prepay an extended agreement and receive a discount on your monthly hosting costs.
Extended contracts offer a term of three, six, twelve, or twenty-four months with the discount rate corresponding to how many prepaid periods you sign up. Of course, you get more if you prepay your contract in total, but it is unnecessary to do so as long as some funds remain on the card can be used when needed.
Get started with a website quickly with HostGator’s shared hosting. There are two options: traditional shared hosting or cloud hosting. Their Cloud hosting is best.
Shared Hosting
Most people who are looking for web hosting plans want to use a provider that offers shared hosting. With this plan, many different sites share the same server resources, so there is plenty of room and bandwidth for all accounts on the site.
Hatchling Plan
The Hatchling plan is the entry-level alternative, which provides support for a single website. That comes with unlimited bandwidth and storage to make hosting your site hassle-free and straightforward!
With one click, you can install any number of extensions that will allow you to customize your site’s functionality – enabling users access to an image gallery, occasion calendar, or contact form on demand.
Baby Plan
The mid-range Baby plan is perfect for those who want to host more than one site on their domain but still have a budget in mind. You can create unlimited sites and subdomains with the Baby Plan – all while saving money!
Business Plan
A Business Plan is the most expensive plan, but it’s worth your money. The high-end alternative consists of support for limitless domains and bandwidth; you’ll also get access to a one-click installer with unlimited websites that can manage through cPanel (a system used by many web hosting providers.)
Even if you don’t need an SSL certificate or dedicated IP address, these are options available on this particular package too!
HostGator Cloud Hosting
HostGator offers a variety of hosting solutions, including Cloud Hosting. This service provides customers with regular updates to their servers and bandwidth for the best possible performance on your site.
You will also have access to SSD storage along with free WordPress installation and one-click WordPress backup as well as DDOS protection just in case you are ever attacked by hackers or experience any other problem that would cause an outage on your website.
HostGator’s cloud-based shared hosting alternative runs twice as fast as shared hosting because your site host on a low-density server has premium hardware and multiple layers of caching.
Cloud hosting plans also offer four times the resources of a shared hosting plan. Once you decide this alternative is best for you, there are three different plans to choose from.
HostGator WordPress Hosting
If you want to use the WordPress Content Management System (CMS) to power your website, HostGator uses many hosting plans specifically tailored for such websites.
Although WordPress plans remain similar to shared hosting plans in some ways, their resource permissions are different. In addition, WordPress-specific plans are faster and include more resources for managing and updating your website.
WordPress plans versus shared hosting
If you’re wondering whether HostGator WordPress hosting is worth it, here are some things to consider:
- Automated backups that not use for shared plans.
- If you own an existing site, you can move it over to HostGator for free with a WordPress plan.
- If your site is resource-intensive, it will load faster on a WordPress plan.
- You can start with a shared hosting plan and upgrade to a WordPress plan later.
VPS Hosting
If you host a resource-intensive website, a Virtual Private Server (or VPS) plan might be best for you.
There are three different plans to choose from depending on how much RAM, disk space, and bandwidth you may need, as well as the number of CPU cores that are essential to ensuring ideal efficiency.
VPS plans include full root access, which means that you have complete control over your hosting environment, consisting of custom settings and configurations.
VPS options are more trustworthy and scalable options. However, you need the necessary technical understanding to set them up, configure and manage them.
Dedicated Servers
For optimal efficiency, consider only using a dedicated server plan with all the resources dedicated to serving your website on the Internet.
As with all other types of hosting, HostGator uses three different tiers for you to choose. For example, you can choose to have a Windows-based server or a Linux-based server and whether you want the cheaper HDD storage alternative or the more powerful SSD alternative.
Dedicated servers are usually options tailored to technically competent servers. However, HostGator uses both handled and semi-managed options.
Semi-Managed Dedicated Hosting
If you choose a semi-managed environment, HostGator can help you keep track of the server’s overall health and network and resolve bugs and security concerns. You are responsible for everything else associated with setting up, configuring, and managing servers and websites.
Managed Dedicated Hosting
With handled hosting, HostGator does all of the heavy liftings to keep your server up and running. In addition, you can modify yourself utilizing the offered cPanel (Linux-based environment) or Plesk (Windows-based environment).
Reseller Hosting
Reseller hosting is for those who want to offer hosting packages on behalf of HostGator under their company name. Imagine reselling as owning your own web hosting business.
There are three different reseller plans based on storage space and bandwidth allotment. They all offer support for an endless variety of domains, so there is no limit to the types of users you can host on your account.
Overview of HostGator Features
Whichever alternative you choose, all HostGator shared hosting plans included free access to their website builder.
With their exclusive builder, you can drag and drop your method onto an attractive website in no time.
Likewise, shared plans come with a versatile, easy-to-use control card to manage your website, unlimited subdomains, FTP accounts, email inboxes, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
If you have an existing website, HostGator uses migration services. You also receive credits for Google AdWords and Bing Ads.
Gator Website Builder
Build a stunning website quickly with the built-in website building tool. First, choose from over 100 mobile-friendly templates. Also, create using the handy drag and drop technology, use pre-made areas and pages to inspire your web design, and get six pre-made pages to begin with
Additional features consist of:
- SEO tools for much better search engine outcomes
- Social media site integration
- PayPal payment entrance
- HD video clip embedding
- Elimination of branding
- Google Analytics
- eCommerce buying cart and supply management
- Discount coupon codes
Available for purchase separately, complete with web hosting services, the Website Builder likewise comes with every other plan offered to customers.
Ease of Use
From today’s drag-and-drop website builder to the familiar cPanel user interface, HostGator offers a straightforward yet hands-on user experience.
The setup process is straightforward with HostGator, provided the company has a fast delivery system and clear icons. We found the experience to be direct, and if we had any inquiries, we could quickly start a live chat to get them answered quickly.
HostGator Performance
If you signed up for a host and found your website painfully slow and often disappearing, what would you surely do? You would have to switch providers, and this will cost you even more money and migraines.
That is why you want to choose a web hosting company that is fast anywhere with consistent performance documents. But how exactly would you get this information?
We decided to validate HostGator’s efficiency by running our tests.
New Datacenters and CDN
HostGator’s primary data centers are extensive facilities with expanded resources. The first is Houston West by CyrusOne. In addition, HostGator uses Cloudflare, an international network of 152 data centers. Cloudflare recently spanned 22 data centers in mainland China.
In addition, every hosting package you purchase from this web host includes a powerful anti-spam program called Spam Assassin, which will permanently remove unwanted junk email from your inbox.
Real-Time Monitoring
This web hosting also carries out 24/7 monitoring of servers and keeps intruders away with biometric locks and mantrap security entrances and exits. The company’s service technicians also have a system that allows problems to be prepared and resolved quickly.
HostGator takes measures to protect your website from outside attacks. The company runs malware scans once a week to ensure that no malicious programs are installed on your website.
WordPress Optimization and Caching
All cloud plans include Mojo Marketplace, Google Analytics, and various other rewards. One of the most important is the Varnish server caching, which comes pre-installed (had to be manually disabled to get adequate test results) and offers excellent speed.
Mojo Marketplace is a relatively standard feature among the best WordPress hosts as it adds significant value to your WordPress site. At the same time, server-side caching is always an excellent point, especially when using content management systems.
My favorite advantage of WordPress is that Google Analytics is ready to go, as setting it up can be a barrier for inexperienced users.
HostGator has a variety of hosting packages that are perfect for any size project. So whether you want to set up your website or need a more powerful server, HostGator’s got something for everyone.
Quick Scalability
Whichever plan you choose, you get unlimited storage and unlimited bandwidth. Sounds good? Visit HostGator Now.
One of the essential advantages of the cloud-based alternative is its easy scalability. If you ever need more resources, you can quickly scale up your control board with just a few clicks.
You no longer have to worry about spikes in traffic that raise concerns about your website.
Stats Dashboard
HostGator provides detailed statistics for cloud-based customers, which is perfect if you’re looking to gain insight into the inner workings of your website. In addition, you’ll be able to see a top-level introduction that includes:
- Usage patterns
- Page download speed
- Uptime
- Global reach
- Browser patterns
- Geographical data
Hosting Add-Ons
No matter which hosting plan you pick, you can include features in your project with HostGator’s add-ons. This bonus will sustain extra costs to your schedule, other than where we’ve kept in mind listed below.
- CodeGuard Site Backup & Restore – Add day-to-day automated backups with 3 brings back per month. All WordPress plans included everyday backups, and VPS plans have weekly backups.
- SiteLock – Add customary malware & vulnerability scans and bot avoidance.
- G Suite – Get Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, and more.
- Domain Privacy – Masks your public domain registration to defend against identity theft.
HostGator Security
Protecting your site is key to making sure a customer trusts you and continues using the service. Protecting deals on the website front end can be done with SSL certificates while saving back-end information needs passwords, firewalls, and encryption software like Apache or Linux+.
Transaction Security
Your visitors will value that HostGator consists of a shared SSL certificate with all plans and a personal diploma with the more costly hosting plans. HostGator supports PCI compliance, too. However, you’ll need to allow it yourself.
Website Protection
HostGator’s documents state they secure their servers in various methods, including firewall software, DDoS protection, and protected data centers. They don’t, nevertheless, offer a lot of specifics for these claims.
If you wish to guarantee more security for your website, you can purchase the SiteLock security bundle’s add-on, as pointed out above.
HostGator Customer Support
The HostGator team is available 24/7 to help customers with their technical problems. In addition, they offer a plethora of ways for users to contact the company, including live chat and telephone support and more common methods like faxing or sending through the mail.
All plans come with premium customer service packages that ensure you’ll be looked after no matter what issues arise!
Customer support is offered just in English. The precisely localized support they offer is for Chinese and Russian customers.
If you’re trying to find self-help resources, HostGator uses the following options:
- Video tutorials
- Peer support online forum.
- Extensive knowledgebase
HostGator Money-Back Guarantee
HostGator has one of the most extensive money-back guarantees ever seen. In addition, they allow you to cancel your service within 45 days without any penalty, and this is on all plans except for dedicated servers.
If you change your mind, we can’t offer refunds for domain name registration and administrative services. Additionally, dedicated servers are a non-refundable purchase.
HostGator Alternatives
The first few days of a company’s existence are just as important, if not more so, than the following years. However, the make-or-break decisions that determine your success can happen before you even get off the ground, and it would be wise to have someone with experience in hosting companies on hand for advice!
HostGator isn’t always working out for every business owner because they don’t offer everything under one roof. For example, customer service often lacks those who provide email services alongside their web-hosting packages; this isn’t an issue when buying these two separately, though!
We’ve compiled a list of solutions that the reviewers identified as the best options and competitors available to HostGator, including Hostwinds, OVHcloud, DreamHost.
Conclusion
HostGator offers a wide range of services to suit any need or budget. They have been around for over 12 years, which speaks volumes about how they provide quality products that their customers love.
You can contact them by phone or live chat if there’s ever anything wrong with your site, and they will help get it fixed right away, as well as provide professional WordPress backup at no cost! The only downside might be that this company doesn’t allow torrents but other than that, it’s an excellent hosting service.
HostGator is one of the best providers in the industry and provides quality services for any budget or need. They have been around since 2001 with 200+ data centers all over the globe, which speak volumes about how they do their job well – plus excellent customer support!
You can contact HostGator by phone or live chat if you ever encounter problems on your site, and it has an easy-to-use backup system that’s free to use! The only downside might be that this company doesn’t allow torrents but other than that, it’s worth every penny.
HostGator web hosting is so easy. It’s crazy! If you’re not happy with your purchase within 45 days of signing up for a service plan or package, they’ll refund all the money right back to you.
I am Sajal. A Freelancer, a blogger, a Freelance Content Writer, and a geek when it comes to anything related to online marketing. Stay connected to me. Leave a comment if you like my articles.
