Out of all the Website Hosting Sites, HostGator is one of them. Whether a fully functional e-commerce system or a simple blog to provide daily updates, every business requires a website.
You’ll need a web hosting provider in any case. HostGator is a great option, with excellent cloud, reseller, virtual private server (VPS), and dedicated server plans.
However, it’s the company’s shared plans that truly stand out in the competitive web hosting market.
You will find this HostGator helpful if you are split between whether or not to opt for this web hosting provider.
Summary
| Web Hosting Name | HostGator |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Plans Start From | $2.75/ Month |
| Promo Code/ Coupon | Get a 60% Discount |
| Features | Unlimited storage, 100% Uptimes, free SSL certificate, VPS, 24/7 support. |
| Website | Click Here |
What Is HostGator?
HostGator was established in 2002 and has rapidly grown to become one of the world’s largest hosting companies.
Their rapid growth can be attributed to their excellent shared hosting plans, trustworthy web hosting, and excellent customer support.
Its headquarters are now in Houston, Texas, and it hosts more than 10 million domains.
HostGator currently has over 850 employees who provide round-the-clock support to businesses of all sizes.
It is a part of the Endurance International Group and provides a wide variety of web hosting services to a large global customer base.
Why Choose HostGator?
A free SSL certificate and unlimited bandwidth are included with every HostGator plan. You’ll also receive a free domain name for the first year.
These are standard features; however, HostGator distinguishes itself by providing unlimited email accounts, subdomains, and FTP accounts.
HostGator’s shared hosting plans also feature unlimited storage, which most providers don’t offer unless you switch to more complex hosting.
You can construct your website using HostGator’s own drag-and-drop website builder.
The builder has a lot of themes in 20 different categories, including photography, hotels, and personal portfolios.
However, although these templates are modifiable, they are not particularly user-friendly – so you don’t have to utilize HostGator’s own website builder if you don’t want to invest valuable time!
If you want to build a website with a content management system, you’ll be happy to hear that HostGator’s WordPress hosting option includes one-click installation.
It also supports Joomla and Drupal, as well as the Magento e-commerce platform.
The free email marketing software provided by HostGator’s basic plan, Constant Contact, is a noteworthy feature.
Constant Contact is very useful since it enables you to build a following by sending out regular newsletters and sending out automated email campaigns.
Email marketing, like good uptime, is a valuable tool for any site, but it’s especially beneficial for e-commerce sites.
HostGator Review – Plans and Pricing
One of HostGator’s best features is that it provides flexible packages that give customers (both large and small businesses/blogs) ample room to grow.
Shared Hosting
The “Hatchling Plan,” the most basic of the packages, includes support for one domain, unlimited bandwidth, disk space, databases, a shared SSL certificate, plenty of email addresses, and third-party applications such as content management systems.
Additional services like unlimited domains, a private SSL certificate, and a toll-free phone number are available with other shared hosting plans.
Pricing:
- Hatchling Plan: Starts at $2.75 per month
- Baby Plan: Starts at $3.95 per month
- Business Plan: Starts at $5.95 per month.
Cloud Hosting
For those looking to scale fast, HostGator’s Cloud hosting options offer a slew of capabilities.
Make use of the best cloud caching solutions, user-friendly dashboards, and resource management tools available.
With the simple-to-use cPanel, you’ll have full control over your whole site. Additionally, in the event of a server failure, you can quickly transfer all site data to another server.
Pricing:
- Hatchling Plan: Starts at $4.95 per month
- Baby Plan: Starts at $7.95 per month
- Business Plan: Starts at $9.95 per month.
VPS and Dedicated Hosting Plans
If you require more power or have specific requirements that shared servers cannot meet, more advanced packages such as VPS and Dedicated server plans are available.
The top-tier VPS package comes with 8GB of RAM, 240GB of storage, and a monthly data transfer limit of 3TB.
Dedicated server plans, on the other hand, can include up to 16GB of RAM, 25TB of monthly data transfers, and 1TB of storage.
Pricing:
- VPS Hosting: $29.95/month, $39.95/month, and $49.95/month
- Dedicated Hosting: $119/month to $149/month
HostGator Pros and Cons
Each hosting company, like any other product or service, has pros and cons. Here are the pros and cons of HostGator that we discovered:
Pros
- Reliable: HostGator promises a 99.99% uptime. If your downtime is less than that, you will get a one-month credit on your bill.
- Money-back Guarantee: HostGator provides a 45-day money-back guarantee. In most cases, web hosting providers do not provide a money-back guarantee beyond the first 30 days.
- Flexible Billing: You have the option of choosing between monthly and annual billing periods. Longer billing periods will result in the highest savings.
- Free Site Migration: All new accounts at HostGator come with a free migration service. During the first 30 days after signing up, their expert team will move your website from your old host at no additional cost.
Cons
- Higher Monthly Price: You can get around this by opting for the yearly plans, which come with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
- Upselling: Review the pre-selected additional services during the sign-up process. If you’re uncertain, leave them unchecked. You may always add them later if necessary.
Alternatives of HostGator
HostGator provided some impressive results. That doesn’t necessarily imply that it’s what you’re looking for.
Fortunately, there are excellent alternatives that can provide a variety of services. Consider Hostinger’s low rates and DreamHost’s security features.
Hostinger
With rates beginning at $1.39/mo, Hostinger is a somewhat less expensive alternative to HostGator.
It provides packages that are quite comparable to those offered by HostGator. Hostinger’s performance is equally impressive.
It also includes free weekly backups and other security measures, even on its most basic plans. That’s an advantage over HostGator, which charges extra for backups.
However, all Hostinger plans do not provide a free domain. If you’re looking for a low-cost alternative, this is the one to go for.
Read: Hostinger Pricing Review
DreamHost
DreamHost is nearly as affordable as HostGator in terms of pricing, with the cheapest plans starting at $2.59/mo.
With all of DreamHost’s plans, you get a free domain and a free SSL certificate, the same as with HostGator.
If you want more security, DreamHost includes daily backups and domain privacy in even the most basic plan. It also has a 97-day money-back guarantee. If you want extra security, go with DreamHost.
Read: DreamHost Pricing Review
Verdict
You’re probably wondering whether HostGator is right for you now that you’ve read our in-depth HostGator review.
HostGator has a wide range of hosting plans to suit all budgets and needs. They provide you with all of the tools you’ll need to create a website.
HostGator has already gained the trust of over 2 million customers. Whether you’re an experienced Internet pro or just getting started with your first website, you’ll find all the tools you need to take it to the next level.
If you like HostGator, we would also recommend you to have a look at GoDaddy and Dreamhost as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HostGator easy to use?
Yes, HostGator makes it a point to make their service extremely user-friendly.
As previously mentioned in this HostGator review, everything is very easy with this web hosting provider. You’ll be able to grasp all you need to know even if you’ve never created a website before.
Can I get a free domain name?
Typically, no. However, you may come across a promotion where you can get a free domain name when you sign up for HostGator’s web hosting.
When you sign up for hosting, you can add a domain to your subscription, which makes the process of getting your site up much easier.
Does HostGator offer a money-back guarantee?
Yes, there is a 45-day money-back guarantee available. You are eligible for a refund as long as you follow the terms of service.
This refund period is one of the most generous that a hosting company has to offer. In most cases, return periods are no more than 30 days.
Amit Gupta is the Writer & Editor of Best-Hosting.org, a website that provides helpful guides and resources on Website Designing, Hosting, and Speed Optimization. After completing his high school certification, Amit spent half a decade learning about website designing using different hosting servers available. Before forming Best-Hosting.org, Amit worked for several hosting companies.