HostGator Review

 

A few months ago, a client of mine had a terrifying experience when one of the YouTube videos I posted for them went viral. In a single day, they received around 5,000 visitors from that video. The site survived, but a few days later, a social influencer in their industry tweeted about it, referring to the video embedded on their site, bringing in nearly 10,000 visitors on the same day!

Just when I was about to burst out laughing, their site abruptly stopped loading because they were using cheap hosting and couldn't persuade themselves that they needed anything more stable.

Consider the dread. What would you do if it happened to you?

They quickly discovered that the previous web host (a family friend who hosted customers as a side business) couldn't handle traffic spikes.

That's when they asked me to look for another web hosting company, and that's when I suggested they pursue HostGator. What's more, guess what? Since then, everything has gone smoothly.

You may be wondering if they have a super-expensive VPS or dedicated package, but you'll be relieved to learn that they are only using the Baby plan.

But I'm not suggesting they're fine...

You see, HostGator has a few quirks, and I've had a couple of brief downtimes as a result of them. It's unavoidable for websites to go down from time to time.

The most important thing is that your web host is capable of quickly resolving the issue. You'll get nothing but headaches if your web host isn't up to par!

Building Your Website With HostGator

HostGator is one of the most well-known web hosting companies on the planet.

They aim to have the most value at the most competitive rates when it comes to helping individuals and businesses launch websites.

There are some contradictory reviews about it, as with any other web host, which is to be expected given that customers have different needs and expectations.

This analysis will be focused on my personal experience with HostGator, where I currently host a few of my websites on the Baby plan.

For those unfamiliar with the web hosting industry, HostGator is a powerful and well-established web hosting company known for its excellent customer service and a wide variety of hosting packages.

It's no wonder that they've been entrusted with over 8 million client websites. Trust that you'll find affordable and feature-rich packages to fit every need and budget, from simple shared hosting plans to controlled WordPress hosting.

HostGator Web Hosting Plans

HostGator managed to strike a good balance between functionality and pricing, and they also have a lot of advanced features.

Their wide range of hosting plans puts them on par with other top web hosting companies.

They offer a variety of shared, virtual private servers (VPS), and dedicated hosting plans to meet everyone's needs. Indeed, their shared and committed plans are so well-rounded that I doubt you'll find any other hosting packages that are as decent and affordable as theirs.

Unlike the other web hosts on my list, HostGator is dedicated to satisfying even the most advanced needs, rather than limiting their services to the standard hosting plans. They now sell Windows / ASP-based servers in addition to Linux-based servers. Other web hosts, such as BlueHost and Just Host, do not provide this option.

HostGator Shared Web Hosting Plan

Small and medium-sized businesses will get a lot of bang for their buck with HostGator's shared web hosting plans, which offer them plenty of space to develop their online presence for a low price. Hatchling, Baby, and Business are the three levels of their joint hosting plan.

They are currently offering a 20% discount on all of their shared hosting plans. The offer is only valid for a limited time, so hurry and sign up with HostGator before it expires!

The shared hosting plans from HostGator include all of the functionality you'll need to get your site up and running. Unlimited storage space, bandwidth, email addresses, and databases are included in the Hatchling package, as well as support for a single domain. The Baby plan has almost identical features to the Hatchling plan, with the exception of unrestricted domains. If you need highly advanced features, the top-tier Business plan is the way to go, since it already includes a free toll-free phone number and a private SSL certificate for added security.

Okay, limitless disk space and bandwidth sounds fantastic, but these features are available from most web hosting services these days. You should thoroughly review a web host's terms of service to ensure that their concept of "unlimited" corresponds to your own. But it's HostGator's multifaceted awesomeness that sets it apart from the pack. Not all of the web hosts I've looked at having both Linux and Windows-based servers. Again, when looking for a web host, the Windows server option is critical, particularly if you intend to develop or migrate a website that is built on the ASP.NET system.

In the shared hosting game, my top web host recommendation, Arvixe, nearly matches HostGator head-on, while HostGator is a little cheaper and includes a free toll-free phone number and an SSL certificate. Furthermore, HostGator provides a month-to-month payment option, but they seem to be pressuring customers to sign up for longer terms, which begin at 6 months. I was irritated that HostGator defaults to their three-year term during the registration process. It's one thing to persuade customers to avoid the month-to-month alternative, but committing us to three years from the start seems excessive, don't you think?

If you get past that, HostGator's shared hosting plans will impress you. They're offering you a straightforward choice here. The Baby plan is recommended if you choose to host several domains. If not, you'll probably be able to get by with only the Hatchling strategy. If you need advanced features like a private SSL certificate for your company, you should look into their Business plan.

The best part about their plans is that you can upgrade to a higher tier for free. All you have to do is fill out a form, and a HostGator representative will take care of the rest. However, if you're still unsure about your site's specifications, it's best to start with the lower-level plan. You can only order an update if it is absolutely appropriate.

Limited-Time Promo on Shared Hosting Plans – Starting From $0.01/Month!

That's fantastic stuff! HostGator is currently running another limited-time promotion, this time focusing on their shared hosting plans. Simply click this link to go to HostGator's special promotional page. Their shared hosting plans are now available at even lower prices, starting at $0.01 per month! This is an offer that no other web host will match!

To save money, simply select a package form (Hatchling, Baby, or Plan) and billing period. You can save more money if you sign a contract for a longer period of time. So act quickly before the promotion expires!

HostGator Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting Plan

A VPS hosting plan is your best choice if you need more speed and power, expect high traffic volume or have strict compliance criteria that can't be met by a shared server (but don't want to pay more for a dedicated server).

HostGator provides Linux-based VPS hosting for as little as $11.97 a month.

Snappy 500, Snappy 1000, Snappy 2000, Snappy 4000, and Snappy 1000 are the five levels available.

Plus, if you buy any of their VPS plans today, you'll save 40% off the regular price! So act quickly before the offer expires. Who knows, maybe it'll be over tomorrow!

A HostGator VPS plan is completely flexible, and as your site expands, you can easily upgrade to a higher package.

You have total control over your site with full root access.

You can also customize your hosting environment and install advanced apps. You'll also get your own cPanel control panel for simple site development and management. It's low-cost VPS hosting at its best!

The following are the technical requirements for HostGator's VPS plans:

There are no limits on the number of domains and subdomains you may have.

Email accounts with no limits

MySQL databases are limitless.

FTP Accounts with No Limits

Backups to the cloud every week

Root privileges

Customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days

The fact that you can choose between completely and semi-managed servers make HostGator's VPS offering special. Except for custom application/script installation, the completely managed plans provide technical support for any problem or configuration request you might have. You'll also get full access to cPanel and access to a number of free website builders. The semi-managed plans, on the other hand, don't include cPanel (instead, you'll get the Virtuozzo control panel), and support for hardware, OS, and basic configuration issues is restricted.

👉 Also, you can read: HostGator Web Hosting Review

VPS Plan Comparison

	Snappy 500	Snappy 1000	Snappy 2000	Snappy 4000	Snappy 8000
Monthly Pricing	$11.97/month	$33.97/month	$57.97/month	$81.97/month	$99.97/month
Disk Space	25 GB	60 GB	120 GB	165 GB	240 GB
Bandwidth	0.5 TB	1 TB	1.5 TB	2 TB	3 TB
CPU	0.5 core	1 core	2 core	2 core	4 core
RAM	512 MB	1000 MB	2000 MB	4000 MB	8000 MB
IP Addresses	2 IPs	2 IPs	2 IPs	2 IPs	2 IPs
Control Panel	Virtuozzo	cPanel	cPanel	cPanel	cPanel

While HostGator's VPS plans are more versatile than InMotion Hosting's, they aren't as well-rounded as Arvixe's VPS hosting. InMotion Hosting also offers VPS plans to start at $29.99 a month for 4 GB of RAM, 60 GB of disk space, and 2 TB of bandwidth. HostGator, on the other hand, offers almost identical rates to Arvixe's VPS plans, if not a penny less.

To get a better comparison of features and pricing, check out my in-depth reviews of iPage and InMotion Hosting.

HostGator Dedicated Hosting Plan

You should beef up your site with HostGator's dedicated hosting plan if you want the ultimate in control, efficiency, and power.

You can choose from Linux or Windows servers, and there are four levels to choose from Basic, Standard, Elite, and Pro.

HostGator is currently offering a 40% discount on all dedicated hosting plans, with prices starting at $105 per month for a limited time.

A dedicated server is suitable for larger companies and enterprises with high traffic expectations for their websites. You'll get full customization and configuration capabilities, as well as overall flexibility, with a dedicated server. Furthermore, you'll have committed support from the best in the business.

Their dedicated hosting plans provide anything you could possibly need, from the control panel to program and script installers, as well as website building tools. You'll get the highest level of security, speed, and uptime for your site with a dedicated server. Since you'll be able to go far beyond the resource constraints that come with a shared or VPS hosting environment, the possibilities for expanding your site are endless.

The best part is that HostGator's servers are available in both Linux and Windows flavors, which is a rare choice given how Linux appears to dominate the field. In reality, HostGator is one of the few web hosts I've tested and reviewed that does a good job of supporting both operating systems.

Dedicated Plan Comparison

	Basic	Standard	Elite	Pro
Monthly Pricing	$105/month	$132/month	$168/month	$225/month
Bandwidth	10 TB	15 TB	20 TB	25 TB
CPU	Intel Xeon®	Intel Xeon®	Intel Xeon®	Intel Xeon®
CPU Cores	2 core	4 core	4 core	4 core
CPU Speed	2.3 GHz	2.5 GHz	2.5 GHz	3.3 GHz
RAM	4 GB	4 GB	8 GB	16 GB
RAID-1 Drives	500 GB	1000 GB	1000 GB	1000 GB
IP Addresses	2 IPs	3 IPs	4 IPs	5 IPs

HostGator's plans are reasonably priced and provide outstanding value for money. Furthermore, since they are all paid on a month-to-month basis, they are all affordable. HostGator also allows you to quickly upgrade or downgrade your hosting package to meet your needs at any time.

As you can see, HostGator provides a comprehensive set of features at an affordable price. In terms of cost, their dedicated plans outperform my web hosting champion, Arvixe. Arvixe can have more memory (you can configure one of their dedicated servers with an incredible 96 GB of RAM), but it will come at a high price. You may pay up to $359 or more depending on your preference! So, if you're looking to save a few dollars while still getting a well-balanced dedicated web host, HostGator could be a better option.

Managing a WordPress Site With HostGator WordPress Cloud Hosting

If you're a huge fan of WordPress and use it to control all of your websites, you'll love what HostGator has in store for you!

Starter, Standard, and Business are the three levels of managed WordPress Cloud hosting offered by HostGator. And if you sign up for any of their WordPress hosting plans today, you can save up to 35% on your purchase! Since the sale is only available for a limited time, take advantage of it now to save big!

One of the best features of HostGator's controlled WordPress hosting is the minimalist control panel that was created specifically for WordPress. They've removed the nuances and instead concentrated on usability, so even those who aren't familiar with web development can easily create their own site without the help of a professional! Auto-backup with one-click restores is included in the box, as well as fast and convenient access to all of your email accounts.

The key takeaway in HostGator's controlled WordPress hosting plan for someone like me who used to struggle with high traffic volumes is the one-click scalability for managing traffic spikes and increased capacity requirements. I knew I had to sign up for an account with them as soon as I saw this feature.

Managed WordPress Hosting Comparision

	Starter	Standard	Business
Monthly Pricing	$7.46 per month (25% off)	$11.16 per month (30% off)	$18.17 per month (35% off)
Disk Space	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Maximum Websites	1	2	5
Monthly Average Website Traffic	100,000	200,000	500,000
FREE Migration	Up to 1 website	Up to 2 websites	Up to 5 websites
Automated Daily Database Backups, Including File-Level Restore	1 GB	2 GB	5 GB
Automatic Malware Removal	P	P	P
Email Accounts	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Google AdWords Credit	$100	$100	$100
Parked Domains	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
SSL Certificate	Shared	Shared	Shared

However, there are a few web hosts that outperform HostGator when it comes to controlled WordPress hosting. For example, InMotion Hosting removes all restrictions by offering unrestricted websites, site traffic, disk space, and bandwidth. However, HostGator's offering is a little less expensive, so if saving a few pennies is essential to you, you can compare their features and pricing before purchasing.

cPanel Control Panel

Control panel demonstrations aren't popular among web hosts, but HostGator does include them so you can get a feel for the real thing before you buy. Yes, you read that correctly. You should try out the cPanel control panel on your own site and see how the administrative controls operate.

You can also browse over 4,000 FREE templates and themes to help you design your website!

With the cPanel interface's intuitive layout, creating and maintaining your website has never been easier. It acts as a single point of access to all of the services and resources included in your hosting kits, such as webmail, data backups, Google Apps DNS settings, and more. There are also well-organized shortcuts, and the crucial support and billing options are conveniently located at the top of the screen for easy access. Auto-renewal and upgrade notifications will also be displayed, ensuring that your installations are still up to date.

You can conveniently install various utilities from the Software portion. Access to common Perl, Ruby on Rails, and PHP libraries would also appeal to advanced users.

The SiteBuilder app, which can be used to create simple and complex websites using special codes, is another welcome addition. Users can also build personalized and completely functional web pages in a matter of minutes using the editing software and pre-made templates. Aside from that, HostGator has added QuickInstall, a versatile and efficient script auto-installer powered by MOJO Marketplace. Both shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting plans provide QuickInstall. This auto-installer simplifies the process of installing and upgrading scripts.

Simply log into your cPanel account and press the QuickInstall icon to use QuickInstall.

While within, you'll have a variety of choices for downloading and handling apps to enhance the functionality of your website.

The cPanel control panel is included in all Linux plans (except the Snappy 500 VPS Plan). For administrative purposes, Snappy 500 users will be given access to the Virtuozzo control panel.

eCommerce Features

HostGator also included shopping cart apps, private SSL licenses, and other valuable tools in their kit for those with eCommerce needs. You can access picture gallery apps, social networking, blogs, and CMS options from the cPanel menu options. WordPress, Drupal, and PrestaShop are only a few examples of applications that can be installed in a matter of seconds.

You can sign up for an app called Attracta directly via cPanel if you're an SEO expert. After that, you can use your $100 Google Adwords coupon to start sending pay-per-click traffic to your newly launched eCommerce site.

Other eCommerce features included in HostGator’s package are the following:

Extra advertising credits, i.e. $100 in free advertising credits Credit for the Yahoo!/Bing ad

Tools for the Cube Cart

Zen Cart is a shopping cart application.

osCommerce is a shopping cart app.

The shopping cart on ShopSite

Shopping carts are prohibited.

Check it out on Google

SSL compatibility (private SSL on request)

Excellent Uptime Track Record

It only makes sense for HostGator, a leading web hosting company with over 3 million customers worldwide, to have powerful servers to ensure maximum performance on client sites.

When I used the website monitoring tool Pingdom to evaluate their results, I got a 99.89 percent uptime and a response time of 0.247 seconds. If you ask me, it's very amazing!

HostGator also performs weekly backups and server monitoring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as part of their dedication to providing only the best and most consistent uptime results.

45-Day Money-Back Guarantee For Your Peace of Mind

Many web hosts only give a 30-day money-back guarantee to customers who want to cancel their hosting accounts. HostGator is assured that you will be happy with their service, but in the unlikely event that you need to cancel, they provide a 45-day money-back guarantee with no questions asked. To others, the additional 15 days might not seem like much, but it may be the deciding factor in whether or not HostGator is the best fit for your website.

Customer Support – There’s Room for Improvement

Is your web host prepared to tackle the situation if your website goes down or has any technical issues? HostGator's friendly and professional support agents are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via toll-free phone, live chat, and helpdesk.

I decided to put their customer service team to the test by contacting them via email and live chat. My ticket was quickly responded to by an email support representative. It took them approximately 5 minutes to answer. Better response times on their live chat support, on the other hand, will be a huge plus. I submitted two separate live chat requests: one on a Saturday evening and the other on a Tuesday morning. I waited more than 20 minutes for an answer on both occasions. This is the longest I've ever had to wait for any web host I've reviewed, which is a bit of a letdown. I couldn't argue, however, that their staff is professional and supportive.

In addition to the standard customer service options, HostGator offers a robust FAQs portion, as well as discussion forums and video tutorials.

PROS: 

Low-cost shared hosting options

Various hosting packages are available.

Offers discounts on a variety of web hosting plans on a regular basis.

Provides the cPanel control panel, which is simple to use.

Installing with a single click

Money-back guarantee for 45 days

Customer service is excellent, and the team is professional.

CONS: 

The hosting plans aren't necessarily the best “dirt-cheap” ones.

In-house domains are expensive.

Additional fees apply when restoring from backups.

Bonuses and freebies are restricted.

If you use their shared hosting service, your site will be influenced by their millions of users.

Final Verdict – A Web Host That Stands Up To Its Promises

HostGator has the resources you need to make your web project a total success, no matter what kind of website you choose to create. Their web hosting service is pretty simple to use, but some people will need to spend some time learning the ropes with the control panel GUI. To be frank, not all of its features are intuitive (as with other web hosts), and learning how to use the interface will take a few minutes. It's the same with their customer service, particularly their live chat system. It's fine, but there's a lot more that could be done.

Overall, this web hosting company has avoided a number of issues that are popular among web hosts who prioritize upselling over offering excellent customer service. Until today, HostGator has remained fast, dependable, and stable.

It may not be the ideal web host for everybody (is there such a thing? ), but it will undoubtedly assist you in getting your site up and running quickly. More importantly, it will allow you to easily manage your website and keep it running at its best for your customers. You can't go wrong with this web host if you need a dependable and affordable web host.