HostGator review just cheap or cheap and reliable

 

You either adore it or despise it. However, based on all HostGator ratings, it appears that this hosting service does not disappoint. So I decided to give the provider an impartial review, reviewing its prices and features and putting its ease of use, efficiency, protection, and customer service to the test.

HostGator is one of the largest and most well-known web hosting companies. With low costs, clever ads, and a zillion promises to make your website amazing (!! ), you can't go wrong. It's not surprising that it draws a large crowd.

And some of those people are genuinely pleased with the service they have received. Others, on the other hand, appear to have something go wrong. At least, that's the impression I got from many HostGator complaints and reviews I came across.

So, although I'd learned a lot of things before, I chose to throw all of my preconceptions out the window. I went in, compared HostGator's costs, and purchased the package that seemed to be the most cost-effective. At least, that's how I feel.

Enable me to take you on a wild goose chase in search of answers. Is HostGator a decent company, or yet another hyped-up company?

You'll find all the answers in my HostGator analysis before entrusting your website to it.

Since I didn't leave any stone unturned, this review turned out to be very lengthy and comprehensive. So, if you're looking for a short overview, skip to the end and look for a subject that interests you:

Feature	4.2 ★	Cheap and fast hosting provider
Pricing	★★★★	HostGator is on the affordable side of things with shared hosting starting at $2.75 a month.
Ease of Use	★★★★★	A combination of native account management dashboard and cPanel is easy to use.
Performance	★★★★★	HostGator performed very well with an uptime of >99.99%.
Security	★★★	SSL certificates and an integrated server-level firewall are free, but other tools are paid.
Support	★★★★	HostGator has support available 24/7 via phone and live chat.

Pros and Cons of HostGator

Pros

• Highly stable and reliable web hosting
• Fast website loading time
• Affordable prices starting at $2.75/mo
• Free Gator website builder

Cons

• Free security tools are limited
• Servers only in the US

HostGator pricing

HostGator is a low-cost hosting provider, with shared hosting beginning at $2.75 per month. Other solutions are also cost-effective. WordPress hosting costs $5.95 per month, $19.95 per month for VPS, and $89.98 per month for dedicated hosting. These are, however, introductory rates that will rise after renewal.

Hosting option	Price	Best for
Shared hosting	$2.75/mo	Very easy to use and is the best fit for small-to-medium websites.
WordPress hosting	$5.95/mo	Easy to use and optimized for better performance, it’s best fit for small-to medium-websites.
VPS	$19.95/mo	Some technical skills are needed best fit for online stores and high-traffic websites looking for better performance.
Dedicated hosting	$89.98/mo	Provides complete customization freedom, but explicit technical skills are needed. It is the best fit for enterprises.

HostGator has something for all in terms of choices. Furthermore, the pricing is fair.

Regardless, shared hosting is what the majority of websites need. Starting from there is also something I always recommend.

HostGator offers three different shared hosting plans. All of them include a free SSL license, a one-year domain, and a website creator. Furthermore, there is no limit to the amount of storage, email accounts, or bandwidth available.

Let's look at the specific characteristics of each strategy now.

• Hatchling ($2.75/month) – this package allows you to host one website. It's best suited to personal blogs and portfolio pages.
• Baby ($3.50/month) – an infinite number of websites can be linked. It's the perfect idea for small businesses and blogs of all sizes.
• Pro ($5.25/mo) – this package provides a free dedicated IP and a free upgrade to positive SSL, as well as an infinite number of websites. Small-to-medium business websites that need more protection will benefit from Pro.

What I like about it is that even though you choose the cheapest option, there will be no additional costs for the first year because a domain name is already included. Furthermore, also the most costly package is reasonably priced. For the same features, other providers typically charge even more than $10.

In either case, not all plans are created equal.

Hatchling, in my opinion, is a game that you should avoid. You can only make one website with it. What if you find yourself in need of two at some point? This would be an additional expense.

Meanwhile, the Baby package seems to be the most cost-effective. It costs less than $1 more than Hatchling, but you get limitless websites right away.

Pro, on the other hand, can seem to be a good deal, but neither dedicated IP nor Positive SSL is needed for websites. So, unless you need these features, it's more cost-effective to stick with Baby.

Let's talk about how to get the best deal on this package now.

Pricing need to know

Although HostGator's rates appear to be reasonable, you must pay in advance to receive what is advertised. Additionally, more items will be added to your shopping cart, and there is a fine print stating that rates will rise upon renewal. It's nothing out of the ordinary, but it's worth remembering.

I'm buying Baby because it appears to be the most cost-effective of the plans. To get the most out of the advertised deal, choose the longest billing period, which requires a larger upfront cost but a lower monthly rate.

The initial payment does not appear to be very high, but the renewal does. Unfortunately, this is not unusual; every single hosting company does the same thing. If you wanted to get a similar package with other hosts for a three-year term, here are the prices:

Provider	Plan	Total initial	Total renewal
HostGator	Baby	$125	$358.20
Bluehost	Plus	$196.20	$431.64
InMotion Hosting	Power	$215.64	$539.64
DreamHost	Shared Unlimited	$142.20	$395.64

So, even with a significant price increase, HostGator remains one of the most cost-effective hosting choices. It also comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee. The only snag is that the domain name registration charge will be deducted from the refund. You would, however, be able to hold the domain. P.S. This will be a closely guarded secret, but just know that you can move your website before the renewal date and take advantage of some extended offers from other providers. Furthermore, most of them, like HostGator, offer free migrations.

Overall, HostGator is still one of the most cost-effective solutions available. It's also a great deal because it comes with everything you'll need. When buying a plan, keep in mind the renewal rates and the additional items in your cart.

Hosting management – is HostGator easy to use?

I had a bittersweet experience with the HostGator user interface during this study. On the one side, the native interface in combination with cPanel is a very simple and practical combination. On the other hand, certain items just do not work as they should. HostGator employs a now-ubiquitous combination of a personalized dashboard and cPanel. The dashboard provides access to the most basic features, while cPanel provides access to more advanced settings. When you log in, you'll see the following:

It has everything you'll ever need, including SSL management, WordPress installation, Email Accounts, Databases, File Manager, and a quick-launch button for cPanel. Plus, the dashboard is stunning! But let's keep going with this short rundown. This is how cPanel appears:

HostGator employs the standard cPanel interface with a personal touch. All are clearly labeled and easy to locate. Because of its simplicity, cPanel is still one of the most common control panels among users. Yes, using HostGators' native hosting management dashboard, you can easily set up your account. When it comes to setting up email accounts and handling domains and subdomains, however, cPanel offers more options.

It can also come in handy if you decide to use a content management system other than WordPress. Simply select a Softaculous Installer App from the Softaculous Installer App section. In summary, the guy is very user-friendly and offers a large number of choices to choose from.

Is it easy to install WordPress with HostGator?

WordPress installation with HostGator is a breeze. All you have to do now is click the “Install WordPress” link on your dashboard and fill in the required details.

The “Install WordPress” button is located in the Control Panel column of your dashboard.

There's no need to go to cPanel now because it will take you straight to the installation slot. You can, however, install WordPress directly from cPanel. To do so, navigate to the Software section and select the "WordPress" button.

It will redirect you to the Softaculous installer in either case. If you're interested, it also has other apps like Joomla and Drupal. Though I am a huge fan of WordPress, there are far too many providers that are solely focused on it. So I'm glad HostGator isn't using 9 locks to hide other content management systems. In most cases, WordPress installation goes without a hitch; but, I've heard of a few instances where an error occurred. If this happens to you, consider clearing your cache or checking if your VPN is turned on or off. In the vast majority of instances, this seems to be beneficial. This is what you can see on your computer if you want to install WordPress.

Just click on the “Install Now” and fill out the required details. This includes your domain name, username, password, and any other information you'll need.

Softaculous will now take care of the rest. You'll get your WordPress site up and running in under a minute.

Just a quick note. If you attempt to install WordPress via Marketplace > One-Click Installs in the main HostGator dashboard, the installation will be outdated. When I tried it, it installed the WordPress edition from the year before. It's not that updating it is difficult, but I'm not sure why HostGator needs it.

So, though installing WordPress was a breeze, there might be some issues. It's odd that HostGator offers two methods for downloading WordPress, one of which is obsolete. Whatever the case may be, all problems are quickly resolved. Alternatively, the Softaculous module in cPanel offers more than just WordPress – it also includes other content management systems.

Is my SSL automatically activated with HostGator?

Your SSL certificate should be ready and operational if you used HostGator's free domain. However, it's a good idea to double-check that everything is in working order.

SSL Management is a button on your dashboard. It will take you to a page where you can see all of your domains and their SSL statuses if you click on it:

The certificate would most likely be triggered automatically. If your domain is hosted by another registrar, however, the HostGator tool will not be able to automatically unlock the SSL all of the time.

Your certificate status will be Pending rather than Active if this is the case. You can contact HostGator's the support team to resolve this problem, and they will do it manually for you.

Overall, you shouldn't have any issues with SSL activation, particularly if you choose HostGator's a free domain. At the same time, it's simple to see if anything is functioning properly.

Can I set up a professional email with HostGator?

HostGator will provide you with free unrestricted email accounts regardless of the shared hosting service you select. However, it is up to you to configure the email client. Rest assured that the setup process is simple and takes just a few minutes, even for beginners.

Simply go to your HostGator dashboard and click on the "Email Accounts" button to set up an email client. Alternatively, you can access it from the cPanel by going to the Email section and pressing the “Email Account” button.

Regardless, it will take you straight to the email account management section; simply click "Create" and the following form will appear on your screen:

Simply enter the necessary information, such as the mailbox name and new password. You have the option of setting a capacity cap or leaving it unrestricted. And then, wham! You've completed the task.

After that, your email will be ready to use. It's the same as if you were using Gmail. You sign in, check your password, and then leave. It's as easy as that. You can do so by going to your main dashboard and pressing Webmail.

HostGator, on the other hand, uses the Horde and RoundCube email clients. They're fairly easy, and they're hosted on the same server as your website. This means they're suitable for occasional mailing but not for large amounts of outbound emails.

The bottom line is that using HostGator to set up an email client is extremely easy. It just takes a few minutes, there's no jargon, and you should be able to use your new address right away. Bear in mind that if you want to use your email for large marketing campaigns, you can use a paid email client that isn't hosted on your server.

HostGator website builder

The hosting provided by HostGator might be adequate, but I found something worth noting that is hidden in plain sight. If attempting to understand WordPress seems too much at the moment, Gator Builder is one of the nicest and easiest website builders. The builder is quick and straightforward to use, and your hosting account allows you to create up to six pages for free.

However, the free choice is adequate for representing your company or building a portfolio. However, you'll have limited monetization options due to the lack of eCommerce capabilities. It's best to learn WordPress if you want more advanced features like an online shop, appointment booking, or no transaction fees. Alternatively, instead of hosting, invest in a paid website builder.

In either case, all plans provide the same 149 (at the time of writing) template options. There are clean ones, there are clean ones. There are new ones, traditional ones, and modern ones. Basically something you can think of.

Since the templates are sensitive, you'll get a mobile-friendly version of your website right away.

It's simple to customize a template once you've chosen one. You have the option of replacing the sample material with your own. You may also add your own elements and reshape the design to make it appear more personalized.

Each factor has its own settings, making it simple to experiment with.

Finding too many options can be perplexing at first, but it's no more complicated than putting together a PowerPoint presentation. Simply take your time and you will end up with a stunning and successful website.

Overall, it's very easy to use and has a large number of models to choose from. It can seem overwhelming at first due to its numerous functions, but you'll get the hang of it quickly. One thing to keep in mind is that the free edition includes a HostGator banner at the bottom of your page. It's not a big deal, but it's worth remembering.

The bottom line when it comes to HostGator's ease of use and interfaces is that they are surprisingly simple. The main dashboard contains all of the necessary information. You can easily stop using cPanel if you don't want to, but it is accessible. For basic websites or coming soon pages, the free website builder is also very intuitive and simple to use.

Performance – is HostGator fast?

I put HostGator through a few speed and stability tests to see what kind of performance I can expect. During the testing phase, the provider was extremely stable, with far higher uptime than promised and a lightning-fast website. Let's take a closer look at each of these tests individually for more details.

HostGator uptime and response time

In order to write this article, For almost two and a half months, I've been watching HostGator. It had three outages during that period, resulting in 5 minutes of downtime. That's a whopping uptime of >99.9%. The average response time was 525 milliseconds, which is significantly faster than the industry average.

Let's take a closer look at what these numbers actually mean.

To begin, HostGator offers a standard 99.9% uptime guarantee, which is standard for most hosts. However, I was taken aback because this was a misrepresentation of what was to come. In most cases, 99.9% uptime means that your website will be down for no more than 2h 11m 29s every quarter. I recommend that you take a seat because HostGator's estimated quarter downtime of 6 minutes will surprise you.

While the average response time did not surprise as much as uptime, it did not disappoint either. The average response time of HostGator is marginally faster than the industry average of 600ms.

In the end, HostGator delivered excellent performance. It proved to be extremely, and I mean extremely, dependable in terms of uptime, with a satisfactory response time.

The website's loading speed is the next thing to be checked.

HostGator speed

Since my website is hosted in a US data center, the fastest load time is anticipated in the US, with the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) taking just 431 milliseconds. And, believe me, when I say this, this time is truly remarkable. If you look at different places, you'll notice that LCP is much higher. It's only normal that as we get further away from the server, the time will increase.

There are a lot of numbers, but I only listed LCP. Why is that?

Simply put, Google uses LCP as one of the factors in rating websites on its search results list. It notes that if the LCP of your website is less than 2.5, your site has a strong chance of ranking higher in search results.

In this case, HostGator should relax; 431ms is a fantastic time. Even the most remote location managed to stay within the defined parameters, which is more than I could have hoped for.

So far, everything seems to be in order, right? So, if I put a completely developed website through the same evaluation, do you think there would be a significant difference?

LCP has risen to 1.1s, as predicted.

And, as you can see, it's still a great time.

However, there is another metric that is extremely important. It's the amount of time it takes for a visitor to connect with a fully loaded site, also known as the fully loaded time. It's best to keep this time under 3 seconds for the best website ranking performance and user satisfaction. I don't have to think about that because the Fully Loaded Time is just 1.2s.

Now that we've established that HostGator's loading time is appropriate, let's put it to the test. We'll see if the increased website traffic can be handled just as easily.

👉 Also, you can read : Hostgator Review

HostGator stress testing

I sent 50 virtual visitors to my site for this experiment. Keep in mind that 50 people is a large amount. These 50 people are all on the website at the same time and for a long period of time. Since there are thousands of requests coming in, this puts a lot of strain on the server. This could cause the server to slow down or even shut down.

It appears that HostGator has taken precautions to ensure that this does not occur. It's almost unsurprising how well HostGator is smashing my tests at this stage. It seems that 50 visitors didn't make much of a difference. The response time was unaffected by a rise in the number of visitors (grey line) (blue line). If there were one or fifty visitors, the response time remained consistent, with only minor variations.

Another examination seems to have been passed with flying colors.

Overall, HostGator can withstand the additional load and handle significant traffic, which is typical of small-to-medium-sized websites or small online stores.

HostGator's a success is excellent and dependable in general. There will be no outages on the website, and the fast loading speed is something that was not promised but is greatly appreciated. It's ideal for small-to-medium-sized websites that see spikes in traffic on a regular basis.

Security – is HostGator secure?

When it comes to stability, HostGator is on the simple side. The absolute necessities, such as SSL and a server-level firewall, are included. However, be prepared to smash your piggy bank for additional functionality.

To begin, know that all plans include SSL certificates, which is always a plus.

In addition, you'll get a server-level firewall to shield your website(s) from unwanted or malicious traffic.

So far, so fine, but any additional security features you choose to add will cost extra. And HostGator has a long list of features.

• Upgrade to Positive SSL for $39.99 a year. It appears to be a requirement in the checkout cart, but if you read the fine print, you'll see that it's only an update, and a free SSL is already included. This is something I'm skipping because it's only useful for websites that handle a lot of transactions or confidential data. By the way, this upgrade is included in the Business plan.
• SiteLock Essentials is not inexpensive, costing $23.88 a year. It scans the website for viruses and hacking signals. The reason I'm disappointed is that many providers would provide you with this for free.
• Backups are $32.95 a year, which is a real shame. Problems can occur at any moment, and knowing that you can restore your website with a single click gives you peace of mind. So, if you want peace of mind, you'll have to pay.

The bottom line is that HostGator is very greedy when it comes to protection. The most basic features are free, but anything beyond that will cost you money. It's not a lot on its own. Yet you're aware of how things are. You'll have to dig deeper into your pockets if you take a little bit here and there.

Customer support – will HostGator help me?

In terms of customer service, HostGator provides two options. I'm referring to live chat and phone help that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Furthermore, the service provider has a sizable knowledge base. There are plenty of guides, video tutorials, and other in-depth posts to be found there.

A ticketing system does not seem to be accessible by default, but it may be in some situations. For example, if a problem is too difficult to fix, a ticket may be opened for senior members to resolve.

However, live chat is my preferred way of contacting the support team. The button is visible in the upper right corner of the HostGator website any time you visit it. The same can be said for your dashboard.

I contacted HostGator help several times during this study. I was pleased with the performance each time. The wait times were short, and the agents were friendly.

When I first tried the talk, I asked an agent to assist me in finding the nameservers. Normally, shared hosting services use the same nameservers for all accounts, but this is not the case with HostGator. Each account is assigned its own set of nameservers.

It took the agent a few minutes to locate my name servers, but that's fine. My dilemma was solved in 9 minutes – in and out.

Then there was a problem with my dashboard – for some reason, I had two hosting plans, even though I only paid for one. I requested that the agent take care of this, and they did so.

There was a bit of a wait because this isn't something you get every day. Regardless, the problem was fixed. Since I wasn't using the domain I got from HostGator, the agent even offered to unlock it for me. That was a really thoughtful gesture on their part!

Overall, my interaction with HostGator help was fantastic. Quick responses and effective problem-solving are important. Other HostGator reports, on the other hand, frequently characterize the experience as terrible.

And I understand. Not every agent with whom I interacted spoke perfect English. In such situations, there is a risk of miscommunication. Furthermore, since HostGator's support team is outsourced, not all agents will be equally involved.

You may use a knowledge base as an alternative to live chat or phone support. HostGator has a lot of articles and even videos on just about every topic you can think of.

All is well-organized, making it simple to locate what you want. You may also use the top-level search bar.

Overall, HostGator's customer service is responsive and courteous. I didn't have to wait long for responses, and my problems were resolved within minutes. The knowledge base is also vast, with video tutorials. If you're a visual learner, this is fantastic.

HostGator review – the final verdict

Feature	4.2 ★	Cheap and fast hosting provider
Pricing	★★★★	HostGator is on the affordable side of things with shared hosting starting at $2.75 a month. The renewals will become pricier, but that’s nothing unusual. The good thing is that most of the essentials are already included and no other investments may be needed.
Ease of Use	★★★★★	HostGator is incredibly easy to use. You can set up a professional website without even reaching the cPanel. However, it is also available for more advanced customizations. The only drawback is that some tools can be a little glitchy but customer support will always be able to help you.
Performance	★★★★★	Unfortunately, security is HostGator’s the weak side. It includes free SSL certificates and server-level firewall integrated with all plans, but other tools are paid. That’s just one step behind what other providers are doing.
Security	★★★	$142.20
Support	★★★★	My experience with HostGator’s support via live chat was amazing. They were quick and helpful. However, there are many HostGator reviews stating otherwise so truly it’s a hit or miss. Alongside that, they offer support 24/7 via phone, and an extensive knowledge base is available.

Who do I recommend HostGator to?

For new users, HostGator is a great, low-cost alternative. It's extremely simple to use. The plans are capable of handling almost any kind of website. They're also extremely fast. As a result, you'll have no trouble hosting everything from blogs and portfolios to small business websites and online shops.

Alternatives to HostGator

For new users, HostGator is a great, low-cost alternative. It's extremely simple to use. The plans are capable of handling almost any kind of website. They're also extremely fast. As a result, you'll have no trouble hosting everything from blogs and portfolios to small business websites and online shops.

Hostinger

With rates starting at $0.99 a month, Hostinger is a significantly less expensive alternative to HostGator.

It provides packages that are very similar to those offered by HostGator. Hostinger's accomplishments are equally remarkable. It also includes free weekly backups, as well as other security resources, also in its most basic plans. That's an improvement over HostGator, which charges extra for backups. However, all Hostinger plans do not include a free domain. If you're looking for a low-cost alternative, this is the one to go for.

DreamHost

DreamHost is almost as inexpensive as HostGator in terms of price, with the cheapest plans beginning at $2.59/mo.

With all of DreamHost's plans, you get a free domain and a free SSL certificate, just as with HostGator. If you want more protection, DreamHost includes regular backups and domain privacy in even the most basic package. It also includes a 97-day money-back guarantee. For added protection, go with DreamHost.

HostGator FAQs

Is HostGator reliable?

Yes, both in terms of success and as a corporation, HostGator is dependable. When it comes to results, it is up >99.9% of the time. Meanwhile, it has been in business for over a decade and is still flourishing.

Do I get a free domain with HostGator?

Yes, a free domain is included in all shared hosting, WordPress, and Cloud hosting plans. You must sign up for a billing period of 12, 24, or 36 months in order to do so. If you decide to cancel your contract, you will be charged a non-refundable fee of $17.99 USD for the domain name.

What is HostGator’s money-back guarantee?

For first-time users, HostGator provides a 45-day money-back guarantee. Remember that the domain is non-refundable – the expense will be removed, so you will retain the name of your website.

Is HostGator secure?

HostGator provides a free SSL certificate as well as a server-level firewall, so protection is protected. Any additional protection measures come at an additional expense.