HostGator, a renowned name in the hosting world, brings forth a diverse suite of offerings, from shared to dedicated hosting solutions. Catering to a vast clientele, whether you’re a budding blogger or a large enterprise, their expansive range of services, including a user-friendly website builder, ensures that your digital needs are met with expertise and precision.
In this brand review, I will share my experience as a web developer using HostGator. This review on HostGator hosting will focus on critical parameters such as customer support, hosting features, web performance, and pricing. I will also discuss ease of use for users without a tech background.
Founded in 2002 by Brent Oxley in Florida, HostGator quickly expanded, relocating to Texas by 2006 and launching its first international branch in Canada. Recognized for its rapid growth, it was acquired by Endurance International Group in 2012 for nearly $300 million. Since then, HostGator has solidified its global presence, catering to clients in regions like Brazil, Russia, and India.
HostGator’s comprehensive plan lineup, including shared, WordPress, VPS, dedicated, and reseller hosting, is tailored to accommodate diverse web needs. From individual bloggers setting their first site to large corporations seeking robust performance, HostGator’s offerings provide a fitting solution for every digital journey.
HostGator’s reputation in the hosting community is quite diverse. On HostAdvice, they hold a rating of 3.7 based on 570 reviews, indicating some areas of improvement. However, Trustpilot paints a brighter picture with a commendable 4.3 rating garnered from a hefty 4,401 reviews. It’s worth noting that HostGator doesn’t have a BBB listing due to its non-U.S. origin, so potential users may need to weigh the existing feedback from these prominent platforms when considering their services.
From my experience, HostGator’s storied history and consistent service make it a top choice for webmasters seeking reliable and expansive hosting solutions.
HostGator
HostGator’s hosting reputation is undisputed. Their array of shared, private, and powerful website builders is why so many people select them. Their global reach and cutting-edge tools ensure organizations and people get the finest performance and scalability.
WHM/cPanel for easier server configuration and management
Navigation-friendly and intuitive website builder
Unlimited bandwidth for shared hosting plans
Great for anyone learning how to build a business website
Free SSL certificates and email accounts
Cons
Security features cost extra
Expensive renewal cost
Servers are only available in the US
Rating Breakdown
We use a standardized methodology to guide our web hosting provider ratings. Read more about the rating here.
Parameter
Score
Why did we give this score?
Prices
8.0
HostGator hosting plans are affordable. The extra features such as SSL certificates, website builder, and unlimited bandwidth make these plans worth every dollar. We scored the web host 8.0 because of the higher renewal prices.
Features
9.0
HostGator offers outstanding features, including customization options, free migration, beginner-friendly website builder, email accounts,and free SSL. We remove a point because they offer only US-based servers.
Performance
7.0
Hostgator gets only 7.0 for performance because of their industry average 99.9% uptime guarantee. We wish the provider had provided at least 99.95% uptime as other web hosts within its league.
User-friendly
10
HostGator gets full points for user-friendliness. It provides an easy-to-use control panel, many tutorials, and excellent customer support to assist its customers. Creating an account, setting up domains, and installing WordPress are easy.
Support
10
HostGator gets maximum points for customer support. They offer instant live chat support round the clock and are willing to assist with customer issues even on other review websites. Their agents are polite and solution-oriented.
Overall score
8.4
HostGator is an excellent provider. Their sterling qualities are customer support, user-friendliness, and feature-rich hosting plans. However, they must work on their low uptime guarantee and higher renewal prices.
HostGator Prices & Plans – 2024
HostGator offers fabulous entry prices on all its hosting services. These include cheap shared hosting plans, optimized WordPress solutions, cloud hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated server and reseller hosting. You can pay for hosting services via credit cards, PayPal, checks, money orders, and bank wires. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on their shared WordPress, reseller, and VPS hosting plans. However, there is no money-back guarantee for dedicated hosting, setup fees, or domain name purchases.
A shared hosting plan offers convenience and low prices. It is great for small brands, personal websites and beginners.
TipTip: The Business Plan offers more security tools and Cloudflare CDN. The Cloudflare CDN is beneficial if most of your target audience is outside North America.
Cloud hosting offers fast loading times, instant scalability, and better performance. It is perfect for growing websites and brands that experience regular traffic spikes.
TipTip: The Business Cloud option is the best here. It offers far more hosting resources at cost-effective pricing.
VPS hosting offers full customization, fast performance, and isolated hosting environment. It is perfect for developers, ecommerce websites, and fast growing sites.
TipTip: More resources translate to better server performance from a web developer’s perspective. However, unless you are hosting a resource-hungry website or application, you get good value for money with the Snappy 2000 plan.
Dedicated hosting provides the best web hosting experience, but it is expensive in terms of cost, server setup, and maintenance. It is the only option for mission-critical sites, international ecommerce sites, and large-scale web applications.
TipTip: The Enterprise Plan offers more processor power, RAM, and SSD storage for faster processing times and loading speeds.
Features
HostGator’s main features include a 99.9% uptime guarantee, a free SSL certificate, easy WordPress installs, and a free domain for a year. Other features include free website transfers, unmetered bandwidth, one-click installs, and 24/7 live chat support. One standout feature about HostGator is its easy-to-use website builder.
NoteNote: The site builder comes with limits depending on your plan. The highest plan has more features than the starter plan.
HostGator
HostGator’s hosting reputation is undisputed. Their array of shared, private, and powerful website builders is why so many people select them. Their global reach and cutting-edge tools ensure organizations and people get the finest performance and scalability.
HostGator offers decent speed and stability and a 99.9% uptime guarantee, which means your website will be down for about 8-9 hours in 65 days. However, real-life testing shows up to 99.99% uptime which translates to just 5 minutes of downtime. Regarding average server response time, HostGator’s response time of 525ms falls in the midrange category of 400-700 ms. You can reduce the time with server optimization tools, Cloudflare CDN, or go for the VPS or dedicated server plans.
Level of Support
To assist with all hosting, billing, and technical issues, HostGator offers 24/7 live chat and phone support. They also provide a comprehensive knowledge base that answers almost any question you need.
While preparing my review, I checked out HostGator customer reviews. One recurring complaint was that the web host customer agents could not handle specific issues such as data backup. However, from my findings, HostGator’s support staff are experts in different areas. If you are willing to wait a while, someone with the proper knowledge will reach out to you.
Generally, I recommend using the knowledge base to get answers to any question you have. You might eventually have to use the support channel if the articles aren’t helpful.
HostGator
HostGator’s hosting reputation is undisputed. Their array of shared, private, and powerful website builders is why so many people select them. Their global reach and cutting-edge tools ensure organizations and people get the finest performance and scalability.
Let’s talk about how easy it is to set up an account and use HostGator web hosting services.
Registration
Registering an account with HostGator is straightforward. Choose the plan you want to use, and you will get a form to set up your account and hosting package.
Once you’ve signed in, you will arrive at the dashboard. This dashboard provides basic features like WordPress installation and Email Accounts.
HostGator Control Panel
HostGator uses the traditional cPanel skin with minor customization.
You can easily find all the advanced options that aren’t available on the dashboard. The cPanel provides options for setting up email accounts or managing domains and subdomains. You can also use it to install other content management systems.
Installing WordPress on HostGator
To install WordPress, click on the “Install WordPress” button in the Control Panel column and follow the prompt. You can install WordPress from cPanel, but it will redirect you to the same installation window. To install WordPress from the cPanel, click on the “WordPress” icon in the Software section.
TipTip: HostGator offers two ways of installing WordPress. Using the “Install WordPress” button in the Control Panel column is the best option while going through Marketplace > One-Click Installs will give you an outdated WordPress version.
TipTip: If you are hosting a WordPress website, go for the managed WordPress hosting plans. They have advanced security, WordPress-specific features, and a simplified control panel.
Add an email account with HostGator
HostGator offers free unlimited email accounts for all shared hosting plans. Just click on the “Email Accounts” button on your HostGator dashboard or the “Email Account” icon in the Email section in your cPanel. Click on the “Create” button, fill out the form, and you’re good to go.
HostGator Alternatives
Hostinger
Hostinger provides a streamlined hosting experience tailored for both beginners and professionals. It’s recognized for offering scalable solutions that cater to a diverse range of web hosting needs, from personal blogs to larger e-commerce platforms.
Unique selling points include its emphasis on performance optimization, with technologies aimed at reducing website load times, and a commitment to security and reliability. Hostinger’s hosting packages are designed to offer flexibility, allowing users to scale their resources as their website grows.
Bluehost is known for its comprehensive web hosting solutions, catering especially to WordPress users with seamless integration and one-click installations. It offers a range of hosting services, including shared, VPS, dedicated, and WordPress hosting.
Features include a free domain name for the first year, SSL certificate, 24/7 customer support, and enhanced security options. Bluehost is designed to support websites of all sizes, providing scalability, reliability, and easy-to-use tools for webmasters and business owners aiming for a robust online presence.
My experience with HostGator was pleasant all through. Their servers were straightforward to use, and the plans were well-priced. Of course, HostGator has flaws, but for basic web hosting, there is nothing to worry about. Its shared hosting plans, starting at $2.75/month, offer everything you need to create a website.
I recommend HostGator to beginners and those who want a simple-to-use hosting plan. You can set up your website and email accounts without using the cPanel. In addition, experienced users can also benefit from using HostGator. A web developer like me can carry out more advanced customizations thanks to the cPanel. Plus, customer support is available 24/7 and always eager to help.
Overall, HostGator is a reliable web hosting provider with affordable fees and an easy-to-use dashboard. The provider has no outstanding features but offers enough to complete the job.
HostGator
HostGator’s hosting reputation is undisputed. Their array of shared, private, and powerful website builders is why so many people select them. Their global reach and cutting-edge tools ensure organizations and people get the finest performance and scalability.
While HostGator is a preferred choice for webmasters seeking reliable and expansive hosting solutions, some may find alternatives better suited to their technical or budgetary needs. Visit our page on the 7 Best HostGator Alternatives for more options.
Excellent service from the staff . Happy to get my host from hostgator . Good flexible service especially when using the shared plan . I would recommend using it . Excellent host
I received exemplary support today through chat on a cancellation for a domain. The assistant was very supportive, and I’m a first time user of this domain service, and will recommend this to all my friends and colleagues.
Sharath helped timely and saved our day, thanks to the Sharath and the HostGator support team
We found some website issue and Sharath helped timely and saved our day, thanks to the Sharath and the HostGator support team. Great service and we loved the service lot.
I’ve been a Hostgator customer for around 10 years. The most important attributes I was looking for were server stability, regular implementation of helpful new products and good customer support. Hostgator continue to deliver on all three.
The reprehensive I just dealt with was nothing short of fantastic. He was knowledgeable, professional, friendly and empathetic. 100 Stars out of 100 because 5 isn’t enough. He was so patient and understanding and solved my problem with one phone call. I am writing this review because I’m so appreciative.
I thank Navanith, the owner of the wonderful method, who solved my problem with all merit and patience. I am your customer Reem from Saudi Arabia, and I will never hesitate to buy another hosting from you, and I will work hard to recommend my clients and colleagues to deal with you
Thanks for your Support! Really appreciate your prompt and professional service. My request was promptly attended to. And issue also resolve after the first contact.
Yes, it is! HostGator is suitable for WordPress, and I highly recommend it to those who consider using WordPress as their website builder, as this web host offers a simple one-click installation that takes no time.
Where are HostGator’s servers located?
HostGator servers are mainly located in Provo, Utah, and Houston, Texas, but they do have data centers in other locations worldwide.
Does HostGator have a cPanel?
We’re happy to say that HostGator does come with a cPanel, which is organized and easy to use. You will find many features that can only improve your websites.
Is HostGator the right choice for eCommerce?
HostGator is good for many things, and one of them is eCommerce. You can efficiently run an eCommerce or a WooCommerce platform store. However, if your business grows in terms of page traffic, using the VPS hosting plan is a better option.
Is the discount valid throughout the lifetime purchases made on HostGator?
Unfortunately, the discount is only valid for the initial purchase. But, if you are on a budget, or you simply want to save as much money as you can, it would be best if you purchase the most extended plan, as you won’t have to pay for renewals pretty quickly.
Is HostGator reliable?
HostGator is 100% reliable in both performance and overall as a company. Speaking of performance, the users will get an uptime of 99.98%, a website speed of 431 ms, and a page loading speed of an average of 660 ms. In terms of company, HostGator hosting is pretty reliable as it has been on the market for two decades, and it still ranks high.
Can I try HostGator for free?
HostGator doesn’t come with a free trial, but it does provide a 45-day money-back guarantee. Due to this, you can purchase some of their services, and if you aren’t satisfied with them, you can contact their friendly support team and ask for a refund. However, remember that the domain is non-refundable.
Is HostGator a good web host?
Yes, HostGator is a good web hosting provider. Their servers offer >99.9% uptime, and the company ensures ease of use, excellent customer support, and affordable pricing.
Can I transfer my website and domain to HostGator?
Yes. HostGator offers free website and domain migrations. Contact customer support or check the knowledge base for a complete guide on transferring your domain.
HostAdvice.com provides professional web hosting reviews fully independent of any other entity. Our reviews are unbiased, honest, and apply the same evaluation standards to all those reviewed.While monetary compensation is received from a few of the companies listed on this site, compensation of services and products have no influence on the direction or conclusions of our reviews. Nor does the compensation influence our rankings for certain host companies.This compensation covers account purchasing costs, testing costs and royalties paid to reviewers.
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