When you start searching for hosting websites the name that comes up most often is HostGator. It is a popular web hosting platform that provides one click WordPress installation and a 99.9% average up time. HostGator hosts more than 10 million domains.
Having such a large customer base is proof that they are doing something right. They provide a comprehensive range of web hosting services that are appropriate for all users.
In this HostGator review, we will look at the features they have to offer, provide an overview of their performance statistics and pricing, and determine whether they can provide the high-quality website hosting service that you require.
HostGator was founded in 2002 and quickly grew to become one of the world’s largest hosting companies. Their phenomenal growth can be attributed to their excellent shared hosting plans, dependable web hosting, and excellent customer service.
Its headquarters are now in Houston, Texas, and it hosts over 10 million domains. They have over 850 employees who provide round-the-clock support to businesses of all sizes.
It is an Endurance International Group subsidiary that provides a wide range of web hosting solutions to a large global customer base.
Security-HostGator provides a free SSL certificate that protects your website domains and encrypts communications between the server and website visitors.
They also provide some additional security features, such as the ability to add SiteLock monitoring to your site. This service will run daily, scanning for potential site breaches or hacks, and notifying you immediately if they find one. The only drawback is that SiteLock will set you back $5.99 per month.
Bandwidth and storage– Hostinger offers unlimited storage and bandwidth with every hosting plan that they offer.
You can use the storage and bandwidth without limits but , it must be to the extent that the hosting company is capable of obtaining. It would be a good idea to review HostGator’s usage policy, so you are aware of the limitations.
Site Migration-You’ll have 30 days after signing up to contact them and have them help you move any site files, databases, scripts, or even a domain name.
This includes the entire cPanel transfer. So, if you have multiple site installations (such as subdomains for a single large site), you’re covered.
All HostGator shared hosting plans include a single site (or cPanel) migration. Different plans, such as resellers, will have access to more resources (up to 30).
When compared to some hosts, a single free site migration isn’t much. However, it is better than nothing.
Money ack guarantee- HostGator is so confident in their service that they increase the industry-standard 30-day refund policy to 45 days.
That means you can use them for more than a month and still get your money back if there are any problems.
All shared, reseller, and VPS hosting packages are eligible for a 45-day money-back guarantee.
The only caveat is that this does not apply to HostGator’s dedicated servers, administrative fees, or custom software installation fees. We discovered that these caveats are fairly common in the hosting industry after combing through many Terms of Service documents.
So, if your plan included a free domain name, they’ll deduct the standard fee of $15.00 from your refund.
Every hosting website has its pros and cons. No hosting website is perfect. Whatever service you choose, you will encounter issues such as downtime or technical difficulties. Still, it’s a good idea to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each website builder to determine who they best serve.
Pros
99.9% uptime-Not every hosting company is brave enough to make this guarantee, but HostGator is. As you may already know, uptime is critical if you want your site to maintain its Google ranking, a good online reputation, and to be accessible to your audience at all times. Knowing that HostGator values uptime enough to offer a guarantee can provide you with peace of mind.
Free migration- If you don’t want to deal with migrations and the fees that come with them, HostGator has your back and will migrate your site for free. Other websites with similar features may charge a premium for this type of service.
Support- Customer service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can contact them at any time using their live chat feature, regardless of the day or hour.
Free domain for a year- HostGator, like Bluehost, allows you to register a free domain name with them for a year. Anything that is free and makes the process of creating a website easier is a plus in my book.
Cons
Higher renewal prices: To be sure, many hosting providers offer entry-level prices to get you started. When it comes time to renew your yearly plan, however, those prices tend to rise. This is unquestionably true for HostGator. So, it’s something to think about when budgeting and planning for the long term.
There are no staging options: If you’re a developer who needs to test changes or fix bugs, staging is a great option to have. Unfortunately, HostGator does not currently provide this service. A third-party staging plugin must be installed.
Shared web hosting
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, shared hosting is a type of web hosting in which multiple sites share a single server. Sites in this configuration share server resources (hence the name), so a large traffic surge on Site A can, unfortunately, have a negative impact on Site B’s performance. If you’re looking for cheap hosting, shared hosting is a good option; if you want more server resources devoted to your site, you should go with VPS or dedicated hosting.
HostGator provides shared hosting packages based on Linux or Windows that allow small and medium-sized businesses to expand. The Hatchling plan (starting at $10.95 per month or $3.95 per month if paid annually) includes unlimited disc space, monthly data transfers, databases, and email addresses, as well as support for one domain and third-party applications like content management systems and e-commerce platforms.
VPS web hosting
VPS hosting is for people who require more server horsepower than shared hosting can provide. Multiple sites can also be found on a VPS hosting server, though far fewer than on a shared hosting server. A VPS server is more expensive, but it provides more server power.
HostGator provides three tiers of Linux-based VPS hosting. These are good options to consider if you need more power, expect high traffic volumes, or have specific compliance requirements that prevent you from using shared servers (but don’t want to pay dedicated server prices).
Snappy 2000 (starting at $29.95 per month, or $23.95 per month with an annual commitment) is the most basic VPS plan, with 2GB of RAM and 120GB of SSD storage space along with unlimited emails and data transfer on monthly basis.
Dedicated web hosting
Dedicated hosting is a powerful type of web hosting in which your site exists on its own server. As a result, while this is the most expensive hosting, it is also the most powerful. It should power your website if you expect a lot of traffic.
The Value tier of HostGator’s dedicated server packages starts at $189 per month, or $109 per month with an annual plan. You get 8GB of RAM, 1TB of HDD storage, and unlimited email and monthly data transfers with Value. Power Server (starting at $249 per month, or $139 per month with an annual plan) expands on Value by including 16GB of RAM and 2TB of HDD storage (or 512GB of SSD storage). The most expensive Enterprise Server (starting at $289 per month or $159 per month with an annual plan) comes with 30GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage.
Cloud web hosting
HostGator, like many other web hosts reviewed by PCMag over the years, provides cloud hosting. The resources required for your website’s operation are shared across multiple servers with cloud hosting. What are the advantages? Because your site is not constrained by physical server constraints, you can scale resources in real time.
HostGator’s cloud hosting service is only available on the Linux platform; if you prefer Windows, you must look elsewhere. Nonetheless, HostGator offers appealing cloud hosting plans that are worth considering.
The Cloud Hatchling plan (starting at $12.95 per month or $7.95 per year if paid annually) includes 2GB RAM as well as unlimited email, monthly data transfers, and storage. Cloud Baby (starting at $13.95 per month, or $9.95 per month with an annual plan) then adds unlimited domains and 4GB of RAM. Cloud Business (starting at $19.95 per month, or $11.95 per month with an annual plan) is the most expensive option, with 6GB of RAM and a dedicated IP address.
WordPress web hosting
HostGator allows you to install WordPress on any of its servers, but the web host also offers three tiers of pre-installed, managed WordPress web hosting: Starter, Standard, and Business.
Starter (starting at $14.95 per month, or $7.95 per month if paid annually) includes 100,000 monthly visits, the ability to host only one WordPress site, 50GB of storage, and unlimited email. Standard (starting at $20.95 per month or $9.95 per month with an annual plan) includes two WordPress sites, 200,000 monthly visitors, and 150GB of disc space. Business (starting at $27.95 per month or $11.95 per year) includes three WordPress sites, 500,000 monthly visits, and unlimited storage. Page caching and an optimised WordPress hosting environment are included in all plans.
Uptime
HostGator provides an average of 99,97% uptime with almost an hour of downtime over last 6 months. Another plus is that they have an uptime guarantee, which states that if their uptime falls below 99.90%, you will receive one month of credit on your account.
Obviously, any planned maintenance or unforeseeable hacks are not included in this guarantee. You must, however, contact them and request the credit within 30 days by submitting a support ticket to their billing department.
Page Load speed
HostGator’s servers have done an excellent job of keeping our site up and running for the past six months.
However, how fast is their server?
Over the last 6 months, HostGator delivered an average page loading time of 234 ms, making them one of the fastest hosts during the current testing period. And HostGator is consistently working on improving its page loading time.
We recommend HostGator, but there are better options available.
HostGator’s shared hosting provides numerous advantages. The speed has been consistent, the customer service has been excellent, and their uptime has increased. And the abundance of beginner-friendly options makes it easy to use. Over 2 million customers have already placed their trust in HostGator. Whether you’re a seasoned Internet pro or just getting started with your first website, you’ll find every tool you need to take it to the next level.
However, the additional price increases make it too expensive to recommend.
Note – This review is written by our expert reviewer based on their research. If you are the business owner and have questions about our review, don’t hesitate to contact us for corrections.
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