HostGator review: Pros and cons in 2024

HostGator is one of the most popular web hosting services. The company has hosted more than 2.5 million sites since it was founded in 2002. In addition to shared and WordPress hosting, HostGator sells e-commerce hosting, dedicated hosting, cloud hosting, virtual private server (VPS) hosting and reseller hosting.

The combination of solid features, affordable prices and responsive service make HostGator’s web hosting services a great choice for SMBs with a variety of website needs. However, HostGator isn’t the least expensive web hosting service, and it sells many important features as add-ons, including its website builder, automatic backups and domain name privacy service.

HostGator overview

HostGator is one of the top-selling web hosting services with a reputation for offering affordable hosting packages and quality customer support. The company sells three shared hosting and three WordPress hosting plans, as well as e-commerce hosting, dedicated hosting, cloud hosting, virtual private server (VPS) hosting and reseller hosting.

In addition to hosting services, HostGator offers web design services, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising services, search engine optimization (SEO) and domain name registrations, transfers and renewals. Prices for HostGator’s shared hosting and WordPress hosting plans start at $15.99 per month and are discounted substantially with contracts of one, two or three years.

HostGator pros and cons

HostGator’s best features include the cPanel dashboard for managing your site, easy application and WordPress installations, and 24/7 access to live support staff via chat (all plans) and telephone (Baby and Business packages). 

However, the company’s packages renew at rates much higher than their introductory prices, and many useful site management and security options are sold separately. Lower-cost options are available from competing web hosting services.

Pros

HostGator provides all the tools a business needs to get online quickly and simply. The company’s tools facilitate accessing your account, migrating an existing site or creating a site using HostGator’s website design add-on service. The company’s WordPress plans come with WordPress pre-installed, and you can add WordPress to shared hosting packages with a single click.

The Hatchling, Baby and Business shared hosting plans come with 24/7 live chat support, and Baby and Business add 24/7 telephone support. Other support resources include a knowledge base and video tutorials. 

Cons

The tradeoff for HostGator’s ease of use and support is higher prices for its shared hosting and WordPress hosting plans than are charged by competing hosting services for packages with comparable characteristics. Many businesses will need the functions that HostGator charges extra for, such as domain privacy and a website builder. 

The company’s prices for domain registration renewals are also higher than the rates charged by other registrars. 

HostGator pricing and value

The prices for HostGator’s shared hosting and WordPress hosting products are higher than those with similar features sold by competing vendors, even with HostGator’s steep introductory discounts. For example, Namecheap sells its Stellar Business shared hosting package for $9.48 per month, which has 50 GB of storage, cPanel control panel and a website builder. By comparison, HostGator’s $15.99 Hatchling plan comes with 10 GB of storage and charges extra for the company’s website builder.

HostGator offers introductory discounts on its shared hosting plans that range from about 25% to 75%, depending on the package and length of the agreement. For example, an initial 12-month agreement for the Business plan costs $7.25 a month, which is 67% less than the renewal rate of $21.99 a month.

The cloud hosting services sold by HostGator ensure that your business has an upgrade path for its site that will keep pace with your site traffic and other resource needs. The add-on services available from the company include SiteLock security, web design, pay-per-click, SEO and the CodeGuard backup service that complements the courtesy backups that come with HostGator hosting plans.

HostGator provides a 30-day money-back guarantee for shared hosting and WordPress hosting. The refund doesn’t apply to dedicated hosting plans or to fees, domain name purchases and some add-on services.

Hosting features

HostGator’s three shared hosting plans — Hatchling, Baby and Business — come with unlimited bandwidth, an SSL certificate for your site and one year of domain registration (annual contracts only). They also feature a cPanel control panel, reports on site statistics, POP3 email accounts with SMTP, webmail access and unlimited FTP accounts.

Hatchling supports 10 websites and includes 10 GB of storage, 24/7 live chat support and one-click WordPress installations. HostGator’s Baby package supports 20 websites and comes with 20 GB of storage, the CloudFlare content delivery network (CDN) and 24/7 telephone support in addition to live chat support. The Business plan has 50 GB of storage and supports up to 50 sites, including site transfers for an added fee.

The business email bundled with HostGator hosting packages features tools for creating unlimited email aliases and autoresponders, and forwarding mail. It uses SpamAssassin to protect against spam.

The company’s Website Builder is sold in three packages priced from $12.95 a month for Express Start to $26.98 for Express Store (discounts are offered for your initial purchase, and for contracts of one or two years).

HostGator’s three WordPress hosting plans — Baby, Business and Pro — have WordPress pre-installed and support 20, 50 and 100 sites, respectively. The packages include unmetered bandwidth, phone and chat support, basic email, SSL, malware scanning and the CloudFlare CDN. Baby comes with 20 GB of storage, Business has 50 GB and Pro includes 100 GB.

HostGator’s cPanel dashboard makes it easy to manage your hosting account, domain and website settings. Various sections of cPanel control your site’s files, email, databases, domains, metrics and security. The Software and Advanced sections of cPanel are used primarily by advanced users and developers for managing Perl modules, cron jobs and other server tasks.

HostGator supports MySQL databases with phpMyAdmin access, as well as CGI and FastCGI, PHP 8.2, Ruby on Rails, Perl and Python programming languages. Supported programming modules are Curl, CPAN, CD Library and ImageMagick, while system management includes SSH access and cron job scheduling.

The Baby and Business packages from HostGator support an unlimited number of add-on domains and parked domains.

Type of hosting

The most affordable type of web hosting service for small businesses is shared hosting, which hosts several different sites on a single server. However, many small businesses grow out of shared hosting when their needs extend beyond the capabilities of these low-cost, low-maintenance plans. 

Alternatives to shared hosting are dedicated hosting (including dedicated WordPress hosting), VPS hosting, e-commerce hosting and cloud hosting.

• Shared hosting: This is the most cost-effective option for small websites, but it may limit performance because server resources are shared with other sites.
• VPS hosting: VPS hosts your site on virtual servers designed to offer the same security as dedicated servers. This type of hosting provides more control over your site, as well as dedicated rather than shared server resources, but the services cost more than shared hosting.
• Dedicated hosting: These plans host your site on a dedicated server to give you maximum control over the site’s appearance, behavior and performance. Dedicated hosting plans let you choose between a self-managed site and a semi-managed site that relies on the service provider for most configuration and maintenance needs. Dedicated hosting is typically the most expensive option.

Performance and uptime

HostGator guarantees 99.9% uptime for its hosting services. This translates to almost nine hours of downtime each year. By contrast, hosting providers that offer 99.99% uptime are limited to just under an hour of downtime per year (52 minutes and 34 seconds). 

Other key terms to be aware of when you’re looking for a web host are:

• Server uptime: The standard for web hosting services is 99.9% uptime, but firms that need to avoid downtime can find hosts that offer uptime guarantees of 99.99% and higher.
• Server response time: This measures the time required for your site’s pages and other elements to load in visitors’ browsers or mobile devices. Faster response times result in quicker page loading and happier customers. It also improves the site’s SEO performance. The goal is to have response times below 100 ms. Techniques for improving response times include using a CDN, enhanced caching and minimizing use of PHP scripts.
• Server location: The location of the server hosting your site has a direct effect on its performance. The closer your customers are to your servers, the faster the site’s pages will load. HostGator’s servers are located in the United States, but you should choose a server location that’s close to your target audience to reduce latency and improve page loading times.

Bandwidth and storage

Site performance is also affected by the amount of bandwidth and storage space the web host offers. Make sure your plan has sufficient bandwidth to handle your expected traffic and enough storage for your website’s files and databases. HostGator’s shared hosting plans come with 10 GB to 50 GB of storage, while its WordPress hosting packages have from 20 GB to 100 GB of storage. 

All HostGator hosting plans give you unmetered bandwidth, which is determined based on the “normal operation of a personal or small business website.”

Regular automated backups and easy restoration processes are essential for data protection. Many web hosts include automatic backups with their services. HostGator performs courtesy backups as part of its hosting packages and sells the CodeGuard automatic backup service separately.

Security features

The first line of defense for your website is a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, which secures data transfer between the web server and users. All HostGator shared hosting and WordPress hosting packages include SSL. HostGator sells enhanced SSL certificates as add-ons to its hosting packages that feature the TrustLogo Site Seal. The company also offers domain-validated SSL for e-commerce operations.

Other site security measures include a web application firewall (included with the SiteLock security add-on service), DDoS protection and the CodeGuard backup add-on that backs up your site automatically every day in addition to offering virus and code protection and as many as three site restores each month.

Customer support

HostGator’s customer support is a feature that sets the company apart from many competing hosting services. The entry-level Hatchling shared hosting plan comes with 24/7 live chat, while the Baby and Business plans, and all three WordPress hosting plans, add 24/7 telephone support. 

Other HostGator support options include a support portal with knowledge base and a library of video tutorials on operating cPanel, setting up email and checking your site’s security.

HostGator vs. top competitors

HostGator’s reputation for being easy to use and offering stellar customer service gives the company an edge over competing web hosting providers. However, HostGator’s prices aren’t the lowest available from services such as Namecheap and DreamHost, and A2 Hosting is one of several hosting vendors whose plans include features that HostGator sells as add-ons, such as automatic backups and site migrations.

HostGator vs. Namecheap

Namecheap sells various types of web hosting services as well as domain registrations, business email and security services. As the company’s name implies, it is best known for offering low-priced domains since 2000 and currently manages more than 17 million domain registrations worldwide.

Namecheap’s three shared hosting packages are Stellar, Stellar Plus and Stellar Business:

• Stellar supports three sites and includes 20 GB of storage, 30 email addresses and a website builder.
• Stellar Plus supports an unlimited number of sites and adds unmetered storage, mailboxes and automatic backups.
• Stellar Business provides 50 GB of storage and features cloud storage that promises fast performance and 100% uptime.

The Namecheap plans start at $4.48 a month and top out at only $9.48 a month. By comparison, HostGator’s least-expensive shared hosting plan costs $15.99 a month after the initial discounts expire ($11.99 a month with a one-year contract). The company’s high-end Pro plan for WordPress hosting is priced at $34.99 a month and excludes automatic backups and a built-in website builder. 

However, HostGator does offer 24/7 support over live chat and telephone (all but the entry-level Hatchling plan), while Namecheap relies on live chat and support tickets. 

HostGator vs. DreamHost

In addition to offering a full range of web hosting services, DreamHost adds marketing services, professional website management, custom web development and SEO and social media marketing. HostGator’s add-on services are limited to web design, SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.

The shared hosting packages sold by DreamHost are priced at $7.99 a month for Starter and $13.99 a month for Unlimited, after initial discounts. Annual and three-year plans reduce the monthly prices to $6.99 and $12.99 (one-year agreement) and $5.99 and $10.99 (three years). 

These prices are several dollars a month less than the fees charged by HostGator for its shared hosting and WordPress hosting packages, which run from $15.99 a month to $34.99 a month.

DreamHost’s shared hosting plans include unmetered bandwidth and SSD storage, as well as a website builder and automatic daily backups. The Starter package comes with 50 GB of storage, and Unlimited gives you unlimited storage. DreamHost doesn’t offer a free domain name for one year (.com registrations cost $8.99 a year) and doesn’t include an SSL certificate with its Starter plan, both of which are included with HostGator’s shared hosting products.

HostGator vs. A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting’s four shared web hosting and four WordPress hosting services are priced from $12.99 a month for Starter to $29.99 a month for Turbo Max. The company offers introductory discounts and lower monthly rates for contracts of one, two or three years. While the cost of HostGator’s shared hosting and WordPress hosting plans is about the same as comparable packages from A2 Hosting, the latter do offer more functionality.

For example, A2 Hosting’s Starter offerings support a single website, which is the same as HostGator’s entry-level Hatchling plan, while A2’s Drive, Turbo Boost and Turbo Max packages allow unlimited websites, as well as unlimited SSD storage. 

By comparison, HostGator’s Baby and Business shared hosting plans are limited to two and three websites, respectively, and 20 GB and 50 GB of memory, while the WordPress Pro plan from HostGator has 100 GB of storage and supports up to five sites.

HostGator’s advantage over A2 Hosting is its inclusion of the cPanel control panel with its shared hosting and WordPress hosting plans. A2 Hosting sells its cPanel hosting plans separately at prices that start at $24.99 a month (less with the introductory discount and reduced rates for annual plans).

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Does HostGator have a free plan?

No, HostGator doesn’t offer a free plan, but the company does give customers a 30-day money-back guarantee for shared and VPS hosting. The refund doesn’t apply to fees, domain name purchases or add-on services such as SiteLock.

Does HostGator have a website builder?

HostGator no longer offers a free website building tool with its web hosting services, but the company does sell three Website Builder packages: Express Starter, Express Premium and Express eCommerce. 

How do you migrate a site to HostGator?

HostGator offers limited free migration for VPS and dedicated hosting customers within 30 days of activating their accounts. For all other plans, the company charges $149.99 for each site migration. The process may require access by HostGator staff to your current hosting company’s control panel, username and password. You can request a site migration through your account’s customer portal.

Can you change your domain name on HostGator?

You can change an add-on domain or subdomain by opening cPanel and choosing Domains, and then Create a New Domain. Enter the new name in the Domain field, leave the “Shared document root” option unchecked and enter the directory name for the old add-on or subdomain. Click Submit to make the change, and then delete the old add-on or subdomain.

HostGator recommends that customers make changes to their domain at Domain.com, a third-party service that makes it easy to update your domain’s name server. After you determine which name servers to use for your HostGator account, you sign in to your dashboard and choose the domain you want to change. 

Next, click the gear icon and select “DNS & Nameservers.” Click the three dots menu and choose Edit to open the nameserver field. Enter the new name and click “Submit your changes” to implement the change. It may take up to 48 hours for the change to propagate through the DNS records.

Does HostGator support PHP?

HostGator servers are configured with standard PHP settings that the company has determined are optimal for most of its customers. Businesses can override these settings by creating a php.ini file customized to their needs, although certain PHP settings cannot be changed. As of June 2023, HostGator runs PHP version 8.2 and offers PHP 8.3 as an option.

Is HostGator secure?

HostGator takes several precautions to protect the servers that host its customers’ sites. Its custom firewall prevents DDoS attacks, and other security measures safeguard against other threats.

In addition to the SSL certificate that’s included with hosting plans, the company sells SSL protection plans, as well as the SiteLock service and CodeGuard automatic backup tool.