HostGator Review
Provide and install Hostgator
Like the Bluehost, the provisioning was instant, and, along with the Cpanel, they offer the usual installer, so we had WordPress up and running in no time. The most extended wait was for a DNS update on our test domain to point to the Hostgator servers.
Hostgator Systems and Support
As with Bluehost, Hostgator offers 24/7 chat and phone support, which will be especially attractive to first-time web admins. Although forums have their fair share of complaints about Hostgator and their average users, they rank lower.
Pros
- Uptime: HostGator offers an unbeatable 99.99% uptime guarantee
- Features: HostGator provides more features on their shared plans than most hosting providers, including the free email marketing software to take your site to the next level.
- The Help and Support: HostGator’s customer support knowledge base is the searchable treasure trove, and the live chat functionality is fast and reliable
Cons
- HostGator’s plans are a little more expensive than the plans of other major competitors.
- HostGator dashboard and the website design are a bit outdated, which makes for a high-quality user experience.
Features
HostGator offers five types of hosting: shared, managed WordPress, VPS, dedicated, and cloud.
Here is a basic breakdown of each type:
- Shared hosting is the most accessible and affordable option, as you share a server and its resources with other sites. Prices start at $2.75 per month.
- Managed WordPress hosting is the fastest and the most integrated way to host the WordPress site. This type comes with the free migration, so if you have the existing WordPress site, you can move it to HostGator at no cost. Plan prices start at $5.95 per month.
- VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting is the more expensive, but you get what you pay for – or in this case, more server resources dedicated to your site. As a result, VPS is well worth studying for small businesses, while for personal/non-online websites, you won’t need to spend extra money. Prices start at $29.95 per month.
- Dedicated hosting is the most expensive type and is only necessary for large e-commerce companies. However, if that sounds like you, the scalability and power offered by dedicated hosting are unparalleled. Prices start at $89.98 per month.
- Cloud hosting is a revamped form of shared hosting that promises better speed, reliability, and resources. However, cloud hosting is more secure than shared hosting, which is a bit more expensive for these reasons. Prices start at $4.95 per month.
HostGator Features
Every HostGator plan comes with a free SSL certificate and unlimited bandwidth. You also get a free domain for the first year (after that, you’ll have to pay to renew your domain name). These features are not uncommon, but HostGator also features unlimited email accounts, subdomains, and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) accounts (which allow you to transfer files from a computer to a network). HostGator also includes unlimited storage in their shared hosting plans, which most providers keep until you upgrade to more advanced hosting.
HostGator allows you to use its drag-and-drop website builder to create your site. The creator offers many templates across 20 categories, including photography, restaurants, and personal portfolios. However, while these templates are customizable, they aren’t easy to navigate – so if you’d instead not commit to the time, you don’t have to use HostGator’s website builder!
If you’re planning to build the website using a CMS platform, you’ll be glad to know that HostGator’s WordPress hosting option comes with a convenient one-click installation. It also offers support for Joomla, Drupal, and Magento e-commerce platforms.
The standout feature of HostGator’s Basic plan is the free email marketing software it offers through Constant Contact. This feature is precious, allowing you to build an audience through consistent newsletters and automated email campaigns. Like vital uptime, email marketing is an asset to any site, but it’s beneficial for e-commerce sites.
FAQS
What payment methods does Hostgator accept?
Hostgator accepts the MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Paypal, personal checks, money orders, cash, and bank transfers.
What dashboard does Hostgator use?
cPanel is provided to all the users at no additional cost. In addition, sellers will also have access to Web Host Manager. Despite this, cPanel is the industry standard and is the preferred control panel for most customers.
What if I need extra bandwidth or extra disk space?
If you need additional bandwidth or disk space, you can get it through their upgrade page to upgrade to a larger plan.
If you’d like to buy additional disk space or bandwidth but don’t need a larger plan, or if you need more space than the highest plan offerings, let them know, and they’ll work it out.
Once I sign up for the Hostgator plan, can I upgrade?
Yes, you can upgrade anytime by filling out their upgrade form. The upgrade is free; the only cost will be the price difference in the plan you’re upgrading to.
What proves the SSL certificates offered by Hostgator?
Hostgator sells 128-bit Comodo certificates for $75 per year and includes a free installation. Comodo SSL is trusted by over 99.3% of Internet browsers (equal to Verisign and Thawte certificates). The only difference between one type of SSL and another is browser recognition.
Comodo SSL Certificates are among the highest recognized browser certificates in the industry, including Netscape 4x and above, AOL 5 and above, Opera 5 and above, and come preinstalled with all Windows 98SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Windows operating systems XP and Mac OS 8.5, Mac OS 9. x, Mac OS X operating systems.
Does Hostgator do the addon domains?
Yes, but you cannot create an additional domain if your DNS is not already published to the server. So after changing the DNS of the site you are trying to add, you will need to wait 24-48 hours before creating your addon’s domain.