HostGator Review: Inside Their Shared Plans and Performance

HostGator is one of the biggest and most well-known web hosting providers today. With very affordable pricing, catchy marketing campaigns, and big promises to make websites faster, HostGator has become hugely popular for cheap and reliable shared hosting.

But does HostGator actually live up to expectations? Is it a good choice for hosting WordPress sites, small businesses, and resellers on a tight budget?

In this comprehensive HostGator review, I extensively test HostGator’s performance and features myself to provide unbiased insights. I cover everything you need to know about HostGator’s shared hosting capabilities, speed, uptime, security, ease of use, support, and more.

What’s covered in this detailed HostGator review:

• HostGator’s shared hosting pricing and plan options
• How suitable HostGator is for WordPress sites
• Speed and reliability benchmarks from extensive testing
• Evaluating HostGator’s security protections
• Assessing HostGator’s ease of use and beginner-friendliness
• Reviewing the quality of HostGator’s customer support
• How well HostGator works for resellers and VPS hosting
• Recommended HostGator alternatives to consider
• And much more…

My goal was to dig deeper into HostGator to see if it’s really a top choice for affordable and managed WordPress hosting, or if you should consider alternatives for your site instead.

Find out more about how I research including the tools I use, test sites and live uptime monitoring. Learn more about my testing and review process

HostGator Quick Stats

HostGator is one of the world’s largest web hosting companies, founded in 2002 and based in Houston, Texas. Here are some key facts about the company:

• Over 9 million domains hosted to date
• 450,000+ customers in over 200 countries
• Acquired by Endurance International Group in 2012
• Winner of multiple industry awards and recommendations
• Known for affordable and reliable shared hosting services

HostGator built its reputation on high-quality shared hosting with unlimited resources, excellent up-time, and speedy performance – all paired with perhaps the lowest introductory pricing in the industry. They remain highly competitive for budget-conscious individuals and smaller organizations needing capable basic hosting.

Let’s start this review by taking a look at the pros and cons of HostGator.

HostGator’s Pros and Cons

Like any web host, HostGator has both advantages and disadvantages. Here is an overview of the key pros and cons to consider:

HostGator’s Pros

With crazy affordable pricing, great performance benchmarks, and ease of use, HostGator delivers tremendous value – especially for the first year. The money-back guarantee also makes it low risk to try.

HostGator’s Cons

However, some definite disadvantages to note as well:

The lack of security inclusions and big renewal price hikes are drawbacks to factor in. Support quality also varies. But for starter sites needing ultra-affordable hosting, the pros still outweigh the cons overall.

Shared Web Hosting Plans and Pricing

One of the biggest attractions of HostGator is affordable pricing for shared hosting. Let’s look closely at what HostGator provides with its current shared hosting plans and pricing:

Shared Hosting Plans

HostGator’s Linux shared hosting comes with 3 main options:

• Hatchling plan – $3.75/month basic single site hosting
• Baby plan – $4.50/month for unlimited site hosting
• Business plan – $6.25/month with advanced features

Pricing starts at a very low $3.75/month which is cheaper than many competitors and makes HostGator an attractive budget option.

Shared Hosting Features

All HostGator shared plans include:

• Unmetered bandwidth
• Unmetered SSD storage
• Free domain name for 1 year
• Free SSL certificate
• Unlimited email accounts
• Access to HostGator website builder

You also get features like a free dedicated IP (on Business plan) and SEO tools (Business plan only).

The Baby plan bumps your hosting up to unlimited websites. Meanwhile, the Business plan adds advanced capabilities best suited for ecommerce sites like dedicated IPs, positive SSL wildcards, and SEO tools like Google Analytics integration.

Overall, even the cheapest Hatchling plan packs tremendous value, especially for the first year when you also get a free domain registration.

HostGator’s Renewal Pricing

One important caveat is that renewal pricing is significantly higher starting in year 3:

• Hatchling plan – $9.99/month renewal
• Baby plan – $14.99/month renewal
• Business plan – $19.99/month renewal

The low initial promo pricing definitely jumps up upon renewals. But HostGator isn’t unique with this sizable price increase.

HostGator Pricing & Value

Evaluating HostGator’s overall value for money, the verdict is very positive:

• Extremely affordable initial pricing for shared hosting, starting at only $3.75/month. However, renewal cost for shared hosting is significantly higher
• WordPress pre-installed
• Free domain registration, SSL certificate, site migration included
• Wide range of hosting options beyond shared plans available

If your priority is finding the cheapest initial rates along with unlimited resources for launching a new site, HostGator delivers that in spades. Just keep the pricier renewals in mind, and understand any add-ons come at an additional cost.

Performance Testing – Uptime, Speed and Stress Handling

Hosting performance in terms of speed and uptime stability can make or break your website. Let’s examine how HostGator stacks up when it comes to delivering fast and reliable hosting:

HostGator Uptime Review

Downtime is unacceptable for any professional hosting provider. Across 3 months of uptime monitoring, HostGator delivered exceptional results.

The measured uptime was an impressive 99.99% over the testing period. HostGator had only a couple brief outages totaling just 5 minutes of total downtime.

For context, HostGator guarantees 99.9% uptime, where other hosts typically promise 99.95% or higher. Despite this lower uptime guarantee, HostGator massively overdelivered with 99.99% tested uptime.

This level of uptime reliability means HostGator customers can expect outstanding stability. Websites should have no problem staying online and accessible 24/7.

HostGator Page Speed Benchmarks

Fast page load times are critical for site visitors and SEO rankings. HostGator also performed very well in terms of speed during testing.

Using Pingdom, my test site loaded very quickly on HostGator’s shared servers. Average page load times clocked in at a fast 1.1 seconds.

This is an excellent result, especially since WordPress sites were used for testing. Caching no doubt helps, but HostGator’s servers are still impressively fast considering the cheap shared hosting price.

During stress testing, HostGator also maintained consistent page load times even under heavy traffic loads. Response time showed minimal impact even when simultaneously testing with 50+ users.

So, HostGator’s hosting speed is good based on benchmarks, comfortably supporting high traffic surges without slowdowns. Website performance is very snappy.

HostGator Stress Test with Heavy Traffic

To evaluate how HostGator’s shared servers hold up under high loads, I used K6 load and stress testing tool to simulate traffic from over 50 concurrent virtual users accessing pages on the test site simultaneously.

This creates an abnormally heavy traffic surge that most smaller sites would never experience. The goal was to push HostGator’s infrastructure to the limits.

Impressively, the HostGator servers handled the stress test with flying colors. Response times remained consistently fast and stable throughout the test, with minimal deviation or slowing down.

The results speak to the power and capacity of HostGator’s shared infrastructure. Supported sites should have plenty of headroom to absorb unexpected spikes in visitor traffic.

Between the great uptime and speed testing results, HostGator earns top marks when it comes to hosting site performance and reliability.

Ease of Use and Key Features

A hosting provider needs to be easy to use for customers of all skill levels. Here is an assessment of HostGator’s user-friendliness:

HostGator Account Dashboard

Logging into your HostGator account brings you to a clean dashboard. It acts as a central control panel with shortcuts for key tasks:

• Managing hosting plan details
• Accessing cPanel
• Checking email
• Monitoring site traffic
• and more…

The dashboard layout is well-organized, with related items grouped into logical sections that make it very easy to navigate.

HostGator cPanel Experience

cPanel is the defacto standard for more advanced web hosting management. HostGator provides cPanel access for accounts.

Compared to some other cluttered cPanel setups, HostGator’s version feels cleaner and more visually polished. All the main functions you need are presented neatly via icon-driven menus.

It’s very intuitive for beginners, while still packing the advanced configuration options demanded by experts. The interface strikes a great balance of usability for all users.

Installing WordPress with HostGator

Thanks to its auto-installer, you can get WordPress installed on HostGator in under 2 minutes with just a few clicks.

Just enter your domain and site credentials, and HostGator handles the entire WordPress installation and configuration behind the scenes.

The automated process is much simpler than having to manually upload WordPress and tweak all the PHP settings yourself. It’s a huge time-saver for getting your site online fast.

Migrating Websites to HostGator

Transferring an existing site to a new host can be complicated. But HostGator simplifies the process by providing free website migrations.

For those switching hosts, HostGator’s technical team will safely migrate your entire site for free. All you do is request the transfer. This takes care of a major headache when moving to HostGator.

Creating and Managing Email Accounts

Unlimited email addresses are included with all plans. Setting up new accounts is super easy via the control panel.

Just enter a name, set a password, allocate storage if needed, and your new email is ready in seconds. Accessing your emails is simple using HostGator’s Roundcube webmail interface.

Overall, HostGator makes onboarding painless for beginners, but doesn’t skimp on capabilities for experts. The experience accommodates users of all skill levels.

Security Features and Tools

Security is make or break when it comes to choosing a web host. How does HostGator stack up when it comes to security protections for websites?

Included Security Features

On all shared hosting plans, HostGator includes:

• SSL certificate – Free SSL certificate to enable HTTPS and encryption.
• Firewall – Server-level firewall for blocking malicious traffic.
• HTTP/2 – Support for faster, more secure HTTP/2 protocol.

So the core security fundamentals like SSL and firewall are covered as expected. However, most additional security requires add-ons.

Security Add-Ons & Limitations

HostGator’s limitations around security exist with its paid add-ons approach:

• Backups – Daily website backups require a paid add-on.
• Monitoring – Server health monitoring and alerts costs extra.
• Malware scanning – No regular scans. Need to purchase SiteLock.
• DDoS protection – Only available as a paid upgrade.
• 2FA – Two-factor authentication not supported.

This contrasts with many competing hosts that offer protections like free daily backups, malware scanning, and basic DDoS filtering by default.

Yes, HostGator technically offers these security capabilities if you pay extra for upgrades. But most providers include them bundled at no added charge.

Is HostGator Secure Enough?

HostGator nails hosting performance and efficiency. But its limitations around security add-ons do dampen the value proposition somewhat.

However, for many personal sites and smaller businesses, HostGator still offers adequate protection. The core elements like HTTPS and firewalls are covered.

For better security, factor in costs for upgrades like SiteLock and backups. Ultimately, HostGator gives you the level of security you pay for. It works fine if you have modest needs, but larger sites will benefit from a more security-conscious provider.

HostGator’s Customer Support

Let’s examine the quality of HostGator’s customer service and support channels:

HostGator 24/7 Phone Support

HostGator offers 24/7 technical support over the phone. Calling in multiple times, I found wait times to connect with an agent averaged under 2 minutes.

The phone support agents were consistently knowledgeable, friendly, and able to resolve issues quickly. For example, they helped walk me through resetting a lost password and troubleshooting slow page speeds.

I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality phone support given HostGator’s ultra-cheap pricing. While accent issues occasionally exist, every agent handled my questions competently.

HostGator Live Chat Support

HostGator also offers 24/7 live chat support. Wait times to get connected with a chat agent also averaged under 2 minutes.

Chat support was more hit or miss. Some agents seemed more scripted and less fluent with technical details. Others were fully competent and resolved my issues well. I’d lean on phone support for complex questions.

But for simple requests, live chat works reliably enough. Between phone and chat, you have two quick options for 24/7 assistance.

HostGator Knowledge Base & Tutorials

HostGator also provides an extensive knowledge base of support articles and video tutorials covering everything from WordPress optimization to security best practices.

The visual step-by-step guides are very handy for do-it-yourself troubleshooting. For common issues, the knowledge base likely has you covered with helpful fixes.

Considering the affordable shared hosting pricing, HostGator punches above its class with quality 24/7 support:

• Quick access to support agents via chat or phone around the clock
• Knowledgeable techs overall that can resolve most common issues
• Excellent library of self-help articles and tutorials
• Inconsistent live chat support due to language barriers

While the phone support outshines chat, you have two solid avenues for professional assistance along with extensive online resources. HostGator’s support should sufficiently accommodate most smaller businesses and personal sites.

Is HostGator Good for Resellers?

HostGator is hugely popular with web hosting resellers thanks to very affordable reseller hosting packages starting at just $34.99 per month.

But what exactly makes HostGator’s reseller hosting plans so compelling?

Reseller Hosting Plans

HostGator offers 3 Linux reseller hosting plans:

• Snappy 2000 – Starting at $34.99/month
• Snappy 4000 – Starting at $51.99/month
• Snappy 8000 – Starting at $93.99/month

All plans are built to allow you to run your own web hosting business and easily resell managed accounts.

Features for Resellers

HostGator supplies resellers with all the key tools needed:

• WHM and WHMCS control panels – For automation and managing reseller accounts
• Free script installer – Quickly add apps like WordPress with 1-click
• cPanel access – For your clients to easily manage sites
• Unlimited reseller accounts – Resell as many accounts as desired

These powerful tools allow you to white label and brand the web hosting services, and fully manage your clients’ accounts and billing with minimal effort.

You maintain full admin access and control while handling all support yourself. It’s a turnkey solution for launching a web hosting business.

Resources

Disk space, bandwidth, and the number of allowed domains scale up nicely from the Snappy 2000 to premium Snappy 4000 plan tiers based on your needs and number of customers.

The entry-level Snappy 2000 plan still provides ample room for smaller reseller businesses to get started and grow.

HostGator provides an unmatched value proposition for aspiring web hosting resellers:

• Packed with all the white label tools needed for easy automation
• Very affordable pricing leaves bigger profit margins
• Scales up to support more clients on higher-tier plans

For quickly starting your own web hosting company on a budget, HostGator hits the sweet spot. The combination of robust features and ultra-low pricing is hard to beat.

Other HostGator Hosting Options

Aside from regular shared hosting, HostGator also provides:

• WordPress Hosting – Starting at $4.50/month for WordPress-optimized hosting.
• Reseller Hosting – Starting at $34.99/month, allows you to resell plans.
• VPS Hosting – Starting at $34.99/month, for increased flexibility.
• Dedicated Hosting – Starting at $89.98/month, for complete control.

This good selection of hosting options allows you to scale up as your website needs grow. However, HostGator’s managed WordPress hosting is still pretty no-frills for the price.

HostGators VPS Hosting

For users needing increased resources and flexibility, HostGator also offers VPS hosting starting at very affordable rates of just $34.99 per month.

But how does HostGator stack up against competitors when it comes to powering VPS hosting plans?

VPS Hosting Options

HostGator provides both Linux-based and Windows-based VPS hosting packages.

All plans give you guaranteed resources allocated to your account rather than shared resources like on regular shared servers.

Having your own virtual private server improves hosting performance and allows for more customization and control.

VPS Features

Here are the main benefits HostGator packs with VPS plans:

• Fast SSD storage
• Scalable bandwidth
• Choice of OS (Linux or Windows)
• Root access

The ability to select your preferred operating system and scale resources upward as needed makes VPS a good fit for sites that outgrow shared.

You get closer to dedicated server power but at a much lower cost and still with easy maintenance.

VPS Resources

HostGator’s baseline VPS plan starts with 2 CPU core, 120GB SSD disk, and 2GB of RAM. But performance scales up nicely to 4 cores and 8GB RAM on higher plans.

The cheaper plans still pack a capable punch. Resources can grow with you as traffic demands increase.

Evaluating HostGator’s VPS, the verdict is positive:

• Significantly better performance than shared hosting
• Easy scalability to grow resources
• Still very affordable compared to dedicated servers
• You pick Linux or Windows OS

The only notable downsides are that cPanel is optional for an added fee on VPS plans, and some competitors do offer more baseline resources.

But for the price, HostGator VPS capabilities are excellent. The flexibility, root access, and scalability make it a top choice for site owners that outgrow shared hosting limits.

What You Need to Know About HostGator

HostGator Alternatives

If you require advanced functionality HostGator lacks, here are 3 alternative hosts worth considering:

Hostinger – Prices start at an ultra-affordable $2.99/month for shared hosting. All plans include a free domain name, SSL certificate, and dedicated cloud infrastructure for maximizing uptime and speed performance. Hostinger also provides an intuitive site builder and migration tools, even for hosting beginners.

Read Full review Visit Hostinger

SiteGround is known for their robust security protections and exceptional customer support. Their shared hosting plans begin at $2.99/month including features like free CDN, backups, restores and a dedicated IP address.

Read Full review Visit SiteGround

Bluehost delivers more value with automated WordPress optimizations, daily backups, spam protection and Sitelock scanning by default. Their basic shared hosting plans start from $2.95 per month.

Read Full review Visit Bluehost

All three hosts deliver excellent uptime, site speeds, and support as well – making them very competitive alternatives depending on your budget and needs beyond basic shared hosting.

HostGator Review – The Final Verdict

After conducting extensive testing and research for this review, here is my final verdict on whether HostGator is a recommended web host:

The Good

• Fantastically affordable pricing for shared hosting starting at only $3.75/month
• Blazing fast uptime and load speeds during testing
• Very easy to use control panel and onboarding experience
• Tons of features like unlimited bandwidth and free site migration
• Free domain name registration for the first year

The Bad

• Limited security features unless you purchase add-ons
• Support quality varies, with some unknowledgeable agents
• Significant price hike upon renewals kicks in

Overall, HostGator continues to be an excellent option for extremely affordable and capable shared web hosting. The combination of reliable performance, ample resources, and ease of use makes it suitable for smaller businesses, bloggers, and resellers.

More demanding users may want to consider alternatives like SiteGround or InMotion for better security and speed. But for hosting WordPress sites or basic business websites on a strict budget, HostGator delivers tremendous value.

The hosting you get for just $3.75/month is hard to beat if you manage expectations around security trade-offs and renewals. For cheaper upfront pricing with fewer frills, HostGator strikes an compelling balance.

So if you need a solid, inexpensive host and can work within its limitations, HostGator is still a top budget-friendly option.

Neil Beckett

Neil is an accomplished web, designer and developer with over 15 years of experience in creating and optimizing websites for small businesses and online entrepreneurs. Read full bio

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