HostGator Review : Affordable & Beginner Friendly Web Host
Introducing HostGator
Whenever we are searching for a new Web Host whether it is for migration from our old Hosting or for starting up a new project, apart from Uptime and Speed there is one more thing we are always concerned about and that’s Affordable Web Hosting.
HostGator can be the one that you are looking for because it is Affordable as well as a very Reliable Web Host.
Further more HostGator is unbeatable in giving discounts.
So let’s see in this review how much quality features and reliability HostGator is able to serve to you along with super affordable plans.
Highlight Sections
Before starting this review it is better you get to know the three main Highlight sections of this article.
You can jump directly to these three main highlight sections through the buttons given below if you are in a hurry.
Here is a brief understanding regarding the 3 (Three) main Highlight segments or sections of this review.
Overall Ratings :
The Overall Rating Section shows to you the total average combined rating of the Web Host based on 9 (nine) different parameters or features that you will see in details in this review.
Overall Ratings segment can be seen like a summary of a whole review and so you can take your decision regarding any Web Host based on that Web Host’s Overall Ratings only.
Possible Alternatives :
The Possible alternative section shows you various other web hosts that can be a possible future web host for you.
In the Possible Alternatives section also we have shown Overall Ratings out 5 of every Web Host so that you can compare the different Hosting Providers easily based on their Overall Ratings.
Question & Answers :
In this section you may find answers regarding which plans can be better for you and which are the better alternatives you can go for.
To help you better we also have a Quick Advice page where you can see different Web Hosts and what best they have to offer to you.
Let’s Begin The Review in Detail
Before starting the review it is advised that you read each section like Recommendable, Uptime, Speed, Security, Affordability, Support, Backup, Moneyback Guarantee and Features etc carefully because these sections have been given ratings so that you can easily figure out that in which section or feature the particular Web Host is stronger or Weaker.
Please try to read all and everything by scrolling down till the end. It will be a useful read for sure.
So now let’s begin this review in depth with the first parameter and that’s Recommendability :
This section is about Web Host Recommendability :
1) Recommendability
Recommendable
HostGator is highly Recommendable. Click the learn more button below to know why it is highly recommended.
From this parameter or factor you can decide how much recommendable the product or service is to others.
Through this parameter you can decide what are the chances that I as a customer would recommend this particular service to others like me.
Through this parameter you can decide the trust value and overall quality the particular company offers to you.
4.5 out or 5 stars out 5 means it’s Highly Recommendable.
So How many stars for Recommendability ?
HostGator gets 4.5 stars out 5 for recommendability and it is highly recommended.
What makes HostGator Highly Recommendable ?
The very reason that HostGator will attract you is their Festive season plans.
HostGator is not only Affordable but it is also a very Reliable Web Host.
HostGator has been there since 2002 and have successfully grown to become one of the largest web hosting platform which is serving more than 2 million websites on it’s platform and one of the most widely popular Web Hosting ever.
In terms of Popularity HostGator directly competes with BlueHost and GoDaddy so it is highly competitive as well.
HostGator is one of the oldest players out there and they keep on improving and maintaining their standards to retain the customer base that they have created over the years in the Web Hosting business.
As we see that with time organizations or Companies become old but HostGator has successfully scaled up it is continuously evolving as Giant of Web Hosting.
The best thing is that HostGator is the best choice for Newbies who have almost no experience and want to save money on Web Hosting.
HostGator Festive season offers are World Beaters and for that reason you should regularly see our Special deals page so that you can remain updated regarding festive season deals from any Web Host.
This second segment is about Uptime :
2) Uptime :
Uptime
HostGator provides 99.9% Uptime Guarantee. To know more about Uptime click the Learn More Button below.
Uptime is a feature or factor that everyone is worried about all the time, so on the basis of Uptime Guarantees provided and technologies used for enhancing Uptime the Web Hosts are given rating.
In this section you will be able to easily decide that this particular Hosting Provider is going to give you the reliable Uptime or not !!
4.5 or 5 stars out 5 are only given when we are super convinced about the Uptime.
How many stars for Uptime ?
HostGator is reliable and gets 4 out 5 stars for giving 99.9% Uptime Guarantee.
Will this Web Host give reliable Uptime ?
With Cloud plans you will get reliable and continuous Uptime.
It is highly recommended to go with Cloud plans anyways because you will get more Uptime and Performance with Cloud plans.
For getting you good Uptime HostGator have started using SSD (Solid State Drives) so that visitors can access your site quickly.
HostGator uses Apache Servers which is widely used but these days Nginx and Lite Speed servers are considered to be giving better Uptime and Speed.
Lite Speed or Nginx can handle more traffic in a specified time than Apache.
So it would be interesting to see what new features HostGator brings to improve Uptime and Speed.
This section is about Speed :
3) Speed :
Speed or Loading time is essential for any website and in this section you can figure out how much dedicated the particular Hosting Provider is to bring you the best possible Speed.
On the basis of various technologies used by the Web Hosts and analyzing many other factors related to Speed we have rated the Web hosts for Speed and Performance.
4.5 or 5 out 5 stars for Speed are only given when we are fully assured that Speed is going to be delivered for sure.
So How many stars for Speed ?
HostGator gets 4 out 5 for Speed.
What is the Guarantee for Speed with HostGator ?
It heavily depends on your plan that which plan you have chosen. Here are some points to clarify :
- With traditional shared Hosting there are always going to be problems with Uptime and Speed.
- On the other hand new Cloud Technology keeps your Website Up for longer period of time and you can also expect higher Performance or Speed with Cloud Plans of the same Web Host.
- SSD (Solid States Drives) also play a vital role in enhancing speed because through SSD visitors can access or reach your website quickly.
- So it is better you go for Cloud plans and you will be happy with your Uptime and Speed when you have taken the Cloud Plans.
So Guarantee of Speed and Uptime is definitely more with Cloud Plans in General regardless of which Web Hosting you select.
As we have mentioned in the Uptime section also there is one drawback and that is HostGator not using Nginx or Lite Speed technology.
Using Lite Speed or Nginx can bring higher Performance and Speed and that is the thing HostGator should should think of doing as early as possible.
This fourth section is about Security features :
4) Security :
Most of the folks think about Uptime and Performance and select their Hosting Provider but it is better to check whether your Web Host provides good enough Security features or not.
There are many features and factors we have thought of to give ratings on security. You might find about various factors we have considered when you further read the section.
However Security features get better with Higher Plans but there are a few Web Hosts who give great features for Security and even 4 stars out 5 would be considered good for Security.
So How many stars for Security ?
HostGator gets 4 stars out 5 for security features.
How to Increase my Website Security in general ?
Generally you get more security with higher plans.
For Example :
With traditional Shared Hosting Plans you might get basic cPanel security but if you move to higher plans like VPS (Virtual Private Servers) then you will get full cPanel security features and many other kind of Security features.
Further more to increase the security with any Web Host you can make your Passwords stronger and you can opt for 2 Factor Authentication kind of security options.
For Website security there are plugins like WordFence and other security plugins can be essential to have.
Using Lite Speed or Nginx based web hosting can bring extra security as well to overall Web Hosting.
This fifth section is about Affordability :
5) Affordability
Affordability
HostGator is highly Affordable. To know more click the learn more button below.
Depending on various factors like promotional prices and Yearly and Monthly plans etc we have given ratings out 5 to help you decide which particular Web Host is affordable for you.
For any small beginning you need a small start with affordable investment and that is why we have included Affordability as a factor to rate various Web Hosting Providers.
Highly Affordable Web Hosts have scored 4.5 or 5 out 5 stars and 4 star for affordability is also considered good.
So How many stars for providing Affordable plans ?
HostGator gets 5 out 5 for their great festive special offers and promotional prices in general.
Why HostGator is highly affordable ?
HostGator is highly affordable because of its special offers and discounts which are unmatchable.
HostGator is ideal for those who want to make a steady start and want to save money while starting their online journey.
Why on Renewal I get to pay more ?
There are certain Web Hosts like MilesWeb and DreamHost that at present are giving some schemes that you can enjoy same promotional prices for lifetime which can be great but at some point in future you might think of growing your Website on bigger platforms no matter how costly the plans are.
Full answer regarding renewal prices you can find it here in this article.
Talking about this HostGator, it is highly affordable. Some of the HostGator plans are Unmatchable in terms of affordability.
If you want to make a tiny step forward to start your online Journey and want to save money while doing it then HostGator is there for you.
This Sixth Section is about Support :
6) Support :
Support
Support is great from HostGator. To know more about Support feature click the Learn More Button below.
Support from the web hosts is essential for beginners and non techy people and that is why on the basis of various factors we have rated the Web Hosts who can give you the support or help whenever you need for getting your website running smoothly.
On the basis of various factors like Speed to solve the problem, Courtesy and attitude we have given stars out 5 accordingly.
So How many stars to HostGator for Support ?
HostGator gets 4.5 stars out 5 for providing Knowledgeable and friendly support.
Can Support really be a factor to decide a Web Host ?
It depends on your will and skill that how much support you might need when you are in trouble.
The thing is that if you have paid to your Hosting provider for any service and if there is a tradition of providing Support to the customers then why not use it !!
Support from your Web Host can be vital in certain circumstances where you need to recover from a hacked site or maybe in case of Broken site you can have at least someone by your side to help you out.
Talking about support from HostGator, free Site Migration is also provided which is great.
HostGator really has friendly support and they solve your problems within minutes.
So overall Support is great.
This Seventh Section is about Backup :
7) Backup :
Backup
HostGator provides weekly Backups. To know more about importance of Backup click learn more button below.
Backups are essential when you want a recovery from a hacked or broken site and that is why hosting providers giving regular backups are given better stars.
It is heavily advised that if your Hosting Provider is not keeping your Backups regularly then develop a habit of taking Backups manually by your self. It’s a very easy task.
Updraft Plus (affiliate link) is widely popular and used for taking backups of sites and you can take Backups through your cPanel also.
See here how to take Backups of your site (affiliate link).
If daily backups are provided we have given 5 out 5 stars for that.
How many stars for providing Backups ?
HostGator gets 4 out of 5 stars for providing weekly backups.
Why to Judge Hostings on the basis of Backups ?
Well, we are not Judging anyone but there are Hosting providers giving daily Backups and Backup features takes us towards “managed hosting” where you as a website owner don’t have to worry about most the things.
Those Web Hosts which are providing regular daily Backups they are no doubt doing great and it only improves the security features overall.
So those Hostings which are providing daily Backups you can say they are more reliable because they are taking away a burden from your shoulder by taking daily Backups for you. It’s great isn’t it !!!
So 4 out of 5 for HostGator for giving regular Weekly Backups.
The thing is that many Web Hosts are already providing Web Hosting for such low prices that certain things like taking regular Backups are expected from the customers side which is obvious if you are looking for cheaper options.
This Eighth Segment is about MoneyBack Guarantee :
8) MoneyBack Guarantee :
The longer MoneyBack Guarantees are not only in favor of customers but longer MoneyBack Guarantees also shows how much confidence the companies or the Web Hosts in this case have in their own service.
Moreover and obviously longer MoneyBack Guarantees give more time to customers to get to know the Web Hosts and their services and accordingly customers can take actions.
The longest MoneyBack Guarantees have won 5 out 5 stars.
So How many stars to HostGator MoneyBack Guarantee ?
HostGator gets 4 out 5 stars for MoneyBack Guarantee which is better most others.
Is MoneyBack Guarantee really important ?
If you like the features and prices and you have decided to go with any particular Web Host then MoneyBack Guarantee is not really important.
If you have long term strategy with your website then also MoneyBack Guarantees doesn’t count but in certain circumstances if you are given a longer MoneyBack Guarantee and you think you have taken a wrong decision then this features really helps.
Moreover longer MoneyBack Guarantees shows the confidence of the Web Hosts in their own service. There are web hosts like DreamHost (Affiliate Link) and InMotion who give long MoneyBack Guarantees of 97 days and 90 days respectively.
Then there are Web Hosts like TMDHosting who give a 60 day MoneyBack Guarantee.
HostGator and FastComet give 45 days long MoneyBack Guarantee.
So definitely the Web Hosts that give longer MoneyBack Guarantee seem more reliable.
So HostGator gets 4 out 5 for the 45 days longer MoneyBack Guarantee which is better than usual 30 days MoneyBack Guarantee and is also sufficient.
This Ninth segment is about Features that your Web Host provide :
9) Features :
Features are the first things that we see on the Web Hostings site when we want to select any Hosting for us and generally people make decisions seeing the features provided only.
Here seeing this review completely I expect that those who read articles or reviews on this site may start thinking beyond features also when it comes to Web Hosting selection. (Heavy statement, You can take it as a joke). 🙂
We have given 4.5 or 5 out of 5 stars when we are highly convinced about the overall service and the features offered.
So How many stars to HostGator for features ?
HostGator gets 4.5 out 5 for overall features which is great.
Are the features like Unlimited Bandwidth really important ?
On the basis of various features like free domains, Unlimited Bandwidths etc we cannot get the overall idea about the hosting provider and that is why these features cannot be the only factor to decide the right Web Host for you.
Talking about features like Unlimited Bandwidth and Unlimited Disk Space it is really good but it cannot be the only reason to select any Web Host.
See this article to get some of your questions answered regarding selecting a web host.
To decide the right Web Host you should see all the aspects and features of any particular Web Host properly and then make a decision that which is the right Web Host for you.
HostGator plans and features in general.
Talking about plans in general HostGator has hatchling, baby and business plans and only one website is allowed with hatchling plan and unlimited websites allowed on higher plans.
Free domain is given for one year which keeps HostGator in competition with other Web Hosts.
This free Domain feature offers keeps on changing from time to time so keep on checking with current prices and offers through our special deals page.
Plus HostGator gives unmetered bandwidth and disk space that means you will not get billed for extra usage of disk space and data.
This segment is about Overall Ratings :
10) Overall Ratings :
Overall Ratings
To know more about the Overall Ratings for this Web Host you can click the button below.
If you have jumped directly to this segment then it might be a time saving decision. Here you will find the combined Overall Ratings for your Web Host.
In short this Overall Ratings you can take it as a final average rating which will decide in total or in general how great a Web Hosting can prove to be for you.
Further clarifying, Overall Rating just give you an overall idea about the Web Host however different Web Hosts can be best in certain criteria and can be just average in certain other criteria.
For example : TMDHosting is best in Cloud plans where on the other hand InterServer provides best security features.
The Web Hosts getting 4.5 or above 4.5 stars out of 5 are the best Web Hosts as per our ratings and research and these are really one of those who should be on your favorite list at least.
So How many Overall stars to this Web Host ?
HostGator gets 4.3 out 5 especially due to their Affordable plans.
What are the important things that make HostGator a great Web Host ?
HostGator defeats other Web hosts by its super deals and offerings which are super affordable. HostGator is ideal for beginners that are planning for longer period of time and who are still learning and experimenting with their websites.
What is the importance of this Overall Rating Segment ?
The best thing is that if you know the Overall Ratings you don’t have to worry about knowing other factors and parameters because all factors are included in the Overall ratings.
However all the parameters have their own importance and it is good to see all parameters like Uptime, Moneyback Guarantee etc properly if you want to know better about any Web Host.
In this part you may find the Conclusion regarding this review :
Conclusion
So concluding HostGator review there is a lot we can expect from HostGator and it already serves great affordable Web Hosting.
The main highlight of this review is the HostGator cheaper plans that are Unmatchable and are ideal for those who want to make a steady start.
Moreover the HostGator Cloud plans are great for performance and are affordable too.
You may find the answers regarding which can be the best Web Hosting plan for you and what can be the alternatives in the Questions & Answers segment.
You may find in details what can be the other Web Hosts that should be on your lists in the Possible Alternatives segment.
This section is about Question & Answers :
Q & A
Questions & Answers
In this segment I have tried answering all possible questions that I thought might be important to you :
Hopefully you will find satisfying answers.
In this section you will Possible Alternatives :
Possible Alternatives :
In this section you may find all Possible Alternatives to HostGator.
To save your time we have a Quick Advice page where you can find all Web Hosts along with prime details that what best they have to offer to you.
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