Hostinger vs Hostgator: Essential Breakdown of Hosting Maestros 2023

⏳ Do you want to skip the read and get right to my pick in this Hostinger vs Hostgator comparison? The better web hosting provider for most people is Hostinger.

---

Introduction to my Hostinger vs Hostgator comparison test:

So you've created a gorgeous website. Your next logical step is to look for the most reliable hosting provider that can transform your site into a high-converting online store or WordPress blog. A quick Internet search would cough up two serious contenders for the job: Hostinger vs Hostgator.

Both Hostgator or Hostinger claim to have what it takes to ensure your website's success. This means that it loads fast, is always up, and provides a pleasant overall user experience. However, you need to make a choice between the two, hence this comparison article.

Don't fret; we took care of the research that you need to help you through making that decision.

---

Quick Comparison Table of Hostinger vs Hostgator

Criteria	🥇 Hostinger (My Pick!)	HostGator
Type of Hosting	Shared, WordPress, Cloud, and VPS Hosting	Shared, WordPress, VPS, Reseller, and Dedicated Hosting
Features	Storage: Starts at 30GB SSD Bandwidth: 100GB to Unlimited Number of Websites: Starts at 1 Databases: Starts at 2 MySQL Emails: Starts at 1 account	Storage: Unlimited Bandwidth: Unmetered Number of Websites: Starts at 1 Databases: Starts at 1 MySQL Emails: Unlimited
Performance	LiteSpeed Cache, Cloudflare CDN, Custom Advanced Optimizations	Standard HDD, CDN services available
Security Features	Free SSL certificates BitNinja Security Weekly Backups DDoS Protection	Free SSL certificates SiteLock Security CodeGuard Daily Backups Spam Protection
Pricing and Plans	Starts at $1.39/month Check Pricing	Starts at $2.75/month Check Pricing
Money-Back Guarantee	30-day money-back guarantee	45-day money-back guarantee
Customer Support	24/7 Live Chat, Ticketing, Knowledgebase	24/7 Live Chat, Ticketing, Phone Support
Scalability	Easy plan upgrades, Cloud and VPS options	Easy plan upgrades, VPS and Dedicated options
User Reviews/Ratings	Generally positive	Generally positive
Environment Friendliness	Energy-efficient hardware	Green Web Hosting
My View	Best for users on a budget who need solid performance and features.	Best for users looking for reliable hosting with a balance of features and affordability.
Official Website	Visit Hostinger	Visit HostGator

---

Hostinger vs Hostgator Overview:

Hostinger:

Hostinger is an extremely popular web host provider with 29 million users currently online. It started as Hosting Media sometime in 2004 and has since expanded its suite of hosting services. This Lithuania-based hosting service is now used by people like you in 180 countries.

Hostgator:

Hostgator was founded in Boca Raton, FL in 2002 but is currently headquartered in Houston, TX. As of October 2021, the hosting platform has over 800,000 clients in more than 200 countries and boasts of some of the most affordable hosting plans in the market.

---

Hostinger vs Hostgator Ease of Use:

So which is the more user-friendly of the two, Hostgator or Hostinger?

Hostinger:

Hostinger is always trying to push limits and redefining the user experience. As a result, its most user interface (UI) iteration did away with the standard cPanel and replaced it with a more accessible and friendly proprietary interface. While cPanel users may find it a bit uneasy at first, you'll get the hang of it in no time.

Hostgator:

We didn't encounter any problems  with Hostgator’s user interface (UI.) The platform is easy to use and navigate, even for beginners. In addition, it has a quick onboarding process and your server can be up in an hour. If you do find the process a bit challenging, the platform’s knowledge base includes several video tutorials to get you started.

Winner – Hostinger! Overall, we find Hostinger to have the more convenient onboarding process. Therefore, takes this ‘Ease of Use' in this Hostinger vs GoDaddy round.

---

Hostinger vs Hostgator Features:

Now that we've dealt with Ease of Use, which between Hostinger vs Hostgator offers better features?

Types of Hosting:

Hostinger

Shared Hosting:

• Hostinger offers a set of shared hosting plans that are budget-friendly. These plans include features such as LiteSpeed caching, free SSL certificate, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
• They also offer a free domain for the first year and 24/7 customer support.

VPS and Dedicated Hosting:

• Hostinger's VPS hosting offers full root access, SSD storage, and a dedicated IP.
• Hostinger does not offer traditional dedicated hosting. However, their VPS plans can serve those needing more resources.

Specialized Hosting:

• Hostinger has WordPress hosting plans, which are optimized for WordPress websites and come with features like WordPress acceleration, LiteSpeed Cache, and managed auto-updates.
• Additionally, Hostinger offers Minecraft hosting which includes DDoS protection and full access to the gaming server.

HostGator

Shared Hosting:

• HostGator's shared hosting includes a 99.9% uptime guarantee, a free domain for the first year, and one-click installations for applications like WordPress.
• They provide unmetered bandwidth and disk space, and also offer a website builder with their hosting plans.

VPS and Dedicated Hosting:

• HostGator provides VPS hosting which includes full root access, allowing customization and control over the server environment. They offer plans to cater to different performance needs.
• Additionally, HostGator offers dedicated server hosting with powerful configurations and features such as RAID-1 storage and unmetered bandwidth.

Specialized Hosting:

• HostGator offers specialized WordPress hosting plans that come with advanced security, performance optimizations, and free migrations.
• They also provide reseller hosting options for those who wish to sell hosting services to their clients.

Domain Names:

Does Hostgator Hostinger allow you to register domains?

Hostinger:

Compared to Hostgator Hostinger only gives you one domain name free. If you need more, it will cost you $8.99 a year.

Hostgator:

With Hostgator’s most basic plan Hatchling, you can only have one domain. However, its more expensive plans offer unlimited domains.

Email Rating:

Which offers a better email solution – Hostgator Hostinger?

Hostinger:

Unlike Hostgator Hostinger offers just one email address with its most basic subscription plan. However, those on either a Premium or Business subscription are allowed to create 100 email inboxes for their accounts, and that’s one reason to choose to pay a little more.

Hostgator:

Comparing Hostinger vs Hostgator, Hostgator allows users to create an unlimited number of email addresses regardless of their hosting plan.

Databases:

Does Hostinger or Hostgator let you manage databases?

Hostinger:

Compared to Hostgator Hostinger's Single Web Hosting subscribers are entitled to two MySQL databases. If you go up the subscription tier, you can get unlimited databases.

Hostgator:

Hostgator offers a better database allocation. All hosting plans have unlimited MySQL databases.

Applications:

Which enables more apps integrations – Hostgator or Hostinger?

Hostinger:

Like Hostgator Hostinger’s 1-click installer lets you download, install, and use a number of popular software packages and applications, including top WordPress and eCommerce tools like Squarespace and Magento. Hostinger subscribers who create sites from WordPress will be at an advantage, as they can use the full range of applications and plugins available on that building platform.

Hostgator:

Hostgator also has a 1-click installation tool QuickInstall for WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Wiki, and phBB.  You can also install more than 75 open-source scripts through the in-platform marketplace hassle-free.

WordPress:

Both Hostgator Hostinger work seamlessly with WordPress.

Site Staging:

What about staging environments – who has a better feature, Hostinger or Hostgator?

Hostinger:

Unfortunately, unlike Hostgator Hostinger does not have provisions for the creation of test sites in its management dashboard. Users may find that staging is only available if the default site builder used for their site is WordPress, as the building platform has its own staging tool built into its UI.

Hostgator:

Hostgator has the edge in this regard since it offers users two ways by which they can stage a site before going live:

• Use the standard staging feature which comes when you install WordPress; or
• Download and install an app created by the team behind Softaculous to stage sites created on other building platforms.

Website Builder:

When it comes to creating websites, who wins between Hostinger vs Hostgator?

Hostinger:

Not a fan of WordPress? Like Hostgator Hostinger has its proprietary site builder Zyro. The stand-alone building platform enables users to build a site with it in minutes: just choose a template, customise it to your liking, and then publish online.

However, manage your expectations. If you want a site loaded with functional and aesthetic bells and whistles, Zyro may not be the best choice. Its creative options are somewhat limited.

Hostgator:

It has its proprietary website builder called Gator that has several built-in customisation tools. It also has its own editing and graphics suites to help even the most clueless of newbies create a working site in minutes. We appreciate how diverse its template selection is. The negative is that it might be a tad challenging to edit.

eCommerce:

Let's talk about how Hostinger vs Hostgator compare in terms of supporting eCommerce and SSL certificates.

Hostinger:

What we like about Hostinger is that its ecommerce-specific hosting plans. These usually include applications for order, inventory, and tax management, along with provisions for monitoring shipping and delivery.

A free SSL certificate is already included across all subscription packages, but the coverage is quite basic. If you pay a little extra, Hostinger will upgrade your basic SSL to a Comodo SSL certificate which allows for ample security for ecommerce sites.

Hostgator:

Hostgator's ecommerce capabilities are integrated into the system. You can take advantage of payment channels, storefront management tools, integrated shipping, product management, and others. Moreover, all hosting plans come with a free SSL certificate.

---

Hostinger vs Hostgator Security:

How does Hostinger or Hostgator assure your website's security? What about backups – how frequent are they with Hostgator or Hostinger?

Hostinger

SSL:

• Hostinger provides free SSL certificates with all its hosting plans, ensuring secure data transmission between the website and its visitors.

Backups:

• Weekly backups are provided for basic plans, while daily backups are available for higher-tier plans like Business Web Hosting and Cloud Hosting.

Malware Protection:

• Hostinger offers protection against malware and DDoS attacks as part of its hosting plans.

Additional Security Features:

• Bitninja or Imunify360 (Web Application Firewall) is included in all shared and cloud hosting plans for comprehensive, real-time protection.
• Integration with Cloudflare is available for enhanced security through DDoS protection.

HostGator

SSL:

• HostGator includes free SSL certificates with all its hosting plans, ensuring encrypted communication between websites and visitors.

Backups:

• HostGator provides weekly automated off-site backups for data that is under 20 GB in size.

Malware Protection:

• HostGator’s SiteLock add-on scans for malware and vulnerabilities. SiteLock also includes a Web Application Firewall to block harmful traffic before it reaches the site.

Additional Security Features:

• HostGator uses custom firewall rules to protect against DDoS attacks.
• It offers CodeGuard as an additional service, which provides daily automated website backups and a one-click restore option.

Winner – Draw! This match is levelled, with both web hosting providers Hostinger or Hostgator offering excellent features.

---

Hostinger vs Hostgator Performance:

In this Hostinger vs Hostgator comparison, how your website performs is crucial to attracting traffic and doing well on Google and other search engines. So which between Hostinger or Hostgator can assure your website of better performance?

Performance Summary Table for Hostinger vs Hostgator

Criteria	Hostinger	HostGator
Server Locations	Asheville, North Carolina, USA Singapore Sao Paulo, Brazil Vilnius, Lithuania Amsterdam, Netherlands London, UK	Provo, Utah, USA Houston, Texas, USA
Speed (Load Time)	Approx. 350ms	Approx. 700ms
Uptime	99.99%	99.98%
Server Response Time (US, East Coast)	Approx. 65ms	Approx. 80ms
Server Response Time (Europe, London)	Approx. 40ms	Approx. 130ms
Server Response Time (Asia, Singapore)	Approx. 170ms	Approx. 250ms
Bandwidth	100GB to Unmetered depending on the plan	Unmetered
Webspace Limits	Starts from 30GB	Starts from 120GB
Global CDN	Yes, through Cloudflare	No
Scalability	Scalable with plan upgrades	Scalable with plan upgrades

Server Locations:

Where are Hostinger or Hostgator's data centres located?

Hostinger:

Servers are located in seven countries. Specifically, its servers are located in Lithuania, the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Indonesia.

Hostgator:

The platform’s main data centres are in Provo, Utah, and Houston, Texas, with over 23 Cloudflare-powered sub-centres in Asia, Europe, and Australia.

Speed Results:

When it comes to page speed, the faster, the better. So which between Hostinger or Hostgator has better speed?

The two contenders both have excellent speeds. Hostinger has one of the fastest in the business as it clocks in at 345 milliseconds. Meanwhile, Hostgator is also ranked among the fastest in the industry as sites can load in as quickly as 0.20 seconds.

Average Uptime, Bandwidth, and Webspace limits/Storage:

Now let's talk about uptime, disk space, and bandwidth – is Hostgator or Hostinger better?

Hostinger:

Unfortunately, Hostinger's speed doesn't equate to excellent uptime. We've recorded inconsistent uptimes with the platform recently. Its Premium and Business subscriptions offer unlimited amounts of both bandwidth and storage. However, the most basic account only gives users 100GB of bandwidth and 10GB of storage.

Hostgator:

Uptime is currently pegged at the standard 99.99%, while both bandwidth and storage are unlimited across all hosting plans.

Winner – Draw! In terms of this ‘Performance' round of this Hostgator or Hostinger showdown, this match is too close to call.

---

Hostinger vs Hostgator Support and Resources:

We now go to the type and quality of support you can expect from Hostgator or Hostinger. Which fares better between Hostinger vs Hostgator?

Hostinger:

Multiple channel support is available 24/7 and it has the additional advantage of having a multilingual support team who can talk to users in their native language for clarity.

Moreover, it has an extensive and regularly updated knowledge base.

Hostgator:

Comparing Hostinger or Hostgator, we like the 24/7 customer service and technical support that Hostgator brings to the table. Their support teams are available via live chat, phone, and email. Still, when we tested it, it wasn't as speedy as expected. It will be better, however, if you go up the subscription ladder.

In addition, Hostgator’s knowledge base is a bit skimpy, as it responds primarily to keywords and you may have trouble getting answers to more complex questions.

Winner – Hostinger! We’re going with Hostinger for this ‘Support and Resources' section because of its localised support.

---

Hostinger vs Hostgator Pricing:

In this Hostinger vs Hostgator comparison, we need to tackle the cost and the features associated with them. So which between Hostinger or Hostgator offers a better bang for your buck?

Quick Comparison Table for Hostinger vs Hostgator Pricing Plans and Transparency:

Criteria	Hostinger			HostGator
	Single	Premium	Business	Hatchling	Baby	Business
Initial Price	Starts from $1.39/month	Starts from $2.59/month	Starts from $3.99/month	Starts from $2.75/month	Starts from $3.50/month	Starts from $5.25/month
Renewal Price	$2.99/month	$3.99/month	$7.99/month	$6.95/month	$9.95/month	$14.95/month
Free Domain	No	Yes (1 year)	Yes (1 year)	No	No	No
Free Trial	No	No	No	No	No	No
Refund Policy	30 days	30 days	30 days	45 days	45 days	45 days
Money-Back Guarantee	30 days	30 days	30 days	45 days	45 days	45 days
Check Pricing	Check Hostinger Pricing			Check HostGator Pricing

Plans

Here's a more detailed look at how Hostinger or Hostinger's pricing plans are:

Hostinger:

Hostinger's subscription plans are as follows:

• Shared web hosting: $0.99 – $3.99 per month.

• WordPress hosting: $2.15 – $14.95 per month.

• VPS hosting: $3.95 – $29.95 per month.
• Cloud hosting: $7.45 – $37 per month.
• Windows VPS hosting: $26 – $250 per month.
• Minecraft hosting: $8.95 – $29.95 per month.

>> Check for our latest Hostinger discount code pricing plans <<

Hostgator:

Hostgator’s three shared hosting plans will set you back between $2.75 and $5.25 monthly.

Managed WordPress hosting is slightly more expensive and will cost you between $5.95 and $9.95 monthly.

The platform also offers VPS, dedicated plans, and reseller hosting plans.

>> Check for our latest Hostgator discount code pricing plans <<

Hostinger vs Hostgator Free trial, refund policy, and money-back guarantee:

Which between Hostinger vs Hostgator offers a free trial, refunds, and money-back guarantee? Please also check the legal page for Hostinger and legal page for HostGator for detailed information on Free trial, refund policy, and money-back guarantee.

Hostinger:

Like Hostgator Hostinger no longer offers a trial period. It does, however, have a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can ask for a refund within the first 30 days if you aren't satisfied with the service.

Hostgator:

Hostgator doesn’t offer free trials, too. Still, it has a longer money-back guarantee of 45 days. Users may get up to 98% of what they paid for back if they decide to cancel their subscriptions within the period, less prepaid service fees.

Winner – Hostinger! Hostinger has a more flexible pricing plan and better value for money in this Hostinger vs Hostgator ‘Pricing' comparison.

---

Hostinger vs HostGator User Reviews

Hostinger

Hostinger is well-regarded for its budget-friendly hosting solutions with good performance.

Trustpilot

• Hostinger maintains an excellent rating on Trustpilot with a score of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
• Customers commend Hostinger for its affordable pricing plans and the value they receive.
• The customer support team is generally well-received for being responsive and helpful.
• However, some users have raised concerns about certain limitations on the lower-tier plans.

Reddit

• Reddit users often recommend Hostinger for small websites and projects due to its cost-effectiveness and decent performance.
• Some users have mentioned that they experienced better performance after switching to Hostinger from other providers.
• A few have raised concerns about limitations in the entry-level plans.

HostGator

HostGator is known for offering a variety of hosting services catering to different needs.

Trustpilot

• HostGator has a rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
• Users often mention that HostGator offers robust features, especially with its shared hosting plans.
• Customer support gets mixed reviews, with some praising it, while others express frustration with long waiting times.
• Some users have complained about billing issues and high renewal rates.

Reddit

• Reddit users have mixed feelings about HostGator. Some find it reliable for small to medium-sized websites.
• However, others mention experiencing server downtime and performance issues during high traffic periods.
• There is a common criticism regarding customer service response times.

---

Comparison Winner: Hostinger vs Hostgator?

After a thorough evaluation of both Hostgator or Hostinger in this battle of the hosting providers, we conclude that both are excellent options. While it's too close to call, we are giving this Hostgator Hostinger toss-up in favour of Hostinger as Comparison Winner.

---

Personal Experience with Hostinger and HostGator

Signing Up

Hostinger

Hostinger offers a streamlined sign-up process. The plans are laid out clearly, and the website's clean design helps you quickly select the services you need. The checkout is simple and transparent, with no aggressive upsells.

HostGator

HostGator's sign-up process is also straightforward, but you may encounter several upsell offers during checkout. Nonetheless, the steps are well-guided, and creating an account is fairly simple.

Setting Up a Website

Hostinger

Hostinger uses hPanel, an in-house developed control panel. It's modern and user-friendly, making it easy for users to manage their hosting account and set up a website. The one-click installer for applications like WordPress is a plus.

HostGator

HostGator uses cPanel, a popular control panel. While cPanel is highly functional, some users may find its interface less modern compared to Hostinger's hPanel. Like Hostinger, HostGator also offers one-click installation for various applications.

Performance

Hostinger

Hostinger is known for its solid performance, including fast loading times and reliable uptime. Its servers use LiteSpeed, which is optimized for performance, and it offers integration with Cloudflare CDN.

HostGator

HostGator generally provides good performance with reliable uptime. However, Hostinger slightly outperforms HostGator in terms of speed, particularly when LiteSpeed caching is enabled.

Customer Support

Hostinger

Hostinger provides 24/7 customer support via live chat and ticketing. The support staff is generally responsive and helpful, and the live chat feature is particularly useful for getting quick answers.

HostGator

HostGator also offers 24/7 support through live chat, phone, and ticketing. The quality of support is good, but response times can sometimes be longer compared to Hostinger.

---

Conclusion and Recommendations To My Hostinger vs Hostgator Comparison Test:

Now, let's wrap up our Hostgator or Hostinger comparison;

What is Hostinger best for?

Hostinger is an excellent choice for those seeking high performance and a user-friendly experience at a competitive price.

Hostinger is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized websites and projects. I like its versatility and its range of hosting services that can cater to a variety of website hosting requirements.

What is Hostgator best for?

HostGator is a reliable and well-established hosting provider that offers a range of plans suitable for various needs. While its performance is solid, it doesn't quite match up to Hostinger in terms of speed and ease of use.

HostGator might be preferable for those who are already accustomed to cPanel and those who look to profit from reseller hosting.

Hostinger and Hostgator Alternatives:

Hostinger vs Hostgator Final word:

It's true that we find Hostinger to be the better choice between Hostgator or Hostinger in this comparative review. However, don't stop there. We recommend that you trial hosting service to ensure it suits your particular requirements.

Check for the best Hostinger pricing

---

FAQs:

Does Hostinger use cPanel?

No, it doesn't sport the standard cPanel for account management. It has a proprietary control panel called hPanel instead.

How many emails can you get with Hostgator?

It offers a generous number of unlimited email accounts when you sign up. It has an edge over other platforms that charge for email services/addresses.

---

That’s all for now:

If you've read our Hostinger or Hostgator comparison review up to here, we are grateful. Remember always to keep abreast of the latest developments on website builders, eCommerce, and other articles, such as the ones below;

• Hostinger Review
• HostGator Review

Please share any comments below!