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:
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.
Overview of Hostinger Hostgator:
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.
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.
Features:
Now that we've dealt with Ease of Use, which between Hostinger vs Hostgator offers better features?
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 and SSL certificate:
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.
Security and Backups:
How does Hostinger or Hostgator assure your website's security? What about backups – how frequent are they with Hostgator or Hostinger?
Hostinger:
Hostinger ensures the security of user sites through a two-factor authentication process. In which case, site owners can use either or both their email and phone number to identify themselves as the owner of the account.
Likewise, automated backups are included across all subscription packages and these are done on a weekly basis.
Hostgator:
Directories for Hostgator sites are all password-protected and the platform also offers round-the-clock server monitoring.
Winner – Draw! This match is levelled, with both web hosting providers Hostinger or Hostgator offering excellent features.
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?
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.
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.
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?
Plans:
Here's a brief 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 <<
Free trial, refund policy, and money-back guarantee:
Which between Hostinger vs Hostgator offers a free trial, refunds, 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.
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.
Conclusion and Recommendations:
Now, let's wrap up our Hostgator or Hostinger comparison;
What is Hostinger best for?
Hostinger is an excellent choice for small businesses and site creators who want flexibility and affordability. We 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 highly flexible hosting provider perfect for small and medium-sized businesses and those who look to profit from reseller hosting.
Alternatives:
Ranking | Key Features | Price (Basic Plan) | My View |
---|---|---|---|
1. Bluehost | 50GB storage, unmetered bandwidth, free domain 1st year, free SSL certificate | $2.95/month Check Pricing | Best for beginners and WordPress websites |
2. SiteGround | 10GB Web Space, ~10,000 Visits Monthly, Unmetered Traffic, Free WP Installation, Free WP Migrator, Free SSL, Free Email, Daily Backup, Free CDN, Managed WordPress, Unlimited Databases, 100% renewable energy match | $3.99/month Check Pricing | Best for WordPress websites and features excellent customer support |
3. DreamHost | Fast SSD storage, free domain, automatic WordPress updates, free SSL certificate | $2.49/month Check Pricing | Best for non-profits as it offers a free plan for them |
4. A2 Hosting | Unlimited SSD Space & Transfer, Free & Easy Site Migration, Free Automatic Backups, Anytime Money Back Guarantee | $2.99/month Check Pricing | Best for speed with their turbo servers |
5. HostGator | Unmetered bandwidth & disk space, free domain, free SSL certificate | $2.75/month Check Pricing | Best for small businesses and startups |
6. WPX Hosting | High-speed, custom CDN, unlimited site migrations, unlimited SSLs, 24/7 fast-response support | $20.83/month Check Pricing | Best for those seeking high-speed hosting and excellent customer support |
7. Kinsta | Google Cloud Platform, 24 global locations, next-generation infrastructure, free migrations, 24/7 support | $30/month Check Pricing | Best for those wanting Google Cloud hosting and multiple global locations |
8. Nexcess | Auto-scaling, automatic plugin updates, automatic backups, 24/7 support | $19/month Check Pricing | Best for eCommerce with its auto-scaling feature |
9. LiquidWeb | Fully managed, dedicated IP, DDoS protection, 24/7 support | $19/month Check Pricing | Best for fully-managed hosting and those needing a dedicated IP |
10. Scala Hosting | Free domain, SSD powered, free website migration, 24/7 support | $3.95/month Check Pricing | Best for those looking for a free domain and SSD powered hosting |
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;
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