HostGator, from Newfold Digital (formerly Endurance), is a web hosting service with WordPress hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting capabilities.
$2.75
per month
Web Hosting Hub
Score 7.0 out of 10
N/A
Web Hosting Hub is a website hosting service with features such as SSD hosting, website backups, unlimited space and bandwith, and eCommerce tools.
HostGator is cheap and will host your website and the users of your email. However, we did run into some issues over the years. They sold us SiteLock, which is supposed to be an extra layer of security. We had it for a while, when our site was hacked. When I called HostGator they said that the SiteLock plan we had wasn't the right one to protect you, so they tried to upsell me on more SiteLock. This was very frustrating, as our site was down due to hacking and we were seen as a sales opportunity instead of clients who needed help. It turned out during this time that the basic backup that was included with HostGator was not going to work to get us back up. The problem is that it backs up once per week, and overwrites whatever was there before. So, it had backed up after the hack. After that we decided to get their premium backup plan. HostGator is good if you only need the most basic of services, unless you are willing to pay for the add-ons, and you might not even be aware of the add-ons until there's a problem.
If you are a small business, freelancer, or any other type of user that doesn't need a lot of resources and get less than 10,000 hits per month, this is a great hosting environment for you. If you need more resources, I would recommend something else such as their sister company InMotion Hosting.
Easy setup - i can easily add domains, sub-domains, add-ons, as well as set up a WordPress installation in a matter of minutes.
Low cost - if you want to keep costs down, the plans are very cost effective with shared hosting for as little as $5 a month (there is a catch, that you have to sign up for a certain amount of time, but it's still worth it).
User-friendly UI via Cpanel - no surprises here, it's just a Cpanel that you're familiar with and works.
Excellent customer service and tech support available 24/7.
Tech support is responsive and helpful, but not without a special pin code. Since we need tech support infrequently when I do, I can never find that pin. It would be nice to have a quick client verification system.
Publishing updated pages are quick but could be faster by eliminating a couple of extraneous click.
Sites can be slow if you're on a shared server environment as they may be crowded servers.
Sometimes tech support doesn't know how to solve the problem - but I've only experienced this with one issue and that is site speed. likely the best solution is to upgrade to better hosting.
Because we have in house technical support to compensate the lack of quality HostGator tech support, and because the price continues to be affordable the business is likely to continue using HostGator. They provide what the business needs and we have in house support to maintain it.
While you will get support from HostGator, it seems to be a different level from 8-10 years ago. It may take 15-20 minutes to get someone on chat, and unless you follow up, I've found followup email support to take a couple of days. If you stick with it, though, you will get support, and I've never had a problem they couldn't help with.
If there's a fix for the problem I'm having, they typically find it and help me implement it. In addition to that, they are available 24/7 to help so I know that they've got my back if I run into any problems whatsoever. Sometimes, wait times can be a little bit long, but honestly, the longest I've waiting was maybe 15 mins, so it's not too bad. Usually, I get through to them within 2-5 mins of calling.
This is for web design purposes. In versatility, not as good as WordPress, but pretty close to Squarespace and Wix. In ease of use, much easier than WordPress, about the same as Squarespace and Wix. In the choice of design templates, as good as all three. The current client chose HostGator after we poured through hosting, email, and web design comparisons. She wanted all these services through the least number of vendors, and the price was right.
Web Hosting Hub is my preferred go-to when selecting hosting for a small business or freelance operation and it is also one of the lowest cost solutions that I have seen. This paired with their really excellent and always-available tech support (which I have called on holidays, weekends, and in the middle of the night) makes them a great option in my book.
In addition, they give you all the tools and access you need to manage your site no matter what you're trying to do. cPanel is a familiar environment and I have not noticed any bugs while logged in.
