Honest review of Hostgator web hosting. Looking for honest review of Hostgator web hosting company for its shared web hosting and reseller hosting? Read this before you decide to buy web hosting from Hostgator. Unlike most reviews found on the Internet, we aren’t really interested in selling you web hosting from Hostgator. It’s for you to decide the web hosting company for your blog or website.
Hostgator Web Hosting Review
When you scour the Internet for web hosting advice, Hostgator is among the top hosting companies pushed by bloggers and hosting review websites. There’s a reason behind it. Referral commissions. Hostgator offers generous referral commissions, which means bloggers promote it to boost their affiliate incomes.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
- Performance: As far as website speed and server uptime is concerned, Hostgator is “okay” in terms of performance. It is good enough for beginners who are looking for cheap shared web hosting. It’s uptime is decent, though not ideal for any mission-critical application. Loading speeds are satisfactory, though the website server response times are slow and often shown in the red when you conduct tests using Google Pagespeed Insights and Gtmetrix tools. Many customers report occasional slowdowns during traffic spikes, which could impact website performance.
- Customer Support: Hostgator’s customer support is available 24/7, but the support is mostly via chat where support agents are slow to respond. Many users have reported longer wait times and occasional difficulties in resolving complex technical issues. The quality of support can vary depending on the specific support agent assigned to the case.
- User-Friendly Interface: Hostgator offers an intuitive control panel (cPanel) that makes it easy for users to manage their websites, domains, and hosting settings. This user-friendly interface is suitable for both beginners and experienced users, ensuring a smooth hosting experience.
- Hosting Plans and Features: Hostgator provides a variety of hosting plans, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated servers. Their shared web hosting packages include features like free website builders, one-click installations, and unmetered bandwidth.
- WordPress Integration: Hostgator offers optimized hosting for WordPress sites, making it a popular choice among WordPress users. The one-click WordPress installation process and enhanced performance contribute to a seamless WordPress hosting experience. Nonetheless, a few users have encountered occasional compatibility issues with specific plugins.
- Pricing and Discounts: Hostgator’s pricing is competitive, particularly for the initial term with significant discounts. However, renewal prices increase substantially, which is a common practice in the hosting industry.
- Security: Hostgator takes security seriously and provides free SSL certificates to protect data transmissions. They also implement measures to safeguard against common cyber threats. Nonetheless, some users have suggested additional security options for enhanced protection. If your website ever gets infected or hacked, it will be quarantined and you will be notified to clean the mess.
Important Note: If you are contemplating utilizing Bluehost or HostGator as your web hosting providers, it’s essential to note that both companies are under the ownership of Newfold Digital Inc., which was formerly known as Endurance International Group (EIG). Although EIG is a large web hosting company, it has a track record of acquiring smaller web hosting companies and subsequently streamlining operations to reduce costs, including server consolidation and customer support reductions. As a result, customers have complained about their performance issues with Bluehost and HostGator after their acquisitions by Newfold Digital. Some of the web hosting and domain registrar companies owned and operated by Newfold Digital include Bluehost, HostGator, Domain.com, iPage, A Small Orange, FastDomain, FatCow, HostMonster, JustHost, PowWeb, PureHost, StartLogic, and BigRock (India).
Still unsure if Hostgator is good for your website hosting requirements? This website is hosted on Hostgator’s reseller / shared web hosting plan. How was your experience with this website’s page load speed and uptime? You can also check its performance on Google PageSpeed Insights to make an assessment of Hostgator’s hosting performance.
Summary
In conclusion, based on public reviews and information, Hostgator is a good web hosting company when you need a basic website or just getting started. It provides a user-friendly interface, and the hosting prices are discounted for new customers. Their hosting server performance is mediocre and only ideal for websites where you can live with a slow website (pageload speeds of 3-5 seconds for average WordPress websites). The quality of customer support can be inconsistent, and users should carefully review their specific requirements and read the terms of service before making a decision.