HostGator Web Hosting Review
HostGator, as you might be able to deduce from its name, specializes in hosting itself. Founded in 2002, HostGator is known for its ability to handle websites and clients of any size. They offer fairly priced shared hosting plans, but can also manage websites that require anything from a VPS all the way to their own dedicated server.
Plans Offered
HostGator offers four different primary hosting plans, these include: Reseller, Shared, VPS, and Dedicated.
Reseller Hosting at HostGator
The reseller package at HostGator is optimal for the individual who plans or aspires to potentially sell their own hosting solutions to other webmasters. This plan is not intended for site owners who simply want to manage their own properties. There is an extensive list of benefits included in the reseller package, including, but not limited to, unlimited domains, email accounts, MySQL databases, cPanels, FTP accounts and more. The breadth of this package is where you will find its value. Couple this with HostGator’s impeccable service and you are unlikely to be steered wrong.
Reseller options start at roughly $20 for the first month, with the pricing from there on out being dependent on the type of account you have and, primarily, the length of your agreed upon contract. As is standard in the hosting industry, the longer you are willing to commit to a plan, the better the price you are going to be able to achieve. Note that this pricing is subject to change, but is safe to use as a rough ballpark figure for recurring and ongoing costs.
Shared Hosting at HostGator
Shared hosting is the most economical of all the options available at HostGator. At the time of this review being written, monthly hosting packages were being promoted at a starting rate of $4.21 per month. Needless to say, this is a rate that will be very tough to beat, especially when it is not contingent on the purchase of other services or products. Be sure to check for current promotions at the time of your purchase, and it would never hurt to call HostGator to see if they might be able to work out a deal for you, especially if you are willing to sign up and pay up front for an extended period of time.
Monthly hosting packages were being promoted at a starting rate of $4.21 per month
Shared hosting does have some drawbacks, but they are limited and, for the most part, only relevant to those webmasters running many sites at once. If you only have one domain that you are managing, a shared plan is the way to go. Now, if you are receiving a large amount of traffic, the nominal difference in cost for a quality VPS plan from HostGator may mean that you are better off upgrading. Of course, if you need to upgrade since you are receiving too much traffic, you hardly have much to complain about.
VPS Hosting at HostGator
VPS hosting from HostGator can generally be obtained at a lesser cost than you would find from other hosting companies. There are certain brands that only offer plans of this scale or larger, but they will typically come with associated price hikes as well. If you are generating a significant amount of traffic, but not enough to where your site is being heavily bogged down, HostGator VPS hosting may be just the right fit.
Starting prices for VPS packages range from $10 to $80 for the first month, but they increase dramatically in the following billing periods. VPS hosting at HostGator is an “ok” plan for the moderately busy website, but we would recommend a site that focuses more specifically on VPS and larger plans if you want to ensure you have the highest quality service with the least down time.
Dedicated Server Hosting at HostGator
HostGator offers both Linux and Windows dedicated server hosting plans. Needless to say, the number of websites that truly require this level of hosting are quite small. Plans start at near $200 on a monthly basis. Discounts are tougher to come by at this level of hosting, but it does not mean they are available from time to time.
While VPS hosting may not be a strong suit with HostGator, dedicated servers are worth a shot, especially if you are able to lock in a discounted rate. Dedicated servers tend to rely more on the end user in terms of stability, security and so on, so your individual handling of your accounts will play a large role in how satisfied you are with HostGator’s offering in partcular.
Customer Service
Customer service has always been one of the strongest dynamics of HostGator’s brand. While they used to pick up right away on a call, they do use a menu list of options now. With that said, getting through to a reliable representative is not challenging. Our personal experiences have almost always led to quick resolutions of problems or reliable answers to any inquiries.
HostGator uses a ticket system that can be used either in conjunction with or in place of a phone call if you do not prefer to speak with a live representative. In addition to this, a live chat operator is also available to help with any issues you may need to sort out. If there is anything that we could possibly knock HostGator for, customer service certainly is not it.
Reputation
HostGator, in our opinion, is one of the absolutely most well respected and highly regarded names in all of hosting. They have been around for well over a decade and have weathered storms that prove their durability and reliance. They are also based in the United States and offer 24/7 support, ensuring that you can contact and work to resolve any problems at quite literally any hour of the day.
Year HostGator Founded: 2002
HostGator Phone Number: 1-866-96-GATOR or 1-713-574-5287
HostGator Headquarters: Houston, Texas, United States
Hostgator Discounts and Coupons
You can use the following two discounts to save money on Hostgator hosting services:
- flytonic25: 25% off hosting
- flytonic994: $9.94 off
Visit Hostgator now for more details
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