Expert Overview
One of the biggest names in hosting
HostGator has been doing business since 2002 and have grown to be one of the largest hosting companies in the world. They currently host more in excess of 8 million sites, and serve over 400,000 customers. They are a global company, though their main offices are in Texas. They started out serving primarily the US, but are now pushing their global services hard too, and even opened up offices in India. This company offers all different hosting options ranging from entry level shared hosting all the way up to very nice dedicated servers. No matter how big or small your site is, they can provide you with the hosting that you need.
Uptime & Reliabiity
Very reliable services with some slowness issues for shared sites
The network connections, power and hardware reliability for this company is really quite high. You don’t often experience any type of widespread outages or other problems related to the main services that are provided. When you look on their social media sites or other areas where people comment on hosting, you will find that many shared hosting customers complain about the speed of their sites. This is an indication that they are likely overselling the servers that are used for shared hosting. In all likelihood, they are trying to walk the line between putting the right amount of customers on a server and maximizing profit. This is difficult, and ends up making some servers who happen to have a couple of demanding sites on them respond slower than they should. If you are experiencing slowness and you follow up with their support teams, they can often move you to another server to resolve the issue.
Features
Great services for all customers
With many different hosting options to choose from, the chances are you will be able to find one that meets your needs perfectly. As you move up in price, you will also get additional features to meet your needs. Most people won’t need to pay any extra for any features because of the fact that there will be a package that gives them the level of service included. Entry level shared hosting, for example, is good for a regular blog or small site that doesn’t need any extras like anonymous FTP access or additional domains. Move up to higher levels, however, and you can begin hosting unlimited sites and have a variety of great FTP options. All of their shared services seem to be on Linux boxes, but you can opt for Windows or Linux once you move up to VPS or dedicated servers.
Support
24/7 customer support
You’ll get great support from HostGator. They encourage their customers to use the online ticketing system, but there is also an option for phone support and live chat around the clock. They typically move quickly on any technical issues and can help get them up and running without a problem. HostGator has one of the best online self-help systems in the business with many posts and guides that will help you to solve many problems or even avoid them all together.
Pricing
Fair pricing levels
HostGator has good prices at all levels. For those who just need a very basic site, for example, it is available to them for well under $5 per month. As you move up in features and server specs, the prices will go up along with it. Essentially, HostGator is the company that sets the industry standard for pricing because of the fact that they are such a large company and offer nice hosting at every level.
Summary
Great hosting with a good reputation
As one of the biggest and best known hosting companies in the world, this is an excellent option for people who want to work with an established company. You’ll get what you pay for, and much more. Overall, there is really not too much to complain about and even when there are issues, they can be fixed to your satisfaction. Pros:
- All hosting types available
- One of the largest hosting companies in the world
- High quality servers in great data centers
Cons:
- Some complaints of slowness
- Potentially confusing number of hosting packages
