HostGator vs Hostinger 2024
Summary
HostGator is a part of Endurance International Group and currently hosts over 2 million websites. They offer a ton of website hosting options, optimal speed, 99.9% uptime guarantee, free domain name, free SSL certificate, and 24/7/365 support (phone and live chat) starting at only $2.75/mo. Hostinger is an independent European company having a user base of 29 million people from 178 countries. They are known for their affordable shared hosting that has got everything you need to succeed online starting at just $1.79/mo.
Are you wondering which web host to choose between HostGator and Hostinger in 2024?
Hands down, you have come to the right place.
Well, both Hostgator and Hostinger are reliable web hosts in the industry that offer high-quality hosting services. But, if we look at the pricing of these two, Hostinger’s pricing is way less than the Hostgator’s.
As a result, for beginners, it becomes confusing whether to opt for HostGator or Hostinger for their blogs and websites.
That’s why I thought to come up with a detailed review on Hostgator vs Hostinger so that you can get the right web host for you with ease.
To give you a solution, I will be comparing Hostinger and Hostgator not on one or two or three but complete 10 parameters.
So, do explore all the aspects to come to a conclusion about which web host you should go with.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Hostgator vs Hostinger 2024 At a Glance
In case you’re in hurry, here’s a summary of the Hostinger versus Hostgator detailed comparison.
Hostgator vs Hostinger
If we look at the web hosting products range, customer support, and money-back guarantee then Hostgator wins the race whereas if we consider pricing, data centers, automated backups, and Trustpilot reviews then Hostinger has a clear edge over HostGator.
From the features and performance point of view, both HostGator and Hostinger are at almost the same level.
Hostgator vs Hostinger Detailed Comparison 2024
Hereby, presenting you with a detailed analysis of two renowned names in the web hosting industry, Hostgator and Hostinger.
1. Types of Web Hosting Services
Starting a blog or website is indeed quite easy these days but first, you need to figure out which web hosting is right for you?
Generally, hosting can be divided into Shared Hosting, VPS Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, and Cloud Hosting.
Shared hosting is the best option for hobbyists and bloggers as it is the most economical and easy way to get online.
VPS hosting comes with more powerful hardware and is great if you need more control over resources whereas Dedicated hosting is a good choice for the pros as you don’t need to share server resources, one server is dedicated to only a single website.
Last but not the least, Cloud Hosting offers a large bank of interlinked servers that are designed to take over from each other if needed, thus allocating more resources to your site as required.
So, now let’s see which types of web hosting are included within Hostinger and HostGator.
Hostinger’s Web Hosting Types
Here are the different hosting services you can get from Hostinger;
- Shared Web Hosting (for small to medium websites)
- WordPress Hosting (optimized solution for WordPress hosting)
- VPS Hosting (dedicated resources to scale)
- Cloud Hosting (for large-scale projects)
Shared hosting is good for beginners and when it comes to shared hosting, no other host is even closer to Hostinger in terms of cost-effectiveness.
If you have established sites and get huge traffic then Hostinger also allows you to upgrade to VPS and Cloud hosting seamlessly without any downtime.
Quick Note: Hostinger doesn’t offer Dedicated hosting services. Moreover, Reseller hosting is also not there which could be a downside for agencies.
HostGator’s Web Hosting Types
In contrast to Hostinger, at Hostgator, you will get a wide range of hosting services that include;
- Shared Hosting (easy, affordable, and awesome)
- WordPress Hosting (fast, more secure, & awesomely easy)
- VPS Hosting (complete control without the expense)
- Dedicated Servers (the best in both power and performance)
- Cloud Hosting (more speed, less downtime, & an intuitive dashboard)
- Reseller Hosting (work for a boss you trust: you)
So, whether you’re just starting or have a site that drives massive traffic every day or looking forward to starting your own hosting business, Hostgator has got your back.
Which one to choose if Product Range is considered?
Hostinger offers shared hosting for beginners, VPS, and Cloud hosting for high-traffic sites.
On the other hand, Hostgator facilitates you with two extra products, Dedicated Hosting and Reseller Hosting.
So, if you’re looking for a dedicated server solution then you have to go with Hostgator.
Moreover, Hostgator’s Reseller hosting makes it a great option for freelancers or agencies offering web design, development, and other business services to their clients.
Winner: HostGator
2. Pricing & Plans
Pricing is always an important aspect for most of us when it comes to buying a web hosting plan for you. And when you can get the same feature set and performance at comparatively cheaper prices then why pay more, right?
So here, we will discuss the pricing of these two web hosts so that you can decide which one fits best in your budget.
Hostinger‘s Pricing
Hostinger’s most popular shared hosting pricing starts from just $1.99/mo. Not only this, but you can also get a minimum of 10% additional discounts on your purchase by using our exclusive coupon code BBSHARED10.
Apart from the shared hosting, Hostinger VPS and Cloud Hosting are available at affordable pricing too.
Have a quick look at the pricing details below to know how much you will have to pay to get started with Hostinger hosting services.
| Hosting Type | Starting Cost | Sites Allowed | Special Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $1.39/mo | 1 | Grab Now |
| VPS Hosting | $3.95/mo | NA | Grab Now |
| Cloud Hosting | $9.99/mo | 300 | Grab Now |
These are probably the cheapest pricing for a reliable web host like Hostinger as of now.
HostGator’s Pricing
Hostgator shared hosting plans start from $2.75/mo. But, here I would also like to highlight that Hostgator shared hosting plans come with a free domain name worth $12.95 which Hositnger lacks in its entry-level plan.
A glimpse of the starting price of Hostgator hosting services.
| Hosting Type | Starting Cost | Sites Allowed | Special Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | $2.75/mo | 1 | Grab Now |
| VPS Hosting | $19.95/mo | NA | Grab Now |
| Dedicated Hosting | $89.98/mo | NA | Grab Now |
| Cloud Hosting | $4.95/mo | 1 | Grab Now |
| Reseller Hosting | $19.95/mo | NA | Grab Now |
Hostgator’s services are also available at decent pricing but if we compare it with Hostinger’s pricing then obviously Hostinger has an edge over Hostgator.
Which one to choose if Affordable Pricing is considered?
To find out which web host you should go with if affordable pricing is your main concern, let’s get into the details of the shared hosting plans of these two web hosts.
Hostinger’s Shared Hosting Plans:
1. Single Shared Hosting: This plan allows you to host 1 website, priced at $1.99/mo.
2. Premium Shared Hosting: This plan supports 100 websites along with a free Domain, which costs you $2.99/mo.
3. Business Shared Hosting: This plan additionally facilitates your site with more resources and is priced at $3.99/mo.
Important: Must check out my exclusive post on Hostinger Coupon Codes 2024 to save huge on your purchase.
HostGator’s Shared Hosting Plans:
1. Hatchling Plan: This plan supports one website along with a free domain, priced at $2.75/mo.
2. Baby Plan: This plan allows you to host unlimited websites for $3.50/mo.
3. Business Plan: This plan is included with a free dedicated IP and costs you $5.25/mo.
So, if we look at the pricing and plans above, Hostinger seems more pocket-friendly and value for money.
Winner: Hostinger
3. Essential Features Comparison
Irrespective of the price you pay for a web hosting plan, you should get all the essential features so that your site can run smoothly all the time.
Because, no matter how much you pay to your hosting provider, if it does not offer all the necessary features then it would not be worth it, agree?
So here, we will be comparing the features you will get when you sign up for their hosting plans.
| Feature | Hostinger | Hostgator |
|---|---|---|
| Free Domain | Not included in Single Plan | Included in all plans |
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Disk Space | 30 GB - 200 GB | Unmetered |
| Bandwidth | 100 GB - Unlimited | Unmetered |
| WordPress Optimized | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Email | Yes | Yes |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Control Panel | hPanel | cPanel |
| Link | Know More | Know More |
Which one to choose if Features are considered?
As you can see in the table above, Hostgator plans are included with a free domain name but start from $2.75/mo. Whereas, for Hostinger’s entry-level plan (priced at $1.39/mo) you have to buy a domain separately that will cost you $8.99. And if you opt for higher plans then there will be no additional cost.
Even if you consider the domain factor, for Hostgator plans you will end up paying 2x as compared to the Hostinger plans.
If we talk about Bandwidth and Storage, you may see some caps are there in Hostinger’s plans. On the other hand, HostGator offers unlimited Bandwidth & disk space.
Confused? Well again, I would say these are the marketing strategies used by companies to attract more and more customers.
Hostinger Single shared plan resources (30 GB SSD Storage and 100 GB Bandwidth) are sufficient for small blogs and websites.
For more clarification, have a quick look at the Disk and Bandwidth usage of a blog hosted on Hostinger. This blog has around 25 blog posts included with hundreds of images and videos, still used a few MB of disk space and bandwidth.
Now, I am sure, you have got a clear idea about storage and bandwidth.
Apart from that, features like one-click WordPress installation, Free SSL, and 24×7 Customer Support are common in both web hosts.
All and all, both offer the same features but considering the pricing factor, Hostinger is a clear winner here.
Winner: Hostinger
4. Speed Check
Your site speed is one of the most important factors that ensures a better user experience. A faster site results in a lower bounce rate and converts better.
Not only this, Google Core Web Vitals which is all about user experience is now one of the ranking factors.
So here, we will dig into the speed of these two web hosts and find out which one is the best.
Quick Note: I have used the Bitcatcha tool to measure the speed of these two web hosts. This tool gives server response time from 10 different locations along with LCP and TBT.
Hostinger’s Speed Check
First, I checked the speed of a blog hosted on Hostinger Single Shared Plan having the server located in Singapore, for more than 6 months resulted in A+ performance.
As shown in the test results above, the average server response time of this blog is 170ms, Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is 1.9 sec, and the Total Blocking Time (TBT) is 13ms which is just exceptional.
HostGator’s Speed Check
Next, I measured the speed of a blog hosted on the HostGator Hatchling plan for a quite long time which resulted in a B+ performance.
As you can see in the picture above, the average server response time for this blog is 133ms and Total Blocking Time (TBT) is 211ms which is good but Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is 5.1 sec. This means overall performance is above average and there’s little room for improvement.
Which one to choose if Speed is Considered?
Based on my test results, both Hostgator and Hostinger offer good response time but we can not ignore the LCP metric.
Thus, Hostinger’s A+ performance is definitely superior to the Hostgator’s B+ performance.
Winner: Hostinger
5. Uptime Analysis
Along with your site speed, uptime is another important aspect that matters the most. Because even if your site speed is good but it’s getting down frequently then also it will leave your site visitors disappointed and they will eventually switch to your competitor’s site, right?
Interestingly, both hosts give a 99.9% uptime guarantee. So, now let’s find out if they really fulfill their promises.
I have been tracking the uptime for both the hosts in real-time using the Uptime Robot tool and here are the results.
Hostinger’s Uptime Analysis
I started monitoring Hostinger uptime on 1st Jan 2021 and since then there is no downtime reported.
Hostgator’s Uptime Analysis
I am monitoring Hostgator uptime from Feb 28, 2021, and it has resulted in 100% uptime so far.
Which one to choose if Uptime is considered?
Well, both Hostgator and Hostinger stood up to the expectations. So if you’re concerned about the availability of your website, you can choose any one of these two based on the other aspects.
Winner: It’s a Tie
6. Data Centers Availability
Data Center location has a direct impact on the speed of your site to your target audience.
If the distance between the data center and your site visitors is high then the page load speed of your site will be slow. On the other hand, If there’s a short distance then it will result in better page load speed.
That means, for the best possible website speed, the data center for your account should be located geographically closest to your primary audience.
So, choosing an appropriate data center is yet another important factor you should consider while selecting a web host for you.
But that all depends on the availability of the data centers. So, let’s check out which web host offers better data center locations.
Hostinger’s Server Locations
Hostinger servers are deployed globally connected Tier-3 datacenters. You can choose from 8 different Data Centers which are located in — the United States, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Lithuania, Singapore, Brazil, India, and Indonesia.
That being said hPanel Shared hosting plans have servers available in the following locations;
- The Netherlands
- USA
- Singapore
- Lithuania
- United Kingdom
As a result, your customers can enjoy the lowest latency and reliability.
Hostgator’s Server Locations
HostGator currently uses two data centers to house its servers, most of its servers reside in — Provo, Utah, and Houston, Texas.
Both data centers come in the US region thus for someone targeting countries in other continents like Asia, Europe, etc. Hostgator may not be a good choice.
Which one to choose if Server Locations are considered?
We just saw that Hostinger data centers are present on almost every continent which gives it an edge over HostGator.
So, for those who are concerned about page speed, Core Web Vitals and want to provide a better user experience then Hostinger is undoubtedly a better option.
That being said, you can also take advantage of a Content Delivery Network such as Cloudflare CDN that would route your content through an additional 23 data centers worldwide.
Winner: Hostinger
7. Automatic Backups
Do you know thousands of sites are hacked every day? Furthermore, you can not neglect the accidental failures that may result in data loss.
Thus, protecting your site’s data from all vulnerabilities is extremely important which can be achieved by taking your site backup.
So now, let’s find out which web host offers a better backup facility.
Hostinger’s Backup Policy
Hostinger entry-level plan “Single” and most popular plan “Premium” are included with weekly backups which are enough for newbies.
That being said, daily backups can be added to the Single and Premium plans at an additional cost.
Furthermore, the most advanced plan “Business” offers free daily backups worth $11.40. They keep daily backups of the last 7 days and weekly backups of the last 7 weeks.
Apart from this, 1-click restoration is also there which you can perform from your account hPanel.
HostGator’s Backup Policy
Hostgator does not offer auto backups with its shared hosting plans, not even with the Business Plan.
To protect your hard work, you will have to opt for an extra add-on Site Backup powered by CodeGuard that will cost you $2/mo.
Apart from this, you can manage your site backups from cPanel which is a manual process.
Which one to choose if Automatic Backups are considered?
All Hostinger plans facilitate automated backups along with easy access and restoration.
On the other hand, at HostGator, either you will have to maintain your site backups manually or pay for the CodeGuard Automatic Backups.
For this reason, I will recommend you to go with Hostinger.
Winner: Hostinger
8. Money Back Policy
Money-back guarantees by web hosting companies work like peace of mind for their customers. If you don’t get satisfied and cancel their services within the stated money-back guarantee period then become eligible for refunds. So you can sign up for web hosting services without any risk.
Hence, while choosing a web host, you should not overlook its money-back policy.
Here’s everything you should know about Hostinger and Hostgator’s money-back guarantee.
Hostinger’s Cancellation Policy: 30 Days
Hostinger offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
What does that mean to you? It simply means if you are not 100% happy with Hostinger for whatever reason, they’ll refund your money if you cancel your account within 30 days of signing up, no question will be asked.
All hosting plans are available for refund. You may also visit this link to know more about the Hostinger refund policy.
HostGator’s Cancellation Policy: 45 Days
Hostgator facilitates you with a whopping 45-day money-back guarantee.
That means if you are not completely satisfied with their hosting services and cancel
your account within 45 days of your purchase, you will be given a full refund of the amount paid for hosting.
Important:
- Only first-time accounts are eligible for a refund
- There are no refunds on dedicated servers
- This does not apply to domains, administrative fees, installation fees, or other setup fees
Which one to choose if Money-Back Guarantee is considered?
Well, both web hosts are reliable and trusted by millions of users. So, I am pretty much sure that you will not need to avail their money-back offer.
But still, HostGator’s forty-five (45) day money-back guarantee has an upper hand as compared to Hostinger’s 30-day cancellation policy.
Winner: HostGator
9. Customer Support
Customer support is the backbone of every company and peace of mind for its customers because you never know which technical or even non-technical issue you will get into once your site goes live.
Not only this, you may have some pre-sales queries that need to be answered before you make a final purchase.
So, there should be some ways that help you sort everything without any hassles. Here is where the support team comes into the role.
Now, let’s discover what kind of support you can expect from these two web hosts.
Hostinger’s Customer Support
At Hostinger, they value their customers and respect their time.
That’s why, they have a dedicated support team that is here 24/7/365 to find out and fix your problem as soon as possible, thus making your online journey as smooth as possible!
First, let me tell you, Hostinger does not provide Phone support.
When I tried to contact their support team via live chat, I was navigated to a General Inquiry form which I filled up and got the following results.
But, fortunately, they were quick enough to answer my question via email.
Moreover, once you become a customer of Hostinger, then you will be privileged with instant chat support.
Hostgator’s Customer Support
The Hostgator team works when you work and gets you covered with live chat and phone support, 24/7/365.
I raised a query via live chat and got a reply within a fraction of a second.
(866) 964-2867 is their contact number if you want to get in touch with them over the phone.
Which one to choose if Customer Support is considered?
Hostinger’s live chat/email support is good to get your queries solved but needs little patience.
On the contrary, Hostgator’s phone support and live chat help are really quick which makes HostGator a better option as compared to Hostinger.
Winner: HostGator
10. Real User’s Feedback
So far, we have discussed the pricing, features, performance, and customer support these two web hosts offer.
But here, I tried to explore the ratings given by real users who are or have been part of these web hosting companies somewhere.
Yes, I navigated to Trustpilot which is a known platform where you can find customer experiences that will certainly help you make a better.
Hostinger’s Customer Reviews
Here is how Hostinger is rated on Trustpilot…
As you can see above, Hostinger has an average rating of 4.4 based on more than 2500 reviews.
83% of users rated Hostinger services Excellent and only 9% of people faced bad experiences with Hostinger.
HostGator’s Customer Reviews
Here is how HostGator is rated on Trustpilot…
HostGator has got 3.5 average ratings and more than 50% of users rated HostGator services bad which is an outcome of around 1300 reviews.
Which one to choose if Customer Reviews are considered?
Trustpilot is a neutral platform where all the reviews you will see coming from the actual consumers only.
And we consider the Trustpilot reviews — Hostinger managed to get a 4.4 trust score which is convincing whereas Hostgator at just 3.5 level which is not really up to the mark.
There’s one more interesting fact that Hostinger is rated as “Excellent” by 83% while HostGator by 28% only.
Winner: Hostinger
FAQs
Hostinger is a reliable web host catering to over 29 million users globally. Its decent feature line, high-performance, and 1-click WordPress installation, for just $1.99/mo make Hostinger an ideal choice for beginners.
Yes, every Hostinger account comes with a lifetime free SSL (Let’s Encrypt) that encrypts all the data and protects it from being forged. In addition to SSL, Hostinger servers are powered by LiteSpeed caching and advanced optimization to ensure your website is fast and secure.
Hostinger Single shared plan starts from $1.99 per month which allows you to host 1 website. If you want to host multiple sites then you can opt for higher plans that will cost you Premium ($2.59/mo) and Business ($3.99/mo).
Hostgator is a trusted web host having a presence since 2002. Two decades and 2.5+ million websites make it so reliable that you can trust it without thinking twice.
Yes, HostGator is one of a few web hosts which is officially recommended by WordPress on its website.
A ton of website hosting options, 99.9% uptime guarantee, free SSL certificate, easy WordPress installs, and a free domain for a year, all of this starts from $2.75 per month.
Considering the features, performance, and pricing tag, Hostinger is a better choice, especially for those who are looking for an affordable web host.
Also Read:
Final Thoughts on Hostgator vs Hostinger 2024
This is all about the ultimate versus battle of Hostinger and Hostgator for 2024.
I have tried to review each and every aspect that you should consider before signing up for a web hosting plan.
I hope this post will help you get solutions for all the doubts you had in the beginning.
Based on my research, Hostinger is a bit ahead as it is priced very well which makes it an ideal solution for those who are in search of an affordable web host.
But that does not mean I am against Hostgator. Both web hosts are serving millions of users worldwide. Thus, the final decision between HostGator and Hostinger may vary from person to person.
If you still have any questions related to the web hosting solutions, ask them in the comment section below.
