In the endless sea of Webhosting service providers, it can be hard to point out who is the best. ‘Is bigger always better?’
You may wonder when you come across some of the bigger hosting providers.
This comparison between HostGator Vs Bluehost pits two of the biggest hosting service providers against each other. It will give you an inside view of what HostGator and Bluehost are about.
It will then be upon you to decide if our verdict about who takes the crown as far as hosting is concerned is right.
Choosing between these two providers, on the other hand, is a difficult process because they both provide excellent features and excellent value for money.
Keep on reading to understand the difference between HostGator and Bluehost, as well as which web host is better and why.
Pros of HostGator
- The service is very user-friendly
- There is comprehensive customer support
- The uptime stands at an impressive 99.99%
Cons of HostGator
- The service does not offer a free domain
- Their user-interface could have used a modern outlook
Pros of Bluehost
- There is great value for money
- The service is beginner-friendly and very easy to use
- There is a free domain name
Cons of Bluehost
- Bluehost offers Basic shared plan storage space that is below average
- There are lots of checkout add-on which can increase the overall hosting plan cost
Brief Comparison
WordPress Integration
About 30% of the entire internet is built using WordPress and how a particular host integrates with the service is fundamental. This factor, when looked at in choosing HostGator or Bluehost shows that Bluehost has an edge.
Bluehost has been officially endorsed by WordPress as the ‘most highly recommended’ hosting provider. This factor needs to be considered in case you intend on using WordPress.
Site Migration
Both HostGator and Bluehost offer seamless migration in case you wish to transfer your website from host to host.
Upon signing up to HostGator, you have exactly 30 days to freely transfer a limited number of websites from another host. When that period expires, you will have to pay an undefined price that is on a case by case basis.
As for Bluehost, you can migrate 5 websites and 20 email accounts for a one-off fee of $149.99. The company will also help you round the clock with the migration, should the need arise. This is in the case where you wish to transfer your websites away from Bluehost. If you sign up for a Bluehost plan, migration is free for all WordPress users to Bluehost.
Customer Service and Support
With the promise of great uptime from parties, you can rest easy knowing your back is covered. If things ever happen to go wrong though, you need assurance that your back will still be covered then.
Below is a brief of what each company offers.
When we take a close look at the support options provided, a few may not be understood immediately.
HostGator has a knowledge centre with 24/7 live support and documentation. There is a forum that has customer reviews and suggestions, in addition to pre-sales questions and announcements, to name just a few.
The Bluehost knowledge base, on the other hand, gives up the ease of navigation for a clean look. Its main features can take a user some time to find though you can rely on the search button instead.
The information database revolves around multiple how-to guides that can educate you and solve almost any issue you may have.
The HostGator platform extends help in the form of support tickets that you can submit such that the support team comes to your aid. Bluehost used to have this service back in the day but they have since moved on.
Pricing
In terms of price, both HostGator and Bluehost give you flexible plans that give you value for money.
HostGator has cheaper hosting plans generally. Any customer out there usually pays keen attention to price as it can make or break their subscription decision. A lower price can be great if you are just starting out or if you are on a budget.
Both service providers have an option for you to test their hosting service first through their money-back guarantee.
For HostGator, the period extends up to 45 days in length while Bluehost has a 30 day order cancellation period.
Both service providers look favourably upon longer-term clients opting for lengthy contracts. HostGator as it stands offers you a 75% discount if you subscribe to some of their 36-month long plans.
Bluehost on the other hand will offer a cheaper rate if you choose a 36-month long option. The total monthly cost will be cut from $14.99 to $5.99 on the shared hosting Choice Plus Plan.
For the Pro package, the discount will bring you to $13.95 from the usual charge of $23.99. It has a few promotional discounts for first-timers as well.
Note:
- The money-back-guarantee only applies to the hosting plans themselves and does not apply to the add-ons. Extra purchases such as domain names will come at their full cost.
- When a discount is usually offered, it will apply to the first time you subscribe to a plan and renewal will incur the full standard cost.
Be sure to look out for this so you are not taken by surprise. In case there is a special promotional offer, most companies will endeavor to let their customers know in advance.
Conclusion
Both HostGator and Bluehost have solid reputations that have been built around their respective quality services. Beginners and Pros can surely use both platforms at affordable and competitive plans.
Both these hosting service options will provide a user with value for money and will be very reliable options. They are both also great with site security. These are some of the reasons they are the biggest in the hosting game. Both will also enable additional security boosts with extra security software root install possibility.
From our head to head assessment though, HostGator has an edge over Bluehost when scanned critically. You can look through what each has to offer and the picture will be complete.
You are very safe kickstarting your hosting journey at either of the two. If you want to finally pick between the two, it will all depend on your needs. It is therefore fundamental to consider all factors before making your final decision.
