Bluehost vs HostGator Web Hosting Services

Bluehost and HostGator are both owned by parent company Newfold Digital and tied for No. 1 on our Best Web Hosting Services of 2022 rating. The Linux-based Bluehost offers more than 20 plans, including two WooCommerce versions with e-commerce capabilities. HostGator also has over 20 hosting packages, including Linux and Windows hosting. All HostGator plans support e-commerce, but it lacks preinstalled WooCommerce subscriptions.

Both hosting services offer introductory rates and charge higher prices upon renewal. Additionally, some Bluehost and HostGator plans include free WordPress site migration and perks for the promotional term like a complimentary domain name. However, WordPress.org endorses Bluehost but not HostGator. HostGator has a financially-backed uptime guarantee, whereas Bluehost doesn’t disclose its uptime. Although HostGator has a longer money-back guarantee return period, both providers only refund credit card payments, not check or money orders.

Bluehost and HostGator offer shared web hosting, WordPress hosting, dedicated hosting, reseller hosting, and virtual private server (VPS) hosting options. Likewise, both hosting services provide website builder plans with free hosting and marketing tools. HostGator stands apart from Bluehost because it has Windows servers for businesses wanting ASP.NET capabilities.

Bluehost has subscriptions with WooCommerce pre-installed and one-click payment processing installation, whereas HostGator doesn’t. In addition, Bluehost offers WP Pro plans for building and growing a site with a marketing center, domain privacy, and staging environment. Although HostGator includes marketing features on website builder packages, users must install a third-party application for staging and purchase domain protection as an add-on.

Like others in our Best Web Hosting Services of 2022 rating, Bluehost and HostGator offer promotional pricing for the first term and higher renewal fees. Pricing for both companies is on par with other services. HostGator has cheaper website builder and VPS plans, while it costs less for Bluehost dedicated and WordPress hosting. In addition, HostGator shared packages have a higher monthly price but better three-year prices than Bluehost. Both offer various term lengths, depending on the plan and hosting type.

Here’s how the renewal costs and features compare for entry-tier hosting plans:

Bluehost and HostGator offer add-on services, such as CodeGuard, SiteLock, Constant Contact, search engine optimization (SEO) tools, and premium SSL certificates. In addition, users can purchase Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace from Bluehost and HostGator. Both hosting companies also provide professional web design and SEO services.

Users can install WordPress, Magento, Joomla!, Drupal, and phpBB with one click on HostGator shared web hosting plans and use the HostGator website builder. This tool features over 100 mobile-friendly page templates and drag-and-drop capabilities. Users can upgrade from basic to Professional or Business builder versions for additional features, such as Google Analytics integration and video gallery elements.

Builder subscriptions include an intelligent site builder that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to design your site. These versions also provide access to the Unsplash image library and logo maker tool. WordPress subscriptions include free migration by HostGator web pros for one to three sites, depending on your plan.

In comparison, Bluehost will migrate a single website for free or up to five websites with paid migration services. Bluehost offers one-click WordPress installation on shared hosting packages, AI-driven site templates, and drag-and-drop functionality. Site builder plans offer a smart website editor with no code required, more than 300 design templates, and an image library.

Bluehost and HostGator provide professional web design services with pricing available as a custom quote for those who don’t want to DIY their website. Users can also purchase SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) assistance.

Web hosting security differs by subscription for Bluehost and HostGator. HostGator and Bluehost provide a free SSL certificate with all hosting plans, and users won’t pay additional fees after the initial term ends. Both web hosting services offer premium certificates for an additional cost.

HostGator backs up shared, VPS, and reseller accounts weekly, whereas Bluehost completes daily, weekly, and monthly backups. Unlike HostGator, Bluehost’s higher-tier shared hosting plans include automated backups. However, both providers sell CodeGuard as an add-on service, which automatically backs up your site.

Bluehost includes daily scheduled backups, malware detection and removal, and domain protection with WP Pro plans. HostGator-managed WordPress hosting has malware detection and removal, but domain protection costs extra. Both providers offer SiteLock as an add-on, which has malware removal tools.

Bluehost and HostGator offer 24/7 customer support via online chat or phone. Both providers have a Twitter support channel and respond to users who tweet about a problem or send a direct message. Users can access the HostGator and Bluehost knowledge base for how-to articles and tutorials. In addition, HostGator has YouTube video tutorials, a Facebook community, and webinars.

HostGator also has dedicated advisors for website builder hosting accounts, including phone, chat, and email. In this case, chat is open 24/7, and phone support is available from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (ET) Monday through Friday. Bluehost’s dedicated hosting services include expedited customer support from specially-trained agents, whereas HostGator has premium support for VPS and dedicated hosting options.

Since 2003, Bluehost has provided hosting services for individuals, small businesses, and enterprises. It offers more than 20 subscriptions for shared, dedicated, and VPS hosting. Plans also include WooCommerce and WordPress solutions, making Bluehost an excellent choice for blogs and online stores. It is one of only three companies to earn an endorsement from WordPress.org, along with DreamHost and SiteGround.

E-commerce subscriptions integrate with top payment processing services including PayPal and Stripe, and have WooCommerce pre-installed. Online businesses can also choose website builder plans with e-commerce capabilities. These provide WooCommerce integration along with design and marketing tools, such as ad landing pages and call-to-action buttons.

Moreover, site builder tools come with WordPress and shared hosting services. Users can drag-and-drop page elements to build their site and use AI-driven templates. WooCommerce subscriptions offer WooCommerce themes, which are customizable within the WordPress dashboard. Website builder packages provide additional design features, like over 300 design templates, an image library, and a smart website editor. Alternatively, Bluehost offers full-service website design services as well as ongoing design and marketing assistance.

Bluehost is also scalable. WP Pro versions support unlimited websites, domains, and sub-domains. These plans include unmetered storage without traffic limits. Likewise, VPS packages let you host unlimited domains and websites with dedicated server resources. Enterprises that outgrow shared and VPS servers can select a dedicated plan for extra horsepower.

Bluehost provides 24/7 customer support via chat and phone regardless of the service plan. Agents can help with the website building process and WordPress design or functionality. Alternatively, the Blue Sky add-on gives users access to WordPress experts with marketing, design, and security solutions.

Bluehost doesn’t include automated backups and malware removal with lower-tier shared and WordPress hosting subscriptions. Others on our Best Web Hosting Services of 2022 rating, like DreamHost and GoDaddy, provide backup solutions on some entry-tier plans. Lastly, Bluehost doesn’t offer an uptime guarantee or provide credit if a Bluehost server goes down.

HostGator stands behind its services with a 99.9% financially-backed uptime guarantee and 45-day credit card payment return policy on web hosting. It was founded in 2002 and offers solutions for beginners and pros, including shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting services. In addition, HostGator has Windows servers for ASP.NET developers, an option not offered by all providers on our Best Web Hosting Services of 2022 rating.

All HostGator packages are e-commerce-ready, allowing shopping carts and payment gateways. Unlike Bluehost, HostGator plans don’t come with WooCommerce pre-installed. Shared subscriptions also lack one-click payment integration. However, it works with WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, WP eCommerce, and Magento. Gator Website Builder solutions also support online payments and digital product downloads.

Several site-building options exist for shared hosting, including the HostGator Website Builder and Weebly. WordPress and shared subscriptions provide unlimited POP3 email accounts, a Google Ads spend match credit, and unmetered bandwidth. Gator Website Builder plans offer the most variety of features, such as a drag and drop editor, an Unsplash image library, and inventory and shipping management.

HostGator offers higher capacity dedicated plans, with up to 30GB RAM and eight cores versus 16GB RAM and four cores with Bluehost. VPS and dedicated hosting are also e-commerce compatible and the only solutions with DDoS protection. HostGator provides an SSL certificate with all plans, but most advanced security features require an add-on package for CodeGuard or SiteLock. The exception is for WordPress packages, which have automatic malware removal.

HostGator support is available 24/7 via chat and phone for most customers. Gator Website Builder clients can also reach HostGator by email, but phone support is limited to 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Additionally, VPS and dedicated services include premium support.

Tied for the no. 1 spot on our Best Web Hosting Services of 2022 rating, Bluehost and HostGator offer shared and dedicated hosting options with rates comparable to other web hosting providers. Both provide a free domain for the first year and have a money-back guarantee for hosting services paid by credit card.

Bluehost pre-installs WooCommerce on some plans, whereas HostGator provides one-click installation for Magento. However, HostGator has higher-capacity dedicated servers, including Linux and Windows options. Although Bluehost doesn’t have an uptime guarantee like HostGator, both providers offer 24/7 customer support.

For more information about web hosting services, see the following guides:

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