So, you’ve decided to make your mark online by choosing your very own web hosting provider to host your online material. Be wary, young Internet newbie, as not all web hosting services are created equal.
The priciest web host may not be the best just like how the cheapest may not be the worst either. Either way, it is essential to select the more suitable web hosting provider for your website and blog as the most tragic thing that could happen would be to lose all of your information and hard work in one second!
How is the server’s test speed? Will you be getting an e-mail at yourdomain.com? Does your web host come with a toll free support number with a real person at the other end of the line?
Just like how you wouldn’t want to move your family into a new home without checking it out first, you would also want to pay a fair amount of time ruminating and contemplating the decision of choosing one web host over the other. The good news is, we’ve done quite a bit of the legwork for you by comparing two of the most popular web hosting providers on the Internet, BlueHost vs HostGator.
Server Reliability
BlueHost
BlueHost servers run on Quad-Core AMD Opteron™ Processors integrated with the rest of the BlueHost custom-built server specifically designed to cater to websites of various sizes. The reason why BlueHost opted for server customization was so that they could also cater to Linux-based servers and Linux-based sites in a cost-effective manner.
BlueHost also boasts of their very own first-rate data center situated in Utah that is prepped and ready to continue operation even during power outage via the installation of the UPS power backup, mirrored storage backup and diesel generator. In other words, your website will still be running fine even with power interruption. Statistically, BlueHost owns 99.90 percent uptime (on average) which is not bad, considering the industry standard is 99.999%.
HostGator
HostGator on the other hand doesn’t do too shabby either with a 99.94% percent of uptime (on average).
On top of this, HostGator also employs a very popular program known as Fantastico Deluxe Script Installer. This software is installed into the servers and enables the hosted clients the option of installing scripts on the websites with just a few clicks of the mouse and zero knowledge of script programming.
Pricing
Technically, when you compare the BlueHost package against HostGator’s hatchling package, both providers offer the same price per month ($6.95 per month for the first year).
BlueHost
To make web hosting easier and simpler, BlueHost only offers one hosting plan, the Professional Web Hosting at $6.95 per month. You get Unlimited Domain Hosting, Unlimited GB Hosting Space, Unlimited GB File Transfer, Unlimited E-mail Accounts and all the features you would expect to be there.
HostGator
However, if you choose to sign up with HostGator for three years, your price per month will go down to $4.95 per month $3.96 per month (20% discount now!). This is a great saving, and you can really consider signing up for long term! Anyway, you can also use their onlypay1cent coupon code to reduce the first month’s fee down to an amazing price of $0.01 only! Just enter the coupon code onlypay1cent into the coupon code box when you are making the order and you will get the discount instantly.
Money Back Guarantee
BlueHost
BlueHost offers their clients a 30-day money back guarantee, although the purchase of domain names, domain privacy and SSL certificates are non-refundable. Your BlueHost web package also comes with the Anytime Money Back Guarantee in which clients get refunded on their unused portion of their contract, regardless of the number of days in service. Only really good companies with excellent web hosting plans dare to offer such guarantees!
HostGator
Regardless of whether you take up the hatchling, baby or business web hosting plan on HostGator, users are given a 45-day money back guarantee. Within this first 45 days, if for whatever reason at all you are unhappy with HostGator, you can just let them know and they will refund your money in full!
Customer Service
Nobody likes to be put on hold, but we’ve all heard stories of poor sods who come back from a weekend holiday to find that their site is down and that their web hosting provider has gone AWOL.
Both service providers not only come with toll free numbers, but they also come with support portals and Live Chat support systems so that customers can communicate directly with the hosting staff easily.
BlueHost and HostGator Comparison
| Features | BlueHost | HostGator |
| Price – 2-Year Term | N/A | |
| Price – 1-Year Term | $6.95 per Month | |
| Web Space | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Traffic | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Email Addresses | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Free Domain Name | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-Installed Web Hosting Features | WordPress, b2evolution, Drupal, Joomla, Tikiwiki, Moodle | CGI, Fast CGI, PHP 5, Ruby on Rails, SSH, Perl, Python, SSI Cron, FrontPage, Curl, GD 2, Image Magick |
Is BlueHost better than HostGator?
In a nutshell, it is virtually impossible to pick out the ultimate web hosting service as there are way too many factors involved.
If you’re on a shoestring budget or want a Linux web hosting provider, get BlueHost to host your site. If you have a bigger budget and/or require a significant amount of space (such as games servers and flash servers), get HostGator to host your site.
UPDATE 26 Jan 2012:Take advantage of 20% discount on HostGator. All prices are slashed as much as 20%! Click here to claim this offer!
I say both Bluehost and Hostgator are good! I have accounts with both of them, their prices are great and come with good hosting features. Good article though, love the comparisons.
Hello Webmaster Man,
You are right. Both Bluehost and HostGator are really very good web hosting companies. They both provide great web hosting plans at very competitive prices. You will not go wrong with either one.
Thank you.
I think that are both good Hosting, with quite many different plans.
What is good with Hostgator is that just using a Coupon code you can try a shared hosting account for just 1 cent.