Since 2002, HostGator has been one of the most popular web hosting choices out there. Their most popular hosting plan is their shared hosting options. They actually offer three different shared hosting choices:

• Hatchling Plan ($4.95/mo.+)
• Baby Plan ($7.95/mo.+)
• Business Plan ($12.95/mo.+)

Pricing

The pricing for each plan is competitive, although you can find more competitively priced plans at other web hosting companies if price is you number one priority. The main problem I have with HostGator’s pricing structure is how you must sign-up for three years of hosting ahead of time in order to get the best pricing. For instance, In order to sign-up under the “Baby Plan,” you must pay $7.95/mo. for a three-year commitment, $8.95/mo. for a two-year commitment or $9.95/mo. for yearly or month-to-month plans. That said, most people I’ve talked to who have used HostGator are more than happy with their customer service and performance of the hosting, so the pricing structure shouldn’t be a huge issue for most people. Besides, many other web hosting companies have similar pricing structures, so it’s becoming an industry standard in many ways.

Features

When it comes to features, HostGator has got all the based covered; they offer solid features with each shared hosting package. All three shared hosting plans include:

• Unlimited disk space
• Unlimited Bandwidth
• 99.9% uptime guarantee
• 45-day money back guarantee
• 24/7 customer service
• Free site builder
• Support for WordPress hosting and unlimited MySQL databases
• $100 Google Adwords credit for signing up.
• and more…

One of the major differences between the “Hatchling” plan and the two others is that you are only allowed to use one domain. So, if you plan to host several websites, choose the “Baby” or “Business” plan – both allow you to host an unlimited number of domains. The “Business” plan includes a free 800 or 888 toll free number, which may be a bonus for anyone looking to have toll-free phone support at their website.

HostGator utilizes cPanel as its control panel. This is one of the most popular control panels in the world. It’s easy to use and allows for easy monitoring/updating of your site.

Performance

HostGator is one of the biggest web hosting companies around, and that’s because of their superior performance and support. Their 99.9% uptime guarantee is on-par with other top hosting companies, but what impresses me the most is their 24/7 support. There are loads of FAQ and forum Q/A’s available at the HostGator website that will pretty much answer any question you have. Additionally, there’s a toll-free number you can call 24/7 with questions about your account, as well as a live chat support feature and email ticket system available at the HostGator Support page online. Lastly, HostGator offers a nice set of video tutorials to help you get your web hosting account/website up-and-running fast.

Conclusion

While I was a bit skeptical of HostGator initially due to the fact that it is a heavily promoted web hosting company on the web, I was pleasantly surprised after digging deeper into the company structure and features that go along with each shared hosting plan. My only gripe, albeit minor, was regarding the pricing structure, but the features you get with each plan make the monthly price well worth it. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better value in terms of features, performance, support and pricing.

I would recommend HostGator shared hosting for any type of small website (personal, blog, ecommerce, etc…). If you plan to have more than one site, HostGator is a scalable web hosting company that allows you to easily add new domains to your account (except for the “Hatchling” plan that only allows a single domain).

HostGator Shared Hosting Ratings