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Finding the best hosting service can be overwhelming for people who are new to the world of website building. The market has so many choices, and settling for one may be hard for starters. However, there is no need to worry so much about it. This article has explored two among the best and most used hosting providers, Bluehost and HostGator, with in-depth analysis to offer a clear comparison on which one is better.
At first glance, these two hosting services may be deceiving because they look almost similar in terms of the services and packages they offer. Both are extremely backed with excellent features and a broad market segment of millions of users worldwide. If you want to know more about these two hosting providers, keep reading.
- Features, performance, and the ease of use
Features are the most significant areas that can be used to differentiate between Bluehost and HostGator. Overall, Bluehost has a higher score when it comes to specifications compared to HostGator. However, they both have some excellent features on offer.
The main difference between the two is that Bluehost provides a domain name at no cost upon paying for registration. Additionally, the domain offered lasts for one year and can be managed or transferred as the user deems fit since full ownership is given to the user until it expires. Upon expiry, the domain name can be extended or renewed at a cost.
Both HostGator and Bluehost use cPanel as the control panel. The interface in cPanel is always user-friendly for the two providers. However, Bluehost’s interface is more straightforward and easy to use. On the other hand, HostGator’s interface is more cluttered and complicated.
- Uptime
Uptime is excellent for both HostGator and Bluehost. However, HostGator comes on top with 99.99% compared to Bluehost’s 99.98%. It is essential to understand that 100% uptime cannot be achieved. These figures are impressive, and both can assure you that your website will be available to your clients as fast as possible.
Uptime is an essential aspect of your website, especially if you are running a business online. Better uptime makes it easier to reach your clients in time without worrying about your site being down all the time.
- WordPress integration
WordPress is an essential tool for bloggers and web developers. Bluehost being the recommended hosting provider for WordPress, comes on top in terms of WordPress integration. This means that Bluehost offers the WordPress platform for users.
HostGator also offers WordPress hosting but cannot be compared to Bluehost when it comes to efficiency.
- Customer support
Getting hosting is a ride in the park. Things rarely go north. However, when a situation occurs, you will need the best support from your provider to get back to normal. Both Bluehost and HostGator offer online support that should get you out of trouble as fast as possible.
The 24/7 live chat and call services are essential, and HostGator’s knowledge center stands out as the superior customer support provider.
- Pricing
When it comes to pricing, these tools offer various plans, which are priced differently. For instance, Bluehost provides shared plan ($2.95/month), VPS package ($19.99/month), and dedicated plan ($79.99/month). On the other hand, HostGator has hatchling plan ($2.75/month), baby plan ($3.95/month), and business plan ($5.95/month).HostGator’s dedicated hosting ranges between $89.98/month and $139.99/month.
The bottom line
Both Bluehost and HostGator are reliable hosting service providers that can offer you the best services if you are looking to build your site. However, the comparison above favors Bluehost as the overall winner.