HostGator is a well-known name in the internet hosting sector, however they are no longer among the top. Many consumers are looking for the finest HostGator alternatives due to large increases in their renewal fees and an equally severe fall in the quality of their customer support.
In this post, I’ll discuss why customers are abandoning HostGator and what to look for in a new host. After that, I’ll look at the top HostGator alternatives for low-cost hosting, as well as a handful of premium choices for managed WordPress hosting.
What to Look for in HostGator Alternatives
Switching from one website host to another may be a nuisance, so be sure your new host is one you’ll remain with. Look for the following elements in your prospective web host to guarantee a long and fruitful relationship:
FREE DOMAIN
Your domain is what allows the internet to identify your website; without one, your website cannot function publicly. In other words, it’s necessary for running a website, hence it should be included in your hosting price.
SSL CERTIFICATION
An SSL certificate allows your website to establish an encrypted connection with a visitor’s browser. This protects the data from third parties in the same manner as a sealed envelope does. For some years, Google has favoured sites with SSL certification, making it a necessary aspect of having a website and something that should be included with your hosting service.
SECURITY
To keep your website safe, the finest website hosting employ a range of methods. Secured File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) secures your website from hackers, while File Transfer Protocol (FTP) safeguards data exchanged between computers linked through the internet. Look for a host that provides all of these capabilities as well as security against hotlinking, which effectively takes some of your bandwidth.
The final security element you want a web host to provide is anti-DDOS software, which protects your operating system from assaults.
SPEED
When they encounter sluggish load speeds, 79% of users will abandon the site and never return. Furthermore, 47% of people anticipate your website to load in less than two seconds, with another 40% expecting it to load in less than three seconds. Load times for the top HostGator alternatives are less than one second.
EASE OF USE/QUALITY OF THE CPANEL
Transferring your website to a new server is difficult enough without adding a complicated cPanel to the mix. You want to be able to set up the essentials of your website with a few clicks, thus the cPanel should be attractively organised.
EASE OF TRANSFERRING FROM ANOTHER HOST
Transferring your website from HostGator should be as straightforward as possible. The host should provide you explicit instructions on how to accomplish this, and it should just take a few clicks. They should also provide you with everything you need to transfer to a different host if required.
WORDPRESS PRE-INSTALLED
Many of the top website providers provide plans with WordPress pre-installed, allowing you to begin working on your website right away rather than having to wait for WordPress to be installed. Some of these plans additionally include pre-installed plugins for things like spam prevention and shopping.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Last but not least, you should select a web host that provides good customer support. You should be able to reach them promptly and in a number of methods, and speak with a customer care representative who can rapidly address your concerns.
Of course, any website will boast that they provide excellent customer service. However, for genuine solutions, it is critical to read user reviews. All of the HostGator alternatives I’ve picked have earned positive feedback on their customer service from actual consumers.
Bluehost
Features
- Free domain.
- Free SSL certification.
- Account security features such as two-step authentication.
- Three layers of spam protection.
- Ability to enable SFTP and SSH protocols.
- Streamlined, visually organized cPanel.
- 50GB storage.
- Unmetered bandwidth.
- Pre-installed WordPress.
- Automated WordPress updates for one year.
- Access to 24/7 quality customer support with a
- variety of contact methods (phone, email, live chat).
- One-click integration with CloudFlares for additional security, including DDOS prevention.
Bluehost Review: Overview
Bluehost is one of the most established and well-known names in the internet hosting market. They provide a wide range of options, including three basic WordPress hosting plans and WordPress Pro, their managed WordPress hosting alternative. Their prices are competitive, with pricing accessible in a variety of currencies.
Last but not least, Bluehost provides exceptional customer service. As a long-time Bluehost client, I can attest that the customer care team is always courteous, helpful, and quick.
Bluehost Pricing Review
Bluehost’s basic WordPress plans cost $3.95 per month, $5.95 per month, or $6.95 per month when bought for three years. After that, costs increase to $7.99, $10.99, or $14.99 each month for another three-year term. WordPress Pro costs $19.95 each month.
Bluehost Is Best For
Dreamhost
Features
- Free domain.
- Free SSL certification.
- Pre-installed WordPress.
- Free privacy protection.
- Automated backups.
- Easy-to-use control panel.
- Custom WP builder that allows for simple, code-free website setup.
- DreamShield malware scanner (must be manually enabled).
- cPanel security features, such as two-factor authentication.
- Dedicated FTP client, webFTP.
- Extra security modules to protect against malicious HTTP requests.
- Unlimited traffic.
- 50GB storage.
- 24/7 customer support available through live chat and online ticketing.
- Access to unique website templates designed for a variety of industries.
Dreamhost Review: Overview
DreamHost provides a wide range of services aimed at both inexperienced website builders and seasoned developers. Their control panel isn’t as user-friendly as Bluehost’s, but it’ll let you do all you need, including toggle an incredible number of security protections. There are also several customization possibilities, as well as support for a number of programming languages.
If you need something more complicated, DreamHost also offers managed hosting options. However, if you are seeking for managed WordPress hosting, I would recommend WP Engine or Kinsta.
Dreamhost Pricing Review
DreamHost’s basic WordPress plans cost $2.59 per month or $4.95 per month if you sign up for three years. Managed WordPress plans begin at $16.95 per month.
Who is Dreamhost Best For
SiteGround
Features
- Free SSL certification.
- Free email.
- Pre-installed WordPress.
- Automated WordPress updates.
- Daily backups.
- 10GB of storage.
- Unmetered bandwidth.
- Free CDN.
- Free email.
- Advanced developer toolkit.
- Access to 24/7 customer support through live chat, phone and online ticket.
- ModSecurity to prevent malicious HTTP requests.
- SFTP support.
- Intrusion Prevention System that detects when someone has attempted to bruteforce any of your passwords and disables the attacker’s IP address in real time.
SiteGround Review: Overview
SiteGround has spent the last 16 years assisting customers in the creation of various types of websites. Their WordPress-specific plans are new, but they’re still packed with great features. They also provide some of the greatest customer service in the market, with a customer satisfaction percentage of 99.7%.
However, SiteGround has certain restrictions. Their WordPress hosting options do not offer a free domain, and storage is restricted to 10GB on the basic WordPress hosting plan – a significant decrease from the 50GB supplied by DreamHost and BlueHost. Their cost also varies dramatically from one plan to the next, which might be detrimental if your traffic rises without your income growing.
SiteGround Pricing Review
For the initial term, SiteGround’s WordPress hosting plans cost $3.95 per month, $5.95 per month, or $11.95 per month (up to three years). Renewal beyond the original term is $11.95 per month, $19.95 per month, or $34.95 per month.
Who is SiteGround Best For
The Top HostGator Alternatives for WordPress Managed Hosting
Managed WordPress hosting is more expensive than standard hosting, but it offers numerous significant advantages. For starters, Managed WordPress hosting provides automated backups as well as easy-restore alternatives, reducing the length of time your website is down during a crisis.
Managed WordPress hosting also provide better customer service — these individuals aren’t just polite and helpful; they’re true WordPress professionals with the in-depth expertise needed to solve all of your WordPress-specific issues.
Please keep in mind that the features described in this section are based on the most basic plan available from each host.
WP Engine
Features
- Automated SSL certification.
- Automated SSH gateway.
- Global CDN.
- Easily transferable sites.
- Evercache automated caching for enhanced
- speed and security.
- Proprietary firewall.
- Automated, encrypted backups.
- AI-based threat detection and prevention.
- Disaster recovery.
- Dedicated SFTP client.
- Access to more than 35 StudioPress themes.
- WordPress-optimized dashboard.
- Separate environments for development, staging and production.
- Dedicated team of security engineers reviewing and updating protocols on a constant basis.
- 24/7 live chat support from WordPress experts.
- 10GB storage.
- 50GB bandwidth.
- Up to 25,000 monthly site visitors.
WP Engine Review: Overview
WP Engine has established itself as one of the leading suppliers of managed WordPress hosting. Their use of a WordPress-specific dashboard rather than a typical cPanel delivers a streamlined work experience, and they also provide several tools to keep your data safe from hackers and accessible to you – even during a crisis.
WP Engine does, however, have significant limits. Phone help is only provided on higher-tier services, and there is no domain or email hosting. There are also strict restrictions on the number of visits you may have before getting upgraded to a higher plan. These restrictions are very common in the realm of managed WordPress hosting, but they are still worth considering.
WP Engine Pricing Review
Who is WP Engine Best For
Kinsta
Features
- Unlimited, simple website migrations from other hosts.
- Automated PHP restoration.
- Automatic daily backups with 14-day backup retention.
- Manual backup options.
- Free hack and malware removal.
- Staging area for testing site updates.
- SFTP and SSH enabled.
- Support for two-factor authentication and IP blocking.
- Automated blocking of any IPs that attempt to bruteforce your passwords (defined as any user that makes six login attempts within one minute).
- Access to 24/7 online support from true WordPress experts.
- Unique WordPress-optimized dashboard.
- 10GB storage.
- 20,000 maximum views.
Kinsta Review: Overview
Kinsta provides a simple interface with strong capabilities for both inexperienced site designers and professional developers. They also provide some of the most modern security standards in the website hosting market, including complete encryption of all of your data at all times. With 99.9% uptime and exceptional speed, they are one of the most dependable managed WordPress hosting providers.
The one serious disadvantage of Kinsta is its utter absence of phone assistance. Their customer assistance is solely housed on the Kinsta website via a message system. This technique is quick and dependable, however it may not be suitable for those who prefer phone help.
Kinsta Pricing Review
Kinsta’s pricing is more flexible than WP Engine’s, with plans offered at a variety of price points:
- $40 a month
- $60 a month
- $100 a month
- $200 a month
- $300 a month
- $400 a month
- $600 a month
- $900 a month
- $1,200 a month
- $1,500 a month
This large range of options assures that Kinsta will be able to meet your demands as your company grows and develops.
Who is Kinsta Best For
Best HostGator Alternative: Conclusion
Are you feeling overburdened by all of this information? Still not sure which website host is ideal for you? Here’s a rundown of everything each host has to offer:
- Bluehost plans are extremely basic, but they excel at what they do. I recommend Bluehost to anyone who want an inexpensive choice without sacrificing great customer care.
- DreamHost is the most cost-effective choice on this list, making them excellent for small enterprises. They also provide some of the greatest security for shared hosting options accessible. However, if you want excellent customer service, you should continue with Bluehost.
- SiteGround’s shared hosting plans provide excellent security features, such as automatic backups, which are often reserved for managed WordPress hosting. SiteGround is an excellent alternative if you want the protection of automatic backups without the cost of managed hosting.
- WP Engine includes an amazing set of security measures, a user-friendly interface, and high-quality development tools. Their ambitions, however, swiftly escalate in expense. WP Engine is only suitable for organisations with a flexible budget.
- Kinsta provides some of the industry’s most extensive security measures, as well as a wide range of high-quality developer tools. They also provide good customer service, yet some clients may be dissatisfied with the absence of phone help. Last but not least, they provide a wide selection of price possibilities. This makes pricing differences across tiers less noticeable.
If you’re still undecided, ask other businesses in your sector who they use for web hosting. What works for them is likely to work for you as well.
