HostGator vs. Bluehost: Two Top-Class Hosts Compared

Keyhighlights

• Compare Bluehost and HostGator side by side to see real value, built-in perks and upgrade paths for your site.
• Launch faster with a free domain name and guided setup, then scale smoothly on a reliable Bluehost server.
• Protect visitors by enabling SSL and domain privacy, reducing spam while boosting trust signals for search and customers.
• Choose plans that include a free domain the first year, plus essentials that keep performance and security on track.
• Evaluate support, uptime and growth tools so bluehost and HostGator both stay viable options as your needs evolve.

Web hosting is a crowded field. Names like , DreamHost and SiteGround are probably familiar to you and comparisons like bluehost vs HostGator or other hostgator alternatives often come up when evaluating leading web hosting providers. But just because they buy tons of advertising doesn’t mean they are the best web hosts or the right hosting provider for your needs.

If you’re looking for high-quality web hosting services at an attractive price point for shared hosting plans, you can’t go wrong with either Bluehost or HostGator, especially if you’re asking which is better Bluehost or HostGator for your site.

Bluehost and HostGator are both web hosting providers with a similar customer base, but there are some key differences in their domain and hosting services that matter when choosing between bluehost vs HostGator. Let’s start with a brief overview of both hosts before we take a deep dive into the various options on offer, including popular hosting plans and web hosting plans that suit different goals. 

HostGator vs. Bluehost 

The Newfold Digital Group owns Bluehost and HostGator. HostGator was founded in 2002 and currently hosts over two million domains, making it a frequent mention in any hostgator comparison.

Bluehost was founded a year later and quickly gained traction as one of the best web hosting providers for many users. It now hosts over two million websites, cementing its place in Bluehost comparison pieces and discussions around HostGator vs Bluehost.

While both brands provide similar services, customers seeking the newest features in WordPress often prefer Bluehost. Known for its automatic WordPress installation and WonderSuite, Bluehost has established itself as the preferred hosting platform for WordPress users. 

Both providers also offer shared, VPS, WordPress and dedicated hosting. 

In terms of popularity, there isn’t much to separate Bluehost from HostGator. Of all the customers who use Newfold Digital for hosting, 27.9% chose Bluehost and another 27.9% opted for HostGator. 

HostGator vs. Bluehost: Feature comparison 

Choosing the best web hosting company for you is about more than just price and speed. While those are both important considerations, other hosting features can be even more important when choosing a hosting provider or comparing bluehost vs HostGator, such as:

• Performance and availability
• Security
• Dashboard and control panels
• Website builders
• Customer support
• Marketing and eCommerce features

Performance and availability

For online businesses, poor website performance, slow response times and long periods of downtime can seriously hurt profits, making real-world uptime guarantee and resilience a core factor in any hostgator vs bluehost evaluation.

Downtime can cost small businesses an estimated $137 to $427 every minute. So even a single hour of downtime can cost over $25,000. While some downtime is inevitable, choosing a host that can minimize downtime is good for your bottom line, especially if your web hosting service includes an uptime guarantee and a robust server infrastructure.

 We recommend that you check a web host’s speed and availability statistics on independent websites like Pingdom. But bear in mind, these tools will show planned outages as well as unplanned problems and may not reflect whether many sites share the same server across different hosting plans.

Bluehost     

Bluehost users can count on reliable uptime and availability for their websites. According to website monitoring firm Pingdom, Bluehost had an average uptime of 99.88% over the six months from June to Nov. 2023—useful context when asking which is better Bluehost or HostGator for consistency.

While uptime is important, your website also needs to work properly and respond quickly. One key way to boost the performance of your website is through a content delivery network (CDN). It’s a group of connected servers in different locations aimed at speeding up the delivery of web content to users in different regions.

Bluehost includes a free CDN on all of its shared hosting plans to ensure higher performance and availability, regardless of where your customers are located—an advantage many notice in bluehost vs HostGator speed comparisons.

Bluehost also recognizes that concern over shared resources is a top worry for website owners and includes resource protection on all of its shared plans. Even though you might be sharing a server, Bluehost prevents a single website from overusing the resources of that server, so every tenant gets stable and reliable performance rather than competing on the same server during traffic spikes.

HostGator 

HostGator offers a 99% uptime guarantee for both shared and reseller hosting and backs it up with a one-month hosting credit if they miss that mark. As you might expect with that guarantee, HostGator had an impressive average uptime of 99.97% over the six months from June to Nov. 2023. It is strong numbers that keep bluehost or HostGator neck-and-neck for many users.

That means HostGator’s servers were down on average for less than 13 minutes each month. However, location-related issues between servers and users could be an issue depending on your audience.

Similar to Bluehost, you can enjoy a free CDN with all hosting plans, including shared, dedicated and VPS. Both web hosts leverage a global content delivery network to reduce latency useful for readers exploring HostGator alternatives or looking for a detailed HostGator comparison within the broader leading web hosting providers landscape.

Security 

Website security continues to be a major challenge and events like data breaches and distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS) require increased spending to protect your website. No matter which hosting provider you choose in the bluehost vs HostGator discussion.

Many site owners rely on SSL certificates to encrypt data between the browser and server; beyond encryption, a free SSL certificate signals trust to visitors and is now table stakes among leading web hosting providers.

Before you spend big on cybersecurity add-ons, review what your chosen web hosting service includes. On its basic shared hosting plan, Bluehost provides a free SSL for the first year, while higher plans include SSL for the plan duration. These built-ins can reduce total cost of ownership when comparing bluehost vs hostgator on value.

Bluehost 

Bluehost offers a free SSL for the first year on its Basic shared plan and a free SSL for the life of your plan on higher tiers. Depending on your hosting plans, you also get daily website backups, domain privacy and malware scanning on all shared and WordPress plans above Basic (Choice Plus, Online Store and Pro).

Malware scanning is especially helpful if multiple team members access your cPanel dashboard, acting as a failsafe if someone logs in from an unsecured device. Select plans include automatic backups/automated backups and many users pair these with a web application firewall for layered protection.

This is useful context if you’re weighing which is better Bluehost or HostGator for security.

HostGator 

HostGator similarly provides free SSL certificates on all shared plans (Hatchling, Baby and Business) to keep customer information safe in transit.

Additional security features like daily automated backups and malware scanning are available via CodeGuard and SiteLock, giving you automatic backups and remediation tools.

When doing a detailed HostGator comparison or exploring HostGator alternatives, note which bundles include free backups or free weekly backups versus paid add-ons. This can impact long-term costs with two hosting companies as closely matched as HostGator and Bluehost.

Website builder 

Building a great website from scratch takes time, but some of the best web hosts and web hosting providers make it easier with a website builder. This can be available either free or as a paid extra—an important point in any Bluehost vs HostGator comparison.

Bluehost 

WonderSuite is Bluehost’s recently released WordPress website builder suite and is free with all WordPress plans. Perfect for beginners with great ease of use, WonderSuite quickly gets you started through the included WonderStart feature that guides you through the basics.

Then, the WonderBlocks builder provides easy block editing to create your website quickly. And if you need more content, WonderAssist lets you leverage AI to create SEO-friendly web content. For eCommerce, WonderCart provides specialized features like promo options to ensure your online store is full featured. This is one of the main reason many users favor Bluehost in hostgator vs bluehost site-building discussions. 

HostGator 

HostGator also offers a website builder, but only as a paid extra through a partnership with Web.com. The website builder’s pricing starts at $4.95 per month on top of your hosting fees—something to note when comparing hosting plans and total cost in bluehost vs HostGator evaluations.

Support 

Sometimes, things go wrong, or you need help with a feature. When considering bluehost vs HostGator (or any hosting provider), knowing which has the customer support you need is vital. In this case, support is fairly even among leading web hosting providers.

Bluehost 

Help from Bluehost support is available 24/7 via chat and plans above the entry-level option for hosting include phone support as well. A knowledge base and tutorials are also available for self-service help, keeping the web hosting service experience smooth across hosting plans.

HostGator 

Like Bluehost, HostGator’s support team offers 24/7 chat support and phone support is an option for essential issues and concerns. HostGator also has a knowledge base and tutorials, so Hostgator vs Bluehost comparisons often call this a tie for day-to-day assistance. 

HostGator vs. Bluehost: Hosting plans 

In a perfect world, no one would have to think about budgets. But in the real world, balancing features and pricing is a must. Comparing plans is essential to ensure you have the features and support you need at a price you can afford. 

Shared hosting plans 

Shared hosting is usually the first choice for website beginners and those who need a budget-friendly option for running a simple website and a few email accounts. There are concerns, like sharing resources with other server tenants, but the pricing usually outweighs the issues, particularly when plans include unlimited bandwidth, a free domain name, a friendly user interface and helpful integrated tools.

Both HostGator and Bluehost have similar shared hosting packages, including unmetered bandwidth. However, neither offer unlimited storage and Bluehost has more generous disk space. While HostGator offers a better deal on SSL certificates, Bluehost offers a CDN that can improve site speed with geographically distributed data centers. This points many consider when deciding which is better Bluehost or HostGator and comparing hostgator vs bluehost.

	Bluehost	HostGator
Free domain name	For the first year	For the first year
Bandwidth	Unmetered	Unmetered
Number of websites	10–100 websites	10-100 websites
SSD storage	10–100 GB	10–100 GB
CDN	Free on all plans	Free
SSL certificate	Free for the first year with the Basic plan; free for the duration of the plan on higher plans.	Free for the first year with select plans.
Money-back guarantee	30 days	30 days

WordPress hosting 

WordPress is the content management system of choice for approximately 43.1% of all websites, so the best hosting companies all have plans in place to optimize WordPress websites. Moreover, another key lens for bluehost vs HostGator when comparing hosting options, site speed and built-in security features.

While HostGator doesn’t have an official WordPress seal of approval, Bluehost is the longest-running host recommended by WordPress (since 2005).  

	Bluehost	HostGator
Bandwidth	Unmetered	Unmetered
CDN	Free on all plans	Free
Free domain	For the first year	For the first year
SSD storage	10–100 GB	10–100 GB
SSL certificate	Free for the first year with the Basic plan; free for the duration of the plan on higher plans.	Free for the first year with select plans.
Website builder	WonderSuite	No
Number of websites	1–5 websites	1–5 sites
One-click WordPress install	Automatic	Yes
Free migration	Assistance with manual migration or paid professional migration is available as an add-on	Free website migration for 1–5 sites

VPS hosting 

A virtual private server (VPS) provides fixed server resources through virtualization. In essence, your web host uses special software to divide a dedicated server into multiple virtual servers. Because it provides dedicated resources, this option is more expensive than shared hosting, but it’s a strong step up in hosting options for advanced users.

However, that extra cost gives you more reliability and control over your hosting. It’s also good for running multiple websites on a single account—useful if you manage unlimited domains or plan to scale a new website alongside other websites.

The support team and underlying bluehost server optimizations (or a specific hostgator plan) can also influence site speed and stability in any bluehost vs HostGator decision. 

	Bluehost	HostGator
RAM	2–8 GB	2–8 GB
CPU cores	2–4	2–4
Storage	120–240 GB SSD	120–240 GB SSD
Bandwidth	Unmetered bandwidth	Unmetered bandwidth
Dedicated IP	1 dedicated IP on each plan	1 dedicated IP on each plan

Dedicated hosting 

Dedicated hosting plans provide a physical server all to yourself, whether for one website or multiple websites. Traditionally, this is the next step up from , but for operational reasons and scalability, some customers prefer a move to Bluehost cloud hosting.    

Nevertheless, dedicated hosting plans is a great option for website owners who value loading speed, security and storage space. As you’d expect, it’s a higher-priced option than shared and VPS hosting. 

	Bluehost	HostGator
RAM	8–30 GB	8–30 GB
CPU cores	4 core/8 thread or 8 core/16 thread	4 core/8 thread or 8 core/16 thread
Operating system	Linux	Linux or Windows
Storage	1–2 TB HDD storage1 TB HDD	2 TB HHD/512 GB SSD or 1 TB SSD
Bandwidth	Unmetered	Unmetered

Cloud hosting  

Cloud hosting leverages a network of servers to distribute resources effectively, ensuring reliable performance and the capability to handle spikes in website traffic.  

This type of hosting is often chosen for its ability to scale resources dynamically—across multiple servers—making it a robust alternative to dedicated hosting for those requiring operational flexibility and high availability.  

Cloud hosting at Bluehost assures scalability and flexibility, exceptional performance and robust security measures. It includes features like a global CDN, 100% network uptime SLA, DDoS protection and reliable customer support with direct access to Level 3 technicians.    

HostGator vs. Bluehost: Pricing 

Bluehost and HostGator are both budget-friendly options, especially for shared hosting plans. However, included services vs. add-on costs vary considerably. 

To get the best web hosting rates, sign up for a long-term plan of more than a year. And you should be aware that most web hosts have different introductory and renewal prices.  

	Bluehost		HostGator
Monthly starting price (12-month plan )	Monthly renewal price (12-month plan)	Monthly starting price (12-month plan)	Monthly renewal price (12-month plan)	Monthly starting price (12-month plan)
Shared hosting	$11.99 per month	$3.95–6.95 per month	$13.16 per month	$3.95–13.95 per month
WordPress hosting	$11.99 per month	$3.95–6.95 per month	$13.16 per month	$4.95–13.95 per month
VPS hosting	$54.99 per month	$46.99–94.99 per month	$54.99 per month	$34.99–82.99 per month
Dedicated hosting	$180.25 per month	$141.19–312.19 per month	$339.74 per month	$141.19-343.79 per month
Cloud hosting	$29.99-$249.99 per month		$131.40-$239.40 per month

Note: Web hosting prices are subject to change. Please check the current hosting offers on the Bluehost and HostGator websites. 

Verdict: Bluehost is less expensive for most plans over a 12-month contract and its introductory pricing of $3.95/month will appeal to customers looking for shared or WordPress hosting.      

Final thoughts 

While Bluehost is preferable for most scenarios, it is most attractive to beginners and WordPress enthusiasts.

Novices will fare well with either host, but HostGator and Bluehost serve slightly different needs; HostGator is geared towards web professionals, who make up 30% of its customer base and a tailored HostGator plan can be appealing alongside periodic HostGator offers.

For WordPress users, WonderSuite is an excellent, cost-free add-on feature that makes website building a breeze and it pairs well with options like free domain privacy on select tiers.

If you’re ready to migrate to Bluehost or create a new website with WonderSuite, have a look at our current hosting options and if you need further guidance on the best plan option for you, get in touch with our support team today—Hostgator and Bluehost together power million websites worldwide.

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