HostGator Review
Entry-level shared hosting
Reviewed by the WhichHosting editorial team. Scores are our editorial assessment; specifications are taken from the provider’s official pages on the verification date above.
Best for: Budget websites, Multiple small sites
HostGator provides low-cost shared hosting with unmetered bandwidth.
Partially verifiedProvider plans, prices and specs change often. Each provider carries a verification state and a last-checked date; anything not yet checked by our editors is shown as pending verification rather than as a confirmed fact. Always confirm the current offer on the provider's site.
Our verdict
HostGator scores 8.1/10 on our weighted framework, with its strongest results in Budget websites, Multiple small sites. Check the score breakdown below to see where it leads and where it trails the field.
Score breakdown
WhichHosting Score
8.1 / 10
- Performance20%
- 7.8
- Reliability15%
- 8.2
- Price15%
- 8.7
- Features10%
- 8.0
- Support10%
- 7.8
- Ease of use10%
- 8.3
- Security10%
- 7.7
- Value10%
- 8.2
These criterion scores are our editorial assessment based on the evidence available so far — they are not yet independently verified against our own measurements.
Pricing
HostGator starts at $3.75/mo (introductory offer on the 36-month term (66% off, first invoice only)) and renews at $10.99/mo (per month on renewal). The renewal price is what you pay from the second term onwards, so weigh it more heavily than the introductory rate. Money-back window: 30-day money-back guarantee.
Performance
We have not completed our own performance testing for HostGator yet, so this section shows no measured figures.
Pros
- Unlimited websites on higher plans
- Cheap first term
- 45-day refund window
Cons
- Average performance
- Aggressive upsells
Who is HostGator best for?
HostGator fits budget websites, multiple small sites.
Who should consider alternatives?
If average performance would be a problem for your project, compare the alternatives below before committing to a multi-year term.
Where HostGator's data comes from
Each value below was read from the provider's own website for one exact plan. Anything we have not been able to confirm that way is shown as not verified rather than estimated.
Audited plan data
Plan audited: Hatchling Plan (shared, USD) · initial term 36 monthsOn this plan: storage 10 GB SSD · websites 10 websites. A number in the plan name is the provider’s own label, not necessarily the storage limit.
| Field | Value | State | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory price | 3.75introductory offer on the 36-month term (66% off, first invoice only) | Verified | hostgator.comHatchling Plan plan | Sep 9, 2026 |
| Renewal price | 10.99per month on renewal | Verified | hostgator.comHatchling Plan plan | Sep 9, 2026 |
| Storage | 10 GB SSD | Verified | hostgator.comHatchling Plan plan | Sep 9, 2026 |
| Websites | 10 websites | Verified | hostgator.comHatchling Plan plan | Sep 9, 2026 |
| Bandwidth | Not verified | Not verified | — | — |
| Backups | Not verified | Not verified | — | — |
| Domain | Free domain on 12, 24 or 36 month plans, first term only | Verified | hostgator.comHatchling Plan plan | Sep 9, 2026 |
| Not verified | Not verified | — | — | |
| CDN | Not verified | Not verified | — | — |
| SSL | Not verified | Not verified | — | — |
| Data centre locations | Provo, Utah (US), Atlanta, Georgia (US) | Verified | hostgator.com | Sep 10, 2026 |
| Support | Not verified | Not verified | — | — |
| Security | Not verified | Not verified | — | — |
| Money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee | Verified | hostgator.comHatchling Plan plan | Sep 9, 2026 |