Is HostGator Better than GoDaddy? These two are probably the best-known figures in the online services market. GoDaddy is the biggest domain registrar and also a web hosting provider. And HostGator is one of the first choices for beginners when it comes to web hosting.
Both hosting providers have been going strong for a while in internet years and offer affordable, reliable services, and their reputations are stellar and well-earned. We know it can be difficult to separate the top providers sometimes, but that’s where we come in. We’ve dug into the features of both to provide research-based recommendations (and warnings).
In Short…
Both hosting providers offer an uptime guarantee of 99.9%, and 24/7 live chat, phone, and email customer support. They also provide tutorials and knowledgebase articles where you’ll find solutions to problems and answers to questions you may have.
The main difference between these two web hosts, which may influence your final decision, is the type of security offered. GoDaddy performs backup and malware scans daily while HostGator only does this on a weekly basis. An even closer look at the other differences and similarities between HostGator and GoDaddy is discussed below.
HostGator vs GoDaddy: Reliability & Uptime Guarantees
Whether you like it or not, you’ll need to be aware of your website’s uptime and the potential dangers of downtime. Luckily, both hosts are aware and put priority measures in place to avoid the costly consequences of any major downtime.
Furthermore, there are guaranteed compensation packages on both ends.
HostGator – 3/5
HostGator provides you with an uptime guarantee of 99.9%. If they fail to live up to this expectation of service, you can apply to have a credit applied to your following month of hosting.
As long as you also provide a good reason because they do have discretion regarding whether to apply for the credit.
GoDaddy – 2/5
GoDaddy talks about their 99.9% uptime guarantee on their site but they don’t seem to mention what, if any, credit you receive if they fail to honor this commitment. Anyhow, there is a promised guarantee, therefore there must be compensation.
HostGator vs GoDaddy: Security & Backup
Unless you are a super tech nerd and have unlimited work hours or have one on your team, you’ll want some security measures in place. Let’s see how team gator and team daddy fare in this department. Data can be compromised in many ways – consider this, you absolutely need as much security as your provider can handle.
HostGator – 2/5
Backups and malware scans are done weekly. This is obviously not as good as doing them daily so you should do both tasks every day yourself. If you wish to use a HostGator backup to restore your site, they’ll charge you to do it.
HostGator data centers are extremely security-conscious so they have numerous layers of protection of your data and of the physical equipment (such as servers, etc.)
Staff Hours and Availability
Technical and admin personnel staff the centers 24/7/365 so problems can be rectified as fast as they possibly can, often without people even knowing problems existed. Entrances are fully secure and protected by biometric locks, CCTV monitoring 24/7/365, and other physical protection layers.
They have uninterrupted power supply cooling systems to stop servers from overheating. Fire suppressors, diesel generators, smoke detectors, and many other tools. Obviously, they won’t reveal all of their security secrets.
GoDaddy – 3/5
Daily backups and malware scans are carried out and your entire website and its files are backed up and stored in the cloud. You pay a tiny monthly fee for this protection and it’s well worth it to avoid facing a crisis where you may lose a folder or everything related to your site.
GoDaddy is so huge that they’re a major target for hackers. Systems block an average of 2.5 million brute force attacks every hour. All hosting plans provide SHA-2 and 2048-bit encryption, the most powerful protection available. Having deep pockets means GoDaddy can spend more on security so customers will have peace of mind.
Their security is quite good, but subconsciously there is an additional fee you have to pay for it. You have to pay twice for backups of their Security plan. This is not included in your hosting plan. Just browse their site and you can see how the way they list and describe their products is almost intentionally confusing. Not just a sales page; if you’ve ever tried to navigate the dashboard, it’s terrible and problematic.
Security in their massive data center is a critical component of their business. They have an uninterrupted power supply. There are various powerful cooling systems to keep servers and other equipment at the right temperature. Real people monitor everything 24/7/365 via CCTV so if intruders break in or if there are any problems with any of their equipment, there are people on the spot to fix such problems.
HostGator vs GoDaddy: Free Trial & Money-Back Guarantee
If you happen to be unhappy with your services or plan, you want to be able to get financial compensation. While this is unlikely with these two great hosts, it’s an ideal backup plan.
HostGator -3/5
HostGator comes with a 45-day money-back policy. Be aware that this will only apply to hosting services, you won’t get your money back for domain names. They also ensure that your uptime won’t be lower than 99.9% and if it goes below, you’ll be compensated.
Unless you pay with a credit card when setting up your account, you won’t receive a cash rebate. Instead, it will be applied to your site account. This guarantee only applies to new accounts.
GoDaddy – 2/5
You get a 45-day money-back guarantee if your contract is one year.
If it’s only for a month, however, you’ll only get a 48-hour money-back guarantee.
Read the terms and conditions as only a portion of the money will be refunded and generally, it’s just the hosting part, not the domain name or other add-ons.
HostGator vs GoDaddy: Who is The Winner?
It is very difficult to decide who will win this competition. They have scores that are not much different. And sadly overall they don’t get good grades. Currently, we also find a lot of complaints about these two giant hosting companies.
To create a great site, you definitely need a reliable hosting service. Here’s where most people struggle to pick the right hosting choice as there are too many options available ranging from free to premium. But if you are looking for alternative hosting for them, we recommend that you consider some hosting such as ASPHostPortal, BigRock, RackSpace, or HostForLIFE.eu.
