HostGator vs DreamHost 2021:Which web host is the best?

Whether you already personal a web site or are simply getting began on-line, you could select a dependable web internet hosting supplier that may assist your web site wants and make it easier to reach the long-term.

Any web internet hosting supplier ought to present 4 staple items like ‘scalable plans’ to accommodate rising wants, no less than 99% uptime in order that your web site stays accessible and accessible all the time, up-to-date safety measures to guard your knowledge from cybercriminals, and 24/7 assist to resolve your hosting-related points.

Also, when deciding between totally different web hosts, decide the one that provides extra instruments and options – other than the ones talked about above -such as free area title registration, ample storage, and bandwidth, automated and on-demand backups, a web site constructing instrument, a user-friendly management panel, area privateness, migration providers, to call a number of.

In a nutshell, the web host you select will largely determine your web site’s fate- the way it performs, customer expertise, and so forth.

In this publish, we are going to introduce you to the totally different types of web internet hosting plans and options supplied by two well-liked web internet hosting suppliers –HostGator and DreamHost – after which examine them so that you’ve a greater understanding of which host most closely fits your funds and web site wants.

Let’s begin!

HostGator vs DreamHost: Features

Hosting merchandise/providers

Here is a breakdown of the totally different type of web internet hosting supplied by HostGator and DreamHost:

HostGator	DreamHost
Shared internet hosting	Shared internet hosting
VPS internet hosting	VPS internet hosting
Dedicated server internet hosting	Dedicated server internet hosting
Cloud internet hosting	Cloud internet hosting
WordPress internet hosting	WordPress internet hosting
Reseller internet hosting	–
Windows internet hosting	–

Domain registration

At the time of internet hosting signup, each HostGator and DreamHost supply one free area title registration for the first full 12 months. However, this perk is accessible with few annual internet hosting plans. These embody:

• HostGator: At HostGator, free area title registration is accessible with annual Shared, WordPress, and Cloud internet hosting plans

• DreamHost: At DreamHost, it is accessible with annual Shared and DreamPress (managed WordPress internet hosting) plans. It is necessary to make use of the free area registration inside the preliminary three months.

Migration providers

HostGator provides each free and paid migration providers that will help you switch your web site(s) out of your previous host to HostGator account. The variety of free web site transfers that the firm will carry out for you is dependent upon the internet hosting account you join. For occasion, in the event you join for a shared or Cloud internet hosting account, HostGator will transfer one web site for you, whereas with the VPS and devoted internet hosting accounts, you possibly can take pleasure in limitless free web site transfers. Free transfers have for use inside 30 days of signup; after that, you’ll be charged.

On the different hand, DreamHost provides varied migration choices. If your web site is constructed on WordPress, you possibly can migrate it to any of DreamHost’s DreamPress plan free of charge. However, in the event you want to migrate your non-WordPress web site, you possibly can go for the USD99 migration service.

Security

HostGator and DreamHost will present you free SSL certificates along with your primary internet hosting bundle.

DreamHost additionally provides Multifactor Authentication (MFA) through the Google Authenticator app and Yubikey.

Further, relying upon the internet hosting account- shared, VPS, devoted or Cloud – and plan – customary or superior ones- you get superior safety features.

For occasion, with HostGator’s devoted internet hosting plans, you get superior DDoS safety, an IP-based firewall, and choices to create handbook or scheduled backups. If we discuss DreamHost’s devoted internet hosting plans, it contains 24/7 DDoS Protection and full root and Shell Access (SSH).

For extra safety, you might buy add-on services and products. These embody:

HostGator

• Upgraded SSL certificates – USD19.99/yr – USD269.99/yr

• CodeGuard-powered web site backup – USD32.95/yr – USD239.95/yr

• SiteLock – USD1.99/month – USD24.99/month

DreamHost

Website Builder

HostGator

HostGator offers varied instruments to construct a web site, together with a free HostGator Website Builder and a paid web site builder known as ‘Gator.’ By automating the web site designing course of, the Gator builder enables you to launch a web site with industry-specific design in a couple of minutes.

The Gator web site builder is supplied in three plans:

• Express Start – USD 3.84/month

• Express Site – USD 5.99/month

• Express Store – USD 9.22/month

Each Gator builder plan comes with an clever web site builder, free SSL certificates, one free area title registration for one-year, CDN, $200 search engine advertising and marketing credit, LogoMaker, contact administration, free Unsplash picture library, automated e-mail scheduling, and different options.

DreamHost

Remixer is a click-to-edit web site builder by DreamHost. Hosted on the firm’s cloud community, Remixer is template-based and requires no coding to create a fully-functional web site rapidly – all it’s essential do is – level, click on, drag, and drop web site components.

Remixer is supplied in two stand-alone plans- Remixer Standard and Remixer All Access. The All-Access plan is included free with shared internet hosting plans. If you need to use Remixer with VPS, DreamPress, and Dedicated plans, you’ll have to buy both the Standard plan or the All Acess plan.

Control Panel

HostGator’s Linux-based internet hosting plans include the well-liked cPanel management panel, whereas Windows-based internet hosting plans include a Plesk management panel.

HostGator cPanel / Image Credit: HostGator

DreamHost makes use of a customized management panel to handle internet hosting accounts. The DreamHost panel runs on separate servers and incorporates a essential menu aligned vertically on the left, a search field at the high heart, and a assist drop-down menu at the high proper nook.

DreamHost management panel / Image Credit: DreamHost

Money-back assure

With a 45-day money-back assure on the shared, Virtual Private Server, and reseller internet hosting plans, HostGator lets you attempt their providers risk-free. If issues do not work out, you possibly can terminate your account inside the first 45-days of preliminary signup, and you’ll obtain a immediate refund of your primary internet hosting charges. There is no such assure for devoted server internet hosting providers.

DreamHost provides you a 97-day money-back assure with shared web internet hosting plans -only if the service is bought through credit score or debit card. For VPS and DreamPress internet hosting providers, the firm provides a 30-day assure.

Customer Support

HostGator and DreamHost supply varied choices to contact assist. These embody:

HostGator

DreamHost

• e-mail

• stay chat

• group boards

• data base

Unlike HostGator, DreamHost doesn’t supply technical assist through telephone, however it offers prospects an choice to request a callback from technical assist. The callback function is included free with a number of of its superior plans, and in the event you do not use these plans, you’ll have to pay USD9.95 to make use of the one-time callback function and USD14.95/month for 3 callbacks each month. Notably, callbacks can be found between 6 PM – 10 PM PST.

HostGator vs DreamHost: Uptime

For these unaware, uptime is merely the period of time your web site is up and accessible to your audiences/guests.

HostGator offers a 99.9% uptime assure to its shared or reseller internet hosting accounts, the accounts hosted on VPS and Dedicated Servers are coated by HostGator’s Network Guarantee; the credit score will probably be prorated for less than the period of time the server stays down.

DreamHost backs your web site up with a 100% uptime assure, offered that there are not any coding or configuration-related errors on the customer-end. Additionally, beforehand introduced scheduled upkeep wouldn’t be counted as downtime.

Claims aside right here is the common uptime supplied by HostGator and DreamHost for six months (September 2020-February 2021):

Month	HostGator	DreamHost
September 2020	99.50%	99.78%
October 2020	99.99%	100%
November 2020	99.99%	100%
December 2020	100%	99.99%
January 2021	99.97%	100%
February 2021	99.98%	99.94%
Average	99.90%	99.95%

Reviewing the common uptime of a take a look at web site hosted on HostGator and DreamHost servers (monitoring offered by Pingdom) (Via) – we are able to say that DreamHost – with 99.95% avg. uptime- has an edge over HostGator in the case of offering a greater uptime.

Winner: DreamHost

HostGator vs DreamHost: Site velocity/response time

When it involves web site velocity, a single second issues; your web site’s velocity will determine the period of time guests will keep in your web site and the way it will rank in main search engines like google and yahoo, together with Google. An perfect web host offers sufficient sources – storage, bandwidth, and so forth. – and extra instruments to enhance your web site’s velocity.

HostGator offers limitless storage and unmetered bandwidth even with its least expensive shared internet hosting plan. Additionally, you should buy SiteLock plans that embody the TrueSpeed content material supply community (CDN) that makes use of servers round the world for quicker supply of content material to your guests. According to the firm, with TrueSpeed, websites load 50 p.c quicker whereas utilizing 40-70 p.c much less bandwidth than common.

Similarly, DreamHost provides quick SSD storage and unmetered bandwidth for all web internet hosting plans. Also, the primary Cloudflare plan is totally free with all plans through the DreamHost panel. Using Cloudflare CDN, you possibly can enhance your web site’s responsiveness, enhance search engine rating, and shield it from malicious site visitors and cyber assaults.

Coming to the precise figures, the desk beneath reveals the response time of a take a look at web site hosted on HostGator and DreamHost (via):

Month	HostGator	DreamHost
September 2020	836 ms	1,217 ms
October 2020	738 ms	1,179 ms
November 2020	659 ms	1,308 ms
December 2020	701 ms	1,391 ms
January 2021	696 ms	1,382 ms
February 2021	602 ms	1,345 ms
Average	705 ms	1,303 ms

Considering the above web site take a look at knowledge, HostGator is much better than DreamHost by way of web site response time.

Winner: HostGator

HostGator vs DreamHost: WordPress internet hosting

WordPress, one among the high CMSs in the internet hosting world, makes it simpler for anybody to create and run a fully-functional web site. It is one among the greatest choices for these constructing a web site for the first time and lack coding abilities.

HostGator WordPress internet hosting

HostGator offers managed WordPress internet hosting with a 99.9% uptime assure and 45-day money-back assure. Managed internet hosting is a service whereby the supplier takes care of all obligatory duties like server upkeep, efficiency tweaks, safety, backups, updates, and extra to concentrate on different issues.

HostGator’s managed WordPress internet hosting is supplied at three ranges:

• Starter Plan – USD 5.95/mo

• Standard Plan – USD 7.95/mo

• Business Plan – USD 9.95/mo

Each plan comes with perks like pre-installed WordPress, an easy-to-use management panel, free area for preliminary 12 months, unmetered bandwidth, top-notch safety, and 24/7 assist, to call a number of. Let’s examine all three plans to know what every plan has to supply:

Features	Starter	Standard	Business
No. of internet sites	1	2	3
Visits/mo	100k	200k	500k
No. of free web site migration	1	2	3
Backups	1GB	2GB	3GB
Email	Free	Free	Free
Google Ads spend match credit score	USD150	USD150	USD150
Security	Free SSL certificates, CodeGuard and SiteLock Fix; Backups and automated malware elimination	Free SSL certificates, CodeGuard and SiteLock Fix; Backups and automated malware elimination	Free SSL certificates, CodeGuard and SiteLock Fix; Backups and automated malware elimination
24/7/365 Support	Live chat; Phone; Knowledge base	Live chat; Phone; Knowledge base	Live chat; Phone; Knowledge base
Google Ads spend match credit score	USD150	USD150	USD150

Security Free SSL certificates, CodeGuard, and SiteLock Fix; Backups and automated malware elimination Free SSL certificates, CodeGuard, and SiteLock Fix; Backups and automated malware elimination Free SSL certificates, CodeGuard, and SiteLock Fix; Backups and automated malware elimination

24/7/365 Live Support chat; Phone; Knowledge base Live chat; Phone; Knowledge base Live chat; Phone; Knowledge base

DreamHost WordPress Hosting

DreamHost provides three forms of WordPress internet hosting:

• Basic WordPress internet hosting – for inexperienced persons (USD2.59/mo)

• Managed WordPress Hosting, aka DreamPress – for quick and optimized WordPress Hosting (USD12/mo)

• VPS WordPress internet hosting – for a number of high-performance websites (USD27.50/mo)

All of DreamHost’s WordPress internet hosting plans include a 1-click installer, WP web site builder, unmetered bandwidth, auto WordPress updates, a free area for 12 months, free privateness safety, and SSL certificates and automatic backups.

DreamPress Managed WordPress Hosting

The DreamPress Managed WordPress Hosting leverages a high-performance cloud atmosphere. The sources are remoted, which suggests you do not have to share your sources – RAM, CPU, and storage – with different customers. DreamPress offers superior options like a 1-click staging instrument to check/preview adjustments, automated and on-demand backups, and built-in caching to enhance the web site’s efficiency.

DreamPress internet hosting plans can be found in three tiers:

The customary DreamPress Managed WordPress internet hosting plan permits for internet hosting 1 web site and contains 30GB SSD storage, free Jetpack plan, automated day by day backups, on-demand backups, and 1-click restore, WordPress specialised assist, and extra options.

The DreamPress Plus plan offers 60GB SSD storage and contains all the customary plan options together with limitless CDN, a Professional Jetpack plan, telephone assist callbacks.

The DreamPress Pro plan offers 120GB quick SSD storage and contains all the Basic plan options. Additionally, you get Priority Support, together with expedited specialists assist, proactive monitoring, and superior troubleshooting of points.

Verdict: While each hosts supply unmetered bandwidth, free web site migration, free area, and different important options, DreamHost’s managed WordPress internet hosting comes with extra perks like free area privateness, Jetpack, limitless CDN, staging instrument, and SSD storage – all with an enormous price ticket. So it’s a must to determine what you need – a lower cost tag or additional advantages?

HostGator vs DreamHost: Hosting costs

HostGator and DreamHost supply varied internet hosting packages to match all of your wants. Most web internet hosting corporations supply reductions/promotions in your preliminary plan time period, and after that, your plans will renew at common charges, that are considerably larger than the introductory costs.

To know the pros and cons of each type of hosting and which form will be best for your site, read our previous post on :-

“Top 10 Best Web Hosting for Small Businesses“.

Below is the desk evaluating the preliminary time period costs of several types of internet hosting plans supplied by HostGator and DreamHost:

Hosting kind	HostGator	DreamHost
Shared	USD2.75 – USD5.25/mo	USD2.59 – USD3.95/mo
VPS	USD19.95 – USD39.95/mo	USD10 – USD80/mo
Dedicated	USD89.98 – USD139.99/mo	USD149 – USD279/mo
Cloud	USD4.95 – USD9.95/mo	USD4.50/mo – USD48/mo
Reseller	USD19.95 – USD14.36/mo	–
WordPress (Managed)	USD5.95 – USD9.95/mo	USD16.95 – USD71.95/mo
Windows	USD4.76 – USD14.36/mo	–

While DreamHost’s customary VPS and Cloud internet hosting plans are cheaper than HostGator, the latter’s Shared, WordPress, and Dedicated internet hosting plans are cheaper than these of DreamHost.

Winner: HostGator

Conclusion

Now that we now have in contrast all the vital features and options of HostGator and DreamHost, it is time to declare the winner. While DreamHost outperformed HostGator by way of server uptime and superior WordPress internet hosting options, HostGator has emerged as the winner in different features, together with web site response time, buyer assist, beginner-friendly management panel, free migration providers, inexpensive plans, amongst others.

To sum up, each web internet hosting suppliers are distinctive on their very own. To decide a internet hosting supplier in your web site, it’s essential set your priorities straight – your funds, anticipated site visitors, whether or not you need a fully-managed or a semi-managed service, restricted or limitless sources, shared or remoted sources, scalable plans, uptime, and a money-back assure, and so forth.

We are additional simplifying this for you by individually highlighting the key advantages of internet hosting your web site on HostGator and DreamHost.

Why select HostGator?

Why Choose DreamHost?

• High uptime – 100% uptime assure

• SSDs – claimed to be 200% quicker than conventional HDDs

• Intel Xeon processors

• 97-day money-back assure

• Unmetered bandwidth

• Green internet hosting

• Monthly plans

Also Read:-