Bluehost vs. HostGator: What’s the Difference, Is One Better?

The internet has transformed the world into a global village, prompting businesses, public personalities, and organizations to create online platforms and exploit the international markets. Consequently, there has been a drastic rise in the number of websites, estimated at more than 1.7 billion. However, while websites have become easy to create, owners still need help to identify suitable hosting services that match their needs. Bluehost and HostGator comprise two of the best web hosting companies in the world. The companies offer several services, including hosting, virtual private servers, search engine optimization (SEO) tools, and WordPress optimization. 

So, which hosting company offers the best services? Keep reading for a review of the Bluehost and HostGator hosting platforms.

Bluehost vs. HostGator: Side-by-Side Comparison Table

	Bluehost	HostGator
Founded	2003	2002
Hosting types	Dedicated hosting, WooCommerce, VPS, Shared, WordPress	Cloud, Dedicated hosting, VPS, Shared, and WordPress
Free Domain	Available	Available
Response time	361ms	525ms
Loading Speed	1.8 seconds	1.2 seconds
Monitored uptime	99.99%	Less than 99.99%
Extra features	Content delivery network, Cloudflare, website builder, emails, Staging	Emails and RoR hosting support
Price	VPS (Standard): $29.99 per month, Shared Hosting (Basic): $2.95 per month. Dedicated Hosting (Standard): $89.98 per month	VPS (Regular): $19.95 per month, Shared Hosting (Regular): $2.75 per month, Dedicated Hosting (Regular): $224.99 per month

Bluehost vs. HostGator: What’s the Difference?

The average website owner may not distinguish between Bluehost and HostGator’s services. However, the platforms have several differences, especially in performance, user interface, and response times. Here’s a breakdown of the Bluehost and HostGator hosting platforms from a technical viewpoint. 

Ease of Use

Before diving deep into each company’s services, we must determine the ease of using their account management dashboards. Bluehost understands the importance of simplicity, as you don’t need any prior hosting knowledge to navigate their dashboard. You will first notice the tutorial guide on the main page. You also cannot miss the listed services, giving you a glimpse of what the company offers. 

In contrast, HostGator’s dashboard has been criticized for being “dull” and “monotonous.” However, this doesn’t mean that the dashboard is disorganized. HostGator incorporates an easy-to-use cPanel that provides quick access to primary and advanced features. Additionally, like Bluehost, HostGator provides an extensive knowledge base comprising tutorials and solutions to most issues you might face when using its dashboard or hosting services. 

All things said, Bluehost edges out HostGator in this category for its easy-to-use account management dashboard.

Website Builder Experience

Are you interested in the algorithms and codes used to create websites? Probably not! Luckily, both web hosting companies aren’t willing to put you through the technicalities of creating a website.

This is why Bluehost has one of the most straightforward web creation tools. The first thing you see when you use their platform is a web creation guide. The guide is easy to understand and provides detailed steps about website customization. Moreover, Bluehost goes the extra mile to ask you several questions to understand the type of website you want. Let’s not forget the theme options you get to help you start the website creation process. The cherry on top is that the Bluehost website builder is based on WordPress. It means that you won’t have to re-program your website if you want to customize it in the future.

Similarly, HostGator has a simplified website builder tool. For instance, the drag-and-drop feature means users do not need prior coding knowledge to design their websites. You will basically drag various design elements and drop them on your website. Lastly, HostGator provides diverse themes as you get a little bit of everything, from business-like to blog-based themes.

Ultimately, Bluehost is better when creating a long-term website, while HostGator is ideal for temporary websites.

Control Panel

Both Bluehost and HostGator have a control panel tool designed for professional website designers. The tools ease managing and configuring various functions on a website. For instance, the control panel tool allows you to create sub-domains and manage your database easily. Some additional features include email routing, email filters, and spam filters.

So, what’s their difference if both companies have everything you need in the control panel? Well, it comes down to accessibility. With Bluehost, you can easily access the control panel from the homepage. Everything is accessible from the left side under the advanced settings. The control panel is well organized, so you can easily identify and access the features you need.

HostGator’s control panel is also decent. However, it is not directly accessible on the homepage. You must scroll down to your purchased hosting packages to launch the cPanel. Alternatively, HostGator can send a direct link to your secondary email through which you can log in directly to your cPanel. 

We cannot conclusively say that Bluehost has a superior control panel to HostGator’s cPanel. However, the former’s control panel is easily accessible on the homepage, which is more convenient for novice users.

Performance

The next point of comparison in our Bluehost vs. HostGator review is each platform’s performance. You can assess a hosting platform’s performance based on its response time, website speed, and stress test score. Let’s delve deeper.

Response Time

So, what is response time, and is it important? When starting a business website, response time should be your top priority. Basically, it’s the time a server takes to respond to a customer’s request on your website. Remember, you are leasing the server from the web hosting company, so your primary concern is identifying a hosting platform that offers the quickest response time.

In our Bluehost vs. HostGator debate, it seems Bluehost offers a better response time – estimated at 361ms – than HostGator, which offers 525ms.

Website Speed

Your web hosting company is responsible for improving your website speed. Bluehost’s 1.8s website speed is incredibly fast, considering Google requires most websites to have a loading speed of at least 3 seconds. If you think that’s impressive, then HostGator’s 1.2s website speed is super-fast.

All in all, nobody will be patient enough to wait for your website to load. Thus, you need to prioritize website speed when looking for a web hosting company.

Stress Test

How many users can a website handle without slowing or crashing? The answer depends on how many simultaneous visits your web hosting company can handle.

It seems Bluehost isn’t big on allowing many visitors because it can only manage 15 users on your website at one time. But what are the odds that you will have 15 people querying your website simultaneously? The odds are low unless you have launched a highly anticipated product.

As for HostGator, the standard measure is 50 visitors, which is quite impressive.

Though HostGator is the apparent winner in our stress test, you shouldn’t write off Bluehost. As we mentioned earlier, Bluehost is the best choice for creating a long-term website. So, it’s understandable that it can only accept a few visitors simultaneously.

Customer Support

Next in our Bluehost vs. HostGator debate is customer support. No one wants to deal with a web hosting company that takes too much time to respond to their issues. Further, even the quality of their responses matter because their answers should be accurate. That said, Bluehost carries the day due to its 24-hour customer support. The support team takes roughly 10 minutes to respond to your questions. Moreover, their answers are accurate and concise. 

Similarly, HostGator provides 24-hour customer support. You can contact the support team through phone, live chat, or email. However, HostGator’s customer support has several shortcomings. First, their website builder support is available on call only from 11 am to 9 pm ET. Additionally, some users have complained about receiving vague responses from HostGator’s customer support.

Ultimately, Bluehost edges out HostGator in the customer support category.

Price

Our review of the Bluehost and HostGator hosting services also compares their subscription prices; go for a company that gives you value for money.

Both companies have monthly subscription plans. HostGator offers the cheapest subscription plan, as their basic package for shared hosting services will cost you $2.75 per month. On the other hand, Bluehost will set you back $2.95 per month.

However, these are the basic charges; depending on your chosen package, you may pay more.

History of Bluehost

We cannot dive deep into Bluehost’s history without recognizing the man who conceptualized the idea. Matt Heaton is the brains behind Bluehost, which he launched in 1996 but founded in 2003. At the time, online marketing wasn’t a thing, and most companies relied on traditional marketing, like erecting billboards. Little did he know that his innovative idea would blow up in the coming years.

Things didn’t slow down because as the years progressed, many people began using the internet, and it gained recognition as a good marketing platform. A few years later, Bluehost came up with CPU throttling, a service that helped website owners attract online customers. Today, Bluehost is one of the biggest web hosting companies in the market, hosting over 2 million domains.

History of HostGator

HostGator is one of those companies that grew under the radar after its launch in 2002. Many people weren’t interested in it because the company was founded when other players dominated the web hosting industry. However, HostGator demonstrated its resilience to dominate the industry because it opened its first international office in Canada four years later. They didn’t stop there; they diversified their operations in other countries, including India and China.

If you are still skeptical about the company’s growth, today, it hosts millions of websites worldwide and has established itself as a key player in the industry.

Bluehost vs. HostGator: 5 Must-Know Facts

• Bluehost has an easier website builder tool than HostGator.
• Both platforms have a control panel that allows users to customize their websites.
• HostGator is cheaper than Bluehost.
• Bluehost is the right company if you want to build a long-term website.
• Both platforms offer additional services like VPS, SEO optimization, and WordPress optimization.

Bluehost vs. HostGator: Which One Is Better? Which One Should You Use?

Do you still need convincing about which web hosting company is better between Bluehost and HostGator? Well, it all comes down to the services you need. For instance, if you want a long-term website, then Bluehost should be your choice. However, HostGator is the right choice if you want to create a temporary website that can withstand high traffic.

Overall, Bluehost offers better value for money than HostGator. Its slow response speed is a small price to pay considering its superior customer service, website builder, and control panel tools.

Bluehost vs. HostGator: What’s the Difference, Is One Better? FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Are Bluehost and HostGator the best web hosting companies in the world?

Arguably yes, but it comes down to your preferences. Some people prefer these companies, while others don’t. However, looking at their current competitors, you would say they are the top two web hosting companies in the market.

Is Bluehost better than HostGator?

Yes. However, it depends on your hosting needs. Some people rate Bluehost higher than HostGator, while others don’t. Overall, Bluehost slightly edges out HostGator, given it has a better user interface and control panel options.

How much does HostGator charge?

The lowest HostGator subscription plan will cost you $2.75 per month. However, expect to pay more should you want additional services like VPS or to host multiple websites.

Does website load speed matter?

Yes. This is the time your website takes to load a webpage. Loading speed matters, as most people are usually impatient. So, invest in a web hosting company that guarantees fast loading speeds.

Does Bluehost offer tutorial guides?

Yes, Bluehost has a large knowledge base with tutorials.