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AWS vs HostGator Review [current_date format=’Y’]. Which one is superior ?

Satyendra Prasad

February 4, 2023

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AWS vs HostGator:

HostGator is a long-standing web hosting company and it offers shared, reseller, VPS, and dedicated hosting services. HostGator is one of the best web hosting companies for beginners as it provides easy-to-use tools and tutorials to help you get started with your website.

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AWS vs Bluehost Review [current_date format=’Y’]. Which one is better?

AWS is a cloud computing service that provides on-demand compute power, storage, databases, analytics tools and other features to customers at an affordable price. AWS was originally designed to provide resiliency against failures of individual components by allowing multiple redundant components to serve the same function. AWS has become one of the largest providers of cloud computing services in the world with over 1 million active customers globally.

Winner Snapshot – Here is a summary table to compare AWS vs HostGator

Winner:

It is a close call when you compare what both platforms offer users overall but AWS seems to be slightly inferior. But this isn’t enough to inform your choice, as you need to look at other factors to make a smart choice.   

Quick Comparison: AWS vs HostGator

About AWS and HostGator

AWS vs HostGator – A Side-by-Side Comparison

Comparing AWS vs HostGator won’t be easy without looking at their main features. Major features may help users choose the Web host with services they need to run their websites.

Both platforms offer great features users can leverage to create and host websites with different functions. That’s why we looked at the main features of each Web host to see how they perform head-to-head:

1.   Hosting Features: AWS vs HostGator

Main AWS Features

Some of AWS’ most popular features include:

• Cloud hosting
• >99.99% Uptime
• 24/7 Customer Support
• CDN Speed Boost

Cloud hosting

It doesn’t matter the plan you select at sign up; AWS offers cloud hosting support to all users. Cloud hosting gives users greater resources to host their websites over a network and supports access to more users.  

>99.99% Uptime

AWS gives its users over 99.99% uptimes on average, ensuring users keep their websites operational for longer. All AWS users also get decent loading speeds under 1.5 seconds across locations.

24/7 Customer Support

AWS provides subscribers multiple customer service options and allows users get support via phone, e-mail, live chat, and much more.

CDN Speed Boost

All AWS subscribers have access to a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to improve overall site performance. Visitors will experience above-average uptimes and page loading speeds with this feature.  

Main HostGator Features

HostGator offers its users features like:

• SSD storage
• Free site migration
• Unlimited space and bandwidth
• Free SSL certificates

SSD storage

Solid state drive (SSD) storage promotes safer data storage for users. HostGator offers SSD storage options to users keen to keep their data safe and free from sudden corruption. The service also offers HDD storage to its subscribers on select plans along with cloud and VPS hosting.

Free site migration

Website owners planning to move from their current host Web host might have to pay for such migration. However, HostGator allows such users migrate at no extra cost, regardless of the plan they purchase.

Unlimited space and bandwidth

HostGator plans provide users unlimited space and bandwidth to host their websites with greater resources. Users can host sites with more space requirements and avoid paying subscriptions to expensive plans just for storage.

Free SSL certificates

All HostGator users have access to SSL certificates for their websites at no extra cost. SSL certificates allows subscribers transmit data from their browsers to servers and back without any unauthorized access.

Winner:

AWS has great features but HostGator slightly edges it in this round with more user-friendly options. HostGator users have access to unlimited storage on several plans along with free migration and other great features.

2. Site Performance (Speed & Uptime): AWS vs HostGator

Industry standards peg decent site uptime rates around 99.95 – 99.99%. Web hosts who can’t get their uptimes within this range might be too unreliable to host in-demand websites that expect lots of traffic month-on-month.

That’s why we compared the overall site performance of AWS and HostGator to see how they perform against each other.   

AWS Speed & Uptime

AWS offers users uptime rates between 99.98 – 99.99%, making it one of the industry’s most reliable Web hosts. Users should expect within 0.01 – 0.02% uptimes overall if they choose to host their sites through AWS.

AWS also provides decent loading speeds to users less than 1.5 seconds. Visitors close to server resources might also see page loading speeds increase to < 1 second, especially for websites run through cloud hosting plans.

HostGator Speed & Uptime

HostGator supports its users with significant uptimes over 99% (99.97%). The service also offers its subscribers significant support to host sites with fast page loading times.

Winner:

AWS offers its users better uptimes rates and page loading speeds overall. The platform allows subscribers run their sites with lower lags and better response times, even with massive traffic inflows.

3. Pricing & Plans: AWS vs HostGator

We’ll consider how much each Web host charges for their services as both platforms have no free plans. Checking out the average prices of products and available helps when you want to make a quick choice.

Let’s see the quick comparison of AWS vs HostGator pricing plans along with detailed lists of each Web host’s products.

AWS Prices & Plans

AWS has two plans for its users – Windows and Linux OS plans. These plans have seven (7) packages each, bringing the total amount of services on offer to 14.

Check out the plans available from AWS and their monthly prices below.

HostGator Prices & Plans

HostGator offers five (5) different hosting plans – Web Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, WordPress, VPS, and Website Builder bundles. These bundles offer different features and we can see what they offer in detail below.

HostGator Web Hosting

HostGator VPS Hosting

HostGator Dedicated Hosting

HostGator Dedicated hosting plans work on Linux and Windows OS.

HostGator WordPress Hosting

All WordPress hosting plans are available with add-ons like free email accounts, quick app installation, and a long money back-guarantee (only for first-timers).

HostGator Website Builder

Winner:

AWS has great hosting plans but HostGator seems to offer much more to its users. The entire collection of HostGator plans help users get their websites running, regardless of their needs. AWS also does well in this section but lacks the unmetered bandwidth and space available from several HostGator plans.

4. Customer Support: AWS vs HostGator

Customer support is a vital feature all Web hosts must provide. Web hosts without the right customer service might lose a large number of clients due to poor after sales support.

That’s why we compared AWS vs HostGator to see how many customer support services they provide and which platform is better overall.

AWS Customer Support

Several customer support options are available to AWS subscribers, making it one of the industry’s most user-responsive Web hosts.

AWS users can reach customer care teams by live chat, email, tickets, and phone calls. All customer support options from AWS are available 24/7. Recent customer reviews also shows AWS has some of the most professional support options on offer.

HostGator Customer Support

HostGator offers users significant self-service support through video guides and a knowledgebase. The service also provides phone, email, and live chat support options to users.

Winner:

AWS has more customer support options than HostGator and provides better responses to users overall. HostGator offers decent customer service but lacks vital resources like forum and ticket support, giving AWS the edge.

Users keen to get a broad range of customer support options will fancy what AWS has to offer.

5. Ease of Use: AWS vs HostGator

It’s vital to compare features AWS vs HostGator offers users to promote ease of use. Web hosts with non-user-friendly features might be difficult for newbies and experienced website owners. Let’s compare both Web hosting platforms to see how they stack up.

AWS Ease of Use

AWS offers an advanced interface with an all-inclusive build to promote easy control of every feature in one place. The company provides users with simple dashboards to monitor all subscribed services at convenience.

However, AWS’ design might pose a challenge to first-timers who don’t know anything about its products.

HostGator Ease of Use

All HostGator plans come with single-click WordPress or alternate CMS installs. The service also supports users with free emails and domains (12 months at $0).

Winner:

Simplicity is one of HostGator’s strong points, giving users significant support to run websites with ease. HostGator wins this round with its user-friendly interface and simple features designed to serve newbies and experienced website builders.

6. Scalability: AWS vs HostGator

Web hosts with scaling options are essential for businesses planning to grow their online presence and offer users more services. Any Web host that can’t scale to accommodate the needs of users risks losing their clients at some point.

That’s why we compared AWS vs HostGator to see how they perform against each other in scaling to satisfy user(s) needs.

AWS Scalability

AWS provides a product suite to website owners keen to grow their businesses online. AWS plans don’t feature common options like site builders but offers lots more in terms of security and overall ease of use. AWS subscribers can easily get support to design better websites through Amazon Lightsail and other embedded products.

AWS offers better scaling options with its cloud hosting options, Quicksight (design templates), Lambda (personalization) and much more. The massive list of options from AWS gives its users an unmatched advantage whenever they seek to scale their business.

HostGator Scalability

Five plans from HostGator provides users significant freedom to scale their websites. Users can select between size requirements, security features, and extra options to make their sites better.

Winner:

AWS has several great features to help users scale, but HostGator provides easier options to support its subscribers. HostGator has several straightforward plans designed to make the overall scaling experience simple from start to finish. AWS is a great option but might only suit experienced users.

7. Security: AWS vs HostGator

AWS Security

AWS gives its users multiple security features to protect their websites. Some of AWS’ most popular hosting plans come with SSL certificates for secure browser-server data transmission.

AWS also offers a Web Application Firewall, anti-malware protection, and anti-hack scans to prevent unauthorized access. Users of AWS also get general protections like scheduled site cleanups, CloudFlare CDN, backups, and much more.

HostGator Security

All HostGator users have free SSL certificates on their plans along with scheduled site scanning support. HostGator users also get DDoS protection, anti-malware scans, and automatic site backups.

Winner:

HostGator slightly edges out AWS since it offers SSL certificates for free and across all plans. AWS also offers SSL certificates, but first-timers might have a hard time installing it.

8. Server Location: AWS vs HostGator

We have to assess the location of AWS vs HostGator servers to know how they might affect loading speeds, uptimes, and other performance metrics. You need to select a Web host with a decent to impressive server spread across several locations to avoid poor site performance overall.

Let’s see how AWS vs. HostGator perform when we consider the server location of both platforms:

AWS Server Location

AWS stations servers on six (6) different continents and 10+ countries. Some of the most popular countries with operational AWS servers are:

• USA,
• UAE,
• Spain,
• South Africa,
• England,
• Canada,
• Australia, etc.

AWS has one of the largest server spreads among Web hosts as it has a presence on most continents.

HostGator Server Location

HostGator has its servers in five continents and 10+ countries worldwide. The Web host has its servers in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Some countries with HostGator servers are the US, Mexico, Australia, Brazil, India, and so on.

Winner:

AWS wins this round with servers located in six continents and over two-dozen countries worldwide. HostGator also does great but has servers in five clients and just over ten countries globally.

AWS vs HostGator: Final Recommendations

When Should You Choose AWS

AWS might be a great Web host if you want:

Ceaseless customer support

AWS has one of the largest customer support teams among Web hosts and offers 24/7 services on most channels. Users can get email, phone, ticket, live chat, and other support options at all times.

Users looking to get more customer service support from a Web host should consider subscribing to an AWS plan.

Advanced security features

Several basic, intermediate, and advanced security features come with most AWS hosting bundles. Subscribers to AWS plans could get a suite of security settings to ensure more protections for their websites.

Massive suite of tools

With 200+ products, AWS offers its users many products to drive their online reach through Web hosting and other services. Countless tools from AWS provides security, ease of use, scaling options, support apps, and other vital elements to website users.

Developers and site owners will benefit from tools like Amazon Lightsail, S3, EC2, Lambda, and so much more.

If you’re looking for a Web host with every tool possible you need for your business, AWS could be a great option.

Great uptimes

AWS offers above industry-standard uptimes to its users with impressive page loading speeds. Several AWS plans offer users a minimum of 99.98% uptime rates and <1 second loading times.

Website owners keen to avoid frequent downtimes and slow loading speeds might fancy what AWS has to offer.

When Should You Choose HostGator

HostGator could be the ideal Web host for your website if you want:

Low-cost plans

HostGator has some of the industry’s cheapest plans overall and allows users on small budgets host sites. Users can get their sites live with a few dollars every month and improve their investment in hosting plans as their website grows.

If you seek cheap plans to allow you host in line with your budget, HostGator might be an ideal choice.

Many hosting options

With five bundles and 10+ hosting plans, HostGator is one of the best options for users looking to scale their website. Multiple hosting options mean website owners can accommodate more traffic, offer users more services, and increase their site reach with ease.

More server resources

HostGator has websites in about five different continents and offers several resources to subscribers worldwide. If you seek a website hosting platform with expansive resources, HostGator might be what you need.

User-friendly interface

HostGator has a simple user interface designed to help first-timers and experienced users host their sites. The beginner-friendly design allows newbies create and host websites with greater support.

Several resources made available by HostGator also promotes easier navigation for users without prior experience as Web developers.

Bottom Line: AWS vs HostGator

Comparing these Web hosts makes it easy for anyone who can’t choose between both. You can only work with one and you won’t want to stress over migrating whenever you’re not satisfied to another Web host.

AWS has many products designed to serve users and HostGator doesn’t do a poor job overall.

HostGator has simple designs beginners and experienced developers will love, while AWS provides multiple features to help subscribers scale their sites easily.

In the end, the choice is yours.

Pick the Web host with services that can sustain your website and grow its reach on the internet. Consider the features of each Web host closely before making up your mind.

FAQs: AWS vs HostGator

Does AWS Provide Unlimited Storage?

Both AWS bundles (Windows and Linux) have their storage offers at 640 GB. However, users can request more storage options when they need more resources to host their websites.

Does HostGator Have Cloud Hosting?

HostGator offers cloud hosting plans to its subscribers. Users can also get dedicated, VPS, WordPress, and other forms of hosting from HostGator. Currently, HostGator offers the complete suite of Web hosting plans any website admin requires to keep their business online.

Does AWS Have a Website Builder?

AWS doesn’t have a default website builder but offers support with Amazon Lightsail. All AWS users can create and host fully-functional WordPress or compatible CMS in minutes.

Does HostGator Offer Free SSL Certificates?

All HostGator plans come with SSL certificates at no extra cost. Each HostGator plan allows users transmit data to and from servers with increased security.