HostGator vs HostMonster
A detailed comparison to help you choose between HostGator and HostMonster.
Quick Verdict
3.2/5
HostGator
0 reviews
2.5/5
HostMonster
0 reviews
HostGator is rated higher (3.2 vs 2.5). HostGator is one of the largest US web hosts, operating since 2002. Shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting with 99.9% uptime guarantee and 24/7 support via chat and phone. Part of Newfold Digital. HostMonster no longer sells hosting; hostmonster.com is a transition page into Bluehost. Existing accounts keep their servers and terms but log in at Bluehost. Founded 1996 in Provo, Utah.
HostGator Web hosting from $2.75/month — established since 2002 | HostMonster Legacy brand merged into Bluehost — no longer sold independently | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.2 (0 reviews)✓ | 2.5 (0 reviews) |
| Pricing model | paid | paid |
| Starting price | From $3.75/mo | Free tier available |
| Best for | US small businesses and beginners who want a well-known host with 24/7 phone support, cPanel, and a free first-year domain | Existing HostMonster account holders deciding whether to stay through the Bluehost transition; not a viable choice for new signups |
| Specifications (entry plan) | ||
| CPU cores | — | — |
| RAM | — | — |
| Storage | 10 GB | — |
| Bandwidth | — | — |
| SLA uptime | 99.9% | — |
| Data-center count | — | — |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ||
| DDoS protection | ||
| Automated backups | ||
| Snapshots | ||
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ||
| Free tier | ||
| Data-center locations | ||
| Regions | Provo UT, Atlanta GA, Houston TX (US only) | Provo, Utah, US |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | us datacenterwindows available | us datacenter |
| Visit HostGator → | Visit HostMonster → | |
HostGator
Pros
- + 24/7 support by phone and chat — rare at this price tier
- + Public status page with rolling uptime stats and full incident history
- + Official help center publishes regular renewal rates, not just promo prices
- + Established since 2002 with two decades of shared-hosting operations
- + Free first-year domain and free SSL on 12-month-plus plans
Cons
- - Renewal cliff: Hatchling renews at $10.99/mo after a $3.75/mo first term (+193%)
- - No included backups — CodeGuard is a paid add-on; dedicated plans get no weekly backups
- - US-only data centers with no customer choice of location
- - Shared plans capped at 25% of server resources despite unmetered bandwidth advertising
- - Newfold Digital ownership: add-on-heavy checkout and support quality that varies at scale
HostMonster
Pros
- + Existing accounts are untouched: same servers, renewal dates, and billing cycles through the Bluehost transition
- + Long track record — the brand dates to 1996 in Provo, Utah
- + Classic budget feature set for legacy plans: cPanel, one-click WordPress, free domain and SSL
- + Backed by Newfold/Bluehost infrastructure and 24/7 support apparatus
Cons
- - No longer purchasable — hostmonster.com is a transition page into Bluehost
- - Consolidation risk: support, roadmap, and pricing decisions move to a portfolio owner
- - Legacy criticisms stand: renewal pricing above intro rates and bounded 'unlimited' claims
- - No published HostMonster SLA or spec sheets to verify claims today
- - New development and AI tooling land on Bluehost's product, not this brand
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