trusted formHostGator vs WestHost | Several.com
Although we earn commissions from partners, we ensure unbiased evaluations. More on our 'How We Work' page

HostGator vs WestHost

Press [Add to Compare] to Edit, Add or Remove Vendors

Pros
  • Scalable hosting options for growing sites
  • Unmetered bandwidth across most plans
  • Wide range of developer tools
  • 24/7/365 live support
  • All-in-one features
Pros
  • E-commerce website builder integration
  • Vast one-click application library
  • Website builder with drag-and-drop tools
  • Eco-friendly hosting
Cons
  • Significant price increases after initial term
  • Lack of BBB accreditation
  • No free trial option
  • Upselling of essential features
  • Inconsistent customer support experiences
Cons
  • Service disruptions during platform migrations
  • Slow or inconsistent support response times
  • No free hosting or trial period available
  • No free domain with lower-tier plans
Summary

Founded in 2002 and based in Houston, Texas, HostGator is one of the most recognizable names in the web hosting industry. Over the years, it has grown to support millions of websites globally, offering a broad range of hosting solutions that cater to personal websites, small businesses, developers, and agencies. Its lineup includes shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress hosting—giving users flexibility to scale as their needs grow. Key features include a 99.9% uptime guarantee, unmetered bandwidth, free SSL certificates, and one-click installations for popular CMS platforms like WordPress. HostGator also offers a proprietary website builder, 24/7 customer support, and a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, making it beginner-friendly and low-risk to try. While customer feedback is mixed across review platforms, HostGator continues to be a popular option for users seeking reliable, budget-friendly hosting with a long-standing reputation in the industry. The company is also known for frequent promotions and introductory offers, adding extra value for new customers. Whether you’re launching your first website or looking for a scalable hosting solution, HostGator remains a strong contender worth considering.

Summary

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Providence, Utah, WestHost is a long-established U.S. web hosting provider recognized for offering reliable, affordable hosting solutions for individuals and small to mid-sized businesses. They provide a wide range of services, including shared, WordPress, VPS, dedicated, and email hosting, supported by features such as free SSL certificates, automatic backups, built-in CDN optimization, and their intuitive StackCP control panel. Their infrastructure is housed in a U.S.-based data center, ensuring dependable uptime and consistent website performance for North American users. As part of The Hut Group (THG), they benefit from enterprise-level infrastructure and global support resources while maintaining a straightforward and customer-focused approach. Users often highlight their knowledgeable technical staff and quick data restoration assistance, though some have reported slower response times during peak support hours and notable price increases after initial terms. With a 4.1-star Trustpilot rating, they remain a reliable and accessible hosting provider known for their practical balance of scalability, performance, and ease of use.

Quick Stats
  • Bandwidth : Unmetered
  • Price : Starting at $2.75/month (if taken on a 36-month plan)
  • Free Domain : Available (free for the first year with most hosting plans)
  • Money-Back Guarantee : 45 days
  • Uptime Guarantee : 99.9%
  • Customer Experience : Fair
  • Storage : Unlimited (on shared hosting plans)
Quick Stats
  • Bandwidth : Unmetered
  • Price : Starting at $2.95/month, (if taken on an annual/3-year basis)
  • Free Domain : Available
  • Money-Back Guarantee : 30 days
  • Uptime Guarantee : 99.9%
  • Customer Experience : Good
  • Storage : Unlimited
Selling Points
  • Longer-than-average money-back guarantee
  • User-friendly setup for beginners
  • All-in-one features
  • Free migrations
Selling Points
  • Budget-friendly pricing for feature set
  • Prompt data restoration in critical cases
  • Built-in performance suite with CDN and autoscaling
  • Custom StackCP control panel
Core Features
  • CDN Included
  • cPanel Included
  • Direct Hosting Provider
  • Reseller Hosting
  • Responsive Design
  • SEO Tools
  • Sitemap Support
  • SSD Storage
  • Unlimited Bandwidth
  • Unlimited Storage
  • Unlimited Websites
Core Features
  • CDN Included
  • cPanel Included
  • Direct Hosting Provider
  • Reseller Hosting
  • Responsive Design
  • SEO Tools
  • Sitemap Support
  • SSD Storage
  • Unlimited Bandwidth
  • Unlimited Storage
  • Unlimited Websites
Server & Hosting Types
  • Cloud Hosting
  • Dedicated Hosting
  • Green Web Hosting
  • Mac Hosting
  • Shared Hosting
  • VPS Hosting
  • Windows Hosting
  • WordPress Hosting
Server & Hosting Types
  • Cloud Hosting
  • Dedicated Hosting
  • Green Web Hosting
  • Mac Hosting
  • Shared Hosting
  • VPS Hosting
  • Windows Hosting
  • WordPress Hosting
E-commerce & CMS
  • Drupal Hosting
  • E-commerce Plans
  • Joomla Hosting
  • Magento Hosting
  • Online Store
  • WooCommerce Support
E-commerce & CMS
  • Drupal Hosting
  • E-commerce Plans
  • Joomla Hosting
  • Magento Hosting
  • Online Store
  • WooCommerce Support
Security Features
  • 24/7 Network Monitoring
  • DDoS Protection
  • Free Dedicated IP
  • Free SSL Certificate
  • Malware Scanning and Removal
  • Site Backups
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Security Features
  • 24/7 Network Monitoring
  • DDoS Protection
  • Free Dedicated IP
  • Free SSL Certificate
  • Malware Scanning and Removal
  • Site Backups
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Advanced Features
  • Custom Cron Jobs
  • HTTP/2 Support
  • MySQL Databases
  • PHP 7 Support
  • Python Support
  • Ruby on Rails Support
  • Secure Shell (SSH) Access
  • Website Builder
Advanced Features
  • Custom Cron Jobs
  • HTTP/2 Support
  • MySQL Databases
  • PHP 7 Support
  • Python Support
  • Ruby on Rails Support
  • Secure Shell (SSH) Access
  • Website Builder
Customer Support Options
  • 24/7 Support Availability
  • Community Forum
  • Email
  • Knowledge Base
  • Live Chat
  • Phone
  • Social Media
  • Ticketing
Customer Support Options
  • 24/7 Support Availability
  • Community Forum
  • Email
  • Knowledge Base
  • Live Chat
  • Phone
  • Social Media
  • Ticketing
Payment Methods
  • Bank Transfers
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Major Credit Cards
  • PayPal
Payment Methods
  • Bank Transfers
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Major Credit Cards
  • PayPal
Payment Options
  • Checks
Payment Options
  • Checks
Server Operating System
  • Linux/ Ubuntu Hosting
Server Operating System
  • Linux/ Ubuntu Hosting