Gator Full Review: Is It the One for Me?

Gator is usually recommended for beginners due to its easy-to-use drag-and-drop function that doesn't require any coding knowledge. You can create any website using it, but it's usually used to create an online store or for a blog.

• Blogging: They include a number of templates to create a blog. You can add images, videos, tags, text formatting, and edit the URL, which is great for SEO ranking. You can even save the post as a draft before deciding to publish it. The only disadvantage is you can't schedule to post a blog at a specific date or time.
• E-Commerce: It's easy to create an online store on Gator, you'll be guided step by step, and the website will tell you everything you need. Many elements are included to help you create an online store, including tax, shipping, and payment processor. You can create store discounts and coupons. You'll benefit from more advanced features if you register for the Express Store plan.

Gator's Plans

First and foremost, what exactly are you looking for in your plan? That's a question you should ask yourself before deciding which plan of Gator's three plans you're willing to use.

Let's look at Gator's three premium plans:

If you look at Gator's premium plans, you'll see that they're quite similar. Sure, they all come with unmetered bandwidth and an SSL certificate, but they're different in other ways. The Express Start plan has plenty of features, but you won't get any advanced tools to create an online store. While the Express Site plan and Express Store are quite similar, the only difference is the price. Just kidding! With the Express Store plan, you'll get advanced e-commerce features to create an online store without paying a transaction fee with every purchase from your store.

There's a 45-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind. 

Price & Payment Methods

One thing that needs to be pointed out is the longer you pay, the lower the price would be. It's up to you if you prefer paying monthly, annually, or up to two years in advance. Unfortunately, there's no free plan, but you have 45-days to decide and get your money back.

If Gator is your choice, you can pay for your plan using Mastercard, Visa, American Express, or PayPal. 

Ease of Use

Using Gator is like taking a walk in the park. Once you sign-up, the first thing you need to do is choose a template. The templates are organized in categories based on what you want to create, and it has a search bar to make it easier for you to find the design you want.

As I previously mentioned, like many other web builders, Gator has a drag-and-drop function, so you'll be able to drag and drop anything from the side panel to your web page and place it anywhere. You can even edit the text size, color, add images, and embed any feature you want.

The best part? There's a tutorial to guide you on everything you need to know. So, creating a website has never been easier.

Customer Support

If there's anything you don't understand, you can rely on Gator's customer service to help you out. They're available 24/7 on live chat, phone, and email. The only problem is there are so many customers with little time to answer. That's why if you're using the Starter plan, you won't get priority support, and it might take a while before you get a response.

While there's a help center you can refer to, the information provided is very limited, so it might not be the best option to refer to. That’s why it’s better to sign up for the other plans and get priority support when needed.

You can find anything you need, from fashion to travel website templates. There's one downside to using Gator's templates that they're basic. That's why if you're more into design and creativity to showcase your work, you should probably go in a different direction like Squarespace.

I know I said that you could easily edit everything, but Gator won't adjust every element automatically. Elements will overlap, and there wouldn't be any space. Instead, you'll have to do that by yourself.

That doesn't mean they're not good; it just means they provide a great start that you'll have to fix on your own.

Artificial Design Intelligence 

If you don't want to design your own website, you can answer a few questions, and POOF, your website will be ready. How? Simply, with Gator's artificial design intelligence. 

Security

SSL Certificate

For a secure website, especially if you have an online store, an SSL certificate will help encrypt your data. Luckily, there's a free SSL certificate included with every plan. 

DDoS Protection

You can sleep safely at night knowing your website is safe under Gator's supervision and their custom firewall that will protect it from malicious attacks like DDoS attacks. 

What's Included in Every Plan?

Each Gator plan comes with plenty of features. Starting from the Express Start, you’ll be getting unlimited bandwidth and storage, which means unlimited content and visitors. Isn’t that a great advantage?

Let’s see in detail some of the basic features in each plan:

• Domain name: Your website’s name is available for free for the first year.
• Analytics tool: To track and analyze your website’s statistics, for example, the number of visitors, what they’re interested in, and more.
• LogoMaker: Create your website's logo with Gator's LogoMaker. 
• Email Marketing Tools: Send automated emails and design your emails in any way you like. 
• $200 Search Engine Marketing Credit: Get ranked on google with the $200 marketing credit included in every Gator plan.
• Free CDN Included: For fast websites, there's a CDN included with every plan. It'll help get you a better SEO ranking. 
• Mobile Responsiveness: The website will automatically adjust to different devices and screen sizes. This will give you a better SEO ranking. 

Of course, as one of the top hosting providers, HostGator provides free hosting with its web building plans.

E-Commerce Features

Gator comes with excellent e-commerce tools. This means your website comes with management tools for inventory, shipping, tax tools and create discounts for customers. Shipping management is basic with every plan except the Store plan. 

You can add your payment methods. The only downside is there's a 3% transaction fee with the Start and Site plans.

Social Media Integration

Make a good presence online across different platforms and embed them on your site. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or anything else, Gator gives you the chance to integrate them into your website. 

All in all, Gator is a great web builder with all the basic features available in its plans. You’ll have everything you need if you’re creating a basic website; you can add as much content as you want and get as many visitors as you like due to their unlimited storage and bandwidth available with every plan.

That’s not the only thing you should be happy about, but even if you choose the Express Start plan, you’ll get a free domain name and free SSL certificate. The only thing you’ll be missing is priority support and a couple of other features. However, I don’t think you’d need any help when working with its easy-to-use drag-and-drop function, so you’ll be good to go.

Care to give it a try? There’s a 45-day money-back guarantee.