We’ve all been there: visiting HostGator’s shared hosting page and wondering which package fits our requirements. So, should you go for HostGator’s Hatchling plan? Or, is the Baby plan is a better fit? That we’ll find out today.
Here is the summary for the HostGator Hatchling vs Baby Plan comparison:
The Hatchling plan is the best option for beginners. The Baby plan, on the other hand, is for hosting a website with higher. It also allows hosting multiple websites. So, Hatchling is your best bet if you’re starting out. You can upgrade to the Baby plan anytime.
Keep on reading to learn about HostGator’s Hatchling vs Baby Plans in detail.
Is HostGator Right for You? Think Twice!
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HostGator is certainly a great hosting service that powers over 2,000,000 websites globally and offers standout bonuses like a free domain name.
But, is HostGator really your best bet? Let me walk you through some facts about HostGator to help you decide that!
Beware of Renewal Rates
Did you know that the pricing at HostGator will not remain the same forever? If you pay $2.75/mo for getting started, HostGator will charge $6.95/mo when you renew your subscription.
$6.95/mo is still not the regular price of the starter plan at HostGator. After a few years, you may have to pay even more than that every month.
However, considering that hosting providers like SiteGround charge over $15/mo upon renewal, HostGator is still good to go with. After all, you can sign up for long-term to enjoy discounted prices for many years.
Support is Not That Prompt
We’ve tested HostGator’s customer support. It wasn’t as prompt as the top hosts like SiteGround and LiquidWeb offer. We had to wait over 10 minutes to get connected to a support agent.
When it comes to their support behavior and how well they helped us solve our “so-called” issue, we were impressed by it. Simply put, HostGator’s customer support is friendly and knowledgeable but can take a while to respond back.
Honestly, waiting for over 10 minutes is perfectly fine if you’re just starting out. It’s because issues with small websites are extremely rare. In fact, even large websites won’t have a problem with a 10-minute delayed response from the support agent.
You’ll Have to Sign Up for Long
Are you impressed by HostGator’s cheap pricing and bonuses like a free domain name?
Similarly, if you want to claim a free domain name, the least you’ll be required is a 12-month subscription to HostGator.
But, since subscribing for long lets you enjoy a discount for years, I believe it’s worth it. Also, you don’t have to connect your payment gateway every month to pay for hosting.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the comparison.
HostGator’s Hatchling vs Baby Plan: Pricing, Features, & More
Here we’ll compare HostGator’s Hatchling vs Baby plans in various aspects.
Domains Allowed
The shared hosting plans at HostGator come with limits over how many websites you can host with the same plan.
The starter plan at HostGator – Hatchling – allows you to host a single website only. It means that you cannot connect another website to your account while you’re already hosting one with the Hatchling plan.
The Baby plan, on the other hand, offers unlimited domains. So, you can host as many websites as you want, with the Baby plan. But, remember that server resources are limited. So, if you host many high-traffic sites, their performance would be affected.
Features
The features offered by the Hatchling and the Baby plans are quite similar.
SSL Certificate
With each plan, you get a free SSL certificate that improves your website’s security and thus makes tit trustable in front of search engines, web browsers, and users.
Free Domain
Another great feature you get with both plans is free domain registration. It means that getting started with either of HostGator’s Hatchling or Baby plans will throw in a free domain name for your website. However, note that this bonus requires you to sign up at HostGator for a minimum of 12 months.
Unlimited Storage & Bandwidth
Furthermore, both these plans also offer unlimited storage and bandwidth. However, note that they aren’t fully “unlimited”. There’s still a limit and you’re not charged automatically when your websites exceed the storage or bandwidth limits. Instead, you’re notified about the limit and are asked to expand them.
45-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Other than that, you also get a 45-day money-back guarantee with each of HostGator’s shared plans. The provider also throws in $150 Google Ads and $100 Microsoft Ads credit to help with your website’s advertising.
1-Click WordPress Installation
WordPress is the most popular content management platform. If you’re willing to use WordPress to host your website, you’d be happy to know that both Hatchling and Baby plans at HostGator offer 1-click WordPress installation. So, you can install WordPress on your hosting account within a few clicks.
FREE Website Transfer
If you have an existing website you’d like to transfer to HostGator, know that its Hatchling and Baby plans both offer free site migration for WordPress sites. So, unlike Bluehost, HostGator doesn’t charge an extra fee for site transfer.
Simply put, both Hatchling and Baby plans of HostGator come with similar features.
Pricing
The Hatchling plan at HostGator starts from $2.75/mo whereas the Baby plan costs $3.50/mo. The prices I mentioned are the discounted rates that are only applicable if you choose the 3-year subscription.
Here are more details:
- $2.75/mo – 3-year term
- $3.95/mo – 1-year term
- $10.95/mo – 6-month term
- $10.95/mo – 1-month term
- $3.50/mo – 3-year term
- $5.00/mo – 1-year term
- $11.95/mo – 6-month term
- $11.95/mo – 1-month term
With the prices at hand, it’s clear that the Baby plan is slightly more expensive.
Note: The prices were last updated in March 2022. Click here for the latest prices.
Website Builder
All shared hosting plans at HostGator include the free HostGator website builder. It lets you build a website with a graphical interface without knowing how to code.
If you don’t want to learn how to code or hire a programmer to develop your website, you might find this feature effective. The best part is, this site builder also offers additional features like a shopping cart and payment gateway for online shops.
Control Panel
Whichever shared plan you pick, HostGator offers the intuitive cPanel for managing your hosting account. It’s powerful, easy-to-navigate, and fast – making it easy for you to tweak your hosting settings within a few clicks.
Takeaway: Both Hatchling and Baby plans at HostGator offer the same graphical control panel – cPanel.
Performance & Uptime
Both Hatchling and Baby plan tend to offer the same level of performance and server reliability.
Speaking of performance, though HostGator’s servers lack SSD drives, they’re fast and responsive. It results in a fast page loading speed of your website to ensure a good user experience and SEO score.
Takeaway: Both Hatchling and Baby plans at HostGator are equipped with the same level of performance and server uptime.
Email Hosting
HostGator is one of the few hosting providers that offer professional email hosting for free, along with shared hosting plans.
If you’re not sure, a professional email is different from the regular email addresses and is a recommended option for businesses.
Regular email: [email protected].
Professional email: [email protected]
To put it simply, a professional email usually routes to your hosting server rather than the email server of a third-party app like Gmail or Yahoo.
Thankfully, both Hatchling and Baby plans at HostGator offer unlimited professional email accounts at the rate of your domain name.
Target User
The Hatchling and Baby plans of HostGator are designed for slightly different audiences.
The Hatchling plan perfectly fits a beginner user or someone starting a new website with zero traffic. Whether you’re starting a portfolio website, a blog, or an eCommerce store, the Hatchling plan is a great start.
But, if you want to host multiple websites with a single hosting plan, the Baby plan is the way to go. It’s also a recommended option for a website that has outgrown the limits of the Hatchling plan and requires more resources.
So, Which One Do You Pick?
In this article, I’ve thoroughly compared HostGator’s Hatchling vs Baby plans in terms of a target audience, performance, pricing, server uptime, features, and many other factors.
I hope it helped you determine which way to go.
To recap, here’s which one of the Hatchling and Baby plans your best bet:
- If you’re starting out, go for the Hatchling plan. It has everything you would need for your brand new website.
- If you want to host multiple sites, go for the Baby plan. The Baby plan is also a good way to go if your website gets more traffic than the Hatchling plan can handle.
FAQs Regarding HostGator Hatchling vs Baby Plan
Got questions? We’ve got answers:
I have HostGator Hatchling Plan. Can I upgrade to a higher-level plan?
You can always upgrade to the higher plan at HostGator. To upgrade to the Baby plan from the Hatchling plan, simply head over to your hosting account settings and click Upgrade.
Now, select the Baby plan and you’ll see the details of how much more you’ll have to pay. If you’re wondering, your remaining subscription for the Hatchling plan won’t go unused, you’ll have to pay less for the Baby plan in return for it.
However, one thing you should know is that upgrading to a higher plan may not include the bonuses like a free domain name. It’s because you only get a free domain once.
Which is the best HostGator shared hosting plan?
Which hosting plan of HostGator is best, depends upon your requirements. Here are our recommended HostGator packages for different needs:
Hatchling – If you’re just starting out, the Hatchling plan of HostGator is the best option. It offers all the essential things you need to get started with a website, including a free domain name, an SSL certificate, a website builder, and much more.
Baby – If your website outgrows the limits of the Hatchling plan and starts getting more traffic, you can upgrade to the Baby plan. The baby plan is also suitable if you want to host more than a single website.
Business – The Business plan, as it suggests, is recommended for business owners. If you run a blog that makes you money every month or an online shop, the Business plan might suit you the best. It offers advanced features like SEO tools.
Can I move my WordPress site to HostGator?
Yes, you can transfer your WordPress site to HostGator. Simply contact HostGator’s customer support and ask them for help in this regard. Since HostGator offers free WordPress website transfer, you won’t have to pay an additional fee.
Do I get an SSL certificate with the Hatchling Plan?
Thankfully, the Hatchling plan of HostGator throws in a FREE SSL certificate. It’s a standard SSL certificate that uses strong 2048 bit signatures while offering 256-bit encryption of customer data and 99.9% browser recognition.
Can HostGator host email?
HostGator’s shared hosting plans allow you to host an email that’s automatically routed to your HostGator server. All takes to do that is to create an email and that’s it.
Where are HostGator servers located?
HostGator is based in Houston but hosts servers from multiple data center locations. At the moment, HostGator’s servers are located in Provo, Utah, and Houston, Texas.
Are Bluehost and HostGator the same company?
Bluehost and HostGator are both owned by Endurance International Group (EIG). It’s also known as Newfold Digital and is an IT company that focuses on web hosting. It came out back in 1997 and has over 2,500 employees.
Which HostGator plan do I need?
If you’re starting out, the Hatchling plan is your best bet. If you want to host multiple websites, go for the Baby plan. Lastly, the Business plan of HostGator is best for professional users looking for bonuses like dedicated IP and SEO tools.
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