HostGator and DreamHost are both very popular web hosting services. Are you wondering which one of the two to choose as your web host? We understand that this is a tough decision to make as both HostGator and DreamHost enjoy a solid reputation in the industry and are evenly matched in most respects. But there are indeed differences between the two, which we are going to talk about at length here.
DreamHost has been around longer than HostGator. DreamHost was founded in 1996 while HostGater was founded in 2002. HostGator hosts over 10 million websites around the world. DreamHost hosts a similar number as well. They are both exceptionally popular web hosting providers – but you can only choose one of them.
HostGator vs DreamHost – Reliability
Both HostGator and DreamHost use top-of-the-line data centers that are equipped with excellent security and state-of-the-art technology. All the data on both HostGator and DreamHost is backed up on a daily basis, so there’s no reason to worry about data loss. They are both highly reliable services that offer an uptime guarantee of 99.9%. So there’s nothing much to choose between the two as far as reliability is concerned.
HostGator vs DreamHost – Performance
HostGator outperforms most web hosting providers when it comes to performance, and it’s the same with DreamHost as well. In a benchmark test performed on both HostGator and DreamHost using GtMetrix, it was found HostGator took 1.7 seconds to load while DreamHost took 2.39 seconds to load. So you can say that we have a clear winner here.
What about speed? We tested both DreamHost and HostGator on speed by using the Pingdom speed testing tool on them. The results were that HostGator took less than a second to load the websites hosted by it, while DreamHost took 1.25 seconds for the same. Again, we have a clear winner. HostGator performs better than DreamHost on the benchmark test and the speed test.
HostGator vs DreamHost – Plans
HostGator offers 3 different shared web hosting plans, Hatchling plan ($4.38 per month), Baby plan ($4.78 per month) and Business plan ($6.78 per month). HostGator plans get even cheaper when you buy them on a 1-year, 2-year or 3-year basis. The Hatchling plan is the cheapest, but hosts only a single domain. Other plans allow you to host multiple domains, and provide unlimited bandwidth and disk space as well as email addresses.
DreamHost has a single shared web hosting plan which costs $8.95/mo. You cannot purchase the DreamHost plan on a month-by-month basis as you can with HostGator. So if you are new to internet marketing or online business, DreamHost may not be the right option to choose as there is no way of knowing if your business will last 1 year. That’s why we feel that HostGator is friendlier web hosting option for beginners.
HostGator vs DreamHost – Customer Support
For such a highly rated and popular web hosting service, DreamHost really lags behind as fast as its customer support is concerned. DreamHost does not offer telephone support, but you can have a customer support representative from the company call you by paying an extra fee. Otherwise, DreamHost support is through email or by registering an online ticket.
HostGator on the other hand probably has the best customer support in the industry. Support is available 24/7 on HostGator, 365 days a year, by phone, email and live chat. HostGator has over 850 customer support executives working for it, so clearly, customer support is something that HostGator takes very seriously indeed. So, when it comes to customer support, it’s not even a contest between the two.
HostGator vs DreamHost – Control Panel
HostGator has the world’s #1 control panel cPanel. cPanel is famously user-friendly; it can be used very comfortably even by those who are not technically minded. It allows you to install WordPress with just one click and automatically installs software upgrades. DreamHost uses a custom web based control panel – not the best by any means. In fact, compared to cPanel, DreamHost’s control panel is decidedly mediocre.
HostGator vs DreamHost – Which is Better?
It should be clear from the comparisons made so far that HostGator is by makes for a much better choice than DreamHost. HostGator’s plans are friendlier to beginners. HostGator also has a better customer service and control panel. HostGator performs slightly better than DreamHost in the speed tests and benchmark tests. DreamHost is a very good web hosting provider, but in our opinion, HostGator is better.
Click here for more information on the best HostGator plans.
