Gator (by HostGator) Review

Review:

Gator offers an easy-to-navigate platform that is great for people with little to no experience in building websites. Due to its large storage space, Gator is best suited for service-based sites or sites with a large media content. While the blog and e-commerce sites are extremely basic, Gator is a capable website builder with rich features and mobile responsiveness.

Pros:

Gator offers a host of industry-specific templates that are customizable and come with a range of features, such as social media integration, blog posts, and video embedding. The templates also feature an onboarding tutorial that makes it very easy for beginners to use.

While Gator lacks a free version, all plans have affordable pricing which includes web analytics, a free SSL certificate, a domain name, and 24/7 support via phone, email, or chat. Gator's websites are also mobile responsive. The Starter plan is a great option as you will get access to all of Gator's features except for priority support, which is only available on the Premium and eCommerce plans.

Cons:

While Gator's editing feature is simple to use, it does not automatically create space on your page if you add something new. Instead, your features and add-ins will overlap each other and you will need to manually move everything around. Gator's website templates are also quite basic and are not suitable for more complex website designs.

Gator's websites are mobile-friendly, but the mobile preview does not always translate your changes exactly as you have them on your desktop. Also, you cannot edit content in the mobile view but will need to switch to the desktop view to make any changes. Security features are limited compared to competitors.

Reputation:

HostGator is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) but it does have an A business rating with BBB.

HostGator has received 736 customer reviews on Trustpilot with an average rating of 2.8 out of 5 stars. 68% of these reviews are 1-star ratings, as these customers were disappointed with HostGator's customer service and server security. Many customers have complained about their sites crashing or being put on hold. However, a number of customers have stated that they enjoyed excellent customer service and have praised HostGator's web hosting services and price ranges.

HostAdvice has collected 96 customer reviews for HostGator, with an average rating of 5.1 out of 10. Positive customer reviews have praised HostGator's web hosting services, support, pricing, and ease-of-use. On the other hand, negative customer reviews have cited poor customer service, websites placed on hold or crashing, and refunds not being provided when asked for within the cancellation period.