Bluehost vs. HostGator 2025: Is There Any Actual Difference?

Bluehost and HostGator are extremely similar hosting providers, but Bluehost has a few features that aren’t available on HostGator, making it the overall better choice. The reason the two hosts are so alike is that they are owned by the same parent company, Newfold Digital. However, Bluehost seems to be the company’s flagship brand, and as a result, they’ve invested more into it. This is reflected in Bluehost’s superior hardware and a few other features that HostGator doesn’t have.

If you want to understand these nuances, then read our detailed Bluehost vs. HostGator analysis. We’ll review both hosts’ features, performance, security, pros and cons, and pricing. By the end, you’ll have a solid understanding of which host is right for you.

Bluehost vs. HostGator review at a glance

• Bluehost: Best for more features for cheaper
• HostGator: Best for a reliable reputation

	Our Pick
Star rating	4.8 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.7 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Starting price	Starts at $3.99/mo	Starts at $3.75/mo
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days
Uptime guarantee	99.99%	99%
Monthly visits	40K - 400K	40K - 400K
Number of websites	10 - 100	10 - 100
Storage	10 GB - 100 GB NVMe	10 GB - 100 GB SSD
Free SSL certificate	On all plans	On all plans
Free domain for a year	On all plans	On all plans
Learn more	Get Bluehost Read Bluehost Review	Get HostGator Read HostGator Review

Bluehost pros and cons

As you can deduce from the comparison table above, Bluehost and HostGator aren’t very different from each other. In practice, this means that 95% of Bluehost’s pros are also HostGator’s pros.

Bluehost’s big advantage is the inclusion of AI site creation tools on all shared web hosting plans. For anyone looking to get a website (or several) up and running quickly, this is a tipping point factor, and HostGator doesn’t have anything similar. It used to offer a non-WordPress website builder, but it’s no longer available to new customers (though legacy users can still access it). Aside from that, Bluehost uses modern NVMe storage, while HostGator’s shared hosting still relies on older-generation SSD storage.

Bluehost’s only real cons are minor. It has a slightly less favorable online reputation, and it scored a bit lower in our performance testing. Also, its online documentation can be frustrating to navigate because it sometimes contains contradicting information on the same page.

HostGator pros and cons

HostGator gives you almost all the same great features that Bluehost does — SSL certificates, a CDN, email, comprehensive security, 24/7 support, etc. — but has a better online reputation. When we conducted our performance tests, HostGator also beat out Bluehost across all variables (more on that shortly).

The downside is that all of HostGator’s plans use older SSD storage, and it’s priced higher for what is basically the same set of core features. On top of that, HostGator doesn’t include any kind of website builder — AI or otherwise. Unless a better reputation and marginally better performance are enough of a justification for you to pay a surplus, then HostGator’s cons outweigh its pros.

Which web hosting service has the best core features?

Bluehost wins when it comes to core features. Its shared hosting plans include everything that HostGator does, but sweetens the deal with modern NVMe storage, the AI website builder, and advanced ecommerce tools on the highest plan.

	Our Pick
Number of contributors	User roles supported - no hard cap	User roles supported - no hard cap
Websites per account	10 - 100	10 - 100
Storage available	10 GB - 100 GB NVMe	10 GB - 100 GB SSD
Bandwidth	Unmetered	Unmetered
Monthly visits	40K - 400K	40K - 400K
Staging environment	On all plans	On all plans
Migration assistance	On all plans - free via transfer wizard + paid	On all plans - free via transfer wizard + paid
Email	5 - unlimited boxes per account	5 - unlimited boxes per account
Control panel	On all plans - Bluehost account manager + cPanel	On all plans - HostGator customer portal + cPanel
Website builder	On all plans - AI-powered
Hosting types available	Shared / WordPress / WooCommerce / cloud / VPS (unmanaged + managed) / dedicated server / email-only	Shared / WordPress / ecommerce / semi-managed VPS / dedicated server / reseller / email-only
Learn more	Get Bluehost Read Bluehost Review	Get HostGator Read HostGator Review

The two hosts’ parent company, Newfold Digital, hasn’t made many differences between the two brands’ shared hosting plans. Other than the three features mentioned previously, the specs are identical. You get the same number of websites, storage space, monthly traffic limits, email inboxes per plan, and so on.

There is one other caveat here, though: As of the time of this writing, HostGator’s second-tier Baby plan does not have a Bluehost equivalent. However, even if that Baby plan is ideal for your needs, you’ll save money by going beyond those needs with Bluehost’s Business plan. Not to mention that you’ll also get the AI website builder.

Bluehost further differentiates itself with an entirely separate line of “high-performance” plans, which are not available on HostGator. These are shared hosting plans that offer more storage and higher CPU power.

Aside from shared hosting, Bluehost offers both managed and unmanaged VPS, whereas HostGator has a hybrid semi-managed VPS setup. Bluehost also has a powerful (albeit pricey) set of cloud hosting plans for WordPress users. There is nothing like that on the HostGator side.

In general, Bluehost offers more types of hosting, but whenever the two hosts do offer the same product, it’s cheaper (or the same) on Bluehost.

Which web host has the best performance and reliability?

HostGator gets a symbolic win for performance and reliability, but the margin of victory is so minuscule that in practice, they are the same. Both hosts scored a flawless average performance score, with HostGator beating Bluehost on average FCP (how fast the first element on a web page loads) and LCP (how fast the largest element loads).

		Our Pick
Uptime guarantee	99.99%	99%
Tested uptime	100%	100%
Average performance score	100	100
Average FCP	0.43 seconds	0.4 seconds
Average LCP	0.63 seconds	0.56 seconds
Learn more	Get Bluehost Read Bluehost Review	Get HostGator Read HostGator Review

At the end of the day, the reality is that either of these hosts will give you solid performance as long as you do your part — meaning optimizing your images, keeping your database clean without unnecessary plugins, etc. Those variables, along with choosing a plan that’s appropriate for your traffic numbers, are going to influence your website’s performance more than whether you pick Bluehost or HostGator.

Which web host is the better value?

Bluehost is the better value because it charges less for almost the same features, but adds in additional bonuses that HostGator doesn’t have. However, you’ll have to pay an additional fee at plan renewal for some of these extras.

	Our Pick
Price range	$3.99-$14.99/mo	$3.75-$13.95/mo
Best value plan	Business for $6.99/mo	Baby for $4.50/mo
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days
Free domain for a year	On all plans	On all plans
Free CDN	On all plans	On all plans
Free SSL	On all plans	On all plans
Learn more	Get Bluehost Read Bluehost Review	Get HostGator Read HostGator Review

Bluehost plans

Bluehost's web hosting plans come with two guarantees: a 30-day money-back guarantee and 99.99% uptime. The following is also included on all plans: AI site creation tools, a free domain in the first year, a site migration wizard, staging sites, a free CDN, cPanel, and managed WordPress updates.

Security is backed by free SSL certificates, free malware scanning, a web application firewall, DDoS protection, and weekly website backups. Support is 24/7 via chat, with the Business and eCommerce Essentials plans adding phone support.

• Starter: 10 websites, 10 GB NVMe storage, and up to 40,000 visits per month
• Business: 50 websites, 50 GB NVMe storage, up to 200,000 visits per month, malware detection + removal, and free domain privacy for the first year
• eCommerce Essentials: 100 websites, 100 GB NVMe storage, up to 400,000 visits per month, everything in Business + ecommerce tools like secure payment processing, paid course functionality, affiliate program, and more

HostGator plans

HostGator’s plans include features close to what you see above, but with four key exceptions. The first two we’ve discussed extensively — no NVMe storage and no AI website builder. The third is that HostGator's uptime guarantee is advertised at 99%, which is 0.99% less than Bluehost’s advertised number.

However, for most websites, that promised extra 0.99% won’t make a noticeable difference. The fourth exception is the ecommerce tool suite provided on Bluehost’s highest tier. Other than those four features, all the other above-listed features for Bluehost’s plans also apply to HostGator, with phone support starting from the Baby plan.

• Hatchling plan: 10 websites, 10 GB SSD storage, and up to 40,000 visits per month
• Baby plan: 20 websites, 20 GB SSD storage, and up to 50,000 visits per month
• Business plan: 50 websites, 50 GB SSD storage, up to 200,000 visits per month, malware detection + removal, and free domain privacy for the first year
• Pro plan: 100 websites, 100 GB SSD storage, up to 400,000 visits per month, malware detection + removal, and free domain privacy for the first year

Which web host has the best security features?

Bluehost wins this round because its two higher-tier shared hosting plans include a complimentary one-year subscription to CodeGuard. HostGator makes CodeGuard available as a paid add-on, but without any free trials.

	Our Pick
Malware scanning
Firewall protection
DDoS protection
Backup frequency	Weekly, or daily with CodeGuard	Weekly, or daily with CodeGuard
Other	2FA, Access Control	2FA, Access Control
Learn more	Get Bluehost Read Bluehost Review	Get HostGator Read HostGator Review

Besides the CodeGuard free trial, there is one other security advantage that Bluehost has over HostGator, which is that it does not place restrictions on malware scanning. In contrast, HostGator will only scan your website for malware if your domain is hosted with HostGator.

Other than that, both hosts give you a firewall, DDoS protection, 2FA, and weekly backups.

Which web host has the best support and reputation?

HostGator gets another small win in this category due to having a marginally more positive online reputation.

		Our Pick
24/7 customer support
Support options	Live chat, phone, knowledge base, online guides, video tutorials	Live chat, phone, knowledge base, online guides, and email
Trustpilot score	4.6	4.6
G2 rating	3.4	3.6
Capterra rating	3.6	3.8
Learn more	Get Bluehost Read Bluehost Review	Get HostGator Read HostGator Review

Both hosts offer 24/7 chat support across all plans. Phone support is added starting with their respective second-tier plans. In practice — at least on the chat side — customer support is provided by the same people. In other words, HostGator support is Bluehost support and vice versa. Phone support likely functions the same, though we can’t confirm this. That aside, the agents are genuinely helpful and friendly, and response times are fast.

On the self-support side, both brands have a thorough knowledge base and supplemental materials like courses and guides. Bluehost also provides an AI summary for knowledge base inquiries, which HostGator does not. Depending on personal preference, this could be a plus, or it could be a waste of time because you end up checking the source material anyway.

As for the hosts’ reputations, they are fairly even, with HostGator viewed slightly more positively than Bluehost.

Top alternatives

If you’ve read this far and you weren’t swayed in either direction, then you may want to consider some alternative web hosting services. The following three are great options:

Hostinger

This popular host is known for competitive promo pricing and long four-year contracts. It has similar plans to Bluehost and HostGator, but they come with a few unique bonuses like a free trial to Hostinger’s vibe coding tool. The main tradeoff is that you won’t get cPanel on shared hosting.

Learn more in our Hostinger review.

Hosting.com

If you’re looking for a true all-in-one hosting solution that won’t require you to purchase add-ons for almost anything, then Hosting.com should be on your radar. Aside from offering the same features as Bluehost and HostGator, Hosting.com also provides automatic backups every 12 hours (compared to only weekly). All shared and unmanaged WordPress plans include the Enhance control panel; however, you can opt for a cPanel plan instead.

Learn more in our Hosting.com review.

GreenGeeks

For anyone who likes most of what Bluehost and HostGator offer, but doesn’t want monthly website traffic limits, GreenGeeks is a perfect solution. In addition, all plans above entry-level support unlimited websites. Plus, GreenGeeks is a carbon-negative company, so your hosting subscription won’t negatively affect the environment.

Learn more in our GreenGeeks review.

Bluehost vs. HostGator: Which is better?

Despite the overwhelming similarities between them, Bluehost is without a doubt the better hosting brand.

	Our Pick
Value
Core features
Performance and reliability
Security
Support and reputation
Learn more	Get Bluehost Read Bluehost Review	Get HostGator Read HostGator Review

If you only glance at the two hosts’ plans, it almost seems like they have the same features, just that HostGator has the additional Baby plan and charges more money. However, it’s clear that with Bluehost, you get everything that you’d get with HostGator and then some.

For virtually every type of user, Bluehost is the top choice. You’ll get NVMe storage, an AI website builder, less restrictive malware scanning, and if you pick the third-tier plan, a comprehensive ecommerce suite. HostGator only makes sense if, for some reason, you highly value its marginally more positive online reputation and you’re willing to pay a premium for that. Otherwise, you’d just be paying more to get less.

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