Web hosting in India is a mixed bag. There are lots of local companies based in places like Pune, Bangalore, and Chennai, but none of the web hosts own their data centers. Instead, they're leased out, and this means they don't have direct access to the servers. Hostgator on the other hand, is a well-known brand that has the resources to manage its own servers. And due to their discounts and coupons, they have some of the cheapest web hosting on the market.
But Hostgator has a huge number of plans. Apart from ordinary web hosting, they also have specialized WordPress hosting, and Cloud services. Which of these is right for your business? Here's a quick guide to help you out with that!
On a Budget? Here's the Best Hostgator Discount
More than any other web host, Hostgator has an enormous number of coupons. Here's a list of all Hostgator coupon codes. You can see in the very first row, that the maximum discount is for 78% and the price starts at just $2.58/m. That belongs to the shared hosting plan for 12-months only, as shown here:
The lowest price comes from the Hatchling plan, and the highest discount comes from the Business plan.
But Longer Billing Cycles - Higher Savings
Though the highest discount in terms of percentage is for the 1-year package, you save a lot more if you choose to host for a longer period like three years. So if you're willing to lay out a higher initial investment, you can save a lot more money down the line.
Just Starting Out? Choose the Hatchling Plan
If you're just starting your website and don't expect too many visitors from day one, there's no better place to begin than the Hostgator Hatchling plan. It's the cheapest shared hosting package from Hostgator, but has the following limitations:
- Just one domain - no multiple websites
- No parked domains
- Unable to purchase a dedicated IP address
But if you have a normal website and aren't thinking of starting a new one any time soon, this plan is ideal for a first-time Indian business owner.
SSL is Included - Along with Cloudflare
There was a time when SSL used to be an expensive add-on feature. However in 2018, Hostgator rolled out free SSL certificates along with all the other EIG properties. Users can now install free Let's Encrypt certificates on their plans.
Earlier, we'd written a tutorial on enabling SSL via Cloudflare. That tutorial is still valid today. However, now you can have full SSL integration from the Cloudflare servers to your origin, which makes the entire connection far more secure.
Hostgator WordPress Plans are Phenomenal
Most web hosting providers simply tag the name "WordPress" onto their hosting plans, install it automatically, and hand it over to their customers. Surprisingly, the Hostgator WordPress plans are truly innovative and offer a bunch of special features. Such as:
- In-built CDN
- Integrated server caching
- Cloud architecture
- Malware scanning and removal
- Automatic updates
While other providers like Bluehost also have managed WordPress hosting plans, they're far more expensive than the ones Hostgator provides. The best coupon code for this is probably READYHOSTING, which gives you up to 57% off on the WordPress plans.
Hostgator Business Plan for e-Commerce
If your website accepts credit card data, it needs to be PCI compliant, and inspire trust in your users. For this, you probably need something more than the free Let's Encrypt certificate that Hostgator provides you. The Business plan lets you upgrade to a positive SSL that makes your address bar turn green for higher trust.
In addition, you get a free dedicated IP address along with an SEO tools package that lets you track keywords, pages, and other information related to your site.
Hostgator India or Global?
If your website is located in say, Delhi, you might think that choosing a server in India is better. Because it's closer right? Unfortunately, the infrastructure in India doesn't yet support the construction of high-grade data centers. Personally, I would host in Singapore if I could. The downside though, is that companies like SiteGround which offer Singapore based hosting, are expensive.
I would much rather choose the international Hostgator brand with its servers in the US compared to the local Hostgator India. The support from the US center is better as well!
Bottom Line
Hostgator sometimes gets a bad rep due to its mammoth size. If you look online, you'll see a lot of complaints. However given their user base, the complaints are actually pretty proportional. Yes, they belong to EIG. Yes, it's a massive corporation. But that also means they have systems in place, and less haphazard operations. And given their massive discounts and surprisingly full-featured WordPress plans, they should be a serious consideration for any Indian business owner.
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