Envato vs HostGator – Which Should You Choose?
When it comes to building your own website or blog, there are dozens, if not hundreds of different tools you could use to get the job done. You could spend days combing through all the various options trying to find the one that’s just right for you. While there are plenty of benefits to using a popular Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress or Joomla, not all of us are blessed with the talents of a web designer or tech guru. If you’re looking for an easy way to get your own website up and running (and don’t want to dive into CSS or HTML), then consider one of the many hosting services that offer you what is called a static website. With a static website, you don’t need to worry about upgrading or installing any software on your part because everything is done for you. This also means you don’t need to worry about securing a domain name or setting up any complex password protection because you don’t have to.
But just because you don’t have to doesn’t mean that a static website is for everyone. If you have a large following on social media, you could use your own blog as a way to engage with your audience. You could use it to publish your news stories, write opinion pieces, or even establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry. For those who want to build a simple website to grow their business, read on to learn more about the differences between HostGator and Envato.
Features Matches
Before we get into the details, it’s important to note that not all static websites are created equal. By that, we mean that not all hostings services are made equal. You’ll want to make sure you are choosing a service that offers the features you need and doesn’t charge you an arm and a leg for them. Naturally, you’ll want to compare features and pricing before making a decision.
Let’s start with HostGator, the cheap option that almost every one–and-a-half million websites use (estimates from Neom, a digital marketing agency). HostGator’s standard plan starts at just $2.95 per month with additional features like free domain privacy, free backups, and free custom SSL. Most of their shared hosting packages also include free domain privacy and free backups. You won’t find those features on their $19.95 per month pro plan or their $36.45 per month business plan.
Security And Performance
Even people who use secure sites like Gmail, Facebook, and Twitter put themselves at risk of having their email, social media, and personal data stolen by a cybercriminal. Having a bad experience with a hoster is the last thing you want to do. Unfortunately, HostGator has a pretty poor reputation when it comes to security and reliability. Just this year, the host was reportedly hacked and thousands of customer emails and sensitive information were stolen. Even earlier this year, Tech Radar did a review of the host and said that while they provide adequate amounts of storage, it’s not a top-notch service and is oversold on its security features.
There are also concerns about HostGator’s data centers being located in Puerto Rico, Ireland, and the United Kingdom which has forced the company to block some IP addresses in an effort to reduce privacy violations. While the company has worked to improve its security and reliability, all of this is not good enough for a site security company to recommend.
Customer Support
Even if you’re not particularly tech-savvy, you’ll want someone available 24/7/365 to help you with any problems you might encounter. The more you use the service, the more familiar the support staff will become with your needs. But even then, you’re probably going to have to spend a lot of time waiting for someone to respond to your calls or emails. Sometimes, it can take up to two days to get a response which is incredibly unsatisfying when you’re in the middle of a crisis.