How to Host a WordPress Banner – Should You Buy HostGator or WP Engine?
If you are looking to host a WordPress blog, you are in luck because there are two great companies that provide awesome solutions for just that. We will compare and contrast HostGator and WP Engine to help you make the right decision.
What Is HostGator?
If you have never heard of HostGator, you’re in for a treat. This company was started in 2011 and provides shared hosting services for beginner bloggers as well as big-name brands. What this means is that you can rent a basic (starting at $2.95 per month) or a Plus ($5.45 per month) plan from HostGator and use WordPress to create your blog. You won’t need to worry about installing or running the software on your own server.
On the surface, HostGator seems like a perfect fit for anyone looking to launch a WordPress blog. The service provides a reliable foundation (they stand behind their hosting with a money-back guarantee) and a ton of functionality from which to choose. If you are looking for an all-in-one place to host your blog, the choice is clear: HostGator.
Key Differences Between HostGator and WP Engine
Before comparing and contrasting HostGator and WP Engine, it’s important to point out a couple of key differences between the two. First, WP Engine provides a complete WordPress solution and is thus a bit more expensive than HostGator. Second, and perhaps most importantly, HostGator is a completely free service while WP Engine costs money. This makes HostGator the perfect fit for budding bloggers who want to try their hand at blogging but lack the funds to purchase their own hosting server. Additionally, the free tier of HostGator allows for unlimited domains, while the paid plans from WP Engine allow for a certain number of domains.
Features
Although HostGator and WP Engine are quite similar when it comes to the features they provide, there are a few key differences. First, HostGator does not provide any form of load balancing or fail-over for your websites (this is something you would need to purchase separately). Second, HostGator provides an integrated shopping cart solution (Shopify) which you can use to effortlessly sell and manage your products from your site (the feature is accessible from any product or blog page). Third, as we mentioned above, free users on HostGator can create an unlimited number of blogs while any paid plans from WP Engine only provide for a certain number of sites. Lastly, WP Engine provides a free domain privacy option where as HostGator does not. If you’re serious about protecting your websites content you should look into this option.
Support
An important factor to consider when comparing HostGator to WP Engine is support. Does the vendor provide effective and efficient support? You’ll want to shop for a hosting provider that’s available whenever you need them and have the skills to quickly solve any problem that may arise. In addition to technical support, you also need to be sure that the person you speak to understands what you’re saying and is able to provide satisfactory answers. Finally, make sure that the company provides you with effective communication tools. You should be able to contact the support team via various channels (such as email, phone and live chat) and have your questions answered promptly and professionally.
Overall Review
To conclude, we’ll give you our overall review of HostGator and WP Engine. As you’ll see, despite a few quirks, we think that HostGator is an excellent choice for anyone looking to host a WordPress blog. The service is completely free, has a vibrant community around it and provides a ton of features which you can implement in your own site. If you’ve been thinking about trying out WordPress, this is the perfect place to do it.
Of the two companies we’ve discussed, we think that WP Engine isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for a more robust platform that provides a bit more flexibility (you’ll need to upgrade to a different plan to take advantage of this), then HostGator is the way to go. Additionally, if you’re looking for a more affordable option, then HostGator is the clear choice.