Host Gator Review

I have had so many complaints in the past about web hosts that I've almost become jaded when it comes to talking about hosting companies. However, my current host, Hostgator, has managed to swing my opinion in a more positive direction.

I began hosting my site with Hostgator some time around October of last year. I have to admit that I was skeptical, based on my previous hosting experiences, however I am pleasantly surprised by their service. The hosting plan that I am currently using (the Hatchling plan...because it was inexpensive) has been an excellent plan, considering their uptime, load times, and relative ease of use. They offer PHP, mySQL, and cPanel to manage almost any type of web site you can imagine. Frankly, cPanel is a good thing; it makes maintaining your hosting plan somewhat less of a chore.

The only problem I have ever had with Hostgator does seem to weigh on my mind quite a bit, even though it's not 'technically' a problem caused by them. When the hosting plan was purchased, it was set up using a URL that is no longer being used by that particular hosting account. Upon changing to the new URL, I have found that the address that is displayed in the brower is not the 'proper URL' of my site, but is the URL of the site in relation to the server (which I would much rather not display to the world). I put in a call to their support center, and they were quite helpful (although I still have not resolved the issue, they did give me several options to try and were very patient with me). I have to give major kudos to their support team for being, well, supportive...as well as quick to answer the phone! I hate sitting on hold for hours, only to be bombarded by someone who does not care whether I solve my problem or not. It was a very refreshing change of pace (compared to other web hosting support centers I have dealt with in the past).

I would definitely recommend Hostgator to someone looking for a reliable host for their site. Also, one other feature that absolutely is worth checking into is their affiliate program. I give Hostgator an 8 out of 10 points.