Google Sites vs HostGator: Comprehensive comparison guide for 2024

Final verdict

Google Sites and HostGator both offer unique advantages, but they cater to different user needs.

• 
  Google Sites (Overall Grade: 5.6/10)
  
  is ideal for users seeking a simple, collaborative platform with seamless integration with other Google services. It excels in ease of use and security, making it a great choice for team projects, personal portfolios, and small business websites. However, it lacks advanced ecommerce features and extensive design customization options, which might limit its appeal for more complex website needs.
• 
  HostGator (Overall Grade: 6.2/10)
  
  provides a more comprehensive set of features, especially for ecommerce and design functionalities. It offers a wide range of customizable templates and robust hosting services, making it suitable for users looking to build professional websites with more creative control. While it has a slightly steeper learning curve and higher pricing, its extensive support and marketing tools make it a strong contender for business websites and online stores.

Best for ecommerce

Verdict

: HostGator is the clear winner for ecommerce, offering a robust set of features that Google Sites lacks.

• 
  Google Sites
  
  : Google Sites is not designed for ecommerce. It lacks built-in ecommerce features and relies heavily on third-party integrations for any ecommerce functionality. This makes it less suitable for businesses looking to set up an online store. When comparing Google Sites vs HostGator, Google Sites falls short in providing a seamless ecommerce experience.
• 
  HostGator
  
  : HostGator’s website builder includes a variety of ecommerce features such as secure online payments, unlimited products, and multi-channel inventory management. It also offers customizable templates designed for ecommerce, making it a more suitable choice for businesses looking to sell products online. HostGator’s comprehensive ecommerce tools make it a better option for those serious about ecommerce.

Best for informational & business websites

Verdict

: When it comes to creating informational and business websites, HostGator slightly edges out Google Sites with a score of 7.4 compared to Google Sites’ 7.2. HostGator offers more design flexibility and a wider range of templates, making it a better choice for users looking for creative control and customization options.

• 
  Google Sites
  
  : Google Sites is a user-friendly platform that excels in ease of use and integration with other Google services. It is ideal for team projects, personal portfolios, and small business websites. The drag-and-drop interface and collaboration features make it easy for multiple users to work on a site simultaneously. However, it offers fewer design customization options compared to HostGator.
• 
  HostGator
  
  : HostGator provides a powerful website builder with a variety of customizable templates suitable for different types of websites. It offers more creative control and a larger number of templates, making it a preferred choice for users who want to design professional-looking websites without any technical background. HostGator also provides robust hosting services and 24/7 customer support, ensuring users can build and maintain their online presence effectively.

Detailed comparison

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Winner: HostGator.

If you’re looking for a platform that offers more creative control, a wide array of design features, and a larger number of templates, HostGator is the preferred choice.

Google Sites offers a limited number of templates suitable for various purposes, from personal blogs to business websites. These templates are designed for user engagement, simplicity, and functionality, allowing for customization to meet specific needs. However, compared to other website builders like 10Web or Squarespace, Google Sites might offer less variety in templates and design customization options.

Google Sites Themes

Compared to Google Sites, HostGator website builder provides a substantial variety of design templates, catering to different user needs and preferences. It offers over 200 different mobile-friendly themes. Additionally, there’s a separate collection of 4,500 templates available for free download to users hosting their sites on HostGator servers, which are not interchangeable with the site builder’s own templates. This vast collection ensures that users have a wide range of design options to choose from, whether they seek simplicity for a professional presence or more intricate designs for complex websites.

🏆 Winner: Google Sites

. Scoring 8.3, Google Sites edges out HostGator, which scored 8.0, in terms of ease of use. Both platforms offer user-friendly interfaces and drag-and-drop functionality, but Google Sites’ seamless integration with other Google services gives it a slight advantage.

Learning Resources

🏆 Winner: Google Sites

. Both platforms offer a wide array of learning resources, but Google Sites goes a step further with its practical guides and comprehensive digital skill development programs. HostGator, on the other hand, offers guides and customer support but lacks the breadth and depth of resources provided by Google Sites.

When it comes to ecommerce, HostGator clearly outperforms Google Sites. HostGator’s website builder includes ecommerce features, allowing users to create an online store where they can sell products and services directly from their website. The ecommerce functionality includes features such as product management, inventory tracking, secure payment gateways, and options for shipping and tax calculations.

Google Sites ecommerce features:

Google Sites itself does not have built-in eCommerce features. However, you can integrate eCommerce functionalities into a Google Sites website by embedding third-party tools or widgets, linking to an external eCommerce platform, or using buttons that link to payment processors. For instance, you could use Google Forms for order forms and integrate PayPal or another payment service for transactions. To have a full-fledged eCommerce platform with Google Sites, you’d need to rely on these external integrations or services.

HostGator ecommerce features:

• Secure Online Payments
• Unlimited Products
• Product Search & Filtering
• Wishlists & Gift Cards
• Multi-Channel Inventory Management
• Shipping Labels

Ecommerce themes & templates

Google Sites does not have any ecommerce templates. On the other hand, HostGator’s website builder caters to eCommerce needs by offering a broad selection of free templates, all designed with mobile responsiveness in mind. These templates are equipped with essential eCommerce features such as product catalogs and payment processing options. The platform is user-friendly, enabling users to effortlessly create professional-looking online stores tailored to their specific requirements, all without the need for any coding knowledge.

Product page customization

Google Sites lacks any product page customization features, as the products can be listed with embedding third-party platforms, all the customization can be done within the mentioned platforms. HostGator Website Builder offers basic features for customizing product pages, enabling users to add products with details such as name, price, description, and images. It supports product variants and categorization to enhance customer navigation. Advanced settings include inventory management, discount options, and the ability to set products as shippable or downloadable.

Payment processing

You can integrate payment gateways into Google Sites using external tools or links, not through native features. This can be done by embedding HTML code for payment buttons from services like PayPal, Square, or Stripe, or by linking to an external checkout page. Third-party eCommerce widgets also offer a way to add payment functionalities. However, Google Sites doesn’t offer the comprehensive eCommerce capabilities that dedicated platforms provide.

HostGator Website Builder integrates with PayPal as a payment gateway for processing transactions. This is particularly highlighted in their offerings, suggesting that PayPal is a primary option for e-commerce activities within the platform. The platform charges a 3% transaction fee on Express Store and Express Site plans, no transaction fees are charged on higher Express Store plan.

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Winner: HostGator

. HostGator, with a score of 7.3, offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, enabling users to easily create and customize their websites without needing any coding knowledge. It provides a wide range of templates that are fully customizable, allowing for the personalization of layouts, colors, and fonts to match the user’s brand identity. Additionally, the editor supports the integration of various multimedia elements like images, videos, and social media links, enhancing the visual appeal and functionality of the website.

Google Sites’ editor, scoring 7.0, offers a user-friendly website builder editor that allows users to create and design websites without needing coding knowledge. With its drag-and-drop interface, users can easily add, customize, and arrange elements such as text, images, and videos on their web pages. It also provides a variety of templates and design options to help users get started quickly and ensure their site looks professional. Additionally, Google Sites integrates seamlessly with other Google services, enabling the incorporation of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Maps directly into the website.

Mobile editor/app

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Winner: HostGator

. Neither Google Sites nor HostGator offer a dedicated mobile editor app. However, HostGator allows for some small changes to be made using a mobile browser, giving it a slight edge over Google Sites in terms of mobile editing capabilities. Therefore, if mobile editing is a priority for you, HostGator may be a better choice.

Overall Result

:

Google Sites wins

. Google Sites scores 6.9, offering a free version and a 14-day free trial with the possibility to test some premium features. HostGator, scoring 2.6, does not offer a free or trial version, but allows testing all features within a 30-day refundable period. However, the money-back guarantee does not apply to certain services and fees.

Google Sites offers a range of plans suitable for different types of users, from individuals to large enterprises, while HostGator’s plans are more straightforward and affordable, but lack an enterprise option.

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Winner: Google Sites

Google Sites and HostGator both offer reliable hosting services with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. However, Google Sites edges out with its global network of 21 data centers, providing potentially better site speed and reliability. HostGator, while offering a variety of hosting types and unlimited storage, operates fewer data centers.

🏆 Winner: HostGator

Both Google Sites and HostGator prioritize website performance and page speed, but HostGator has a higher website speed optimization score.

Google Sites, a structured web page-creation tool, focuses on automated optimization, CDN, mobile optimization, browser caching, code minification, and the use of AMP for speed optimization. However, Google does not disclose statistics about website Page Speed scores or load times.

On the other hand, HostGator, a well-known web hosting company, emphasizes browser caching and CDN for speed optimization. The load times and Page speed scores vary widely, depending on the optimization, website complexity, and the chosen hosting plan. HostGator also provides guidance on understanding and improving Core Web Vitals (CWV) for websites.

🏆 Winner: HostGator.

With a score of 7.3, HostGator offers a wider range of plugins and integrations, allowing users to enhance their website’s functionality beyond the basic features. Google Sites, scoring 6.4, also provides a variety of plugins and extensions, but HostGator’s offerings are more comprehensive, catering to diverse needs such as advertising, website analytics, social media integration, appointment management, and email marketing.

It’s worth noting that both platforms offer a mix of free and paid plugins, providing flexibility to users based on their specific needs and budget.

Google Sites Applications

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Overall Winner: HostGator

. HostGator offers a more comprehensive set of marketing tools, including email marketing, blogging, and ads and promotions. Google Sites, while offering basic SEO and analytics, lacks in email marketing, blogging, and ads and promotions.

🏆 Winner: HostGator

. When comparing Google Sites vs HostGator, HostGator edges out slightly in the customer support category. HostGator offers 24/7 support through multiple channels, including email, phone, and live chat, ensuring users can get assistance whenever they need it. This round-the-clock availability is crucial for maintaining website uptime and addressing urgent issues promptly.

Google Sites, on the other hand, provides customer support primarily through self-service resources like a Help Center and community forums. Direct support, including phone, email, and live chat, is available to Google Workspace customers, with the level of support varying by subscription tier. While Google Sites offers comprehensive support for paid users, free users have limited access to direct support, relying mostly on self-help resources. This makes HostGator a more reliable option for users seeking immediate and consistent support.

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Winner: Google Sites

. Google Sites, with a security score of 9.3, offers robust security measures including SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and automatic malware scanning. It also benefits from Google’s regular security updates and compliance with international data protection standards. Google Workspace ensures private data storage and protection through data encryption in transit and at rest, strict access controls, and adherence to international data protection regulations like GDPR.

HostGator, scoring 7.4 in security, also emphasizes data protection with features such as SiteLock for malware scanning and a commitment to GDPR compliance. However, it places more responsibility on website owners for aspects such as password security and updating applications. Despite this, HostGator offers comprehensive protection services including daily malware scans, automatic removal, Web Application Firewall, and DDoS protection.

🏆 Winner: HostGator

. Although both platforms have limited AI capabilities, HostGator edges out Google Sites with its basic AI website builder. However, it’s important to note that the AI capabilities of both platforms are quite limited compared to other website builders in the market.

🏆 Winner: Google Sites

. Google Sites and HostGator have different approaches to user management.

• Google Sites allows multiple users to collaborate with different roles, including Owners, who have full control, and Editors, who can modify content but not site settings. There’s no strict limit on the number of users who can edit a site, allowing flexibility in management and development. Viewers can only see the site, with no editing permissions. This structure supports collaborative website building with varied levels of access and control for different users.
• HostGator mentions the possibility to have multiple users for its hosting solutions, however there’s no mention whether that the mentioned users have the permission to edit the websites built with their website builder.

Given the lack of clarity and detailed user management options from HostGator, Google Sites is the clear winner in this category.

Additional Features

User Feedback

Users consistently praise Google Workspace, particularly Google Sites, for its seamless integration, ease of use, and collaborative features, making it a go-to solution for various professional and educational needs. The platform’s simplicity and user-friendly interface are lauded, enabling effortless website creation and sharing of information within organizations. While some users desire more customization options and additional features, overall, Google Workspace remains highly valued for its versatility and streamlined workflow facilitation.

HostGator’s website builder receives mixed reviews from users, highlighting both its strengths and areas for improvement. Users appreciate the platform for its ease of use, making it accessible even for novices to build professional-looking websites, and for its range of web services that facilitate website creation and management, including domain registration and SSL certificates. However, concerns are raised regarding its customer support, which is often described as slow or unresponsive, potentially impacting users requiring timely assistance. Additionally, some users find the pricing structure to be high, particularly for small-scale developers or those needing only basic services.

FAQ