HostGator vs Big Cartel: Comprehensive comparison guide for 2024

Final verdict

HostGator and Big Cartel both offer unique advantages, but they cater to different user needs.

• 
  HostGator (Overall Grade: 6.2/10)
  
  is a versatile website builder and hosting platform that excels in providing a wide range of customizable templates and advanced marketing tools. It is ideal for users who need a comprehensive solution for building and maintaining their online presence, with strong support for ecommerce and a variety of hosting options. HostGator’s 24/7 customer support and extensive learning resources make it a reliable choice for users seeking robust features and flexibility.
• 
  Big Cartel (Overall Grade: 5.8/10)
  
  is tailored for artists and small businesses looking for a simple, affordable way to sell their creations online. It offers an intuitive setup process and essential ecommerce features, making it easy for users to create and manage their online stores. While it lacks some of the advanced features and scalability of HostGator, Big Cartel’s focus on simplicity and cost-effectiveness makes it a great choice for independent creators and small-scale sellers.

	Overall grade: 6.2	Overall grade: 5.8
Design functionalities & templates	7.9	6.9
Ease of use	8.0	8.0
Ecommerce	6.3	6.2
Website Editors	7.3	6.8
Product testing options	2.6	5.9
Price	6.2	7.8
Hosting quality	8.0	5.0
Website speed optimization	6.2	5.0
Plugins and integrations	7.3	5.8
Marketing features	6.9	6.2
Customer support	7.3	5.4
Security	7.4	7.3
AI capabilities	2.6	0.0
User Management	3.2	1.3

Best for ecommerce

6.3

6.2

Verdict

: HostGator and Big Cartel both cater to different ecommerce needs. HostGator is more versatile with its advanced marketing tools and unlimited product listings, while Big Cartel is tailored for artists and small businesses with its simplicity and focus on creative endeavors.

• 
  HostGator
  
  : HostGator’s website builder is designed for users who need a robust ecommerce platform with advanced features. It offers secure online payments, unlimited products, and multi-channel inventory management. However, it may be more complex for beginners due to its extensive features. HostGator’s ecommerce score: 6.3.
• 
  Big Cartel
  
  : Big Cartel is ideal for artists and small businesses looking for a straightforward and affordable way to sell their creations online. It offers essential ecommerce features like inventory tracking, sales analytics, and social media integrations. However, it has limited scalability and fewer product listings. Big Cartel’s ecommerce score: 6.2.

Best for informational & business websites

7.4

7.2

• 
  HostGator
  
  : HostGator is a versatile website builder that offers a drag-and-drop interface, making it easy for users to create professional-looking websites without technical expertise. It provides a wide variety of customizable templates suitable for different types of websites, including business sites and blogs. HostGator also offers robust hosting services and 24/7 customer support, making it a reliable choice for maintaining an online presence. With a score of 7.4, HostGator is well-suited for users looking for a flexible and supportive platform for their informational websites.
• 
  Big Cartel
  
  : Big Cartel is designed specifically for artists and makers, offering a straightforward setup process and a variety of themes that can be customized to fit the brand and style of the user. It includes essential features like inventory management and sales tracking, making it ideal for small businesses and independent creators. However, it lacks some of the advanced features and customization options found in more complex platforms. With a score of 7.2, Big Cartel is a good option for those who prioritize simplicity and affordability in their informational websites.

Detailed comparison

7.9

6.9

🏆

Winner: HostGator.

If you’re looking for a platform that offers a wider variety of templates and more customization flexibility, HostGator is the preferred choice.

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.

Compared to HostGator, Big Cartel provides a variety of free, customizable templates designed to ensure that online stores look appealing on all devices. These templates are geared towards artists, creators, and small business owners, offering features like high-quality product displays and adjustable product grids without the need for coding knowledge. With over 15 different styles to choose from, Big Cartel’s templates allow for easy customization to fit any brand’s aesthetic, making it simple for anyone to start an online store quickly.

Big Cartel Themes

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8.0

8.0

🏆 Winner: Tie

. Both HostGator and Big Cartel scored an 8.0 for ease of use. HostGator’s Gator builder is praised for its simple drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed templates, making it suitable for beginners and small businesses. Big Cartel, on the other hand, is designed with simplicity in mind, offering an intuitive user interface that allows users to set up and customize their online store with ease. However, it lacks some of the advanced features and customization options found in more complex e-commerce platforms.

Learning Resources

🏆 Winner: HostGator

. While both platforms offer learning resources, HostGator provides a more comprehensive range of guides and 24/7 customer support, making it easier for users to learn and adapt.

6.3

6.2

HostGator and Big Cartel both offer ecommerce capabilities, but their offerings differ significantly. HostGator’s website builder includes ecommerce features that allow 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. However, on lower Express Start and Express Site plans there’s a significant limit on the number of products: 3 and 10 respectively, and unlimited number of products on higher Express Store plan.

Big Cartel, on the other hand, is tailored for artists and makers, offering features that support small businesses in setting up an online store. Its ecommerce capabilities include easy product listing, customizable themes, inventory tracking, and sales analytics. It allows for integration with social media and other marketing tools. However, one of the downsides of Big Cartel is its limited scalability; it’s designed for smaller stores, offering fewer product listings and less advanced ecommerce features compared to platforms like 10Web or WooCommerce. This can be a limitation for businesses looking to expand their online presence significantly.

Ecommerce themes and templates	7.0	5.5
Product page customization	6.5	6.8
Payment processing and commissions	6.0	7.0
POS capabilities	5.0	6.5
Payment gateways	5.5	6.0
Product numbers	4.5	4.5
Additional ecommerce features	6.5	5.7

HostGator ecommerce features:

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

Big Cartel ecommerce features:

• Inventory tracking
• Sales analytics
• Social Media integrations
• Marketing tools

Ecommerce themes & templates

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.

Big Cartel offers around 20 templates, each specifically designed to cater to the needs of ecommerce stores, providing a variety of options for creating an online store.

Product page customization

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.

Big Cartel enables merchants to customize their product offerings with the Product Variants feature, supporting up to 150 variants per item, such as sizes, colors, and more, allowing for specific pricing and quantities for each variant. Additionally, for products with complex attributes, the Advanced Product Options offer a structured way to present multiple variations through up to three option groups per product, simplifying the shopping experience. This combination of features ensures that Big Cartel stores can efficiently manage and display a wide range of product options to meet diverse customer needs.

Payment processing

When it comes to payment processing, 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.

Big Cartel supports payment processing through PayPal and Stripe, allowing a variety of payment methods including credit/debit cards and mobile payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay. The platform itself does not charge additional transaction fees, but standard processing fees from PayPal and Stripe apply. Big Cartel also offers POS capabilities, primarily through Stripe terminal for Android and iOS for in-person sales, enhancing flexibility for both online and offline business operations.

7.3

6.8

🏆

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.

Big Cartel’s website builder editor, scoring 6.8, is designed with simplicity in mind, catering primarily to artists and small-scale sellers. Users can easily customize their online store’s look and feel without needing advanced technical skills, thanks to its user-friendly interface. The editor allows for the customization of themes, addition of products, and setup of different pages like home, about, and contact pages. Additionally, it offers basic SEO settings and integration options with social media and other tools, making it a straightforward solution for those looking to sell their work online with minimal fuss.

Mobile editor/app

4.0

7.5

🏆

Winner: Big Cartel

. Both HostGator and Big Cartel offer mobile-friendly features, but Big Cartel takes the lead with a higher mobile editor score and a dedicated mobile app.

HostGator, while offering a powerful website builder tool with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, does not have a dedicated mobile editor app. Users can make some small changes using a mobile browser, but the experience is not as streamlined or convenient as a dedicated app.

On the other hand, Big Cartel’s mobile app allows users to manage their online store directly from their mobile device. Key features include the ability to add and edit products, process orders, check inventory, and view store statistics. This provides a convenient way for store owners to keep their business running smoothly on-the-go, without the need for a computer.

In summary, Big Cartel’s dedicated mobile app and higher mobile editor score make it the better choice for users who need to manage their website on the go.

2.6

5.9

Overall Result

:

Big Cartel Wins

. Big Cartel scores 5.9, significantly higher than HostGator’s 2.6. Big Cartel offers a free version and allows testing of some features, while HostGator does not offer a free or trial version. However, HostGator allows testing of all features within a 30-day refundable period.

Free Plan	No	Yes
Trial Duration	No	No
Testing Premium Features	All features within 30-day refundable period	Some features with free plan
Money Back Guarantee	30-day money back guarantee (with exceptions)	No

6.2

7.8

Big Cartel offers a more affordable pricing structure compared to HostGator, even providing a free plan for users with small product listings.

	Offerings	Offerings
Free	No offering at this amount.	Gold ($0/month): The Gold plan is free and allows up to 5 product listings with one image per product. It includes features such as free customizable templates, the ability to sell online and in person, multiple payment options, real-time stats, product variant groups, and sales tax autopilot.
$5-$14	Express Start ($12.95/month): Includes hosting, basic analytics dashboard, 3 email campaigns per month, up to 3 products. Value for price: 6.0	Platinum ($9.99/month): The Platinum plan increases the product listing limit to 50 and allows up to five images per product. It adds features like the use of a custom domain, template code editing, Google Analytics, ads support, inventory tracking, the ability to offer discounts and run promos, bulk editing, and shipment tracking. Value for price: 7.5
$14-$20	Express Site ($14.98/month): Offers hosting, advanced analytics dashboard, 5 email campaigns per month, up to 10 products. Value for price: 7.0	Diamond ($19.99/month): The Diamond plan further extends the product limit to 500 with the same benefits as the Platinum plan, including advanced Google Analytics reporting, ads with audience targeting, and priority customer support. Value for price: 8.5
$20+	Express Store ($26.98/month): Comprehensive plan including hosting, advanced analytics dashboard, 10 email campaigns per month, unlimited products. Value for price: 8.5	No offering at this amount.

8.0

5.0

Winner: HostGator

. HostGator offers a variety of hosting types, including shared, managed WordPress, VPS, and dedicated hosting, with unlimited storage and bandwidth. They also provide a 99.9% uptime guarantee and have data centers in multiple locations. On the other hand, Big Cartel does not provide specific information about their hosting services, including the type of hosting, uptime, and data center locations, which makes it difficult to assess their hosting quality.

Do they offer hosting?	Yes, offers four main types of hosting: shared, managed WordPress, VPS, and dedicated hosting, with unlimited storage and bandwidth. The platform has automatic backup service which runs once a week on a random day.	Yes, included in all their plans, however there’s no specific information on hosting type, bandwidth and storage limitations. Users can backup their websites manually.
Data Centers:	4 data centers: US(Texas, Utah), India(Mumbai), China(Hong Kong)	Big Cartel does not disclose any information about their data centers.
Type of hosting:	Shared, Managed WordPress, VPS, Dedicated	Big Cartel does not explicitly mention any information on their hosting.
Uptime:	99.9%	Big Cartel does not disclose statistics on their uptime.
Uptime Guarantee:	Yes, 99.9%	Big Cartel does not offer uptime guarantee.

6.2

5.0

🏆 Winner: HostGator

Both HostGator and Big Cartel are website builders that offer a variety of features to help users create their websites. However, when it comes to website speed optimization, HostGator has a clear strategy and provides guidance on improving Core Web Vitals, while Big Cartel does not disclose any specific information about its speed optimization strategies or Core Web Vitals improvements.

Focus	Browser Caching, CDN	Not disclosed
Performance Tools	Not disclosed	Not disclosed
Key Strategies	Browser Caching, CDN	Not disclosed
Load Times	Varies widely, depending on optimization, website complexity and the chosen hosting plan	Varies depending on optimization and website complexity
Page Speed Scores Range	Varies widely, depending on optimization, website complexity and the chosen hosting plan	Not disclosed
Core Web Vitals Improvement	Emphasis on LCP, FID, CLS improvements	Not disclosed

HostGator, a well-known web hosting company, also offers a powerful website builder tool. It has a clear strategy for speed optimization, which includes browser caching and Content Delivery Network (CDN). HostGator also provides guidance on understanding and improving Core Web Vitals (CWV) for websites, with an emphasis on Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) improvements. However, both load times and PageSpeed scores vary widely, depending on the optimization, website complexity, and the chosen hosting plan.

On the other hand, Big Cartel, a website builder specifically designed for artists and makers, does not disclose any specific information about its speed optimization strategies or Core Web Vitals improvements. The load times and PageSpeed scores vary depending on optimization and website complexity.

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7.3

5.8

🏆 Winner: HostGator.

With a score of 7.3, HostGator offers a wider range of plugins and integrations compared to Big Cartel, which scores 5.8. HostGator’s plugins cater to diverse needs such as advertising, website analytics, integrating social media, managing appointments, and conducting email marketing. On the other hand, Big Cartel offers a variety of apps and integrations to enhance ecommerce store functionality, including marketing, shipping, and store management tools. However, the total number of direct apps and integrations is around 27, which may be fewer than other platforms offer.

6.9

6.2

🏆

Overall Winner: HostGator

. HostGator stands out for its more advanced marketing tools, especially in SEO, email marketing, and ad campaign management. Big Cartel is strong in social media integration and analytics, ideal for small businesses and independent creators.

SEO Tools
Email Marketing
Blogging
Social Media Integration
Analytics and Reporting	Google Analytics integration on higher plans	Basic analytics for website traffic and engagement
Ads and Promotions	Google Ads and Bing Ads integration	Using third party integration

7.3

5.4

🏆 Winner: HostGator

. In the HostGator vs Big Cartel comparison, HostGator takes the lead with a customer support score of 7.3. HostGator offers 24/7 support through various channels, including email, phone, and live chat, ensuring that users can get assistance whenever they need it. This round-the-clock availability is crucial for maintaining website uptime and addressing urgent issues promptly.

Big Cartel, on the other hand, has a customer support score of 5.4. Their support team is available Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm EST, which may not be sufficient for users who need help outside these hours. While Big Cartel provides email support and resources for common issues, the limited availability and smaller support team can be a drawback for users requiring immediate assistance.

7.4

7.3

🏆

Winner: HostGator

. HostGator edges out Big Cartel with a slightly higher security score. HostGator’s commitment to data protection is evident in its integration of SiteLock for malware scanning and its adherence to GDPR compliance. It also provides extensive security measures against various threats, including DDoS attacks, through custom firewall rules and mod security rule sets.

Big Cartel, while offering comprehensive measures such as SSL encryption and strict data processing protocols, falls slightly short due to its lack of PCI compliance. However, it does facilitate secure payment processing via third-party PCI-compliant gateways like PayPal and Stripe.

2.6

0.0

AI Builder	Basic AI capabilities in the new website builder
AI Ecommerce features
AI Content Generation
Additional AI features	Very basic features in the new AI website builder

🏆 Winner: HostGator

. Although HostGator’s AI capabilities are basic and limited, it still surpasses Big Cartel which does not have any AI capabilities at all. HostGator has a score of 2.6 in AI capabilities, while Big Cartel has a score of 0.0.

3.2

1.3

🏆 Winner: HostGator

. Both HostGator and Big Cartel have limited user management capabilities.

• HostGator mentions the possibility to have multiple users for its hosting solutions, however, there’s no mention whether the mentioned users have the permission to edit the websites built with their website builder.
• Big Cartel, on the other hand, allows only one user to build and edit a website.

Given the limited information, HostGator seems to offer slightly more flexibility in terms of user management, but it’s important to note that neither platform provides comprehensive user management features.

Additional Features

SSL Certificate
Custom Domain
Free Custom Domain Included
International Domains
Mobile Responsive
Page Speed
Website Builder Mobile App
Convert a Website To An App
Website Analytics
Multilingual Sites
Multiple Users

User Feedback

HostGator

244 reviews

3.6 out of 5 stars

Big Cartel

26 reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars

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.

User feedback on Big Cartel highlights its simplicity and affordability as key advantages, making it a popular choice for small businesses and startups looking to establish an online presence quickly. Users appreciate the ease of setting up and customizing their online stores, the flat monthly fees without per-item charges, and the platform’s intuitive design and mobile management capabilities. However, limitations in features compared to more comprehensive platforms, restricted customization options, and lack of advanced integrations or inventory management for specific items are noted drawbacks. Despite these concerns, Big Cartel is praised for its cost-effectiveness and user-friendly approach, particularly for those new to e-commerce or with smaller inventories.

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