Wix vs HostGator: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Wix and HostGator both offer valuable website building tools, but they cater to different user needs and preferences.

Wix (Overall Grade: 8.5/10)

excels with its user-friendly interface, extensive design functionalities, and robust ecommerce features. It is ideal for users who prioritize ease of use, creative freedom, and comprehensive marketing tools. Wix’s AI capabilities, superior hosting quality, and advanced website speed optimization make it a strong choice for a wide range of website types, from personal blogs to online stores. When comparing Wix vs HostGator, Wix stands out for its versatility and innovative features.
HostGator (Overall Grade: 6.2/10)

offers a solid website builder with a variety of customizable templates and essential ecommerce features. It is suitable for users who need a straightforward, drag-and-drop interface and reliable web hosting services. HostGator’s strengths lie in its extensive template collection and integration options, but it falls short in areas like advanced ecommerce capabilities, AI features, and customer support. For users comparing Wix vs HostGator, HostGator is a good option for those seeking a basic, cost-effective solution with strong hosting support.

	Overall grade: 8.5	Overall grade: 6.2
Design functionalities & templates	8.6	7.9
Ease of use	9.0	8.0
Ecommerce	8.0	6.3
Website Editors	8.5	7.3
Product testing options	8.1	2.6
Price	8.7	6.2
Hosting quality	8.5	8.0
Website speed optimization	8.3	6.2
Plugins and integrations	8.2	7.3
Marketing features	8.4	6.9
Customer support	8.2	7.3
Security	8.5	7.4
AI capabilities	8.7	2.6
User Management	8.2	3.2

Best for ecommerce

8.0

6.3

Verdict

: Wix is better suited for ecommerce due to its comprehensive features and flexibility, while HostGator is more limited in its ecommerce capabilities.

Wix

: Wix offers a robust set of ecommerce tools, making it a strong contender for small to medium-sized online stores. Its intuitive store builder, versatile payment options, and basic inventory tools make it easy for users to set up and manage their online presence. However, Wix’s templates may require manual adjustments for mobile display, and its customization options are somewhat limited without advanced coding knowledge.
HostGator

: HostGator’s website builder includes essential ecommerce features, but it falls short compared to Wix. While it offers secure online payments and unlimited products on higher plans, its lower-tier plans significantly limit product numbers. HostGator’s ecommerce capabilities are more basic, making it suitable for smaller stores or those with simpler needs.

Best for informational & business websites

8.3

7.4

Verdict

: When it comes to creating informational and business websites, Wix outshines HostGator with its user-friendly interface, extensive template options, and superior design flexibility.

Wix

: Wix is a versatile website builder that excels in creating visually appealing and highly customizable informational websites. With a score of 8.3, it offers a wide range of templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, making it easy for users to design and manage their sites without any coding knowledge. Wix’s platform is ideal for businesses that prioritize ease of use and creative freedom.
HostGator

: HostGator, scoring 7.4, provides a robust website builder with a variety of customizable templates and a drag-and-drop interface. While it is a strong contender, it falls slightly short in comparison to Wix in terms of design flexibility and ease of use. HostGator is a solid choice for users who need a reliable website builder with integrated hosting services, but it may require a bit more effort to achieve the same level of design sophistication as Wix.

Detailed comparison

8.6

7.9

🏆

Winner: Wix.

Wix offers a wider range of highly customizable templates suitable for various website types, not just ecommerce. It also provides more creative freedom in design, appealing to a diverse user base.

Wix stands out with its wide range of highly customizable templates suitable for various website types, not just ecommerce. It offers creative freedom in design, appealing to a diverse user base. While Wix doesn’t have a premium template marketplace, it has 3-rd party theme shops that allow you to get more sophisticated design choices.

Wix Themes

On the other hand, 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.

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9.0

8.0

🏆 Winner: Wix

. Scoring a solid 9.0, Wix stands out for its user-friendly interface, making it exceptionally easy for beginners to create and manage their websites. HostGator, with a score of 8.0, offers a robust platform but with a slightly steeper learning curve. If ease of use is a priority, Wix is the clear winner in this category.

Learning Resources

Both Wix and HostGator offer a range of learning resources, including articles, video tutorials, and customer support. However, Wix has a more extensive community of users, which can be a valuable resource for learning and troubleshooting.

Learn Wix

Learn HostGator

8.0

6.3

When it comes to ecommerce, Wix offers a more comprehensive set of features compared to HostGator. Wix’s ecommerce capabilities allow users to design their store, add products, set up payment options, and handle orders, making it a suitable platform for both individuals and businesses. On the other hand, 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. However, HostGator’s lower Express Start and Express Site plans significantly limit the number of products to 3 and 10 respectively, while Wix does not impose such restrictions.


Ecommerce themes and templates	7.5	7.0
Product page customization	7.3	6.5
Payment processing and commissions	8.7	6.0
POS capabilities	6.0	5.0
Payment gateways	8.2	5.5
Product numbers	8.0	4.5
Additional ecommerce features	7.8	6.5

Wix ecommerce features:

Intuitive store builder
Wix Payments and various gateways
Basic inventory tools
Multi-channel sales options
Abandoned cart recovery
Basic analytics and SEO tools

Wix add a product

HostGator ecommerce features:

Secure Online Payments
Unlimited Products (only on higher Express Store plan)
Product Search & Filtering
Wishlists & Gift Cards
Multi-Channel Inventory Management
Shipping Labels

Ecommerce themes & templates

Wix provides around 120 free templates for ecommerce. However, these templates are not fully responsive and may need manual adjustments for mobile display. Wix allows for flexible website design but has limited options for in-depth customization using HTML or CSS. For advanced users, Wix Velo offers more detailed customization possibilities. 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.

Product page customization

Wix permits the inclusion of six options per item with a total of 1000 unique variations for products. However, the potential complexity of having customers choose six attributes for a single item is acknowledged, and it is recommended to consider splitting products with extensive options into different listings for a more user-friendly experience. Wix stands out for its ease of customization, allowing users to add features like ribbons, size charts, wishlists, and more. While Wix supports product videos in its themes, incorporating 3D models on Wix requires coding. 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

Wix provides versatile payment options, generally around 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction, without additional commission fees. This makes Wix an attractive option for businesses using diverse payment processors. Wix Payments allows Wix users to manage transactions directly on their site, also supporting various payment methods and currencies. 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 the higher Express Store plan.

8.5

7.3

🏆

Winner: Wix

. Wix, with a score of 8.5, offers multiple editors catering to different user needs. Its standard editor is renowned for its drag-and-drop simplicity, allowing for extensive customization without needing to code. Additionally, Wix provides the ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) editor, which creates a personalized website based on user responses to a few questions, and the Corvid by Wix editor, which allows for advanced web development with JavaScript and Wix APIs.

Wix editor

HostGator’s website builder, scoring 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. However, there are limitations, such as less flexibility for complex website functionalities compared to more advanced website builders or direct coding, and the customization options might be limiting for users with very specific design requirements.

Hosgator website editor

Mobile editor/app

9.2

4.0

🏆

Winner: Wix

. Wix and HostGator both offer mobile editing capabilities, but they differ significantly in their approach and user experience. Wix has a mobile app with a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface that is beginner-friendly and versatile for general website editing. It allows users to edit various aspects of their website, including content, design, layout, and blog management. The app is particularly beginner-friendly, making it easy for users with no prior website building experience.

On the other hand, HostGator does not have a mobile editor app and only allows for small changes using a mobile browser. This lack of a dedicated mobile app for editing can limit the flexibility and convenience for users who prefer to manage their website on the go.

In summary, Wix is the clear winner in this category due to its user-friendly mobile app that offers a versatile and beginner-friendly interface for general website editing.

8.1

2.6

Overall Result

:

Wix Wins

. Wix scores 8.1 in product testing options, significantly higher than HostGator’s 2.6. Wix offers a free plan with basic features for an unlimited duration and occasionally offers opportunities to test premium features through promotions or limited-time trials. HostGator, on the other hand, does not offer a free or trial version, but allows testing of all features within a 30-day refundable period.


Free Plan	Yes (Basic features, indefinitely)	No
Trial Duration	Unlimited (Free plan)	No
Testing Premium Features	Limited, occasionally through promotions	All features within 30-day refundable period

8.7

6.2

Wix offers a higher price score and more comprehensive plans, while HostGator offers a lower price score and fewer plans. However, HostGator offers a higher discount for annual subscriptions.

	Offerings	Offerings
$10-$14	No offering at this amount.	Express Start ($12.95/month): Includes hosting, basic analytics dashboard, 3 email campaigns per month, up to 3 products. Value for price: 6.0
$14-$20	No offering at this amount.	Express Site ($14.98/month): Offers hosting, advanced analytics dashboard, 5 email campaigns per month, up to 10 products. Value for price: 7.0
$20-$30	Core Plan ($27/month): Unlimited physical products, ~2.9% + 30¢ per transaction, Digital products, Free custom domain for a year, Abandoned cart recovery, Gift cards (via app), Recurring payments, No staff account limit. Value for price: 8.5	Express Store ($26.98/month): Comprehensive plan including hosting, advanced analytics dashboard, 10 email campaigns per month, unlimited products. Value for price: 8.5
$30-$40	Business ($32/month): Advanced ecommerce features, Same transaction fees, Free domain for a year, Subscription payments, Automated international sales tax, Label printing, Dropshipping, Product reviews, No staff account limit. Value for price: 8.7	No offering at this amount.
$100+	Business Elite ($159/month): All ecommerce features, Automated sales tax for up to 500 transactions/month, Custom reports, Loyalty program, Priority support, No staff account limit. Value for Price: 9.0	No offering at this amount.

In some cases companies have different prices based on various components like a
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.

8.5

8.0

Winner: Wix

. Wix offers a multi-cloud infrastructure with a 99.95% uptime and 10 global data centers, providing a reliable and versatile hosting solution. HostGator, while offering a variety of hosting types and a 99.9% uptime guarantee, falls slightly short in comparison. Wix’s higher score reflects its superior hosting quality.


Do they offer hosting?	Yes, included in all paid plans	Yes, offers four main types of hosting: shared, managed WordPress, VPS, and dedicated hosting
Data Centers:	10 globally: USA (Ashburn, Virginia; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida), Germany (Frankfurt), Israel (Tel Aviv), India (Mumbai), Brazil (São Paulo), Singapore, South Korea (Seoul), and Taiwan (Taipei)	4 data centers: US(Texas, Utah), India(Mumbai), China(Hong Kong)
Type of hosting:	Multi-Cloud Infrastructure (AWS, GCP, own data centers)	Shared, Managed WordPress, VPS, Dedicated
Uptime:	99.95%	99.9%
Uptime Guarantee:	No	Yes, 99.9%

8.3

6.2

🏆 Winner: Wix

Both Wix and HostGator prioritize website performance and page speed, but Wix outperforms HostGator in terms of website speed optimization.


Focus	Media optimization, CDN, Mobile-first	Browser Caching, CDN
Performance Tools	Google PageSpeed Insights Integration	Google Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights
Key Strategies	Media optimization, CDN, Mobile-first	Browser Caching, CDN
Load Times	0.8s to 3.5s (Average: 1.6s)	Varies widely, depending on optimization
Page Speed Scores Range	34/100 to 98/100 (Average: 81.9/100)	Varies widely, depending on optimization
Core Web Vitals Improvement	25% increase in good CWV scores over a year	Emphasis on LCP, FID, CLS improvements

Wix has significantly focused on enhancing website performance and page speed, integrating tools like the Site Speed dashboard with Google PageSpeed Insights to provide a holistic view of website performance metrics. Emphasizing media optimization, code simplification, content distribution networks, lazy load techniques, and mobile-first designs, Wix’s infrastructure includes globally distributed CDNs, improving content delivery. Successfully improving Core Web Vitals (CWV) scores, Wix saw a 25% increase in sites with good CWV scores over a year. Real-world performance analysis of 909 Wix websites showed a wide range of page speed scores from 34/100 to 98/100, averaging 81.9/100, with the Largest Contentful Paint an important metric for website loading, ranged from 0.8 seconds to 3.5 seconds, with an average of 1.6 seconds.

HostGator, on the other hand, provides guidance on understanding and improving Core Web Vitals (CWV) for websites, with an emphasis on LCP, FID, and CLS improvements. HostGator’s approach to enhancing site speed includes browser caching and CDN. However, both load times and Page speed scores vary widely, depending on the optimization, website complexity, and the chosen hosting plan. Continuous maintenance and optimization are essential for keeping HostGator websites fast.

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8.2

7.3

🏆 Winner: Wix.

Wix scores 8.2, offering over 500 apps in its App Market, covering a wide range of functionalities. These apps come with various pricing options, including free, paid, freemium, and one-time payment models. Wix’s plugins and integrations extend its functionality across various domains, including advanced ecommerce tools, SEO optimization, social media integration, email marketing, website analytics, appointment scheduling, customer support, enhanced media galleries, blogging features, custom forms and surveys, diverse payment processing options, website localization, improved security measures, and the addition of custom widgets. Wix’s top integrations include Google Analytics, Mailchimp, social media platforms, Wix Stores, Wix Bookings, Wix SEO Wiz, Wix Blog, Wix Forms, PayPal, Wix Chat, Wix Events, Zapier, Wix Video, Wix Music, and Google Ads.

HostGator, with a score of 7.3, also provides a wide range of plugins, known as apps, accessible via their app market. These apps cater to diverse needs such as advertising, website analytics, integrating social media, managing appointments, and conducting email marketing. Pricing for these apps ranges from free options to monthly subscriptions and one-time purchases. Additionally, it is possible to integrate some third parity plugins within your website for more functionality. HostGator’s apps enable you to enhance the capabilities of its website builder far beyond the basic features. These apps allow for a wide array of functionalities, including email marketing, integrating Google Ads and Bing Ads, social media connectivity, adding PayPal for payments, incorporating RSS feeds, syncing with Google Calendar, streaming with Twitch, and adding donation options like Ko-fi. Moreover, you can also integrate music and podcast platforms such as SoundCloud, broadening the scope of your website’s features. HostGator’s website builder offers a range of integrations, enabling users to enhance their site’s functionality and audience engagement. From advertising options like Google Ads and Bing Ads to interactive features such as Twitch streaming and podcast integration with platforms like Audioboom, Spreaker, and Soundcloud. Additionally, it supports essentials like email marketing, website analytics, and donations through platforms like Buy Me a Coffee and Ko-fi, ensuring that creators have the tools to grow their presence and connect with their audience effectively. Plugins/apps can be directly accessed through the website editor.

Wix Applications

Wix app market

Hostgator plugins

8.4

6.9

🏆

Overall Winner: Wix

. Wix stands out for its advanced marketing tools, especially in email marketing, blogging, and analytics. HostGator, while offering a decent set of marketing tools, falls short in comparison, especially in the area of email marketing and blogging.


SEO Tools
Email Marketing		✓ (on higher plans)
Blogging
Social Media Integration	Advanced integration for selling directly on social platforms	Basic social media integration
Analytics and Reporting	Detailed analytics for in-depth insights	Basic analytics with Google Analytics integration on higher plans
Ads and Promotions	Google Ads integration; sophisticated ad campaign management	Google Ads and Bing Ads integration

8.2

7.3

🏆 Winner: Wix

. In the Wix vs HostGator comparison, Wix takes the lead with a customer support score of 8.2. Wix offers a comprehensive support system that includes 24/7 live chat in multiple languages, phone support (via a callback service during business hours), and a large community forum. This ensures that users have access to assistance whenever they need it.

HostGator, with a customer support score of 7.3, provides 24/7 support through email, phone, and live chat. While HostGator’s support is reliable and accessible, it falls short compared to Wix’s more extensive and multilingual support options. Additionally, Wix offers dedicated enterprise support with VIP services and customized solutions, which HostGator does not provide.

8.5

7.4

🏆

Winner: Wix

. Wix’s security measures are more comprehensive, with a focus on secure servers, encryption, compliance with privacy regulations, strict access controls, regular security audits, and additional features like two-factor authentication. Wix also communicates transparently through clear privacy policies, practices data minimization, and empowers user control over their data.

HostGator, while offering a range of security measures such as SiteLock for malware scanning, custom firewall rules, and mod security rule sets, places more responsibility on the website owners for aspects such as password security, updating applications, and ensuring their site is malware-free. This may require more technical knowledge and effort from the user’s side.

8.7

2.6


Personalized Design	Wix ADI offers tailored design suggestions based on user inputs
SEO Optimization	AI-guided SEO advice for optimal content placement and structure
Customer Behavior Analysis	Advanced analytics to understand customer preferences
Sales Predictions	AI-powered sales forecasting tools
Inventory Management	AI tools to assist in efficient inventory handling
Content Generation	AI assistance in creating and optimizing site content

🏆 Winner: Wix

. Wix’s AI capabilities, particularly through its Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI)
system, are highly user-friendly and innovative. It excels in offering personalized website design suggestions, content
optimization, and streamlined site setup processes. Wix’s AI also assists in providing SEO recommendations and
layout adjustments based on user behavior.

Wix AI feature

HostGator, with a score of 2.6, has very basic AI capabilities. It lacks AI features apart from a basic AI website builder. Therefore, compared to Wix, HostGator’s AI capabilities are significantly limited.

8.2

3.2

🏆 Winner: Wix

. Wix provides a clear user management system with defined roles and access levels, allowing for efficient team collaboration. On the other hand, HostGator does not provide specific information about user roles and access levels for its website builder.

Wix allows unlimited editors regardless of the plan, but caution is needed with 50+ editors to avoid potential backend performance issues. It excels for large, collaborative teams.
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.

Wix User Roles and Access Levels:

Role	Description	Access Highlights
Site Owner	Full control over website	Manage pages, menus, forms, SEO, settings. Create and manage editor and contributor accounts.
Editor	Full editing access to website content	Add/edit pages, modify text and images, adjust design elements, create forms. Cannot manage site settings or user accounts.
Contributor	Limited access to specific pages/sections	Edit assigned pages and sections only. No access to other site areas.
Member	Access to specific features	Login access to forums, private pages, or other restricted areas. Limited interaction with overall site management.

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

Wix

1641 reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars

HostGator

244 reviews

3.6 out of 5 stars

Wix, though well-regarded, caters to a diverse set of website requirements beyond just ecommerce. This inclusive strategy attracts a broad user audience but might not align as closely with individuals prioritizing advanced ecommerce features. With a G2 rating of 4.2/5 from 1641 reviews, users appreciate its user-friendly interface and range of customizable templates, making it a popular choice for various website needs.

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. HostGator holds a G2 rating of 3.6/5 from 244 reviews.

The making of this blog

We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.

Our Ranking Criteria

FAQ

Which platform is better for beginners, Wix or HostGator?

Wix is generally considered better for beginners due to its highly intuitive interface and drag-and-drop editor. It’s designed to be user-friendly, making website creation accessible to users with no technical background. HostGator also offers a simple drag-and-drop interface, but Wix’s broader range of templates and design flexibility gives it an edge for those new to website building.

Can I use both Wix and HostGator for ecommerce?

Yes, both platforms can be used for ecommerce, but they cater to different needs. Wix offers a more comprehensive set of ecommerce features, making it suitable for a wide range of online stores, from small to large. HostGator provides essential ecommerce functionalities and supports unlimited products on its higher plan, but it’s more suited for users who prioritize web hosting services alongside basic ecommerce capabilities.

How do Wix and HostGator compare in terms of design and customization?

Wix stands out for its design and customization capabilities, offering a wide range of highly customizable templates suitable for various website types. It provides more creative freedom in design, appealing to a diverse user base. HostGator offers a substantial variety of design templates and mobile-friendly themes, but Wix’s design flexibility and template variety give it a clear advantage.

What are the major differences in pricing between Wix and HostGator?

Wix offers a range of pricing plans tailored to different needs, including ecommerce, business, and personal use, with a focus on providing comprehensive features at each level. HostGator’s pricing is competitive, especially for its web hosting services, but when it comes to website building, Wix provides more value in its plans, especially for users looking for advanced features and ecommerce capabilities.

Which platform offers better customer support, Wix or HostGator?

Wix is known for its extensive customer support options, including 24/7 live chat in multiple languages, phone support, and a large community forum. HostGator also offers various support channels, such as email, phone, and live chat, but Wix’s dedicated support for enterprise customers and its responsive support team give it an edge in customer service.

Are there any significant differences in hosting quality between Wix and HostGator?

Wix provides its own hosting as part of all plans, featuring a multi-cloud infrastructure with a high uptime guarantee and global data centers. HostGator is primarily a hosting company offering various hosting types, including shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting, with a strong uptime guarantee. While both offer reliable hosting solutions, Wix’s integrated approach simplifies the process for users looking for an all-in-one solution.