Hostgator vs Atlantic.net: guide for 2024

Hostgator vs Atlantic.net: Final verdict

Examining HostGator vs. Atlantic.Net, each offers distinct advantages and fits different user needs effectively.

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  Atlantic.Net (Overall grade: 8.2)
  
  provides a highly reliable hosting experience with a 100% uptime guarantee and excellent performance metrics ideal for high-traffic and multimedia websites. The platform excels in offering robust security measures with SOC 2 and SOC 3 certifications, HIPAA compliance, and strong operational security features, making it suitable for users requiring stringent compliance standards. However, Atlantic.Net lacks shared hosting and standalone email hosting, which limits its appeal to certain user groups. Its general emphasis on technical features and customization options makes it a better fit for developers and businesses with specific server management needs.
• 
  HostGator (Overall grade: 8.0)
  
  delivers a versatile range of hosting features, including shared hosting, WordPress hosting, and dedicated servers, making it a solid choice for beginners, small businesses, and WordPress users. The platform offers good performance with a 99.9% uptime guarantee and an intuitive control panel that simplifies website management. HostGator also includes valuable extras such as a free domain for the first year and unmetered bandwidth across many plans. Although its technical support is generally well-regarded, it occasionally faces criticisms about wait times and upselling. HostGator’s affordability and ease of use make it a compelling choice for many, though it falls behind slightly in terms of performance and security features compared to Atlantic.Net.

Hosting Types Offered

Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.

Although both offer a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs, in certain cases, one platform may prove to be more suitable.

Detailed comparison

🏆 Winner Atlantic.Net: With a perfect 100% uptime guarantee, Atlantic.Net offers unparalleled reliability and performance.

HostGator guarantees 99.9% uptime, which translates to about 8.76 hours of downtime annually. The hosting provider offers around-the-clock support through phone and Live Chat. Although this is commendable, HostGator falls slightly behind compared to its competitors, who offer 99.99% uptime. Despite these drawbacks, HostGator remains a strong option for those prioritizing consistent availability and reliable support.

Atlantic.Net stands out by offering a 100% uptime SLA, providing a network, hardware, and infrastructure uptime guarantee backed by a money-back promise. The data centers are SOC 2 and SOC 3 certified, ensuring high standards of security and reliability. Support is available 24/7 via phone and email, along with active monitoring and maintenance for optimal performance. With these features, Atlantic.Net delivers a superior hosting experience.

🏆 Winner HostGator: Reliable with a strong uptime guarantee and comprehensive features.

When comparing HostGator and Atlantic.Net, both hosting services offer solid performance, but they differ in some key areas. HostGator boasts a 99.9% uptime, helping to keep websites operational consistently. They provide unmetered bandwidth, varying storage options, and performance enhancements like Cloudflare CDN, which helps distribute content worldwide efficiently. Atlantic.Net, on the other hand, offers large storage, memory, and compute-optimized plans suitable for different needs. They also provide multiple cloud availability regions and one-click WordPress VPS hosting for quick deployments. Both hosts offer 24/7/365 support.

Website speed:

HostGator employs SSD storage, Cloudflare CDN, and enhanced performance through increased vCPU allocations for higher-tier plans, making it an excellent choice for fast-loading websites. Atlantic.Net focuses on high-performance with large memory and CPU plans, RAID-10 cloud storage for redundancy, and daily backups. Both providers are geared towards ensuring users experience minimal downtime and fast page loads, but HostGator’s integrated CDN and enhanced performance plans give it a slight edge.

Scalability:

HostGator allows for easy scalability through various tools and plans designed to grow with your website, which means you can upgrade your resources as needed. Atlantic.Net offers dedicated hosts, bare metal servers, and managed private cloud options for scaling, with live migrations without downtime. However, the specifics on cost and how automatic the process is remain unclear. HostGator’s flexibility and simpler scaling tools make it a straightforward choice for growing websites.

🏆 Winner
Atlantic.Net: Offers comprehensive security features and a broad range of compliance measures.

Both HostGator and Atlantic.Net, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

HostGator provides a variety of SSL certificate options, from a basic free SSL to an EV SSL with a $1.75M warranty. Atlantic.Net also offers SSL certificates essential for HIPAA compliance, with validation for domains and subdomains. HostGator supports PHP 8.2, while Atlantic.Net’s specific PHP versions are not specified but generally support multiple versions. HostGator uses SiteLock for malware detection and Cloudflare for CDN and DDoS protection. Atlantic.Net relies on managed firewalls, intrusion prevention services, and encrypted VPNs to safeguard data, along with Trend Micro for anti-malware.

Operational security measures:

HostGator employs 24/7/365 customer support, SiteLock’s automatic malware removal, daily scans, and CodeGuard for automatic backups. Atlantic.Net offers robust operational security with managed firewalls, intrusion prevention services, and multi-factor authentication. Both providers focus on data encryption, but Atlantic.Net stands out with its encrypted backups and log management systems. HostGator offers extensive customer support channels, while Atlantic.Net’s security measures are more focused on healthcare and financial data protection.

Compliance and certifications:

HostGator is GDPR compliant and supports server PCI compliance but lacks specific mentions of HIPAA compliance. Atlantic.Net meets GDPR requirements, offers PCI-compliant hosting solutions, and provides HIPAA-compliant services. Moreover, Atlantic.Net holds SOC 2 and SOC 3 certifications, making it a compelling choice for businesses needing stringent compliance standards.

🏆 Winner
HostGator: A versatile option with a plethora of hosting features.

When comparing HostGator and Atlantic.Net, both providers offer a variety of hosting services; however, HostGator stands out with its wider range of features, particularly in the realm of shared website hosting, dedicated servers, and WordPress hosting. HostGator’s plans come with cPanel control, unmetered bandwidth, and a free domain registration for the first year, which are significant perks for beginners and small businesses. On the flip side, Atlantic.Net excels with its One-Click WordPress VPS Hosting and its strong focus on server management services, making it a robust choice for developers who require customized server setups and efficient load balancing.

HostGator includes additional free services such as daily backups (first year) and Cloudflare CDN, which can be very appealing for those looking to enhance website performance and security from the get-go. Atlantic.Net also provides essential features like root access and comprehensive support for multiple operating systems, but its offerings are more niche and geared towards users with specific technical needs, such as HIPAA compliant hosting and vulnerability scans. Both platforms offer 24/7 customer support and have robust security features, but HostGator’s more readymade offerings and promotional rates could tip the balance for many users.

Both providers support a range of users from beginners to experts with user-friendly website builders and WordPress staging areas. However, in terms of developer tools, both HostGator and Atlantic.Net offer robust options including SSH access, support for multiple programming languages, and Git for version control, thus appealing to developers looking for advanced capabilities.

Email services:

Email services at HostGator are provided through a partnership with Microsoft 365, offering a professional email and access to Outlook on a trial basis before transitioning to a paid service. Conversely, Atlantic.Net provides unlimited free professional email accounts, which is particularly beneficial for users requiring multiple email accounts without incurring additional costs.

Winner Atlantic.Net: Offers a variety of versatile hosting plans tailored to various business needs.

Evaluating the pricing of plans among various hosting providers can be complex due to their differing pricing and renewal strategies. Additionally, certain plans require annual commitments, which adds to the difficulty of making comparisons. The prices listed are based on monthly commitments; plans requiring annual commitments are indicated. Additionally, although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.

HostGator presents a more varied selection across different hosting types, with a focus on features like unmetered bandwidth and free domains for the first year. Atlantic.Net, on the other hand, provides competitive pricing on their WordPress VPS and Linux VPS Hosting plans, emphasizing higher data transfer and storage capacities. HostGator’s WordPress Pro Plan at $34.99/month stands out with 100GB storage and five websites, whereas Atlantic.Net offers a similar plan at $34/month but with enhanced CPU and memory components. Both providers offer distinct advantages, but Atlantic.Net takes the edge with more cost-effective options and improved data allowances.

Enterprise plans

For enterprise-level needs, HostGator’s Enterprise Server ($141.99/mo) offers substantial resources like 30GB RAM and 2TB storage with an unmetered bandwidth. Atlantic.Net’s Custom Dedicated Servers for Larger Complex Deployments provide up to 128 vCPUs and 1TB RAM. While HostGator focuses on robust features at competitive pricing, Atlantic.Net emphasizes customizable solutions with extensive high-performance specs suitable for intensive tasks.

🏆 Winner
HostGator: Provides a user-friendly control panel and extensive support resources.

HostGator uses a standard control panel designed for ease of use, making it accessible for both technical and non-technical users. The dashboard is intuitive, enabling users to manage all aspects of their website from one location. This setup simplifies tasks like domain management, email configuration, and application installations. Through the control panel, users can access one-click installations for over 75 open-source scripts, which is convenient for those new to web hosting or those who want to quickly add functionalities to their websites. HostGator’s WordPress hosting comes pre-installed, further streamlining the process for those setting up a WordPress site.

Atlantic.Net also offers a simplified setup, particularly through its One-Click WordPress VPS Hosting. Users can launch the application into the cloud platform quickly and easily, selecting configurations such as data center locations and server plans with just a few clicks. The control panel provides full server access, including root privileges, which may appeal more to experienced users who need comprehensive server management. Setting up involves a straightforward process via the Atlantic.Net website, allowing users to tailor the server to their needs, whether that includes SSH access or cloud backups.

Both HostGator and Atlantic.Net offer migration services for websites, but their approaches and costs differ. HostGator offers free migration services, simplifying the process of moving an existing website to their platform. This comprehensive support covers all technical details, allowing users to focus on their site’s content rather than the technicalities of migration. Atlantic.Net, meanwhile, provides various support services, including server migrations, but the specifics of their migration tool offerings are not detailed. Users might need to handle some aspects of the migration manually or seek additional support services.

When evaluating the help center resources, HostGator stands out with an extensive KnowledgeBase, 24/7/365 support via multiple channels, and a breadth of tutorials and webinars. Their support extends to a robust community platform on Facebook where users can share advice. In contrast, Atlantic.Net also offers 24/7/365 support with experienced technicians and a range of support services, but the detailed knowledge base and community support are not as emphasized.

🏆 Winner
Atlantic.Net: Providing advanced security features and comprehensive user management options.

HostGator and Atlantic.Net both offer a variety of user roles and permissions, but their approaches differ significantly. HostGator organizes users into Primary Contact, Administrative Contact, and Technical Contact roles. The Primary Contact has the most extensive permissions, while the Technical Contact is focused on product maintenance. Atlantic.Net, however, integrates more advanced security protocols such as Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Zero Trust principles, which restrict access based on business need-to-know, aligning their user management with PCI and HIPAA compliance standards.

When it comes to user interfaces and available tools for managing users, HostGator provides a straightforward Customer Portal for assigning and editing user roles. The process includes simple steps like inviting users via email and managing roles through a clear, structured interface. Atlantic.Net offers a broader suite of tools, featuring robust integration capabilities with third-party applications and APIs, bulk user import, and intuitive self-enrollment. Atlantic.Net’s interface also emphasizes security, ensuring that all activities are trackable and compliant with essential regulatory standards.

Access control effectiveness is another area where Atlantic.Net stands out. Atlantic.Net’s platform is designed to handle a large number of users efficiently, leveraging automated alerts, security insights, and endpoint management to ensure that only authorized users gain access to critical systems. HostGator, while proficient in basic user role management, does not provide as extensive monitoring and control features, which may limit its effectiveness in managing a high volume of users in a secure environment.

HostGator user roles table:

Atlantic.Net user roles table:

🏆 Winner HostGator: stands out for its superior customer support and wide range of resources available around the clock.

Both HostGator and Atlantic.Net offer 24/7 phone support and provide extensive online resources such as knowledge bases and blogs. HostGator, however, distinguishes itself by offering live chat support, an option that Atlantic.Net does not provide. HostGator’s comprehensive support portfolio includes YouTube tutorials, webinars, and a vibrant Facebook community, ensuring their users have multiple avenues for assistance.

Atlantic.Net, while slightly behind in overall support score, makes up for it with dedicated email addresses for specific queries and multiple contact numbers, tailored for different types of support. Additionally, Atlantic.Net boasts over three decades of experience and serves millions of cloud deployments worldwide. Their award-winning service and recognition in cybersecurity highlight their credibility. Nonetheless, HostGator’s 24/7 live chat and diverse support resources make it the stronger option overall.

Hostgator vs Atlantic.net: User feedback

HostGator receives mixed reviews from its users, highlighting its affordability, ease of use, and satisfactory customer support for general web hosting needs. Many users appreciate the competitive pricing, variety of hosting plans, and the user-friendly interface that simplifies website management. However, several customers report significant frustrations with long wait times for technical support, frequent upselling of additional services, occasional slow server performance, and unexpected price increases. Overall, HostGator is seen as a viable option for budget-conscious users and small businesses, though it may not be the best fit for those needing robust technical support and high-performance hosting.

Users generally praise the hosting provider for its strong reliability, great value for cost, and high performance, particularly in maintaining uptime and fast network speeds. The customer portal and service tools are appreciated for their ease of use, although some customers find navigation to help pages cumbersome and suggest improvements in the console’s functionality. Support is often noted as responsive and helpful, although a few users desire faster response times and multilingual support. Some users also wish for expanded backup options and additional features in specific data centers but overall, find the service robust and dependable for their needs.

Hostgator vs Atlantic.net: FAQ