HostGator vs DreamHost Shared Starter
A detailed comparison to help you choose between HostGator and DreamHost Shared Starter.
HostGator Established US host with Newfold Digital ownership concerns | DreamHost Shared Starter Cheapest DreamHost plan — 1 site, WordPress optimised | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.7 (266 reviews) | 4.5 (237 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | paid | paid |
| Best for | US users who specifically need phone support and are aware of the renewal pricing reality | Privacy-conscious beginners wanting the longest refund policy and free domain privacy from day one |
| Pricing transparency | ||
| Intro price | $2.75/mo | $2.59/mo✓ |
| Renewal price | $9.95/mo | $7.99/mo✓ |
| Renewal hike | +262% | +209%✓ |
| Renewal transparency | moderate | good |
| Money-back days | 45 days | 97 days✓ |
| Uptime guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Hosting amenities | ||
| cPanel included | ✓ | |
| WordPress 1-click | ||
| Staging environment | ||
| Daily backups | ||
| Free SSL | ||
| Free domain | ||
| Free migration | ||
| Phone support | ✓ | |
| Live chat | ||
| LiteSpeed server | ||
| Green hosting | ✓ | |
| Data-center locations | ||
| Regions | United States | United States |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free domainfree sslcpanelphone support24 7 supportunmetered bandwidth1 click installer | free domainfree sslgreen hostingwordpress optimised1 click installer |
| Visit HostGator → | Visit DreamHost Shared Starter → | |
HostGator
Pros
- + 24/7 phone support — rare at this price point
- + Since 2002 — established infrastructure
- + Unmetered bandwidth claimed
Cons
- - 262% renewal price increase
- - Newfold Digital acquisition raises infrastructure quality concerns
DreamHost Shared Starter
Pros
- + 97-day money-back guarantee — longest in industry
- + Free domain privacy included
- + Transparent renewal — 208% is bad but they show it clearly
Cons
- - 208% renewal price increase
- - Single website only on Starter plan
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