Web hosting · head to head
HostGator vs SiteGround
What each costs, whether there's a free plan, and what each is best for, from prices checked on their own sites.
| Fact |  HostGator |  SiteGround |
|---|---|---|
| From | $3.75/mo | $3.99/mo |
| Renews at | $10.99/mo | $17.99/mo |
| Free plan | No · No free plan or trial; 30-day money-back guarantee (not on monthly terms) | No · No free plan or trial; 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Best for | Many small sites on a 3-year budget | One WordPress site that you want well looked after |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
| Website | Visit | Visit |
The difference in short
- HostGator costs less to start: $3.75/mo against $3.99/mo for SiteGround.
- After the first term, HostGator's cheapest plan renews at $10.99/mo and SiteGround's at $17.99/mo.
- Neither has a free plan; you pay from the start.
- HostGator is best for many small sites on a 3-year budget; SiteGround for one WordPress site that you want well looked after.
HostGator pricing
All about HostGator| Plan | Price | Renews at | Specs / includes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatchling | $3.75/mo | $10.99/mo | 10 GB SSD | 36-month term, $135.00 upfront. 12-month term: $4.21/mo ($50.49). Monthly: $12.95. Free domain for the first year on 12-month or longer terms. |
| Baby | $4.50/mo | $16.49/mo | 20 GB SSD | 36-month term, $162.00 upfront. Labelled 'Recommended'. 12-month term: $5.10/mo ($61.20). Monthly: $13.95. |
| Business | $6.25/mo | $21.99/mo | 50 GB SSD | 36-month term, $225.00 upfront. 12-month term: $7.01/mo ($84.15). Monthly: $18.95. Free domain privacy for the first year. |
| Pro | $13.95/mo | $29.69/mo | 100 GB SSD | 36-month term, $502.20 upfront. 12-month term: $16.11/mo ($193.29). Monthly: $34.99. |
SiteGround pricing
All about SiteGround| Plan | Price | Renews at | Specs / includes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StartUp | $3.99/mo | $17.99/mo | 10 GB | 12-month term, prepaid. 1 website. Free domain for the first year (.com, .org or .net), per the FAQ. |
| GrowBig | $6.69/mo | $29.99/mo | 50 GB | 12-month term, prepaid. Unlimited websites. Labelled 'Best value'. |
| GoGeek | $10.69/mo | $44.99/mo | 100 GB | 12-month term, prepaid. Unlimited websites. |
What's good, and what to watch for
HostGator
- Hatchling allows 10 websites with 10 GB SSD storage and unmetered bandwidth
- Free domain for the first year on 12- to 36-month terms, plus free SSL
- Free Cloudflare CDN, malware scanning, a firewall and DDoS protection
- The $3.75 price needs a 36-month prepay and renews at $10.99/month
- Chat-only support on Hatchling, and a $17.99 domain fee if you cancel in the first year
SiteGround
- 10 GB storage, free SSL, free CDN and free email on StartUp
- Free daily backups with up to 30 days of history
- Free domain for the first year
- Renews at $17.99/month after the first year, about 4.5 times the intro price
- StartUp allows 1 website, sized for about 10,000 visits a month
Other web hosting options
Cheapest first where the prices compare.
Hosting.com
Namecheap
DreamHost
GreenGeeksFAQ
Which is cheaper, HostGator or SiteGround?
HostGator costs less to start: $3.75/mo against $3.99/mo for SiteGround. Prices checked Oct 18, 2026 on each company's own site.
Do HostGator and SiteGround have a free plan?
HostGator: No. 30-day money-back guarantee; not for monthly terms or renewals. SiteGround: No. 30-day money-back guarantee.
What else should I compare with HostGator and SiteGround?
Other web hosting options we've checked: Hosting.com ($1.99/mo), Namecheap ($2.28/mo), DreamHost ($2.89/mo), GreenGeeks ($2.95/mo).
Keep comparing
- HostGator: pricing, free plan and alternatives
- SiteGround: pricing, free plan and alternatives
- Bluehost alternatives
- Hostinger alternatives
- All web hosting compared
- Bluehost vs HostGator
- Bluehost vs SiteGround
- DreamHost vs HostGator
- DreamHost vs SiteGround
- GreenGeeks vs HostGator
- GreenGeeks vs SiteGround
- HostGator vs Hosting.com
- HostGator vs Hostinger
- HostGator vs InMotion Hosting
- HostGator vs Namecheap
Built from the prices and facts we checked on each company's own site. We haven't tested either hands-on.How we work