HostGator

HostGator

HostGator offers the Intel dual-core Xeon processor in its Standard plan, which is probably the best processor for server platforms. That said, there's no processor upgrade option available with this plan. The dual 250GB hard drives offered by HostGator give it a number three rank for storage among all the reviewed hosts. It comes with a RAID configuration and also allows you to upgrade the hard drive to a higher capacity.

Like 1&1, HostGator includes 4GB of RAM with this plan. The RAM can also be upgraded, though there's no mention of the maximum amount of memory that can be purchased. A total of 1500GB data transfer is allowed in a month, which turns out to be the lowest allotment on offer. The plan comes with ten IP addresses, making it a runner-up to LiquidWeb’s plan, which offers 16 IP addresses. Additional IP addresses can be purchased from HostGator, although there's no mention of the price associated with each.

A choice of three operating systems, including Red Hat Linux 4, is available with this plan. The only two other web hosts that offer Red Hat Linux are Hostway and ServePath, so if either of these is your OS of choice, it might be a good reason to opt for HostGator. CPanel is the only control panel available, however the good news is that it comes at no extra cost. FTP backups can be performed through WHM. A software firewall is also included with the plan, but the SSL certificate is optional. There is no setup fee, and no money-back guarantee.

The plan comes at a price of $219 per month, which puts it smack dab in the middle of the reviewed plans. HostGator is currently offering a 20% discount that can be claimed using the coupon code “Snowman,” which makes this plan the most cost-effective of all. As shown in the table, the total yearly savings for this plan equate to $525.

Hostway offers two dual-core Intel Xeon processors in its TFS 800 plan. A comparison with the other reviewed hosts reveals that no better processor specification is available. Consequently, this plan seems to be ideal for users looking to deploy power-hungry applications. As far as hard drive capacity is concerned, Hostway’s plan offers two 160GB hard drives, thereby sharing third ranking for storage capacity with InMotion. Hostway also offers flexible hard drive upgrade options, with a maximum capacity offering of 2TB at a rate of $70 per month. RAID 1 also comes included with the plan.

The total amount of RAM offered is 2GB, although there is an option for upgrading the RAM to a maximum of 16GB at a cost of $140 per month. As regards the included RAM, Hostway’s plan turns out to be a runner-up to 1&1, HostGator, and ServePath, which include 4GB of RAM in their plans. Hostway stands in third place on the monthly data transfer comparison, offering 2000GB. In terms of the total number of included IP addresses, Hostway again ranks third with its offer of five addresses, after LiquidWeb and HostGator, which offer 16 and ten IP addresses respectively. Additional IP addresses may be obtained for $2 per month, but you’ll need to provide a technical justification in order to get them.

Hostway also offers a wide range of operating systems, including Windows and Red Hat Linux. It offers a custom control panel referred to as “Site Control,” although there is an option to use Plesk with a ten-domain license at an additional cost. A maximum of 50GB FTP backup is included in the plan, as is a software firewall. An SSL certificate, however, is optional and can be obtained at a cost of $49.95 per year.

There's no setup fee for this plan. Hostway offers the TFS 800 plan for $219 a month, thereby sharing fifth place for price with HostDime, HostGator, InMotion, and ResellersPanel. It's also offering a 15% discount or two months of free hosting with a one-year prepayment, which equates to a total saving of $438 for this web host—one of the highest available discounts in this review. Hostway also stands out by offering a 30-day money-back guarantee.

1&1 | HostDime | HostGator | InMotion | NetHosting | ServePath | ResellersPanel | LunarPages | LiquidWeb | Hostway | Conclusion