If you’re looking for virtual private server (VPS) hosting, HostGator is one option to consider. Their Snappy hosting plan comes in three different levels. For smaller websites, the Snappy 2000 plan may come with everything you need. If it doesn’t include enough bandwidth or storage, you may want to go with the Snappy 4000 or Snappy 8000 options. In our HostGator Snappy review, we’ll look at what these plans offer in detail so you can determine which one works for you.
Pros
- Three different options to choose from.
- VPS hosting allows your website to operate as if it were on a dedicated server.
- 365/24/7 tech support.
- Every plan includes access to a website builder with thousands of templates.
- Free site transfer.
- Unlimited email accounts and parked domains
Cons
- HostGator isn’t always the most reliable when it comes to performance.
- Plans are a little more expensive than other hosting options.
- Higher priced options do not include access to a higher level of customer support.
- Because all hosting plans use the same customer support, response times can be slow.
HostGator Snappy Review & Analysis
HostGator is one of the largest web hosting companies out there, and that is both good and bad. Their basic shared hosting plans are popular and fairly cheap, but that does mean their servers are often overworked. Their VPS hosting doesn’t suffer as much from those issues due to how VPS servers work. However, you may still experience long wait times with customer support.
Who This Hosting Plan is For
- Large websites that need more resources than shared plans offer.
- Businesses that are creating large eCommerce sites.
- Individuals and businesses that need the flexibility a VPS plan offers.
Who This Hosting Plan is Not For
- Anyone with a fairly limited budget.
- Businesses that need a quick response time for customer service.
- Very large, database-intensive websites that get many thousands of visitors on a daily basis.
- Smaller websites that don’t need everything a VPS plan includes.
Bottom Line
If HostGator is the first web hosting company you’re considering, it may look like you get a lot for the price. When you start comparing it to other options or read articles like our Interserver Cloud VPS hosting review, though, you’ll see that there are many options out there that offer just as much for a lower cost. While the Snappy plans may work well for you, you may need to keep cost in mind. If you’re on a limited budget, you may find there are better options out there. That said, Hostgator is a well-known brand that will likely stay in business for a very long time. This is of value, and should be considered as a point in their favor, too.
HostGator Snappy VPS Hosting Features
- Flexible Software Options
- Award-Winning Support
- Advanced Functionality
- Full Suite Of Tools
- Powerful Hardware
- Weekly Off-Site Backups
Complete Customization
Without The Expense
- Full root access allows total control over your hosting environment, including custom installs and configuration with your virtual private server hosting
- The completely autonomous virtual server is fully allocated to your site
- VPS Hosting has all the benefits of dedicated resources without the cost of a dedicated server
Increased Reliability With Secure VPS Hosting
- Multiple layers of network security and several bandwidth providers are utilized to ensure maximized server reliability from your VPS hosting provider
- All virtual private servers are housed in a state-of-the-art data center featuring redundant power and HVAC units
- A RAID 10 disk configuration provides maximum data protection
Fully Scalable To Grow With You
- Custom VPS hosting scales up at the click of a button to easily add resources as your website grows in audience or complexity
- Easy scalability means never paying for more resources than you actually need
- Start small and grow your hosting along with your business with our VPS hosting services
HostGator Snappy Plan Prices
How Does Web VPS Hosting Differ From Shared And Dedicated Hosts?
VPS hosting provides several benefits that shared hosting does not. When you sign up for a shared hosting account, you’re purchasing space on a server that hosts many other websites. All of the websites on this server share the same resources. This means if one of the websites draws a lot of traffic, it will slow down the others. All of these websites also have to use the same server configurations. You can’t customize much of anything.
Web VPS hosting, on the other hand, is much more flexible. The server is separated into what are known as virtual servers. While all of these virtual servers are on the same physical server, they are treated as if they are not. This means each one can be configured individually. It also separates the resources. Your website will not be affected by what other sites on the server are doing.
With a dedicated host, your website is the only one on the server. You aren’t sharing at all. This means you get access to everything the server has to offer and may even have input into the hardware used. It’s much more expensive than other options, but you have much more control. It’s ideal for huge websites.
Is VPS Hosting The Right Option For You?
When you’re looking at hosting options, you may find that it’s hard to decide between an upper tier shared host and cheap VPS hosting. On the other hand, you may be comparing upper level VPS hosting to dedicated hosting. Which is right for you?
The biggest factor in deciding between shared and VPS hosting is the amount of resources you’ll need. If your website is going to have a large amount of content or many regular visitors, VPS hosting is probably the better option. On the other hand, if you’re just starting out, you may not need everything one of these plans offers just yet. With HostGator, it’s easy to start out with a shared plan and upgrade to a VPS host later on. This can help you save money while you get your website up and during the early stages of marketing it.
When comparing VPS to dedicated hosting, the biggest factor may be your budget. Dedicating hosting is quite expensive. While VPS hosting is more costly than shared hosting, it’s still much more affordable than a dedicated host. Most companies only choose dedicated hosting when they’re working with a very large website that requires a lot of resources.
Is HostGator The Best VPS Hosting Option?
Now that you have an idea of whether or not you need a VPS host, it’s time to look at whether or not HostGator is really the best VPS hosting option for you. You may want to compare their plans to our Dreamhost VPS hosting review and other articles.
The three Snappy plans are similar in that they do include 365/24/7 support, full root access, security options, and two IP addresses. They differ in the number of CPU cores, RAM, disk space, and bandwidth. The Snappy 2000 and Snappy 4000 both provide two CPU cores, while the Snappy 8000 plan features four cores. RAM doubles at each level, starting with 2 GB, then 4 GB for the 4000 level, and topping out at 8 GB for the 8000 option. Bandwidth ranges from 1.5 TB to 3 TB. The Snappy 2000 plan offers 80 GB of storage space, while the 4000 plan ups that to 100 GB. The Snappy 8000 comes with 160 GB.
Now that you have some information about HostGator’s Snappy VPS hosting, you can compare it to other options. You’re sure to find one that perfectly meets your needs.
Review HostGator Snappy (VPS Hosting) Review.