HostGator offers shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting options. It’s the third option we’re going to look at in this HostGator Value Server review. The service has three levels of dedicated server plans: Value, Power, and Enterprise. While the Value option is the most budget-friendly, it also may not offer enough for your website. Let’s take a look at what you can get with this plan and why it may or may not fit your needs.
Pros
- Your website has all of the server resources at its disposal.
- HostGator offers both Windows and Linux operating systems.
- Unmetered bandwidth.
- You can upgrade at any time if you determine you need more power.
Cons
- There are other options priced lower that offer comparable or even better service.
- The Value server is limited to 8 GB of RAM.
- Tech support is available 24/7/365, but it may take several days for a response.
- It’s usually more affordable to buy your domain name through a different service instead of purchasing it with your hosting.
HostGator Value Server Review & Analysis
HostGator’s Value dedicated server can give you everything you need in a dedicated host. The unlimited bandwidth included in the plan guarantees your audience will always be able to access your website. You’ll have 1 TB of storage space, which is more than enough for even good-sized eCommerce websites. Four CPU cores provide a good amount of processing power, while 8 GB of RAM offers a nice amount of memory. However, this is the cheapest option. That means you have room to grow by upgrading to the other plans if needed.
Who This Hosting Plan is For
- Websites that are resource-intensive and would not do well on a shared server.
- Websites that require more resources than even a VPS host can offer.
- Companies planning on creating a large eCommerce website or other site that gets a large amount of traffic.
- Websites that require unique configurations that can only be done on a dedicated host.
Who This Hosting Plan is Not For
- Individuals or small companies with a limited budget.
- Small websites that don’t need everything a dedicated host offers.
- Very large websites that need more than what the Value plan has to offer.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that if you need dedicated server hosting and have the budget to support that need, HostGator’s Value plan is a good solution. However, you do have to keep in mind that there are other, possibly more affordable options out there that will also meet your needs. For example, you can read over our Interserver dedicated server review to see how it compares. Don’t forget that HostGator’s customer service is known for taking a little time in getting back to customers, so you won’t get an immediate response. If you want a host that offers Windows, though, HostGator is one of the small number of hosts that offers anything other than Linux.
HostGator Value Dedicated Server Hosting Features
- 3 Dedicated IPv4 IPs
- RAID-1 Configuration
- Full Root Access
- DDOS Protection
- 24/7/365 Live Support
- Unlimited Databases
- Fully Redundant Network
Maximum Performance
- As the only customer on a managed dedicated server hosting platform, you have the full system resources directly at your disposal
- With both HDD and SSD hard drive options available, our flexible server configurations make it easy for you to choose what’s best for your website
- State-of-the-art data center level DDOS protection and an IP-based firewall keep your server safe and performing optimally
World-Class Support
- 24/7/365 server monitoring and technical support via telephone and live chat
- All custom dedicated servers are hosted in a US-based, Tier 3 data center
- The HostGator online support portal boasts over 500 video tutorials and nearly 700 easily-searchable articles for your dedicated hosting solutions
Advanced Management
- cPanel and WHM are provided on all Linux servers for powerful management of both hosting-specific functions and overall server configuration
- Windows dedicated server hosting includes the Plesk control panel and WebMatrix to quickly and easily create and manage your websites
- For any support issues, our team is available to assist you, 24/7/365
HostGator Value Dedicated Server Hosting Plan Prices
HostGator’s Dedicated Server Hosting Plans
This review has focused on the Value plan, which is HostGator’s cheap dedicated server hosting option. If you need more than it offers, you may want to upgrade to the Power level. These servers offer 8 core CPUs, 16 GB of Ram, and either 2 TB of storage on a standard hard drive of 512 GB of solid-state drive storage.
If that’s not enough, you can go with HostGator’s top of the line option: the Enterprise server plan. It offers 30 GB of RAM and a 1 TB solid-state drive. Bandwidth on all three plans is unlimited, and you can choose between Linux and Windows.
Managed vs Semi-Managed Solutions
In addition to selecting your hosting plan, HostGator offers both semi-managed and managed options. With a managed plan, HostGator’s team takes care of maintaining the hardware and software on your server. All you need to focus on is your website.
With a semi-managed dedicated server web hosting plan, you have more control over the server because you have root access. You don’t receive as much support from HostGator, however. This means your team must be comfortable configuring the server and handling most of the behind-the-scene work. You’ll do most of the maintenance on your server. The benefit is that you can configure the server as you see fit. The downside, though, is that it’s all on you and your team. HostGator won’t provide as much daily maintenance.
When Is Dedicated Server Web Hosting Necessary?
Do you really need a dedicated web host? Many people do ask that question when looking for the best dedicated server hosting plan. A dedicated host is perfect for large websites that require a lot of resources. You’re not sharing bandwidth, RAM, or CPU usage with other sites like you do with shared hosting. Even VPS hosting doesn’t provide as many dedicated resources as this option.
The biggest downside is the cost. You’re not sharing the server with anyone else, so you have to cover all costs involved. However, the cost does vary from host to host. With HostGator, you’ll pay less than you would with some hosts. For example, in our Dreamhost standard dedicated server review, we note that they’re fairly costly. There are options that are more affordable than HostGator, though. As with any purchase, be sure to read reviews and look at your options.
Determining Your Dedicated Server Needs
Now that you have an idea of what HostGator’s Value plan is, you have to decide if it meets your needs. It is a dedicated host, which may be all you need. The 1 TB of storage is a nice amount of space. Having the option to select Windows OS over Linux is another good reason to use HostGator. Windows simply isn’t an option on a good number of dedicated plans. While the cost may be a concern, if you’re willing to commit to a year or more, you do get a discount. That can save you a good deal of money and lock in your hosting costs for several years.
Review HostGator Value Server (Dedicated Server Hosting) Review.