HostGator vs Bluehost: Same Owner, Same Specs, Different Renewal

The first thing to know about this comparison is that it isn’t really between two companies.

Bluehost and HostGator are both owned by Newfold Digital. Both were acquired in 2012 by Endurance International Group, which merged with Web.com in 2021 to become Newfold — a portfolio that also includes Network Solutions, Register.com, Web.com, Crazy Domains and Yoast.

And the plans reflect it. Published comparisons note that Newfold hasn’t introduced many differences between the two brands’ shared hosting: the same site counts, storage allowances, traffic limits and email inboxes per tier. That isn’t an accident, it’s portfolio management.

So the useful question isn’t which company is better. It’s which of two near-identical products has the better numbers this month — and what you’re not achieving by moving between them.

Worth knowing before you choose: HostGator and Bluehost are both Newfold Digital brands, so this comparison is between siblings rather than rivals. HostGator alternatives covers which hosts are genuinely independent companies.

What actually differs

Three real differences survive the shared ownership:

Bluehost renews cheaper — $9.99 against $10.99 on comparable terms, and it’s the number that dominates a multi-year bill.

Bluehost uses NVMe storage; HostGator uses older-generation SSD. A genuine hardware distinction, though at shared-hosting traffic levels it’s rarely the thing you’d notice. Our NVMe guide explains why the label matters less than people assume when providers cap IOPS anyway.

HostGator’s entry plan hosts one website; Bluehost’s hosts ten. That’s the largest practical gap at the bottom of the range. HostGator’s Baby plan answers it with 20 sites, but renews at $16.49.

HostGator is explicit about it — its Hatchling plan is described as “when you just need one site,” with the Baby plan positioned for multiple.

The renewal jumps

Both brands run the same playbook, and it’s worth seeing side by side:

Nobody in this bracket charges the advertised price for long. As we found across the wider market in the cheapest VPS index, comparing introductory rates produces the wrong ranking almost every time — and here it would tell you HostGator is cheaper when at renewal it isn’t.

What switching between them doesn’t achieve

This is the part worth internalising, and it’s the reason the shared ownership matters practically rather than as trivia.

If you’re leaving Bluehost because of a support experience, a performance problem, or a billing practice you disliked, moving to HostGator does not change companies. Same parent, same portfolio strategy, largely the same plan architecture, and often overlapping operational practices.

That’s not an argument against either — plenty of people are well served by both. It’s an argument against believing you’ve diversified. If the reason you’re moving is systemic rather than a specific plan, look outside the portfolio: Newfold also owns Network Solutions, Register.com, Web.com and Crazy Domains, so several of the obvious-looking alternatives are the same company too.

Genuinely independent alternatives at this price point include Hostinger, which gives 100 sites and 100 GB on its entry plan, and SiteGround, which is more expensive but publishes its resource ceilings.

Which to choose

Bluehost if you want the cheaper renewal, NVMe storage, and more than one website on the entry plan. On the published numbers it’s the better of the two for most buyers, and it’s the one we rank in our VPS and shared-hosting coverage.

HostGator if you specifically want the Baby plan’s 20 websites and can accept the $16.49 renewal, or you catch a materially better promotion. Given the specs are near-identical by design, a good enough discount is a legitimate tiebreaker.

Neither if you’re moving because of a problem with how Newfold brands operate. That’s a portfolio-level decision, and switching within the portfolio won’t address it.

Check Bluehost pricing → · Read our Bluehost review

Check HostGator pricing → · Read our HostGator review

How we picked

Ownership history and the observation that the two brands’ shared plans are largely undifferentiated come from published reporting on Newfold Digital’s portfolio. Pricing comes from published 2026 plan breakdowns: Bluehost Basic renewing at $9.99, HostGator Hatchling at $10.99 and Baby at $16.49, with introductory rates that vary by promotion and term.

Introductory pricing in this bracket moves constantly and differs by region and campaign, which is why we’ve given ranges for it and anchored the comparison on renewal rates.

We have not benchmarked performance between the two. Given they share a parent and, by most accounts, largely share plan architecture, a speed comparison would mostly measure which datacentre and which shared server each test account landed on.

Both links here are affiliate links, and both brands are ones we earn from — as are several other Newfold properties. That’s precisely why the section above tells you that switching between them isn’t switching companies.

FAQ

Are Bluehost and HostGator the same company?

They share a parent. Both are owned by Newfold Digital, formed when Endurance International Group — which acquired both brands in 2012 — merged with Web.com in 2021. They’re operated as separate brands with near-identical shared hosting plans.

Which is cheaper, HostGator or Bluehost?

Bluehost at renewal, which is what matters over a multi-year hold: $9.99 against HostGator Hatchling’s $10.99. Introductory rates vary by promotion and can favour either, so compare the renewal column rather than the banner.

What’s the actual difference between them?

Three things: Bluehost renews about a dollar cheaper, Bluehost uses NVMe storage where HostGator uses older-generation SSD, and Bluehost’s entry plan hosts ten websites where HostGator’s Hatchling hosts one. HostGator’s Baby plan offers 20 sites but renews at $16.49.

Should I switch from Bluehost to HostGator?

Not if the reason is a systemic complaint about support, billing or performance — you’d be moving within the same parent company’s portfolio. Switch if you specifically want HostGator’s Baby plan site allowance or you’ve caught a much better promotion.

Which other hosts does Newfold Digital own?

The portfolio includes Bluehost, HostGator, Network Solutions, Register.com, Web.com, Crazy Domains and Yoast, among others. Worth checking before you assume an alternative is independent.

Do both include a free domain and SSL?

Both bundle a free domain for the first year and SSL on shared plans, which is standard in this bracket. As with the headline price, the domain renews at standard rates in year two — factor that into the multi-year total rather than the first-year cost.