Do you want to host your website with HostGator? Are you aware of the capabilities of different HostGator plans? What are its maximum monthly traffic limits? How much traffic can HostGator handle?
You’ll find answers to all your above questions in this article. We’ll also discuss the impact of exceeding the HostGator traffic limits.
Let’s begin!
How much traffic can HostGator handle?
HostGator does not specify any traffic limit for its hosting. However, its plans are capable of handling a good amount of visitors. The host’s shared hosting plans are suitable for new websites and small to medium businesses.
Though HostGator doesn’t impose any limits on the visitor count, your website cannot receive millions of visits. The capabilities of a server are always limited since it has a specified amount of RAM and CPU resources.
One cannot guarantee the maximum number of visitors a website can sustain. This is because each site is unique and uses different amounts of server resources.
Additionally, the traffic your website can handle will depend on the resources each visitor is using.
Your website structure and content also decide your maximum possible visitor count. An efficiently coded website that uses few resources per visitor would allow many visitors.
On the other hand, a poorly coded website will sustain only a few simultaneous visitors. Therefore, how many visitors your site can handle is largely determined by how your site is coded.
HostGator shared hosting is the perfect choice when starting a new website. The host offers three plans with different storage capacities. However, they all come with unmetered bandwidth.
Let’s check out how much traffic can HostGator’s shared hosting plans can handle:
Hatchling Plan
The HostGator Hatchling plan carries 10 GB SSD storage and supports up to 10 websites. Though the plan offers unmetered bandwidth, it does have some limits concerning the visitors your website can receive.
If your website is coded well, the Hatchling plan can handle 7k to 8k daily visitors. If you have a handful of content on your site, you can expect the plan to manage 10k visitors too.
However, don’t exceed that limit as it might result in a HostGator’s service violation.
The host doesn’t allow using 25% or more of the server resources for longer than 90 seconds. You’ll find this information by clicking against the “Unmetered bandwidth” feature of the HostGator Hatchling plan.
You don’t need to worry about exceeding this limit if you’re a beginner entering the web hosting world. Also, this plan is enough to run a small website or blog receiving a low to moderate number of visitors.
Baby plan
The HostGator Baby plan is capable of supporting 20 websites and offers 20 GB SSD storage. Though the Baby plan comes with more storage capacity than the Hatchling plan, it provides the same bandwidth.
HostGator imposes the same condition when using its Baby plan’s unmetered bandwidth. You cannot utilize 25% or above of the server resources for more than 90 seconds.
Also, expect this plan to handle the same number of visitors as the Hatchling plan.
An efficiently coded website will be able to get up to 8k daily visits. You can stretch it to a maximum level of 10k visitors. Therefore, if you were planning to upgrade from the Hatchling plan to accommodate more visits, it is of no use.
The HostGator Baby plan is suitable for small business owners, bloggers, and service providers. You can utilize it to build a portfolio of a dozen small websites in different niches.
HostGator also has another shared hosting plan called the Business plan. It isn’t capable of handling more traffic than the plans we discussed above. So if you expect to receive additional traffic on your website, it is better to choose HostGator VPS hosting.
VPS hosting
HostGator offers three VPS hosting plans with different RAM and storage resources:
| HostGator VPS plan | RAM | Storage |
| Snappy 2000 | 2 GB | 120 GB SSD |
| Snappy 4000 | 4 GB | 165 GB SSD |
| Snappy 8000 | 8 GB | 240 GB SSD |
The HostGator VPS can handle 9k to 35k daily website visitors, depending on the plan you purchase. This is only an estimate and the exact number can be higher or lower for your site.
A well-coded and efficiently optimized website will easily accommodate more visitors.
As seen above, the host’s VPS plans are much more powerful than its shared hosting plans. They can handle a large number of visitors and are, thus, suitable for growing websites. You can also use these VPS plans for medium-sized businesses.
Like its shared hosting plans, HostGator offers unmetered bandwidth with its VPS plans too.
However, the condition of not using the server resources beyond 25% for more than 90 seconds sustains.
Dedicated hosting
HostGator dedicated hosting can handle up to 35k daily visitors. You can utilize it without worries if your website regularly experiences sudden traffic spikes. The host mentions that a dedicated server allows you to run your website without restrictions.
The table below summarizes the traffic that different HostGator plans can handle:
| HostGator hosting plan | Average daily visitors |
| All shared hosting plans | 7k to 8k |
| VPS plan Snappy 2000 | 9k to10k |
| VPS plan Snappy 4000 | 10k to 12k |
| VPS plan Snappy 8000 | 30k to 35k |
| All dedicated hosting plans | 30k to 35k |
The above values are estimated for the average CPU usage of an efficiently coded website. The true values might differ depending on the resource usage per user.
These plans are not suitable for accounts with multiple websites or traffic condensed into a small period.
So, how much traffic can HostGator handle depends on the plans, actual allotted resources and how well-coded and optimized your site is.
Is HostGator really Unlimited?
Yes, HostGator is unlimited since it does not restrict its server resources. Certain things on your account are indeed unlimited, depending on the hosting plan you choose. Companies offering an unlimited resource do not meter or limit you on that item.
However, a server has physical limitations. So it is not possible to consume an infinite amount of a resource even if it is available unlimited. The term unlimited should not be confused with infinite.
You can compare this situation with an all-you-can-eat buffet. It allows you to consume an unlimited amount of food.
However, it is impossible to eat an infinite amount due to many reasons. The operational hours of the restaurant, your hunger levels, etc. do not allow you to take in all the food.
Buffet rules also apply where you cannot share your food or pack it for home. This prevents a single person from taking undue advantage of the offer. It gives a fair chance to all the paying customers.
Similarly, it is impossible to use an infinite amount of server resources. The companies place other limits on CPU utilization or emails you can send out in an hour. It can also set the number of processes you can have open at one time.
These rules ensure that one person does not use the entire server on a shared account.
What happens if you exceed the traffic limit of HostGator plans?
If you exceed the traffic limit of HostGator plans, you will receive an email to take action. If you fail to reduce your resource usage, your account can get suspended.
A sudden spike in traffic that exceeds the 90-second limit will result in a violation of HostGator’s service terms. The host will then suspend your account to prevent the normal operations of other websites on the same server.
Therefore, it is important to select the right hosting plan for your website depending on the traffic it receives.
Should you Upgrade to higher HostGator plans?
No, you shouldn’t upgrade to higher HostGator plans. It is suitable only for small websites receiving low to moderate traffic. I wouldn’t recommend HostGator for large websites or when you’ve multiple sites.
You must also avoid it for a website bringing in money for you.
I recommend choosing Cloudways when you are serious about your business to get the best value for your money. We’ve already been with HostGator and seen its performance.
Its servers start to slow down as soon as the site starts to get some traction.
Cloudways is high-performing, cheaper, and highly scalable.
Conclusion
HostGator shared hosting can handle up to 8k daily visitors. Its VPS hosting is capable of supporting up to 35k daily visits, depending on the plan you pick.
It is advised to inquire from the host’s tech support, regardless of the company or plan you are looking at. Also ask about what happens if the limits are exceeded, your software requirements, and downtime guarantees.
If a host is unable to share the specifications of a plan, it is best to avoid it.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is the process limit for HostGator?
HostGator shared and reseller plans have a limit of 25 simultaneous processes per cPanel. However, HostGator VPS and dedicated hosting do not have any process limits.
What is the bandwidth limit for HostGator?
HostGator offers unmetered bandwidth with all its hosting plans. Thus, whether you choose its shared, VPS, or dedicated hosting, you’ll get unlimited bandwidth.