Linode (Akamai) Wins
Score Comparison
Criteria
Linode (Akamai)
HostGator
Overall Score
8.4
7.7
Performance
8.6
7.5
Features
8.2
8.0
Ease of Use
8.5
8.0
Pricing/Value
8.6
7.5
Support
8.0
7.0
Pricing & Features
Specification
Linode (Akamai)
HostGator
Starting Price
$5/mo
$2.75/mo
Pricing Model
Subscription
Subscription
Making Your Decision
When to Choose Linode (Akamai)
Price-conscious developers who want reliable performance and good support
Linode (now part of Akamai) offers solid VPS hosting with competitive pricing and reliable performance. A great middle-ground choice for those who find AWS too complex but need more than basic shared hosting.
Strengths
- Consistent performance with dedicated CPU options
- Competitive pricing with generous bandwidth
- Now backed by Akamai CDN infrastructure
- Strong uptime track record
Limitations
- Fewer one-click apps than competitors
- Akamai acquisition creating some uncertainty
- Control panel less polished than DigitalOcean
When to Choose HostGator
Budget-conscious users who need generous storage and bandwidth
HostGator offers solid value with unmetered resources and a generous money-back guarantee, though support quality has declined and the checkout experience includes many upsells.
Strengths
- Unmetered bandwidth and storage on most plans
- 45-day money-back guarantee (longer than industry standard)
- Free website builder with hundreds of templates
- Wide range of hosting options from shared to dedicated
Limitations
- Customer support quality has declined over the years
- Backup restoration costs extra on basic plans
- Many add-ons pushed during checkout process
