HostGator's Hatchling plan runs $3.75/mo on a 36-month prepaid term (66% off promo; MEDIUM confidence, since the captured pricing page shows the figure $-prefixed only, without a literal currency string) and renews at $10.99/mo (also MEDIUM confidence). Namecheap's Stellar plan runs $5.88/mo on the monthly toggle -- no multi-year prepay required to get that rate -- or as low as $1.88/mo on the bi-yearly toggle. Namecheap's step-up tier, Stellar Plus, runs $7.88/mo monthly. Namecheap does not disclose a numeric renewal price for either plan.
The comparison below breaks out every price by plan name and term, since that's the only way these two hosts can be compared fairly.
Disclosure: HostingDive may earn a commission if you buy through the Namecheap link on this page, at no extra cost to you. HostGator's link on this page is a direct, non-affiliate link -- HostingDive has no commission relationship with HostGator for this entity.
Quick Comparison
| Criterion | HostGator (Hatchling) | Namecheap (Stellar / Stellar Plus) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $3.75/mo (36-month term, MEDIUM confidence) | $5.88/mo Stellar (monthly toggle) / $7.88/mo Stellar Plus (monthly toggle) |
| Renewal price | $10.99/mo (MEDIUM confidence) | Not disclosed for either plan (NOT_FOUND) |
| Websites included | 10 | 3 (Stellar); not captured for Stellar Plus |
| Storage | 10GB SSD | 20GB SSD (Stellar); not captured for Stellar Plus |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered ("ideal for 40K visits/mo") | Unmetered |
| Free domain | Yes, first year | Yes, first year (non-premium) |
| Free SSL | Yes, Let's Encrypt | Yes, 50 certificates, 1 year |
| Migration | Free migration TOOL only; full-service migration is a paid add-on | Free migration included |
| Backups | Daily courtesy backups | Twice a week |
| Uptime guarantee | 99% | 100% |
| Support channel | 24/7 chat only (Hatchling tier; phone is a higher-tier feature) | Not specified in this cohort's certified capture (NOT_FOUND) |
| Money-back window | 30 days | 30 days |
| HostingDive rail | PLAIN -- no affiliate relationship | CLOAK -- live affiliate link |
Pricing Table: Every Toggle and Term
| Plan | Term / Toggle | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HostGator Hatchling | 36-month | $3.75/mo | Renews at $10.99/mo after the promo term (MEDIUM confidence both figures) |
| Namecheap Stellar | Monthly | $5.88/mo | After 30-day free trial |
| Namecheap Stellar | Yearly | $2.28/mo | 61% off, after free trial |
| Namecheap Stellar | Bi-yearly | $1.88/mo | 68% off, after free trial |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus | Monthly | $7.88/mo | After 30-day free trial |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus | Yearly | $2.98/mo | After free trial |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus | Bi-yearly | $2.28/mo | After free trial |
Cost Over the Disclosed Term (Worked Example)
| Plan | Term | Rate Used | Total for That Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| HostGator Hatchling | 36 months (promo) | $3.75/mo | $135.00 |
| HostGator Hatchling | 12 months at the renewal rate | $10.99/mo | $131.88 |
| Namecheap Stellar, monthly toggle | 12 months | $5.88/mo | $70.56 |
| Namecheap Stellar, yearly toggle | 12 months | $2.28/mo | $27.36 |
| Namecheap Stellar, bi-yearly toggle | 24 months | $1.88/mo | $45.12 |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus, monthly toggle | 12 months | $7.88/mo | $94.56 |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus, bi-yearly toggle | 24 months | $2.28/mo | $54.72 |
These totals are calculated by HostingDive from each plan's certified monthly rate multiplied by its disclosed term length -- neither HostGator nor Namecheap publishes a total-due-today figure in this cohort's capture. HostGator's full 36-month promo commitment totals $135.00; a single year at HostGator's $10.99/mo renewal rate alone comes to $131.88, nearly matching the entire 3-year promo total by itself. Namecheap's bi-yearly Stellar toggle, by contrast, totals just $45.12 across the same 24-month window in which HostGator's promo rate would cost $90.00 ($3.75/mo x 24) -- roughly twice as much for the matched period, though HostGator's plan includes more sites and storage at that price. Neither vendor states a cost beyond its disclosed term, so treat these as same-terms snapshots, not lifetime projections.
HostGator: Full Spec Breakdown
HostGator's entry plan, Hatchling, is priced at $3.75/mo on a 36-month prepaid term -- a 66% off promo. Both the $3.75/mo intro figure and the $10.99/mo renewal figure carry MEDIUM confidence in this cohort's capture, since the pricing page shows them $-prefixed only without a literal currency string. That's a plain factual caveat, not a reason to skip the numbers.
Hatchling includes 10 websites, 10GB of SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth (described by HostGator as "ideal for 40K visits/mo"), a free domain for the first year, free SSL via Let's Encrypt, daily courtesy backups, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a 99% uptime guarantee. A free migration TOOL is included, but full-service migration is a separate paid add-on -- don't assume "free migration" means a done-for-you move on this plan. Support is 24/7 live chat only on Hatchling; phone support sits on a higher tier.
HostGator's link on this page is a plain, direct link to hostgator.com, with no affiliate relationship between HostingDive and HostGator for this entity.
Namecheap: Full Spec Breakdown
Namecheap sells two distinct entry-tier plans: Stellar and Stellar Plus. They are separate tiers, not the same plan shown at two price points, and every price below is named against the specific plan it belongs to.
Stellar opens with a 30-day free trial, then bills at $5.88/mo monthly, $2.28/mo yearly (61% off), or $1.88/mo bi-yearly (68% off). It includes 3 websites, 20GB of SSD storage, 30 mailboxes, unmetered bandwidth, a 100% uptime guarantee, free SSL (50 certificates, 1 year), free migration, a free domain for the first year (non-premium only), backups twice a week, cPanel, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stellar Plus also opens with a 30-day free trial, then bills at $7.88/mo monthly, $2.98/mo yearly, or $2.28/mo bi-yearly. This cohort's certified capture documents Stellar Plus pricing specifically but doesn't spell out additional feature deltas beyond Stellar's spec list -- verify the exact difference with Namecheap directly before paying the higher tier.
Neither Stellar nor Stellar Plus discloses a numeric renewal price. Namecheap states that its promotional discount doesn't apply at renewal, without naming the resulting rate -- budget for an increase rather than assuming the trial-period price holds indefinitely.
Namecheap's link on this page is a live affiliate link. HostingDive may earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no extra cost to you.
Head-to-Head: Pricing (Intro and Renewal)
On sticker price, HostGator's $3.75/mo (36-month term, MEDIUM confidence) undercuts Namecheap Stellar's $5.88/mo monthly rate. But that HostGator number requires a 3-year prepay commitment and jumps to $10.99/mo once the promo term ends -- nearly triple the intro rate. Namecheap's $5.88/mo needs no prepay commitment at all, and it already undercuts HostGator's own post-promo renewal rate by close to half.
If you're willing to prepay a year or two with Namecheap instead, Stellar drops to $2.28/mo or $1.88/mo -- both below HostGator's discounted 36-month rate, without HostGator's structural renewal jump. What neither vendor tells you with a hard number: HostGator states its renewal figure but the source carries MEDIUM confidence, and Namecheap doesn't state a renewal figure at all. Plan for cost past the first term on both sides.
Head-to-Head: Site Limits and Storage
HostGator's Hatchling plan allows 10 websites on 10GB of SSD storage -- more headroom for a small agency or multi-site freelancer managing several low-traffic sites on one account. Namecheap Stellar caps site count lower, at 3 websites, but allots more storage per plan, at 20GB of SSD.
If site count is the binding constraint, HostGator's 10-site allowance wins outright. If per-site storage matters more and 3 sites covers your needs, Namecheap's 20GB gives more room per site than HostGator's 10GB.
Which Should You Buy
Choose HostGator Hatchling if: you're hosting up to 10 small sites, you're fine with chat-only support, and you can commit to a 36-month prepay to lock in the lowest quoted monthly figure -- understanding the rate roughly triples after that term.
Choose Namecheap Stellar if: you're hosting up to 3 sites, want month-to-month flexibility without a multi-year lock-in, want free migration bundled in, or want the lowest possible monthly-equivalent rate ($1.88-$2.28/mo) by prepaying a year or two.
Choose Namecheap Stellar Plus if: Stellar's spec list fits what you need but you've confirmed with Namecheap that the next tier buys something Stellar doesn't -- this cohort's certified capture documents Stellar Plus pricing without itemizing the feature delta, so verify before paying $7.88/mo instead of $5.88/mo.
See the full review for HostGator and Namecheap on HostingDive -- with intro vs renewal pricing and support response time data, where available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which plan is cheaper: HostGator Hatchling or Namecheap Stellar?
On sticker price, HostGator's $3.75/mo (36-month term, MEDIUM confidence) is lower than Namecheap Stellar's $5.88/mo (monthly toggle). But HostGator renews at $10.99/mo while Namecheap discloses no renewal figure, and Namecheap's yearly toggle ($2.28/mo) and bi-yearly toggle ($1.88/mo) undercut HostGator's entry price without requiring a 36-month commitment.
Do I have to commit to 3 years to get HostGator's advertised price?
Yes -- the $3.75/mo figure applies to the 36-month term on the certified capture (MEDIUM confidence).
What's the difference between Namecheap Stellar and Stellar Plus?
Stellar runs $5.88/mo monthly ($2.28/mo yearly, $1.88/mo bi-yearly); Stellar Plus runs $7.88/mo monthly ($2.98/mo yearly, $2.28/mo bi-yearly). Both include a 30-day free trial before those rates apply, and neither states a numeric renewal price.
Does HostGator's Hatchling plan include free migration?
It includes a free migration TOOL; full-service, hands-off migration is a separate paid add-on.
How many websites can each plan host?
HostGator Hatchling allows 10 websites; Namecheap Stellar allows 3 (Stellar Plus's site limit was not part of this cohort's capture, so it isn't quoted here).
Is HostingDive's HostGator link an affiliate link?
No, it's a plain link with no commission relationship for HostGator specifically. The Namecheap link on this page is a live affiliate link; HostingDive may earn a commission if you sign up through it.
Comparing more than these two hosts? See HostingDive's roundup of the best WordPress hosting for 2026, tested and ranked.