IONOS vs HostGator: the real 5-year cost
Over 5 years, HostGator works out about $21.24 cheaper than IONOSonce renewal prices are counted. Here's the breakdown.
| IONOS | HostGator | |
|---|---|---|
| Intro price | $1.00/mo | $3.75/mo |
| Renews at | $8.00/mo | $9.99/mo |
| Renewal markup | +700% | +166% |
| True 5-year cost | $396 | $374.76 |
| Effective monthly | $6.60/mo | $6.25/mo |
Both are shared hosts with renewal jumps — whichever you pick, switch before renewal or you'll pay the higher rate.
The honest take
Headline promo prices make hosts look interchangeable. They're not — the gap shows up at renewal. IONOS's Essential starts at $1/mo and renews at $8/mo; HostGator's Hatchling starts at $3.75/mo and renews at $9.99/mo.
Prices are 2026 figures synthesized from public sources and change often. Confirm on each host's official page before buying. See our methodology.
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