HostGator Website Backup with Handy Backup

HostGator backup software - Handy Backup provides an independent way to protect website files and databases hosted on HostGator. It can automatically copy website data to storage outside your hosting account, giving you more control over backup schedules, destinations, retention, and recovery.

HostGator provides its own backup options, but the available features depend on the hosting plan. HostGator also states that its courtesy backups are not guaranteed and that customers are responsible for maintaining their own copies of important website data. For business websites, keeping an independent backup outside the hosting account adds another layer of protection.

With Handy Backup, a HostGator website backup can become part of a broader backup strategy that also protects local files, computers, NAS devices, databases, and cloud data from the same application.

Why Back Up a HostGator Website Separately?

A hosting provider backup is useful for recovering website data, but it still depends on the hosting environment and the provider's backup policy. An independent copy gives the website owner another recovery option if data is deleted, an account becomes unavailable, or the hosting-side backup does not contain the required version.

Handy Backup connects to website storage using FTP, SFTP, or FTPS and saves copies to storage selected by the user. This separates the original website from at least one of its backups.

For example, you can create an automatic HostGator backup and store it on:

• a local computer or external drive;
• a NAS or network location;
• another FTP, SFTP, or FTPS server;
• Amazon S3 or compatible S3 storage;
• Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and other supported cloud services.

This approach is particularly useful when the website contains business data that should not depend on a single hosting account or storage location.

Table 1: HostGator Built-in Backup vs Handy Backup

Keep Your Backup Outside HostGator

One of the main reasons to use external HostGator backup software is storage independence. If the website and every available backup depend on the same hosting environment, an account-level or provider-side problem may affect access to both.

Handy Backup lets you copy website data from HostGator to storage under your control. For example, a website can remain on HostGator while its automatic backups are saved to a local NAS and an Amazon S3 account.

This also makes it easier to follow a multi-copy backup strategy in which important data exists in more than one location.

Control Your Own HostGator Backup Schedule

Backup frequency should reflect how often a website changes. A small company website may require one backup per day, while an actively updated website may need more frequent protection.

With Handy Backup, you define the schedule instead of relying only on the hosting provider's backup cycle. Tasks can run automatically at selected times and intervals, helping keep recent copies available without requiring a manual website download.

You can also combine full backups with incremental or differential backups to reduce repeated copying of unchanged data.

How to Back Up HostGator Website Files via FTP, SFTP, or FTPS

Handy Backup can protect website directories available through FTP, SFTP, or FTPS. This includes common website content such as HTML and PHP files, scripts, CSS, JavaScript, images, uploaded documents, WordPress files, and other data stored in the hosting account.

The backup can preserve files in their original formats, making the stored data accessible without requiring a proprietary hosting backup interface.

This is useful not only for disaster recovery but also when migrating a website, keeping development copies, or retaining previous versions of frequently changed website files.

HostGator MySQL Database Backup

Files are only one part of many modern websites. WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, e-commerce systems, and other dynamic websites also depend on a database containing posts, settings, user information, orders, and other content.

Handy Backup supports MySQL backup and can protect a HostGator database when the hosting configuration permits remote database access. Website files and database data can therefore be protected within the same backup strategy.

For a complete website backup, both components should be considered: the files that make up the website and the database that stores its dynamic content.

HostGator CodeGuard vs Handy Backup

HostGator also offers CodeGuard as a dedicated website backup service. CodeGuard can automatically back up website files and databases, monitor website changes, and restore previous versions. It is a useful option for users who want a backup service focused specifically on hosted websites.

Handy Backup serves a broader purpose. It can protect a HostGator website while also backing up local folders, computers, network storage, databases, and cloud accounts. This can reduce the need to manage a separate backup service for every type of business data.

Another difference is storage strategy. Handy Backup lets the user choose where copies are stored, making it possible to keep website backups on infrastructure independent of both the website hosting account and the backup software vendor.

Back Up Multiple Websites with One Solution

A company does not always keep every website with the same hosting provider. The main website may be hosted on HostGator while a landing page, development environment, or secondary project runs elsewhere.

Handy Backup is not tied to one hosting provider. Separate backup tasks can connect to different FTP or SFTP servers and save website copies to common storage destinations.

This makes the software useful for small businesses, website administrators, developers, and advanced users managing several websites without deploying a separate backup system for each hosting account.

Example HostGator Website Backup Strategy

Consider a small business running a WordPress website on HostGator. The website contains frequently updated files and a MySQL database, while the company also keeps important documents on office computers and OneDrive.

Handy Backup can automatically copy the website files through SFTP, protect the accessible MySQL database, and save the resulting backups to a NAS or cloud storage. The same installation can also protect the company's local and cloud data.

The result is an independent backup layer that complements HostGator's own recovery options instead of replacing them. If a hosting-side backup is available, it can provide one recovery path; the Handy Backup copy provides another.

When Does an External HostGator Backup Make Sense?

An external backup is particularly useful when a website is important to business operations, changes frequently, or needs a longer and more predictable backup history than the hosting provider's standard policy provides.

It also makes sense when you want direct control over backup storage, need copies on NAS or cloud services of your choice, manage websites across multiple providers, or want to protect website data together with other company files.

The goal is not necessarily to replace HostGator's built-in tools. A stronger strategy is to use provider-side recovery when available while maintaining at least one independent copy under your own control.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does HostGator automatically back up my website?▼

HostGator provides backup options depending on the type of hosting account and service. However, HostGator states that its courtesy backups are not guaranteed and that customers remain responsible for maintaining their own website backups. An independent copy is therefore useful for important websites.

Can I automatically back up a HostGator website to my computer?▼

Yes. Handy Backup can connect to website storage through FTP, SFTP, or FTPS and automatically copy selected files and folders to a local computer, external drive, NAS, or another supported destination.

Can Handy Backup back up a HostGator MySQL database?▼

Yes, when the HostGator hosting configuration allows the required database connection. Handy Backup supports MySQL backup, so database data can be protected together with website files as part of a complete website backup strategy.

Can I back up HostGator to Amazon S3 or another cloud?▼

Yes. Handy Backup can save website backups to Amazon S3 and compatible S3 storage, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, FTP/SFTP servers, local drives, NAS devices, and other supported destinations.

Is Handy Backup a replacement for HostGator CodeGuard?▼

Not necessarily. CodeGuard is focused on website backup and restore, while Handy Backup is a broader backup solution. It is useful when you want to protect a HostGator website together with PCs, files, NAS storage, databases, and cloud data or when you want more control over where backup copies are stored.

Should I keep a HostGator backup outside my hosting account?▼

For important websites, yes. Keeping an independent backup on storage outside HostGator reduces dependence on a single hosting environment and gives you an additional recovery option if the hosting-side copy is unavailable or does not contain the version you need.

See also

Dreamhost backup - back up your data from or to Dreamhost web hosting quickly and with no difficulties.

Database Backup - back up MySQL, Oracle, FoxPro, Interbase, MSSQL, DB2, MS Access, Postgre SQL etc.

Synchronizing files and folders - one click synchronization of files and folders across multiple locations including FTP servers.

GoDaddy hosting daily backup is what you cannot do using built-in backup tool and easily can provide with Handy Backup.

Bluehost Site Backup can be done easily to external server with our backup tool that give much more features than built-in backup solution by Bkuehost.