HostGator Website Backup Tool - Handy Backup
HostGator Website Backup Software - Handy Backup lets you automatically back up your website files to storage you control. Connect via FTP, SFTP, or FTPS and save copies to local drives, NAS, FTP servers, or cloud storage. Handy Backup also works with other hosting providers, so you can manage backups for multiple websites from one application with separate automated backup tasks.
Why Keep an Independent HostGator Website Backup?
Your hosting provider may offer backups, but those copies remain tied to the hosting environment and its retention policy. An independent backup gives you a separate recovery point if website files are accidentally deleted, an account becomes unavailable, or the hosting backup no longer contains the version you need.
Handy Backup connects to your HostGator website through FTP, SFTP, or FTPS and copies the selected data to a storage location you control.
External HostGator Backup Benefits
Flexible Storage Options
Handy Backup lets you direct website copies to storage that fits your existing infrastructure, from local and network locations to supported cloud services. This gives you more control over where backup data is kept and how it fits into your overall storage strategy.
Automated Backup Scheduling
Backup tasks can run automatically according to a schedule selected for the website. This helps maintain recent copies without requiring someone to manually download website data after every important update, keeping your backup process simple and consistent.
Independent Backup Locations
Keeping website backups outside the original hosting environment adds another layer of separation between production data and its recovery copies. If access to the hosting account is interrupted, an independently stored backup can remain available.
Reliable Version History
Regular backups can create a history of website versions rather than relying on a single current copy. This can be useful when you need to recover data from before an unwanted change, deletion, or other website problem.
Centralized Data Protection
Website backups do not have to exist separately from the rest of a company's backup environment. The same Handy Backup installation can protect hosted websites alongside local files, databases, network resources, and supported cloud data.
Scalable Backup Strategy
An external backup strategy can start with one website and expand as the business grows. Additional websites, storage destinations, and data sources can be incorporated into separate backup tasks without changing the overall approach.
HostGator Backup vs Handy Backup
HostGator provides built-in backup options, but available features depend on the hosting plan and backup service. More advanced backup and restore capabilities may require an additional backup service or a higher-tier plan.
| Backup Option | HostGator Built-in Tools | Handy Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Backup management | Depends on hosting plan and backup service | User-controlled |
| Backup schedule | Depends on hosting type and backup service | Yes custom automatic schedule |
| Independent copy outside HostGator | Depends on hosting plan and backup service | Yes |
| Storage destination | Depends on HostGator backup service and plan | Yes local, network, FTP/SFTP, and cloud storage |
| Website files | Yes | Yes via FTP/SFTP/FTPS |
| MySQL database backup | Yes with supported backup services | Yes when database access is available |
| Multiple websites | Depends on hosting plan and backup service | Yes websites from different hosting providers |
| Other business data | Limited focused on hosted website data | Yes files, PCs, NAS, databases, clouds, and websites |
| Backup type | Depends on hosting and backup service | Yes full, incremental, and differential |
Reviews About Handy Backup
Recommended Solution
Lifetime license
Handy Backup Small Business
Handy Backup Small Business provides MySQL backup, MS SQL Server Backup, MS Exchange Server Backup, and reliable protection for your HostGator website. Download the free trial version and see how easily you can automate backups, choose secure storage destinations, schedule regular copies, and keep your business data protected.
Choose Where to Store Your HostGator Backup
Local Storage
Keep an additional website backup on a local drive or external disk. This creates a separate copy outside your HostGator account that can be accessed without relying on the hosting server.
Network & NAS Storage
Store website backups on a NAS device or network location within your existing infrastructure. This provides a centralized place for backup copies without depending on the original hosting account.
Cloud Storage
Send website backups to Amazon S3 and compatible storage, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or other supported cloud destinations for an additional off-site copy.
FTP, SFTP & FTPS Servers
Store a second copy on another remote server using FTP, SFTP, or FTPS. This is useful when you already maintain separate infrastructure for website data or disaster recovery.
Why it matters: Keeping your website and backup copies in separate storage locations reduces dependence on a single hosting account and gives you more flexibility when recovering files or restoring website data.
How to Back Up a HostGator Website with Handy Backup
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Add your HostGator website. Select FTP, SFTP, or FTPS and enter the connection details for your HostGator account. Handy Backup can then access the website data available through the selected connection.
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Build your backup set. Select the website directories and files you need to preserve, such as WordPress content, scripts, images, documents, and other site data. You can also include a MySQL database or its exported backup.
Note: For database-driven websites, file and database backups should be captured in a consistent state. Otherwise, a backup taken during active database writes may contain files from one point in time and database records from another, complicating a complete restore.
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Choose independent storage. Save the backup outside your HostGator account — on a local or external drive, NAS, network storage, FTP/SFTP server, or supported cloud service.
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Set your protection policy. Choose how often the website should be backed up and how many backup versions to retain. Compression and encryption can be enabled for additional control over your stored copies.
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Let Handy Backup run automatically. Start the first backup immediately, then let the scheduled task keep fresh copies of your HostGator website without manual downloads each time.
Video Instruction: HostGator Backup Software
Learn how to create a reliable website backup with Handy Backup in just a few simple steps. The video shows the general backup workflow: connect to your website, select the data you want to protect, choose a backup destination, and configure an automatic schedule.
Note: The website shown in this video is used as an example. The same backup approach can be applied to websites hosted on HostGator and other hosting providers. Depending on your hosting environment, Handy Backup can use FTP, SFTP, or FTPS to access your website files and create an independent copy for safe storage.
Download Trial
Try Handy Backup free for 30 days and discover a powerful HostGator backup software solution for automating website backups, protecting your files and databases, and keeping independent copies of your important web data under your 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.