What Sets GoDaddy Apart?
Not all web hosts offer as many services as GoDaddy. The site builder is easy for anyone to use. Choose one of more than 175 free templates, and then fill in with your own images, text and business logo. The editor is intuitive, with point-and-click navigation from the right-side menu.
GoDaddy Features
Below, we’ll cover GoDaddy’s options for hosting, storage and more.
Web Hosting
GoDaddy offers a variety of web hosting plans to suit a wide range of web hosting needs.
- Shared hosting: The most affordable type of web hosting is shared hosting. This is because, as the name implies, resources are shared among a number of websites. It’s generally low-cost and offers a reliable option for startups and small businesses. Shared hosting plans from GoDaddy start at the equivalent of $4.99 per month with three years paid up front ($59.88). Learn more about the best shared hosting plans.
- Windows hosting: Those who use ASP.NET, ASP, .NET Core and SQL servers will find the best option is to use Windows hosting because it’s designed to meet your needs. In doing so, it will help improve your site’s performance and speed. Windows hosting from GoDaddy is very affordable with plans starting at $4.99 per month with a one-year contract.
- Web Hosting Plus: This is a unique web hosting plan from GoDaddy that gives users both VPS hosting and an easy-to-use cPanel. In other words, it gives users the best of both worlds in that it gives the power of a server without the need to understand it from a technical standpoint. Plans start at $21.99 per month with one year billed up front ($263.88).
- VPS hosting: For tech-savvy users looking for enhanced power and control, GoDaddy offers VPS hosting plans starting at $8.99 per month with a three-year contract. This is a very competitive price for a VPS hosting plan, making it a good option for those who are seeking affordable VPS hosting. Learn more about the best VPS hosting plans.
For more information, check out our complete breakdown of the most common types of web hosting plans.
Storage and Bandwidth Limits
The Starter plan includes only 10GB of storage, which will run out quickly. Higher-priced tiers offer up to 400GB.
Along with some web hosts today, GoDaddy doesn’t label its bandwidth allowance as “unlimited,” rather it’s unmetered. This means that it isn’t going to monitor how much data transfer you’re using unless it becomes a problem for others on the same server as your website. If you do use more than what GoDaddy deems appropriate for your plan level, it may request you upgrade your service or the company could suspend your website.
Extras and Inclusions
GoDaddy offers a free domain name for new accounts, plus you’ll get a free secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate, which secures your site (it’s what gives you the lock icon in your URL) and its data. It’s only for the first year, though. You also get daily backups, which is new to GoDaddy’s offerings.
Ease of Use
Although many web hosts advertise one-click installs of CMS apps, it’s rarely one click. You have to find apps in cPanel, click the app you want, fill in a form and then click to install. Access WordPress through cPanel or through the typical wp-admin login on your site (you can also change that login page, if you prefer).
With all that said, GoDaddy is fairly easy to use and it isn’t fair to judge the company on cPanel. If you’re looking for the easiest route to a website, choose GoDaddy’s website builder option because it walks you through everything you need to do to publish a website.
User Dashboard/cPanel
Setting up GoDaddy is simple whether you choose to go with the site builder option or you want the classic cPanel dashboard. Assuming you opt for shared hosting on a Linux server, just fill out a form when prompted with a username and password and GoDaddy will set up WordPress for you (it’s the CMS the web host suggests).
Security
GoDaddy includes a few security features for your website in its web hosting plans, such as SSH access, hotlink protection, leech protection, IP blocker and the ability to manage API tokens. It also includes a basic SSL certificate for free for the first year, daily backups and GoDaddy provides network security for its own servers (24/7 monitoring), but if you want more security, you’ll have to pay.
There are three site security plans that include tools such as malware scan, backup recovery, site cleanups and a web application firewall. These range in price from $6.99 per month to $19.99 per month, with a two-year contract (renewal costs $6.99 per month to $16.99 per month, with a two-year contract).
GoDaddy Pricing and Plans
| Starter | Economy | Basic (for WordPress) | Deluxe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory Pricing | $179.64 for three years (will renew at $179.64)
| $215.64 for three years (will renew at $359.64) | $467.64 for three years (will renew at $467.64)
| $287.64 for three years
(will renew at $167.88)
|
| Storage | 10GB | 25GB | 10GB | 100GB |
| Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unmetered | Unmetered | Unmetered |
| cPanel | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Free Domain Name | ✔ (For first year; renews at the current annual price) | ✔ (For first year; renews at the current annual price) | ✔ (For first year; renews at the current annual price) | ✔ (For first year; renews at the current annual price) |
| Free SSL Certificate | - | ✔ (For first year; renews at $99.99 per year) | ✔ | ✔ (For first full term; renews at the current annual price) |
| Security | Daily backups, 24/7 server monitoring | Daily backups, 24/7 server monitoring | Daily backups, 24/7 server monitoring | Daily backups, 24/7 server monitoring |
| Business Email | - | - | - | - |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.90% | 99.90% | 99.90% | 99.90% |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 48 hours (monthly plans); 30 days (annual plans) | 48 hours (monthly plans); 30 days (annual plans) | 48 hours (monthly plans); 30 days (annual plans) | 48 hours (monthly plans); 30 days (annual plans) |
| Customer Support | 24/7 phone, live chat, SMS | 24/7 phone, live chat, SMS | 24/7 phone, live chat, SMS | 24/7 phone, live chat, SMS |
GoDaddy Starter Plan
This entry-level plan is the ideal solution for those who have an existing site and do not need money-saving extras such as a domain name or business email. Plans start at $4.99 per month with three-year billing and comes with 10GB of storage, unmetered bandwidth, daily backups and 24/7 support.
GoDaddy Economy Plan
Budget-conscious individuals and businesses can get started with this cheap web hosting plan. It includes a free domain name, SSL certificate and business email, if you sign up for at least a one-year term. It allows you to host a single website with daily backups and unmetered bandwidth. The 25GB of disk space is generous.
GoDaddy Basic (for WordPress)
This is the go-to plan if you’re setting up a WordPress website and are looking for a good hosting option. You get 10GB of space and data transfer is unmetered, but if your site proves to have extremely high traffic, GoDaddy may ask you to upgrade to a VPS server.
GoDaddy Deluxe Plan
With GoDaddy’s Deluxe plan, you get all the same features as the Economy plan, including daily backups and support access. Your disk space is doubled to 50GB and increases capacity to 10 websites.
GoDaddy Customer Service and Support
GoDaddy’s 24/7 support doesn’t apply to every country or avenue of support. But for many countries, including the United States and United Kingdom, you can get phone support 24/7. And for most, live chat is available 24/7, but hours may be limited for some countries.
Wait times for phone or live chat are typically quick, but we’ve experienced up to an hour-long hold for a representative. You have to fill out a secure form with your chosen PIN and your customer number. With two-factor authentication (2FA) set up, you may need to give a code to an agent, which doesn’t feel very secure. All of these steps are necessary before you can even talk to a representative about your issue.
Getting a refund took about 40 minutes and though it was a long wait and required several steps, it wasn’t a hassle. The agent was helpful, patient and friendly.
A standout feature of GoDaddy customer service is that it offers help via SMS. You can send a text message to a support phone number any time of day or night.
GoDaddy Alternatives and How They Compare
| GoDaddy | IONOS | SiteGround | Bluehost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating |     | | | |
| Introductory Pricing | $4.99 per month | $1 per month | $2.99 per month | $3.95 per month |
| Renewal Pricing | $4.99 per month | $10 per month | $17.99 per month | $9.99 per month |
| Contract Length | 10GB | 10GB | 10GB | 10GB |
| Starting Storage Limit | Unmetered | Unlimited | Unmetered
(10,000 monthly visitors max.) | Unlimited |
| Bandwidth Limit | ✔
($19.99 per year after first year) | ✔
($40 per year after first year) | ✔
($19.99 per year after first year) | ✔
($19.99 per year after first year) |
| Free Domain Name | ✔
($99.99 per year after first term) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Free SSL Certificate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | $2.49 per month |
| Business Email | 100% | 99.90% | 99.90% | N/A |
| Uptime Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 24/7 phone, SMS, live chat | 24/7 live chat, phone, ticket system | 24/7 live chat, phone, ticket system | 24/7 live chat, limited hours phone support |
| Learn More | - | |||
| Read Reviews | - |
GoDaddy vs. IONOS
Pricing is starkly different between IONOS and GoDaddy if you compare introductory pricing. However, renewal pricing is about the same. What gives IONOS the edge here is that it doesn’t charge anything for an SSL certificate (GoDaddy makes you pay after the first year) and IONOS gives you business email for free (again, GoDaddy charges you after the first year). GoDaddy does offer more disk space on the entry-level plan than IONOS.
GoDaddy vs. SiteGround
GoDaddy and SiteGround are very similar in their offerings but SiteGround is more expensive upon renewal and gives you less disk space to start. Where SiteGround shines is in the features you can’t readily see, specifically in its caching and performance to ensure you have fast page load times.
GoDaddy vs. Bluehost
Bluehost is as well-known as GoDaddy for its web hosting service, but Bluehost made a name for itself for being one of the cheapest web hosts with its very low introductory rate. Storage space is lower with Bluehost than GoDaddy, but both offer unmetered bandwidth. Perhaps the biggest difference in a comparison of GoDaddy vs. Bluehost is that Bluehost no longer offers a service level agreement (SLA) uptime guarantee, while GoDaddy promises at least 99.9% uptime.
Related: HostGator Vs. GoDaddy
Our Expert Opinion
GoDaddy is a reliable and affordable web hosting service that offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee, a no-hassle money-back guarantee and lots of free extras with all hosting plans. It hits hard with renewal fees and charges you later for the freebies it pulls you in with, but it isn’t lacking the basic services you need to build a website. The dashboard is easy to understand and with the right hosting plan, you get cPanel access with simple installation of CMS apps, such as WordPress.
We found no trouble getting up and running with GoDaddy, and when we were stuck with something we found that GoDaddy offered plenty of resources to help us find our way. You don’t have to be a technical expert to make an attractive website with the platform, which is a large factor in why it’s been a popular hosting service for so long.
Bottom Line: Is GoDaddy Right for You?
Most small businesses would do well with GoDaddy for web hosting. It’s important that you know what you’re getting into with a GoDaddy plan. Most importantly, you should take note of what’s free only for the first year or term and understand that renewal prices will always be higher.
GoDaddy Is Best For:
- First-time site builders would do well with GoDaddy as a web host. You get everything you need to get started in the low-tier plan for shared hosting, including an SSL certificate, domain name and an easy-to-use site builder.
- Businesses that are seeking high-quality and highly affordable VPS hosting plans.
GoDaddy Is Not Recommended For:
- Businesses that are looking to pay as little as possible, as it does not have the lowest-priced introductory rates in the market.
- While you can get a good deal from GoDaddy, it tends to bury the renewal pricing and paid add-ons in fine print. If you’re looking for more transparency, free extras and don’t want to deal with upsells, GoDaddy might not be right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much does it cost to host a website with GoDaddy?
Pricing for web hosting varies with GoDaddy—it depends on how much speed and storage you need, and which features you want. You can get a deep discount on long terms, but some of the best cheap web hosting services are even more affordable.
Is GoDaddy good for web hosting?
We think so. Your opinion matters most, though. Consider what you need from your web host, and then make an informed decision. If you’re outgrowing your web host, you may need to upgrade to a VPS hosting service, which GoDaddy offers.
How do I choose the best web hosting services?
When choosing the best web hosting services for your business, you’ll need to consider a variety of factors. The most important include your website’s size, traffic and goals. You’ll also want to consider the type of hosting you need—shared, VPS or dedicated hosting. Finally, factors, such as which come with the extras you need, such as a domain name or business email, and support in your preferred contact method, such as live chat, phone or email, should influence your decision.
How much does it cost to build on the GoDaddy website builder?
Building a website on GoDaddy is free for seven days. However, you’ll need to subscribe to one of its paid plans to access your website after the trial period ends. GoDaddy’s paid plans start at $9.99 per month on the Basic plan and go up to $20.99 per month if you’re building an e-commerce site.
Is GoDaddy secure?
GoDaddy’s plans come with standard security features such as a firewall for your site, data encryption and regular threat monitoring. You need not worry about your site’s security if you choose to go with GoDaddy.
How can I transfer my domain to GoDaddy?
The process of transferring your domain name to GoDaddy will depend on where your domain is currently being hosted. However, much of the process will be the same regardless. To start, request an auth code from your current domain registrar. Then, go to your GoDaddy account and navigate to the GoDaddy transfers page and search for your domain. Verify that your domain is not locked and enter your auth code. Complete the final prompts to transfer your domain. Get the complete step-by-step breakdown of how to transfer your domain name to GoDaddy.
Do I get a free website with GoDaddy?
GoDaddy plans do not exactly include a free website. With a GoDaddy hosting plan, users can create a free WordPress site that connects to their own custom domain. It also offers a high-quality all-in-one website builder where users can build their own site code-free. Learn more about how to build a website with GoDaddy.
