TL;DR: What We Think of GoDaddy
GoDaddy: The heavyweight champ of hosting and domains, but don’t expect a warm hug. Perfect for mid-sized business websites, but for larger, mission-critical projects, proceed with caution – and maybe pack a parachute.
Suitable for:
Beginners-friendly, Small Business, International Website, or Adult Website
GoDaddy Pros & Cons
GoDaddy Pros
- Easily navigable product range
- Relatively good pricing for high performance hosting plans
- Some useful business-oriented addon services
- Good localization – local call supports available
GoDaddy Cons
- Poor hosting performance based on our experience
- Standard shared hosting plans are expensive and skimpy on resources
- Near constant upsells
- Lack dedicated and Windows hosting services
Evaluating GoDaddy: A Breakdown of Performance, Security, and Other Key Features
Founded in 1997 by entrepreneur Bob Parsons, GoDaddy emerged as a powerhouse in web hosting and domain registration. Originally known as “Jomax Technologies,” it swiftly rebranded to “GoDaddy” in 1999. GoDaddy’s rise to prominence was fueled by bold marketing campaigns, including memorable Super Bowl ads, solidifying its position as one of the world’s largest domain registrars. Under the leadership of Aman Bhutani, who assumed the CEO role in 2011, the company embarked on global expansion and diversified its product offerings.
In 2015, GoDaddy made history with its IPO debut on the New York Stock Exchange, signaling a new chapter in its journey. Today, GoDaddy continues its trajectory of international expansion, strategic acquisitions, and unwavering support for small businesses, cementing its status as an industry leader.
In the following sections, we’ll take a closer look at how GoDaddy performs across critical areas like hosting speed, server security, customer support, and overall value.
What Can You Expect from GoDaddy in Terms of Speed & Uptime Performance?
While GoDaddy offers essential performance features, its speed and uptime may not match the top-tier hosting providers. Key performance-enhancing features offered include:
- NVMe Storage in shared hosting plans, providing faster data retrieval for better performance under traffic spikes.
In short, GoDaddy provides reasonable speed and uptime for basic needs, but may not be the best option for users with demanding performance requirements.
Is Your Website Safe with GoDaddy’s Security Measures?
Yes, websites hosted at GoDaddy are safe. The hosting provider implements a range of security measures designed to protect your data and ensure website reliability. Key server security features include:
- DDoS protection, which shields your site from malicious traffic.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF), which blocks potential threats before they reach your site.
- Automatic Malware Scanning, which identifies and removes harmful code to prevent damage.
Daily backups are included as a standard feature, allowing for quick restoration of your website in case of any issues. Additionally, GoDaddy offers free SSL certificates with an easy installation system, enabling users to secure their websites effortlessly. This encrypts communication and protects the data exchanged between your site and its visitors.
With these measures in place, you can trust that your website is well-protected against online risks.
What Can You Expect from GoDaddy’s Customer Support?
GoDaddy offers a range of 24×7 customer support options to ensure users get timely assistance. Help is available via phone, live chat, and email. Additionally, you can also access the knowledge base for self-help guides and troubleshooting. User feedback on customer support is overwhelmingly positive, with fast response times and knowledgeable representatives consistently praised for their effectiveness in resolving issues.
Is GoDaddy’s Pricing Justified by the Value and Features It Offers?
It depends.
GoDaddy divides their shared hosting solutions into two tiers: “Standard Performance” and “High Performance” plans. Overall, the standard plans offers limited resources despite the higher-than-average market price. For example, the entry-level plan under “Standard Performance” costs $4.99 per month but only supports a single website with very limited server resources. You can get similar features and server resources at 50% lower cost in many other budget hosting providers.
Conversely, GoDaddy’s higher-tier plans present a more attractive value proposition. For instance, their $54.99 per month plan allows hosting up to 150 websites with 300 GB of NVMe storage, 16 GB of RAM, and 8 vCPU cores. These specifications are competitive and considered a good deal in the current market.
A similar pricing structure applies to GoDaddy’s VPS plans. While the lower-performance standard plans are relatively expensive, the higher performance plans offer reasonable prices and good deals, providing better value for customers seeking more robust hosting solutions.
How is GoDaddy Rated Based on Overall Market Satisfaction?
GoDaddy’s been around for so long that it seems to attract a particular crowd. These are typically driven by bargain deals and basic, easy-to-use services. In this, GoDaddy delivers. Sadly, such bargain deals have led to limited support capabilities, thus driving up dissatisfaction.
For additional insights, please refer to the user reviews section below.
Is GoDaddy Suitable for Beginners?
If you’re new to web hosting, GoDaddy has a lot to offer. It’s intuitive to use and easy to get accustomed to most regular operations. However, be warned that the standard shared hosting plans are pricier than market average.
Is GoDaddy Suitable for Small Businesses?
Like its hosting, GoDaddy extends its simple services to cover small business needs. That includes areas like marketing and email. The main issue remains that businesses often need timely support and reliable services. Something that GoDaddy is slightly questionable in.
Is GoDaddy Suitable for Web Developers?
Developers have to consider things carefully where GoDaddy is concerned. While support may not be necessary, GoDaddy’s basic plans aren’t very dev-friendly. VPS plans cost more, and finding better bargains elsewhere for stripped-down hosting services is recommended.
Is It Possible to Host Custom Email with GoDaddy?
Yes, you can host your own email accounts with GoDaddy. This significantly reduces your costs by eliminating the need for expensive third-party email services.
How Easy Is the Onboarding Process with GoDaddy?
Overall Godaddy website is easy to navigate and their product offerings are clear. So getting onboard and started with GoDaddy is not difficult.
That said, however, content in GoDaddy’s help center seems more promotional than helpful. That, coupled with features that may or may not work, can lead to a tumultuous onboarding process.
Does GoDaddy Offer a Free Trial?
Yes, GoDaddy offers a 30-day free trial period. If you are not satisfied with their services for any reason, you can cancel within this period and receive a full refund.
Try now: Visit & Sign Up at GoDaddy Official Website
GoDaddy Plans & Pricing
GoDaddy has streamlined their offerings, no longer providing Windows, Reseller, and Dedicated Hosting through their website. While this indicates a shift in their service strategy, existing users might still retain their current hosting plans. However, there is some uncertainty about the continuity of these services for existing customers, making it essential to stay updated with GoDaddy’s announcements.
- Shared Hosting: Starting from $4.99 – $74.99 per month
- VPS Hosting: Starting from $8.99 – $199.99 per month
- Dedicated Hosting: Starting from $159.99 – $469.99 per month
Web hosting prices are subject to change, and promotional rates may only be available for a limited time or for new customers. To ensure you get the most accurate and current pricing details, we recommend visiting the official GoDaddy website.
Consider Renewal Prices When Choosing
When evaluating hosting options, keep in mind that many providers offer substantial discounts during the initial signup period, but prices can rise significantly upon renewal. It’s crucial to research and compare renewal rates alongside introductory offers to get a clear picture of the long-term cost.
To help you in making an informed decision, we have prepared a summary table below comparing the initial signup and renewal costs of GoDaddy services with several other providers we monitor.
Compare GoDaddy’s Signup Cost Against Competitors
Web Host | Shared Hosting Signup Fees | Shared Hosting Renewal Fees | VPS Hosting Signup Fees | VPS Hosting Renewal Fees |
---|---|---|---|---|
GoDaddy | $4.99 – 74.99/mo | $4.99 – 109.99/mo | $8.99 – 199.99/mo | $14.99 – 339.99/mo |
Nexcess | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo |
AltusHost | $10.92 – 27.39/mo | $10.92 – 27.39/mo | $17.52 – 70.23/mo | $17.52 – 70.23/mo |
HostArmada | $2.99 – 5.49/mo | $11.95 – 21.95/mo | $29.95 – 74.23/mo | $59.90 – 148.45/mo |
Chemicloud | $2.95 – 4.95/mo | $13.95 – 22.95/mo | $29.95 – 262.12/mo | $54.95 – 285.95/mo |
TMDHosting | $2.99 – 8.99/mo | $9.99 – 19.99/mo | $44.99 – 125.99/mo | $49.99 – 139.99/mo |
Caution: Prices May Vary Web hosting prices can change frequently. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information, please visit the official GoDaddy website.
Final Thought: Is GoDaddy Right for You?
One of the longest-standing names in the hosting and domain name industry, GoDaddy is no doubt a powerhouse in the market.
However, their basic shared hosting plans are a bit pricey for what you get, making them less prefered compared with other providers. If you’re looking for more powerful and high-performance hosting, their higher-tier plans offer good value with competitive features at reasonable prices.
That said, GoDaddy can feel a bit impersonal, and they’ve stopped offering some hosting options, so it’s wise to tread carefully if you have a larger, mission-critical project. Also, like any gigantic coperations, they can be a little slow to adapt to the latest technology and lack personal touch in their service offerings.