Fast, scalable hosting for any website
Pros
- Interface is modern and user-friendly
- Ample server resources are provided
Cons
- High prices for domain and hosting
- Cloud hosting services are not provided
- Additional fees are required for access to security tools
About GoDaddy
Opting to establish an online presence for your business is a straightforward decision; however, selecting the ideal web hosting service can be a challenging task. GoDaddy, initially recognized as a domain registrar, has evolved into a comprehensive website-building platform.
It provides all the essentials for launching a small business website or online store, including domain registration, web hosting plans, and a user-friendly website builder. GoDaddy’s services encompass shared hosting, virtual private server (VPS), and dedicated hosting options.
Types of Web Hosting Available
GoDaddy is home to over 84 million domain names and prides itself on continuous innovation. It stands out as one of the few web hosts to provide SMS support, showcasing its commitment to evolving services and customer convenience.
Shared Hosting
Opting for shared hosting is the economical choice for those seeking affordable web hosting solutions. With shared hosting, your website resides on a server alongside other sites, effectively sharing server resources. As the name suggests, this tier involves sharing resources, resulting in a less powerful hosting option compared to others. The websites sharing the server vie for resources such as throughput and storage space, leading to potential competition among them.
It’s advisable to steer clear of shared hosting plans for e-commerce websites due to potential security risks associated with handling sensitive customer data like credit card information. Shared plans are better suited for news sites, blogs, and portfolios that prioritize ample storage space over stringent security measures.
VPS Web Hosting
VPS, short for virtual private server hosting, operates just as its name suggests. With this service, you’re essentially renting space on a shared server. However, unlike traditional shared hosting, VPS offers enhanced isolation from other users sharing the same server.
GoDaddy provides servers that operate on either Linux or Windows systems, offering unlimited domains, and monthly data transfers. Users have the option to choose between self-managed or fully managed services, tailored to meet the specific requirements of their websites.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is the essential tier for websites requiring substantial system resources. With dedicated hosting, your site occupies a server entirely on its own, harnessing all of the server’s capabilities. This robust hardware is indispensable for powering websites designed to accommodate millions of visitors annually.
GoDaddy offers a variety of configurations for dedicated servers. Users can customize their server with either Linux or Windows operating systems, opt for high-capacity hard drives, or choose blazing-fast NVMe SSD options to meet their specific needs.
WordPress Web Hosting
Enrolling in one of GoDaddy’s managed WordPress hosting plans offers several benefits. GoDaddy provides a plethora of WordPress themes and plugins, along with nightly backups and automatic updates for WordPress software. Moreover, GoDaddy eliminates the need for manual CMS installation by offering preinstalled WordPress. Once logged in, users can seamlessly create posts, pages, and galleries just like they would on any other self-hosted WordPress site.
Website Builder
GoDaddy offers its free website builder known as GoDaddy Websites + Marketing. This tool is exceptional, providing responsive designs that result in attractive and functional websites for both desktop and mobile devices. With its intuitive drag-and-drop functionality, building pages becomes effortless, allowing even novices to create websites with ease.
You can begin for free with plans starting at $11.99 per month. For enhanced commerce functionality, you can opt for the $24.99 per month plan. Feel free to explore our review for a comprehensive analysis of the website builder. Of course, GoDaddy Websites + Marketing is not your only option for building a website. You can also consider using WordPress or uploading files via FTP.
Other Tools and Features
Email Accounts
You have the option to create a professional email address using your domain name, free for the first year. Afterward, additional charges apply. The process is straightforward, requiring you to fill out details such as the mailbox name and password. Note that this email setup is primarily suitable for casual use, as the email clients provided are somewhat outdated and hosted on the same server as your website.
Installatron
If you prefer not to use WordPress or require a second website, Installatron is your go-to option. Similar to QuickInstall or Softaculous, Installatron serves as a one-click installation library featuring a wide array of apps for building your website. Its user-friendly interface makes it incredibly easy and straightforward to use, ensuring even beginner users can manage it effortlessly.
Backup
You have the option to manually back up the entire cPanel, including files and databases. This tool serves as a precautionary measure or for website migration purposes. We found it to be highly beneficial as it can rescue you in case of website issues or facilitate smooth transitions to other hosting platforms.
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Plans and Prices
GoDaddy provides five distinct hosting plan types to cater to diverse needs: Shared web hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS hosting, and Dedicated servers. Whether you’re operating a small business, a large enterprise, or delving into e-commerce, explore GoDaddy’s hosting plans to find one that suits your requirements.
Shared Hosting Plans
GoDaddy offers a diverse selection of Linux- or Windows-based shared web servers. Additionally, if you commit to a subscription of more than 12 months, GoDaddy provides a complimentary domain name.
For the Linux hosting option, GoDaddy’s Economy package is priced at $11.99 per month but discounted to $9.99 per month with an annual commitment. This package features 512MB of RAM, 25GB of storage, unlimited monthly data transfers, the capability to host one website, and includes a free year of Office 365 Starter Email.
The Deluxe plan from GoDaddy is priced at $15.99 per month but discounted to $13.99 per month with a 12-month commitment. This plan enhances the features of the Economy package by providing 50GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, support for hosting 10 websites, and includes three Microsoft 365 mailboxes.
GoDaddy’s Ultimate package is priced at $21.99 per month, or $17.99 per month with a 12-month commitment. This plan offers 75 GB of storage, 1.5GB of RAM, the ability to host 25 websites, and includes 5 mailboxes.
The Maximum package from GoDaddy is priced at $29.99 per month, or $24.99 per month with a 12-month commitment. This top-tier plan offers 100GB of storage, boosts the memory to 2GB, and allows hosting for 50 websites, and. Additionally, all Linux-based shared hosting services include free SSL certificates for as many websites as the respective plan supports.
Windows-based shared hosting packages are slightly more feature-rich, although they do not include a free SSL certificate unless you opt for the largest plan. These Windows shared hosting plans, including Economy, Deluxe, and Ultimate, are priced at the same level as the Linux versions.
VPS Web Hosting Plans
Starting at $14.99 monthly, GoDaddy’s VPS plans include a single CPU core, 40GB of SSD storage, and 1GB of RAM. The highest tier offers up to eight CPU cores, 400GB of SSD storage, 32GB of RAM, and a complimentary SSL certificate for one year, all for $149.99 monthly. Opting for a multi-month plan can provide additional savings, making these offerings particularly attractive.
Dedicated Hosting Plans
The DS-32 plan is a starter package priced at $179.99 per month, or $159.99 monthly for a 12-month plan. It includes four CPU cores, 1TB of storage, 32GB of RAM, a free SSL certificate, and unlimited monthly data transfers.
The top-tier offer is the DS-256, priced at a hefty $519.99 per month, or $469.99 for a 12-month plan. It boasts 16 CPU cores, 2TB of SSD storage, and 256GB of RAM. Opting for a long-term commitment results in significant savings.
Additionally, there is a fully managed dedicated server tier offering similar performance and storage options, albeit with a notable price increase. Fully-managed plans commence at $289.98 per month and escalate up to $629.98 per month.
WordPress Web Hosting Plans
The Basic package (from $14.99 per month, or $11.99 per month if subscribed annually) includes 20GB of storage, two Microsoft 365 mailboxes, site backup (retained for up to 90 days), and accommodates up to 25,000 monthly visitors.
The Deluxe plan, priced at $19.99 per month (or $16.99 per month with an annual subscription), increases storage to 40GB, supports up to 100,000 monthly visitors, offers three Microsoft 365 mailboxes, and includes a convenient single-click testing site feature.
The Ultimate plan, which begins at $29.99 per month (or $21.99 per month with an annual subscription), enhances the Deluxe offering with 60GB of storage, five Microsoft 365 mailboxes, and unrestricted visitor capacity.
The WooCommerce plan, starting at $34.99 per month (or $29.99 per month with an annual subscription), introduces GoDaddy Smart Terminal POS support, integrated selling tools, access to discounted shipping rates, and unlimited product listings. Additionally, each plan includes a free domain and complimentary SSL certificate if opting for a commitment of 12 months or more.
Reseller Web Hosting
For those interested in entering the web hosting industry without the hassle of managing infrastructure, GoDaddy’s reseller hosting packages are worth considering. The company offers two plans: the Basic plan at $8.99 per month and the Pro plan at $14.99 per month. Both plans provide sales and commission reports, along with credit card processing capabilities.
Regrettably, GoDaddy’s reseller packages do not include email services; you would need to subscribe to separate email plans for electronic mail. However, GoDaddy offers the advantage of allowing you to apply your own branding to the servers you lease, and it also provides 24/7 technical support.
Website Speed and Uptime
During our 2-month testing period with GoDaddy, we encountered 3 outages, amounting to a total of 16 minutes of downtime. Despite these interruptions, the uptime rate stood at 99.98%, which is commendable. The standard uptime guarantee, supported by a Service Level Agreement (SLA), is 99.9%, making GoDaddy significantly superior. For instance, 99.9% equates to 43 minutes and 49 seconds of monthly downtime. With 99.98%, this figure decreases to 8 minutes and 45 seconds.
As anticipated, when we conducted a speed test on a website running a standard WordPress theme from three different locations – the US, UK, and India – GoDaddy performed exceptionally well in the US, where it is hosted.
Naturally, visitors from other locations experienced longer loading times. UK visitors encountered a delay of 1 second, while those from India experienced a delay of 1.6 seconds. This is due to the increased distance data needs to travel compared to the
Website Security
GoDaddy incorporates several security features into its web hosting plans, albeit at a basic level. You receive a complimentary basic SSL certificate for the initial year, along with daily backups. Additionally, GoDaddy offers network security for its own servers through 24/7 monitoring. However, for enhanced security measures, additional payment may be required.
Email & privacy protection
GoDaddy employs 256-bit encryption, available for an additional fee. Upon purchasing a plan, the provider offers a trial period for secure email, allowing you to test it at no cost before making a purchase.
Malware Scanner
The malware scanner is available for an additional fee but provides essential protection against vulnerabilities caused by malware. While we would prefer this tool to be offered for free to safeguard your website and visitors’ data, it remains an effective option for ensuring security.
Web Application Firewall (WAF)
WAF is an excellent security feature for safeguarding web applications and monitoring traffic.
For its hosted email services, GoDaddy relies on Microsoft’s data centers, providing users with the same security benefits as other Microsoft Office 365 users. This includes encryption of email data in transit and at rest using SSL and Bitlocker technology, ensuring robust protection for your communications.
Ease of Use
In terms of user experience and hosting management, GoDaddy is known for being exceptionally user-friendly, catering to both beginners and experienced users alike. GoDaddy provides a convenient one-click installation process for apps such as WordPress, simplifying the setup of your website.
We found this feature to be incredibly user-friendly, as it handles all the necessary steps and sets up your WordPress page within moments. On the main dashboard, you simply need to click to install WordPress, and that’s all it takes.
Furthermore, GoDaddy offers an intuitive native control panel for managing your hosting and conducting administrative tasks. While upgrading to the latest PHP version can enhance your website’s speed, it’s important to note that GoDaddy may not yet fully support PHP 8.
GoDaddy continues to rely on cPanel for more advanced website management tasks. It employs the standard version, ensuring easy access to all the essential management modules, including file manager, email accounts, domains, software, and databases.
Customer Support
GoDaddy offers a comprehensive help center that includes guides, how-tos, and videos to address any questions that may arise while hosting with them. If you’re unable to find the information you need, GoDaddy encourages reaching out to their award-winning support team for assistance.
GoDaddy offers 24/7 phone support and live chat support. During our test on a weekday morning, we placed a call and were connected to a customer service representative in less than two minutes. We inquired about the various email tiers and once again received exceptional customer support, with the representative being both friendly and knowledgeable.
For annual subscriptions, GoDaddy offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. For monthly plans, there is a 48-hour refund window.
Conclusion
Initially recognized as a domain registrar, GoDaddy has transformed into a comprehensive website builder offering diverse functionalities. It provides everything necessary to launch a small business website or online store, including domain registration, web hosting plans, and a website builder. GoDaddy offers a range of hosting services, including shared, virtual private server (VPS), and dedicated hosting options.
With numerous business- and consumer-friendly options available, GoDaddy offers a dependable Microsoft-based hosted email service and ensures quality assistance round the clock. However, it’s worth noting that GoDaddy’s offerings do not include cloud hosting plans, and the number of default email accounts provided may be limited.