GoDaddy Hosting Review 2023: Unrivaled King? The Truth! 👀

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Introduction to my GoDaddy Hosting Review

Welcome to my in-depth GoDaddy Hosting Review. As a digital marketing consultant with 20 years of experience in the heart of London, I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of web hosting. Throughout my career, I have had my fair share of interaction with GoDaddy’s services – helping clients register domain names, set up hosting, and even troubleshoot issues.

In this review, I will be pulling back the curtain to give you an insider's perspective on GoDaddy Hosting. It's time to see if this hosting giant is still a market leader or has lost its sheen.

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Overview:

A Brief History of GoDaddy

When we talk about web hosting, GoDaddy is like the grandfather who’s seen it all. Founded in 1997 by Bob Parsons, GoDaddy was one of the pioneers in the domain registration industry. Since then, it has diversified into web hosting, and it’s been a rollercoaster ride.
GoDaddy has been synonymous with quirky marketing, particularly their Super Bowl ads. But beyond the marketing, it's the service that counts. I remember helping a client secure a domain on GoDaddy in the early 2000s, and it was such a novelty back then!

GoDaddy’s Purpose

GoDaddy aims to empower everyday entrepreneurs. They believe in laying the foundations for small businesses to have an online presence. This has evolved from not just domain registration but also a plethora of hosting services tailored to different needs, such as shared, dedicated, VPS, and WordPress hosting.

Basic Features and Functionalities

GoDaddy offers a smorgasbord of features in their hosting plans. Let’s touch on some key features:

• Domain Services: This is their bread and butter. They have a vast selection, and I've found it to be pretty user-friendly.
• Hosting Options: GoDaddy has shared hosting for those starting out, and VPS or dedicated hosting for more advanced users. I once had to transfer a client’s site to VPS because of their traffic surge, and it was relatively hassle-free.
• Website Builder: For those without coding skills, GoDaddy’s website builder is a life-saver. It’s intuitive and feature-rich.
• Email Hosting: They offer professional email hosting, which is essential for businesses.
• Security Features: SSL certificates, backups, and malware scanning are some of the security features. As a consultant, I always stress the importance of security to my clients.

As we progress through this GoDaddy Hosting Review, we’ll delve deeper into each of these functionalities, weigh the pros and cons, and see how GoDaddy measures up to the competition. So, put on your explorer hats, and let’s get cracking!

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Ease of Use:

When it comes to web hosting, especially for budding entrepreneurs or small businesses, ease of use is crucial. No one wants to feel like they need a degree in computer science just to launch a website, right? So, let's dive into GoDaddy's user interface and experience.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of User Interface

GoDaddy has come a long way. Their user interface has undergone several iterations over the years. The dashboard is quite intuitive. However, there are moments when it feels like walking into a department store; there's just so much going on.

One of the key challenges we’ve noticed when it comes to GoDaddy hosting is that signing up demands that you keep your wits about you. It’s easy to find yourself distracted during the signup process because – even at this point – the platform is already bombarding you with offers for different add-on features.

If you manage to navigate through that (and if you’ve kept yourself from ordering features you don’t really need), it’s fairly smooth sailing and the UI is quite user-friendly.

Once you get past the initial clutter, things get clearer. You can find domain settings, email setup, and hosting management under distinct sections. During my time as a consultant, I’ve worked with clients who are not too tech-savvy, and they were able to manage basic settings without too much hand-holding.

Setting Up

Setting up hosting with GoDaddy is fairly simple. They have a wizard-style setup for hosting and the website builder. It guides you through the process step-by-step, which is extremely helpful for new users. I remember setting up a website for a local bakery, and the owner was surprised at how quickly we could go from purchasing a plan to having a site ready for content.

Learning Curve

The learning curve for GoDaddy is relatively mild. For basic functionalities like domain and hosting setup, even a beginner can get the hang of it in a short period. However, when it comes to more advanced features like DNS management or setting up Cron jobs, it can get a tad bit complicated. But let's be honest, that's the case with any hosting platform.

Customization and Control

For users who want more control, GoDaddy does offer cPanel and Plesk depending on your hosting type. I must say, as a veteran in this field, I appreciate the flexibility. With cPanel, you can manage files, databases, and more. It's like being handed the keys to the kingdom!

Final Thoughts on Usability

GoDaddy’s ease of use is commendable. For newcomers, it’s pretty straightforward, and for the pros, there’s enough customization available. They might try to upsell you at every corner, but once you’re past that, it’s smooth sailing.

In the sea of web hosting providers, having a simple yet functional user experience can make waves, and GoDaddy has been surfing those waves for years. But the tide is always changing, so let’s see how they fare in other aspects in the rest of this GoDaddy Hosting Review.

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Setup Process

Setting up your hosting with GoDaddy is similar to moving into a new house; it's exciting, a bit daunting but in the end, you’ll feel accomplished. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting your website up and running with GoDaddy. And I'll also share some potential issues or challenges you might face, from my own experiences working with clients.

Step 1: Sign Up and Choose a Hosting Plan

First things first, head over to GoDaddy's website. If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to sign up. Browse through their hosting plans and choose the one that fits your needs. Remember to look out for any promotions or discounts – GoDaddy often runs them.

Step 2: Select a Domain Name

Now you need to choose a domain name. This is your address on the internet, so make it count. GoDaddy has a domain search tool that you can use. If your desired domain is available, you can add it to your cart.

Step 3: Configure Your Hosting Account

You’re now ready to configure your hosting account. You’ll need to select the data center location closest to your audience and choose your billing cycle. My advice is to start with a short-term plan. You can always renew if you’re satisfied.

Step 4: Set Up Your Website

This is where the rubber meets the road. You can either use GoDaddy’s Website Builder which is very user-friendly or install a CMS like WordPress. GoDaddy has a one-click install for WordPress which is a time saver. If you're going with WordPress, choose a theme and start building.

Step 5: Point Domain to Hosting

If your domain is registered with GoDaddy, it will automatically point to your hosting account. If it’s registered elsewhere, you’ll need to change the DNS settings to point to GoDaddy’s servers.

Challenges & Issues

No journey is without a hiccup or two. Here are some common challenges:

• Domain Propagation: Sometimes, after pointing your domain to the hosting, it takes time to propagate. This is normal, but frustrating.
• Upselling: As mentioned earlier, GoDaddy loves to upsell. Sometimes, it can get confusing especially if you’re new to hosting.
• Technical Settings: While the basics are easy, if you want to delve into advanced settings, the interface can get a bit daunting.
• Email Setup: Setting up emails can be tricky, especially if you are trying to configure them with third-party clients.

There you have it! You’re now the proud owner of a shiny new website. Pour yourself a cuppa and give yourself a pat on the back. But remember, this is just the beginning; maintaining a website is an ongoing process. Onward and upward!

Let’s move on and dissect some more features in this GoDaddy Hosting Review.

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Features in my GoDaddy Hosting Review:

Ah, features! The bread and butter of any hosting service. Let's take a gander at what GoDaddy has under the bonnet, shall we? In our GoDaddy hosting review, what features can you expect from this provider?

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Types of Hosting

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is like renting a room in a shared flat. You share resources with other websites. It’s a good option for small websites or if you’re just getting started. GoDaddy’s shared hosting comes with cPanel, one-click installations of applications, and DDoS protection. However, be cautious as you don’t want too many roommates. Too much sharing can slow things down.

VPS and Dedicated Hosting

If shared hosting is renting a room, VPS is like having your own flat in a building. And dedicated hosting? That’s like owning the entire building! GoDaddy offers both VPS and dedicated hosting. These options are for websites that need more resources or more control over their server. It's ideal for larger websites or ecommerce stores.

Specialized Hosting

GoDaddy also offers WordPress hosting, which is optimized for WordPress websites. The servers are configured for the best performance with WordPress. Plus, they handle updates and backups for you. It's a hassle-free way to run a WordPress site.

GoDaddy Domain Review:

What's a website without a domain name? GoDaddy is known for domain registration. You can register new domains, and you can also host multiple websites on one hosting account by adding addon domains. And subdomains? GoDaddy has you covered there as well.

Here’s the thing: if you go for the Economy package, the lowest-priced subscription tier, you can only have one domain name. All the other packages offer multiple domains, but, of course, the price tag needs to be considered. Also, your domain is only free for the first year if you’ve signed up for 12 months at the very least.

GoDaddy Website Building Reviews:

In this Go Daddy reviews, how is its website builder?

GoDaddy Website Builder, the hosting service’s proprietary site creation platform, shares one particular quality with standalone site builder Wix. It banks on the use of artificial intelligence to create a truly intuitive site building experience for users. All you need to do is answer a few system-generated questions regarding what you need for your site, and it essentially weaves the framework for you – all you really need to do is embellish it.

However, the GoDaddy Website Builder also has the flaw of being very basic. If you want to create a more elaborate website, this may not be the builder for you as it doesn’t have that many choices when it comes to themes and templates as well as functionality.

If you want more control and customisation, it’s better to go with a CMS like WordPress.

GoDaddy Reviews of CMS Applications:

One particular advantage to having a GoDaddy hosting plan is the way your control panel (cPanel) works when it comes to bringing in third-party applications or software. It’s quite easy to install applications like Drupal or Joomla, or even to use stand-alone platforms (especially for ecommerce) like Magento.

WordPress:

A word about WordPress and GoDaddy in this GoDaddy Web hosting reviews. GoDaddy hosting service promises users that letting GoDaddy host a site made with WordPress.org is essentially hosting it on a platform that is both safer and more stable than most. Regular updates for core software and security are also included in the package.

As mentioned earlier, WordPress is a breeze to install with GoDaddy’s one-click install. They also offer migration services if you’re moving from another host. And with automatic updates, they take some of the maintenance off your plate.

Site Staging:

For site owners, staging a site prior to going live is a great way by which to test it out and see where creators can tweak it in terms of appearance and functionality. GoDaddy hosting plan offers this, yes, but only in a specific capacity.

In our GoDaddy hosting review, managed hosting accounts tied to WordPress have the function built into the UI – even then, there is a specific procedure to follow when it comes to creating your staging site. If you ask us, that’s a pretty cumbersome thing to do but it’s currently the only way to do it with this particular hosting service.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of eCommerce:

In our GoDaddy website hosting reviews, we recognise that in some parts of the world, GoDaddy hosting is considered a go-to for the burgeoning eCommerce sector. But we have to ask: how well does it stack up with regard to its ecommerce capabilities? Well, the service boldly declares that users can “sell anywhere, manage anywhere” with the platform.

The Starter eCommerce plan comes with a number of desirable features: the ability to offer up to 100 products, more than 40 payment gateways, integration with social media marketplaces, as well as the ability to create unlimited pages in a variety of categories.

The Premium plan has all these and more: specifically, multiple language support, couponing, inventory management, and advanced stock control. It’s a deal that sounds too good to be true, but running an online store hosted on GoDaddy has the advantage of flexibility and security – an SSL is, after all, provided with every ecommerce-centric subscription.

GoDaddy Email Review:

One thing about a GoDaddy hosting plan is that you do get email addresses – lots of email addresses. The average GoDaddy hosting plan gives users anywhere between 100 to 500 emails (Economy and Deluxe accounts), though higher subscription tiers may have an unlimited number thereof.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Databases:

Ah, the lifeblood of many websites. GoDaddy supports MySQL databases, and again, how many you can have depends on your plan.

The average size of a GoDaddy hosting plan database is approximately 1 GB. For GoDaddy hosting, you get MySQL databases. The number of databases you can have for your site is, again, dependent on the size of your subscription.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Developer Tools

For the tech wizards out there, GoDaddy offers a range of developer tools including multiple PHP versions, Git repositories, and more.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Scalability

Scalability is a key strength of GoDaddy's hosting services. Whether you're starting out with a small website or blog, or looking to expand your business, GoDaddy offers a variety of hosting plans that cater to your growing needs.

You can easily upgrade or downgrade your hosting plan depending on your website's traffic. Their VPS and Dedicated Server plans also offer high scalability options for larger websites and businesses. With GoDaddy, you can start small and grow big without worrying about switching to a different hosting provider.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Site Migration

GoDaddy makes site migration a breeze. If you're moving from another hosting provider, GoDaddy offers a professional website migration service. Their team of experts will handle the entire process, ensuring your website is transferred to their servers with minimal downtime.

Alternatively, if you prefer to handle the migration yourself, GoDaddy provides an easy-to-use migration tool in their hosting control panel. This tool automates much of the process, making it easier to move your website to GoDaddy. Their 24/7 customer support team is also on hand to help you through the migration process if you encounter any issues.

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Security in my GoDaddy Hosting Review

Alright, folks, let’s talk about security. It’s like the bouncer at a nightclub – you definitely want it to be strong and reliable. GoDaddy understands the importance of security, and they've got a few measures up their sleeves. Let's dive in.

SSL Certificates

These days, having an SSL certificate is a must. It’s like a stamp of approval that tells your visitors their data is safe with you. GoDaddy offers a free SSL certificate for the first year with some of its plans. After the first year, you can renew it, but you'll have to reach into your wallet for that.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Backups

Imagine losing all your website data in the blink of an eye. Terrifying, isn’t it? This is where backups come in. GoDaddy offers daily backups with a one-click restore option. This means you can take your website back in time to when everything was hunky-dory. It’s like having a time machine, and believe me, it can be a lifesaver.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Malware Protection

Nobody wants malware hanging around. It’s like that uninvited guest at your party that eats all the snacks. GoDaddy has malware scanning and removal services. The scanning is like the bouncer checking for a legit invite, and the removal is when the bouncer shows them the door.

Additional Security Services

GoDaddy also offers a Website Security package that includes a Web Application Firewall (WAF). This is like a security guard patrolling your property, ensuring everything is in order.

They also have DDoS protection. For those of you unfamiliar with DDoS attacks, imagine a crowd of people trying to get into a store all at once, causing chaos. DDoS protection is like having a system in place to orderly let people in.

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Performance and Uptime in my GoDaddy Hosting Review

Now let’s shift gears and talk about performance, which is the heart and soul of any web hosting service. It’s like the engine of a sports car – it's what gets you from A to B in style.

In general, for this GoDaddy hosting review, we would give GoDaddy hosting plan a thumbs-up – however, there are a few reservations.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Server Locations

GoDaddy has a global network of data centers spanning across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Users can choose the server closest to their physical location for better site performance. This is great news as the closer your server is to your audience, the faster your site will load for them. It’s like having your local coffee shop around the corner – you’ll get your caffeine fix much quicker!

CDN

GoDaddy incorporates a Content Delivery Network (CDN) into its hosting plans. Think of a CDN as a network of super-speedy errand runners that deliver your site’s content to visitors from the nearest location. This can give your website a performance boost.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Speed Results

Fasten your seatbelts folks, because GoDaddy is a mixed bag when it comes to speed. I put it to the test using tools like Pingdom and GTmetrix, selecting London as the location. GoDaddy clocked in at around 500 ms. Now, perhaps an area for improvement as I've surely seen faster (like that time I tested DigitalOcean), but it’s not too shabby. For comparison, anything under 500 ms is snappy, so GoDaddy is hovering right on the edge. However, keep in mind that the speed can fluctuate based on various factors.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Average Uptime

Uptime is like that reliable friend that’s always there when you need them. GoDaddy boasts a 99.9% uptime guarantee. My experience has shown that they generally keep to their word but known to fall a little short of this at 99.90% with a few hiccups along the way.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Bandwidth

Most GoDaddy plans offer unmetered bandwidth, which is like having an all-you-can-eat buffet. Just remember that “unmetered” doesn't necessarily mean “unlimited” – there’s always fine print.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Webspace Limits/Storage

Storage-wise, GoDaddy offers both SSD and HDD options. It's like choosing between a sleek, modern apartment and a roomy, old house. SSD is faster and more reliable, so I’d definitely recommend going with an SSD-based plan if you can.

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Customer Support & Online Resources in my GoDaddy Hosting Review

Support is like the pit crew for your website – always there to get you back on track. In this GoDaddy reviews, how does the support hold up?

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Support Options Available

GoDaddy has you covered with a trio of support options:

1. live chat,
2. email/ticketing system,
3. and phone support.

You’ve got the convenience of typing or talking, based on what suits your mood. I particularly enjoy the chat feature, as it allows me to multitask – work and coffee, anyone?

24/7 technical support has long been one of the hallmarks of the GoDaddy hosting service. Until now, it continues to be offered across the board to all subscription packages. You can get in touch with the support team via phone or live chat – and they get back to you almost instantly.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Response Time

Now, let's talk speed of response. GoDaddy's live chat typically connects in a jiffy, while the phone support might have you waiting a bit, especially during peak times. It’s like being in a queue at the supermarket – sometimes you're in and out, other times it's the slow lane.

Helpfulness and Knowledge

When it comes to the support staff's helpfulness and knowledge, I've had mixed experiences. At times, it’s been like talking to a walking encyclopedia, while other times I felt like I was in a maze trying to find answers. However, on the whole, the support crew is quite resourceful and polite.

Online Resources

Beyond direct support, GoDaddy offers a fairly extensive Knowledge Base although I can’t help but feel that it isn’t being updated as frequently as it should; some solutions we encountered can now be deemed obsolete. From articles to tutorials, it's your DIY kit. There are also forums, where the community chimes in. Sometimes, hearing experiences from fellow users can be golden!

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Environmental Impact in my GoDaddy Hosting Review

GoDaddy has been taking steps towards becoming more sustainable and reducing its environmental impact. Their efforts are targeted at offsetting the carbon emissions produced by their servers, which are a significant part of their overall environmental footprint.

🌳 Carbon Offset Initiatives

GoDaddy has partnered with various organizations to purchase carbon offsets. These are investments into environmental projects that help to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, essentially offsetting the emissions that GoDaddy produces.

💡 Energy-Efficient Servers

GoDaddy has also made significant investments in energy-efficient servers and green data centers. These improvements help to reduce the amount of energy needed to power their servers and cool their data centers, which in turn reduces their overall carbon emissions.

♻️ Recycling and Waste Reduction

At their offices, GoDaddy has implemented recycling and waste reduction programs. They also encourage their employees to follow eco-friendly practices, such as reducing paper usage and using reusable water bottles.

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GoDaddy Hosting Plan Pricing and Transparency in my GoDaddy Hosting Review

If there’s one thing that’s as important as performance and features, it's pricing. Let’s dive into the numbers and see if GoDaddy gives you the bang for your buck.

Overview of Pricing Structure

GoDaddy offers a range of hosting plans, from shared hosting to VPS and dedicated servers. Shared hosting generally starts at a low price, making it affordable for beginners.

GoDaddy Hosting Plan Details:

GoDaddy Linux Hosting Plans and Windows Hosting plans are available

GoDaddy Hosting Free Plan:

The service offers a free plan – but you don’t get your own domain. Instead, the *.godaddysites.com suffix will be appended to your site URL.

Shared Web Hosting:

There are four signature plans under GoDaddy’s shared hosting service.

• Economy Hosting = starts at $5.99 monthly;
• GoDaddy Deluxe Hosting = starts at $7.99 monthly;
• Ultimate Hosting = starts at $12.99 monthly;
• GoDaddy Maximum Hosting = starts at $19.99 monthly;

GoDaddy Managed WordPress Hosting Review:

In our GoDaddy WordPress hosting review, Four GoDaddy WordPress hosting plans are offered:

• Basic Hosting plan- $6.99 monthly with one website;
• GoDaddy Deluxe Hosting plan – $9.99 monthly with one website;
• Ultimate Hosting plan – $12.99 monthly with two websites;
• Pro Hosting plan – $24.99 with five websites

VPS Hosting:

GoDaddy hosting offers four managed hosting services which are pricey compared to its shared hosting and WordPress-specific plans. Also the functionality and features offer feel somewhat limited compared to those of other hosting services.

• 1 vCPU from $4.99 monthly
• 2 vCPU from $19.99 monthly
• 4 vCPU from $39.99 monthly
• 8 vCPU from $69.99 monthly

Dedicated Hosting:

• DS-32 from $129.99 monthly
• DS-64 from $169.99 monthly
• DS-128 from $299.99 monthly
• DS-256 from $399.99 monthly

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Initial vs. Renewal Rates

Be sure to read the fine print, mates! GoDaddy often has introductory prices that are quite attractive. However, when it comes time to renew, the rates can jump significantly. I learned this the hard way early in my career. It's always wise to calculate the cost in the long term.

Hosting Plan	Initial Price (Monthly)	Renewal Price (Monthly)
Shared Hosting – Economy	$5.99	$8.99
Shared Hosting – Deluxe	$7.99	$11.99
Shared Hosting – Ultimate	$12.99	$16.99
WordPress Hosting – Basic	$6.99	$9.99
WordPress Hosting – Deluxe	$9.99	$14.99
WordPress Hosting – Ultimate	$12.99	$19.99
VPS Hosting – Standard RAM	$19.99	$29.99
VPS Hosting – High RAM	$39.99	$59.99
Dedicated Hosting	$89.99	$169.99

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Additional Costs

GoDaddy has a habit of trying to upsell additional services during the checkout process. Some of these might be valuable, but some might not be necessary for everyone. Watch out for these add-ons as they can quickly inflate your bill.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Payment Options

GoDaddy accepts various payment options including credit cards and PayPal.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Contract Terms

Their contract terms are flexible with monthly and annual options. They tend to offer better pricing for longer-term commitments.

Refund Policy and Money-Back Guarantees

GoDaddy offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for annual plans and a 48-hour money-back guarantee for monthly plans. This is pretty standard in the hosting world, but always double-check the terms as they can change.

Note that their terms page states refunds are only given if the subscription is cancelled prior to the end of the current billing cycle.

GoDaddy Hosting Review of Free Plans or Trial Periods

Unless you sign up specifically for the free plan, your trial period with GoDaddy will run for a month; afterwards, you will need to sign up for a premium account or risk the deletion of your site.

Promotional Deals or Discounts

GoDaddy frequently runs promotions, especially for new customers. You can often find coupons or special links that provide a substantial discount.

>> Check for latest GoDaddy hosting coupon, pricing, and discount plans <<

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User GoDaddy Hosting Reviews

When it comes to user reviews, GoDaddy Hosting elicits quite a range of emotions. Some users swear by its ease of use and reliable uptime, while others seem to have had a less-than-pleasant experience. Let's delve into what actual users have to say.

Common Praises:

• Ease of Use: Many users appreciate the user-friendly interface, especially those who are new to the world of web hosting.
• Customer Support: Positive reviews often mention the helpfulness of the customer support team and the availability of various channels for assistance.

Common Complaints:

• Renewal Prices: A common complaint is the increase in prices when it’s time for renewal. Some users feel that the initial rates are just a bait to reel them in.
• Upselling: Some customers feel that GoDaddy is a bit too aggressive when it comes to upselling additional services.

GoDaddy Hosting Reviews on TrustPilot

TrustPilot is a popular platform for customer feedback, and GoDaddy has its fair share of reviews there.

• Positive reviewers generally mentioned good customer service and ease of use.
• Negative reviewers often cited hidden fees and aggressive upselling tactics.

GoDaddy Hosting Reviews on Reddit

Reddit is known for its brutally honest user base. At the time of my last knowledge update, here’s what I gathered:

• Some users on Reddit are critical of GoDaddy, often citing experiences with upselling tactics.
• Others mention that for basic websites and domain registration, GoDaddy serves the purpose well.
• Some Redditors recommend alternatives to GoDaddy for more specialized hosting needs.

Note: As a digital marketing consultant with over 20 years of experience, I've seen GoDaddy evolve over the years. They've made strides in some areas while retaining certain business practices that not all customers are fond of. It’s essential to weigh the pros and cons according to your specific hosting needs and budget.

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Personal Experience with GoDaddy Hosting

Having been in the digital marketing field for over 20 years, I’ve had my fair share of experiences with GoDaddy. Let me give you a walkthrough.

Setting Up My First Website

The first time I used GoDaddy was when I was setting up a website for a small community project. The ease with which I could register a domain and get the website up and running was commendable. As a newbie back then, the user-friendly interface was a relief.

Customer Support Encounters

Over the years, I have interacted with GoDaddy's customer support on several occasions. In my experience, the support team is pretty knowledgeable. However, the upselling during support calls can be a bit excessive. Once, I had to persistently tell the representative that I only needed assistance with my query, and was not looking to purchase additional services.

Navigating Through the Control Panel

One of the things I like about GoDaddy is its control panel. It’s pretty intuitive, and even if you’re not a techie, you won’t feel lost. The cPanel (for Linux hosting) is straightforward, and I found installing WordPress and managing email accounts to be a breeze.

Renewal Gotchas!

Here’s something I learned the hard way: always be cautious with renewals. I was quite surprised when I was billed a significantly higher amount for renewing my services. It was a lesson learned; always check the regular rates beyond the initial discount.

Performance & Uptime

For small to medium-sized websites, I’ve found GoDaddy’s performance satisfactory. However, for larger, more resource-intensive projects, I sometimes found the need to look elsewhere for more robust hosting solutions.

Final Thoughts: GoDaddy has been a mixed bag in my experience. For beginners and smaller projects, it's pretty solid, and the ease of use is a big plus. However, if you're an advanced user or have a large-scale project, there might be better-suited options out there. And don’t get me started on the upselling – just be prepared for it, and don’t be afraid to say no if it’s not something you need.

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Conclusion and Recommendations to our GoDaddy Hosting Review:

My journey with GoDaddy has been full of ups and downs. It's time to wrap things up in my GoDaddy Hosting Review and provide you with some insight on who might find GoDaddy Hosting the perfect fit.

What is it best for?

Based on what we’ve seen of the service over the years, it’s still a pretty solid option for those running ecommerce hubs and corporate websites. It’s also a fairly scalable platform, so it can evolve along with one’s site. So;

• Small to Medium-Sized Websites: If you’re just starting out or have a moderate-sized website, GoDaddy’s shared hosting plans are quite decent. The ease of setup makes it a good option for non-techies.
• Domain Registration: GoDaddy is renowned for its domain registration services. It’s often my go-to for domain names.
• All-in-One Solution: For those who prefer having domain, hosting, and other services under one roof, GoDaddy provides a variety of tools and services beyond hosting.

What is it not best for?

• High-Performance Needs: If you need high-performance hosting for a large, resource-intensive project, there are other specialized hosts that might serve you better.
• Those Adverse to Upselling: If you don’t like sales pitches for additional services, the frequent upselling might get on your nerves.
• Those on a tight budget: Practically everything when you buy hosting GoDaddy calls for additional fees, so we can’t really recommend this for companies or individual site creators on a tight budget.

GoDaddy Alternatives:

If GoDaddy doesn't tick all your boxes, don’t fret. Here are some worthy GoDaddy Alternatives;

• Bluehost vs GoDaddy: Bluehost generally has better performance and is particularly well-regarded for WordPress hosting.
• SiteGround vs GoDaddy: SiteGround is known for excellent customer support and higher performance, but it tends to be more expensive.

GoDaddy Hosting Review Final word:

We have to admit that, even now, GoDaddy remains one of the top-of-mind choices when it comes to site hosting, but we feel this is mostly due to aggressive marketing and advertising on its part.

Because of this, we perfectly understand where people who say GoDaddy sucks are coming from.

Still, it does offer value to its customers – but for how much longer, given how other site hosting services and builders that offer shared hosting are stepping up their game, remains to be seen.

I encourage you to do your own due diligence and trial the services with their free trial periods or refund policies. What works for one may not work for another. It’s important to gauge your specific needs and see if GoDaddy or any other hosting service aligns with those requirements. Remember, a wise choice now can save you a headache later! 🧐👍

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FAQs:

Is there a GoDaddy hosting free plan?

Yes. But, as with other free hosting/site creation subscriptions, features are quite limited and in-house advertising will be placed on your site. Also, a *.godaddysites.com suffix will be appended to your URL.

Can I try GoDaddy before committing to a subscription?

Yes, you can use the hosting service and its site builder for 30 days. Afterwards, you will need to either terminate your account or upgrade to a premium subscription.

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That’s all for now:

Thanks for reading our GoDaddy hosting review and don’t forget to keep an eye out for our ever-growing blog of review and comparison articles. Check out related reliable web hosting, website builder, and eCommerce platform review and comparison articles such as;