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Are you looking for a great web host? Have you been wondering whether GoDaddy is for you? Then you have come to the right place! In this article, we are going to;
- Explain who GoDaddy is for?
- Explain who GoDaddy is not for?
- Tell you why developers and marketers do not like GoDaddy
- Show you how you can tell if you have outgrown GoDaddy
Who is GoDaddy for?
If you have ever looked around for a web host, chances are high that you will have stumbled upon the name GoDaddy. The company is, simply put, the grandfather of web hosting. It has over 14 million customers, making it one of the largest web hosting companies in the world. So, who is GoDaddy for? Based on our experience with GoDaddy, we can safely say the following;
- GoDaddy works best for small mom & pop operations that don’t rely heavily on a website.
- It is great for those looking to create simple, static websites. Let’s face it, the majority of sites out there are like this.
- GoDaddy is also one of the biggest and best domain registrars that you will be able to find out there. If domains are what you are looking for, then you won’t go wrong with GoDaddy.
If you just need to put up a website, try out GoDaddy for 1 year. If you don’t like it, any other web hosting company will migrate your website for free.
Who is GoDaddy not for?
GoDaddy is big, as already mentioned, but is it for everyone? Unfortunately, this far-reaching dominance of the web hosting industry comes at a price. So, who is GoDaddy not for?
- People and businesses whose sites process orders or have significant amounts of traffic.
- Those that need to create sophisticated websites, such as eCommerce sites.
- Those that are concerned about Search Engine Optimization and are looking to create fast websites.
Why Developers and Marketers do not like GoDaddy
Ask developers and marketers out there, and they will tell you to steer clear of GoDaddy. But why is that the case?
1) Quality of Service: Good enough for small websites; not so great for sophisticated sites
The first major reason why developers and marketers do not like GoDaddy has to do with quality of service. Let us reiterate here that whatever we are saying here is based on first hand information. We were once with GoDaddy and have also gathered data from other former and current clients.
After using GoDaddy for web hosting and other related services for a number of years, we have to say that though the company is great for small entities that only require an online presence, it sucks when it comes to anything sophisticated.
If you are looking to launch an eCommerce site, as an example, then you are better off looking elsewhere for a web host.
3) GoDaddy will hijack your Google My Business Listing
Google My Business is pretty much the thing when it comes to giving your business visibility on Maps and in local search. Another reason why developers and marketers do not like GoDaddy has to do with the fact that when you sign up, the company claims your business’ listing on Google My Business as its own!
This hijacking of your business’ listing makes GoDaddy the owner, with you being set as the Manager! To regain control, you actually need to contact Google Maps by phone via your Adwords account.
3) GoDaddy is not really the cheapest web host out there
At face value, GoDaddy appears to be one of the cheapest web hosts that can be found out there. However, that is not really the case.
Having carried out reviews of the company’s competitors, including HostGator, DreamHost, Bluehost and Network Solutions, we found that GoDaddy’s pricing structure is somewhere in the middle.
The following chart makes a comparison of what each of the four companies charges for the entry-level Shared Hosting Plan.
| Web Host | GoDaddy | Network Solutions | HostGator | DreamHost | Bluehost |
| Shared Hosting Price/ Month | $2.79 | $9.96 | $3.95 | $7.95 | $2.95 |
Why price should not be the biggest of your concerns
We do have to say here that price shouldn’t be the biggest of your considerations when choosing a web host. That is particularly the case for businesses that are serious about their online presence.
We have previously written an article in which we talk about the three tiers of web host. Most hosts on the same tier have similarly priced offerings.
For companies that are on the bottom tier, such as GoDaddy, the competition is so stiff that it is possible find some offering $0.99 web hosting plans!
GoDaddy will charge you more from year 2
Look at the above screenshot, and you will notice that GoDaddy is only the cheapest in the first year. When you go to renew your subscription, you are then charged $7.99 per month, up from $2.79 per month! And, as you can see in the screenshot below, $2.79/m is only applicable when you pay for 36 months in one go!
Unexplained charges on credit cards
Another of the reasons why people complain about GoDaddy has to do with the company making unexplained deductions from credit cards.
GoDaddy apparently notifies its customers that it automatically renews hosting packages at the end of each year. However, this message is in fine print, and most people are taken by surprise when shocking amounts are deducted from their credit cards.
3) GoDaddy’s customer support is not the best?
GoDaddy’s customer support, it has to be said, leaves a lot to be desired. That is another reason why those that are serious about their online presence, such as developers and marketers, need to steer clear of this company. Based on our experience, we can say the following about GoDaddy’s customer support;
- It’s largely unresponsive
- Even when you get through, you will discover that some of the support staff are not knowledgeable enough to help you.
Think we are exaggerating? Then take a look at the comments that were left online by these customers, including the one from an individual who accused the company of behaving like the Mafia!
4) Upselling… always upselling
Upselling appears to be a common disease among the planet’s biggest web hosting companies. These include HostGator, DreamHost and, yes, GoDaddy.
Think you are going to end up paying only for the advertised $2.79 per month? Then you need to think again!
In most cases, there are hidden charges that you are required to pay. Of course, you can deselect most of them, but what are you to do if the said item is listed as “Highly Recommended?”
A number of GoDaddy customers who have encountered problems with their websites or have only needed to renew their subscriptions have complained about being subjected to upselling by the company’s representatives.
5) Reliability
Finally, although GoDaddy claims to be able to deliver an uptime of 99.9%, some customers have complained about the veracity of this assertion. Others have continuously encountered problems with WordPress integration. There are also countless reports of websites that have suddenly gone down and have taken too long to be restored, and others where data has been completely wiped off!
How do you know if you have outgrown GoDaddy
Check out our article on “when to switch a web host,” for more on what we are talking about here. Needless to say that you will know that you have outgrown GoDaddy when the following happens;
- If your website becomes rather slow.
- If you are looking to up your game by having a serious eCommerce website.
- When the support that you are getting is no longer enough for your needs.
So, should you go for GoDaddy?
Having said all that, is GoDaddy a company that we would recommend to our readers? Well, the truth of the matter is that GoDaddy actually works, particularly for small players. If you are only concerned about getting an online presence, don’t hesitate to sign up using the link below. Otherwise, get in touch with us for more about the best web hosts that can be found out there.
