GoDaddy Review: Why You Might Want to Avoid It

GoDaddy: Big in hosting and domain business, lacks personal touch. While adequate for smaller websites, exercising caution is wise for larger, more critical projects.

Suitable for: Beginners-friendly, Budget, Small Business, International Website, or Adult Website Hosting

Website: https://www.godaddy.com/

HostingScore

59.3%

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1. Introduction
2. Major Cons of GoDaddy
   • Limited Resources
   • Outdated Technology
   • Security Issues
   • Slow Performance
   • Overcrowded Servers
   • Frequent Downtimes
   • Upselling Practices
   • Limited to One Website
   • Poor Customer Support
   • Restricted Control Panel
3. Some Positives
   • Domain Management
   • User-Friendly Interface
4. Conclusion
5. Comparison Table

Introduction

Hey there, fellow tech enthusiast! Today, we’re diving into the nitty-gritty of GoDaddy and why it might not be the best choice for your hosting needs. Buckle up, because we’re about to uncover the good, the bad, and the ugly of GoDaddy’s hosting services.

Major Cons of GoDaddy

Limited Resources

One of the most glaring issues with GoDaddy is the limited resources they provide. Even on their higher-tier plans, you only get access to minimal CPU cores and RAM. For instance, the Deluxe plan offers just 1 CPU core and 512MB of RAM. This is woefully inadequate for most modern websites, especially if you expect any significant traffic.

Resource Throttling: GoDaddy’s hosting agreement states that you’re limited to using only 25% of your allocated CPU core. This results in frequent 503 service unavailable errors.

Outdated Technology

GoDaddy’s technology stack feels like a relic. While other hosts are moving to faster LiteSpeed servers and NVMe storage, GoDaddy still uses Apache servers with slower SATA SSDs. This old tech leads to performance and security issues.

Tech Comparison Table

Security Issues

When it comes to security, GoDaddy is notorious for its malware and data breaches. Over the years, they’ve had multiple incidents, including:

• 2018: One of the top malware hosting networks.
• 2019: 28,000 accounts compromised.
• 2021: Credentials of 1.2M clients exposed.

They do offer a malware removal service, but at a hefty price. Preventing these issues in the first place should be the priority.

Slow Performance

Performance is another major downfall. GoDaddy’s DNS performance is poor and their CDN lacks essential features like full page caching. This results in higher latency and slow TTFB (Time to First Byte), making your site slower for visitors.

Overcrowded Servers

GoDaddy’s servers are often overcrowded, leading to slower database responses and overall poor site performance. Their non-traditional server setup, where code and static files are processed on one server and the database on another, adds to the latency issues.

Frequent Downtimes

Despite their claims of 99.9% uptime, GoDaddy frequently suffers from downtimes. Scheduled maintenance often doesn’t count towards downtime, and uptime tests only cover a small portion of their servers. User reports on platforms like TrustPilot and DownDetector paint a clearer picture of their reliability issues.

Upselling Practices

One of the most frustrating aspects of GoDaddy is their aggressive upselling. From unnecessary add-ons to premium services that should be included, you’re constantly bombarded with offers. For example, Microsoft 365 Email Essentials is automatically added to your cart during sign-up, and support often suggests upgrades rather than solutions.

Limited to One Website

All of GoDaddy’s Managed WordPress Hosting plans limit you to one website. If you need to host multiple sites, you’ll have to look elsewhere or purchase additional plans.

Poor Customer Support

Customer support has deteriorated significantly. Once known for their great support team in Arizona, GoDaddy now suffers from long wait times and unhelpful responses. Reviews on TrustPilot highlight these issues, with many users expressing frustration over unresolved problems and upselling tactics during support interactions.

Restricted Control Panel

GoDaddy’s custom control panel is limited and buggy. Basic functions like upgrading PHP versions, taking backups, and accessing file browsers are there, but it lacks the depth and functionality of more robust control panels like cPanel or Plesk.

Some Positives

Domain Management

Despite all the negatives, GoDaddy does excel in domain management. They offer a wide range of domain extensions and have a user-friendly domain management interface.

User-Friendly Interface

The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for beginners. Setting up a website and managing hosting details is straightforward, even if you’re not a tech expert.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while GoDaddy might offer some appealing features like domain management and a user-friendly interface, the cons far outweigh the pros. Limited resources, outdated technology, security issues, and poor support are significant drawbacks that can’t be ignored. If you’re looking for a reliable and efficient hosting service, there are better options out there, such as ChemiCloud or other hosts using modern technology and offering robust support.

Comparison Table

Key Takeaway:

For a hosting service that truly delivers, consider alternatives like ChemiCloud, which offers better performance, security, and support at competitive prices.