9 Best GoDaddy alternatives Compared (Cheap + Free Options)

9 Best GoDaddy alternatives Compared (Cheap + Free Options)

Searching for the best GoDaddy alternatives? Do you want to feel stuck with GoDaddy for your web hosting and domain registration needs? Or you’re looking for a fresh alternative that offers better features and pricing? Look no further! 

In this post, we will compare 9 of the best GoDaddy alternatives that cater to various needs, including cheap hosting options, free hosting solutions, and even eCommerce platforms

By the end of this post, you will clearly understand which provider is the best fit for your specific needs and budget. 

So, don’t settle for subpar service with GoDaddy any longer. Explore these amazing alternatives and take control of your online presence.

First, let’s take a look a look at what Godaddy is.

What is Godaddy?

GoDaddy is a well-known and widely used web hosting provider that offers a variety of services to its customers. Founded in 1997, GoDaddy has grown to become one of the largest web hosting providers in the world, with over 20.6 million customers as of 2020

In addition to its popular domain registration services, GoDaddy also offers website builder tools and managed WordPress hosting options for creating and managing websites.

However, despite its popularity, GoDaddy is only sometimes the best choice for everyone. Some users have reported issues with the company’s customer service and overall reliability, leading them to seek GoDaddy’s alternative options.

Additionally, GoDaddy’s pricing structure may only sometimes be the most cost-effective for certain users, especially those on a tight budget or those with more complex hosting needs.

While GoDaddy may be a convenient and well-known choice for many website owners, it’s important to consider all available options carefully and determine what will best suit your specific needs and budget.

What are the best GoDaddy alternatives?

The best GoDaddy alternative depends on your needs. If you’re looking for a cheap option, we recommend Namecheap

If you need unlimited storage and bandwidth, Kisnta is an excellent choice. And if you’re looking for a free web hosting option, Wix is a good option. Here are our top picks of the top GoDaddy alternatives you should consider for a solid online presence.

1. Bluehost.

Best overall domain registrar and web host

bluehost

Bluehost is one of the world’s largest web hosts and domain registrars, with over 2 million websites hosted on its servers. Offering a wide range of online services, including web hosting, domain name registration, and email hosting, Bluehost is a popular choice for businesses and individuals looking to establish a strong online presence.

One of the standout features of Bluehost is its user-friendly interface, which allows you to easily create a professional and visually appealing website that reflects your unique brand. 

It offers a website builder with various templates and designs to choose from, making it easy to add your logo, images, and content to create a website that is truly your own.

In addition to its website-building capabilities, Bluehost is also known for its robust and reliable servers, designed to handle high traffic volumes and ensure that your website is always available to visitors.

Plus, with a customer support team available 24/7 to answer your account or website questions, you can rest assured that you’ll have the support you need to keep your site running smoothly.

Key features of Bluehost:

  • CMS support: Bluehost supports several popular content management systems, including WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, so that you can create and manage your website’s content without any prior experience or technical knowledge.
  • Control panel integration: The Cpanel is easy to use and completely controls your account and website. You can easily add or remove users, change your account settings, and manage your website’s files and databases.
  • Bandwidth allowance: You get unlimited bandwidth on all hosting plans, so you never have to worry about your website exceeding its monthly data allowance.
  • Server backups: Regular backs up to servers ensure that your website’s data is safe and secure. In the unlikely event that something does happen to your website, you can rest assured knowing that you can quickly and easily restore it from a backup.
  • Website builder: With a drag-and-drop interface, you can easily add images, text, and content to create a unique website that reflects your brand.
  • DDOS protection: DDOS protection prevents your website from being taken down by a distributed denial-of-service attack to ensure your data is safe and secure.
  • Free SSL certificate: Bluehost provides a free SSL certificate for all hosting plans to encrypt your website’s data and protect it from hackers and cybercriminals.

Bluehost Pricing:

Bluehost offers a free domain name on any of their 3 main hosting plans that include:

  • Basic shared hosting: $3.95 per month.
  • Plus shared hosting: $5.95 per month.
  • Choice plus shared hosting: $6.95 per month.

Start with Bluehost Webhosting at $2.95 per month and get a free domain of your choice.

Related article: 9 Top-Rated Bluehost Alternatives For Web Hosting

2. Dreamhost.

Most secure and reliable hosting GoDaddy alternative

Dreamhost Vs Goodaddy

If you’re tired of GoDaddy and are on the hunt for a reliable and affordable web hosting provider, Dreamhost is definitely worth considering.

This well-established company, which has been in business since 1997, offers a wide range of services to meet the needs of small businesses and individuals alike.

From shared web hosting and VPS hosting to dedicated servers and domain registration, Dreamhost has a solution for every budget and need.

One of the standout features of Dreamhost is its affordable .com domain names, which start at just $7.99 per year. Plus, the company offers five different types of hosting to suit the needs of various users. 

In addition to its competitive pricing, Dreamhost offers flexibility with its hosting plans. WordPress and shared website hosting plans start at just $4.95 per month with no contracts or commitments, making it an ideal choice for those looking to test out a new website, blog, or business idea.

So if you’re looking for an alternative to GoDaddy that offers a wide range of services and competitive pricing, Dreamhost is worth considering.

Key features of DreamHost:

  • VPS hosting: Get your virtual server to host your website from various VPS hosting plans to fit your needs.
  • Cloud computing: DreamHost offers cloud computing services that allow you to scale your website or application on demand.
  • Domain registration: Register your domain name with DreamHost and get free WHOIS privacy protection.
  • Dedicated server: If you need more power and control, DreamHost offers dedicated servers for your website or application.
  • Unlimited data transfer: Transfer unlimited data to and from your DreamHost account without bandwidth overage fees.
  • WordPress staging: WordPress staging features allow you to test new plugins and themes on your site before making them live.
  • Domain management: DreamHost offers domain management tools that allow you to manage your domains from one place.

DreamHost Pricing:

Dreamhost offers 4 main pricing plans, namely:

  • Shared hosting: $2.95 per month
  • DreamPress managed WordPress hosting: $16.95 per month
  • VPS hosting: $10 per month
  • Dedicated server: $149 per month.

3. Wp engine.

Best WordPress hosting Godaddy alternative

Godaddy alternative Wp engine

If you’re a WordPress user in search of a reliable and feature-rich hosting alternative to GoDaddy, WP Engine is for you.

This hosting platform is specifically designed for WordPress websites and offers top-of-the-line hosting and security, as well as a wide range of tools and features to help you grow your business.

WP Engine offers four different hosting plans to suit the needs of various users: Managed Hosting, Managed Hosting Plus, Secure Hosting, and Ecommerce Hosting. 

With unlimited storage space, automatic updates, and easy one-click installation of popular WordPress plugins, WP Engine makes it easy to get your site up and running.

In addition, the platform offers various tools to help you grow your business, such as search engine optimization (SEO) and social media integration.

One thing to note about WP Engine is that it does not sell domain names, so you will need to purchase your domain elsewhere. However, this hosting platform is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a specialized and feature-rich solution specifically for a WordPress website.

Key features of WP Engine:

  • CMS support ( website hosting): Provides you with hosting services to quickly create and manage WordPress websites with various intelligence data and performance tools to help businesses grow their online presence.
  • Dedicated hosting:  Your website is hosted on a solely dedicated server to provide you with the best possible performance and security.
  • Security tools: Features include a firewall, malware scanning, and intrusion detection to protect your website from malicious attacks and keep your data safe.
  • File management: Keep track of all the files on your website with an easy-to-use file manager and the ability to edit files directly from your WordPress dashboard.
  • E-commerce integration: Sell products and services directly from your website with support for popular e-commerce platforms such as WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and Shopify.
  • Database support: Manage your website’s database with the ability to create, edit, and delete tables, as well as run SQL queries.
  • Web flame work support: Develop your website using the WordPress framework with access to various themes and plugins and the ability to customize your website’s code.

WP Engine Pricing:

WP engine offers 4 main hosting plans, including:

  • Startup: $30 per month.
  • Growth: $115 per month.
  • Scale: $290 per month.
  • Premium: contact WP engine.

So why wait? Get started with WP Engine today!

4. Kinsta.

Best premium managed WordPress hosting

Kinsta as a Godaddy alternative

If you’re searching for a premium managed WordPress hosting provider as an alternative to GoDaddy, Kinsta is worth considering.

Founded in 2013 by two engineers, Brian George and Mark Gavalda, Kinsta is a company that prides itself on its focus on speed, security, and customer support. 

Their hosting plans start at $30 per month and offer a free trial, making it an affordable option for businesses and individual bloggers looking for a reliable and high-performing hosting solution.

The standout feature of Kinsta is its use of the Google Cloud Platform infrastructure, which provides top-notch performance and scalability. 

In addition to its impressive speed, Kinsta also offers a range of features to ensure the security and reliability of your website, including daily backups, free SSL certificates, and staging environments. 

Plus, with 24/7 support from WordPress experts, you can rest assured that you’ll have the support you need to keep your site running smoothly.

Key features of Kinsta:

  • Automatic backups: Create a daily backup of your WordPress site with a single click in your Kinsta dashboard.
  • Free CDN: Kinsta offers a free CDN with all of its plans to speed up your website’s loading time for visitors and improve search rankings.
  • Free SSL: Add an SSL certificate to your site with a single click and enjoy improved security and performance.
  • Staging: Test out changes to your WordPress site in a safe staging environment before making them live.
  • Alerts and notifications: Get alerted via email or Slack whenever there’s an issue with your WordPress site.
  • PHP 7: Enjoy the benefits of the latest version of PHP, including improved performance and security.
  • SSH: Access your WordPress site via SSH for ultimate control.
  • Real-time monitoring: Monitor your website’s traffic and performance in real-time with Kinsta’s dashboard.
  • Performance metrics: Track crucial performance metrics such as page load times, uptime, and more.

Kinsta Pricing:

Kinsta offers 4 main hosting pricing plans:

  • Starter plan: $30 per month
  • Pro plan: $60 per month
  • Business 1 plan: $100 per month
  • Business 2 plan: $200 per month.

Get 2 months of free hosting with Kinsta here.

Related article: Best Kinsta Alternatives For Managed WordPress Hosting

5. Cloudways.

Best cloud-based hosting alternative to Godaddy

Godaddy competitors | Cloudways

Cloudways is a cloud-based alternative to GoDaddy founded to make cloud hosting accessible to everyone, regardless of their technical expertise. 

With a focus on simplicity and ease of use, Cloudways offers various hosting plans, including cloud, managed WordPress, and e-commerce hosting.

What sets Cloudways apart from GoDaddy and other web hosting companies is its use of over 12,000 servers located in 43 countries around the globe, which ensures unbeatable speed and uptime for any website hosted on its platform. 

The company’s focus on accessibility is further demonstrated through its use of containerized applications and advanced features like a cloud optimization engine and Auto-Healing feature, which provide seamless performance while keeping your website secure 24/7.

Overall, Cloudways is an excellent alternative to GoDaddy for those looking for a cloud-based hosting provider that is both accessible and reliable.

Key features of Cloudways:

  • 5 cloud providers: Choose from 5 different cloud providers – Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, DigitalOcean, Vultr, and Linode to give you the flexibility that suits your needs.
  • Optimized stack: Optimized stack includes everything you need to run your website on the cloud, including a web server, database, cache, and security components.
  • CloudwaysCDN: CloudwaysCDN is a global delivery network that speeds up the delivery of your website’s content to visitors worldwide.
  • All PHP apps supported: Cloudways supports all PHP applications, including WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and Magento.
  • Unlimited applications: You can host unlimited applications on your account.
  • Cloudbots: Use the tool to automate tasks such as scaling your applications, managing backups, and deploying updates.
  • Innovative control panel: This includes features such as a drag-and-drop interface, one-click deployments, and real-time monitoring, making managing your cloud-based hosting account easy.

Cloudways Pricing:

Their 4 main hosting plans include:

  • Managed Digitalocean 1GB: $10.00 per month.
  • Managed Digitalocean 2GB: $22.00 per month.
  • Managed Digitalocean 4GB: $42.00 per month.
  • Managed Digitalocean 8GB: $80.00 per month.

Start a free trial NOW with Cloudways!

6. Namecheap.

Cheapest domain registrar GoDaddy alternative.

Namecheap | godaddy competitors and alternatives

Namecheap is a well-respected and trusted domain name registration company that offers some of the best prices in the industry and a wide range of features and services.

Founded in 2000 by entrepreneur Richard Kirkendall, Namecheap has become one of the largest domain registrars worldwide.

One of the standout features of Namecheap is its commitment to customer support. The company offers 24/7/365 live chat, email, and phone support to help its users with any issues or questions. 

In addition, Namecheap has an extensive knowledge base and a community forum where users can find answers to common questions.

Namecheap is also known for its commitment to security and privacy. The company offers free Whois privacy protection with every domain name and free email forwarding and DNS management to help keep your personal information safe.

Overall, Namecheap is among the best GoDaddy alternatives if you’re looking for a reliable and affordable domain name registration company.

Key features of Namecheap:

  • DNS setup and propagation: Manage your domain’s DNS records, and Namecheap will propagate the changes across all of their data centers to ensure your website is always accessible, even if one of their data centers goes down.
  • Domain transfers: Easily transfer your domain name to their platform. They offer free Whois privacy protection and email forwarding with every domain transfer, and they will help you keep your existing website and email accounts active during the transition.
  • Domain registrar: Namecheap is an ICANN-accredited domain registrar authorized to sell and register domain names. 
  • Account security: They offer multiple layers of protection to keep your account safe by using two-factor authentication, SSL encryption, and other security measures to protect your account from hackers and cybercriminals.
  • Cpanel integration: Namecheap offers Cpanel integration for their web hosting plans to easily manage your website, email accounts, databases, etc., from a single control panel.
  • Multiple data center locations: Ensures your website is always accessible with data centers in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
  • Private SSL: Namecheap offers private SSL certificates for your domain names to encrypt your website’s traffic and protect visitors’ information from being intercepted by hackers.

Namecheap Pricing:

Namecheap domains start at $2.89 with various extensions to choose from, and they offer 3 main hosting plans:

  • Stellar: $1.58 per month
  • Stellar pus: $2.68 per month
  • Stellar business: $4.80 per month

Get a FREE domain when you buy Shared hosting!

7. Wix.

Best free web hosting GoDaddy alternative

Wix Godaddy alternative

Wix is a cloud-based website development and hosting platform that allows you to create professional websites with little or no coding knowledge. 

With its user-friendly interface and hundreds of professionally designed templates in various categories, Wix allows you to quickly and easily build a stunning, mobile-friendly website without needing technical skills.

In addition to its website-building capabilities, Wix offers an eCommerce solution that allows you to build an online store to sell products and services easily.

This feature is especially popular among small business owners and entrepreneurs looking for an affordable and easy way to get their products online. You can create a beautiful online store in just a few minutes and start selling your products and services easily.

While Wix is free to use, users can upgrade to a premium plan to access more features and storage. Premium plans start at just $5 per month and offer a range of additional features and benefits.

Overall, if you’re looking for a free GoDaddy alternative and an easy way to build a professional website, Wix is the perfect platform for you.

Key features of Wix:

  • Customizable HTML5 templates: Wix comes with over 500 fully customizable templates. You can change layouts, colors, and fonts and add images and content.
  • App marketplace: The app marketplace has over 200 apps that you can use to add extra features to your website.
  • Drag and drop editor: Drag and drop elements without coding knowledge to create the perfect website using the easy-to-use Wix editor.
  • Site analytics: You get access to detailed site analytics to see how your website performs and make changes accordingly.
  • Marketing tools: Wix offers a variety of marketing tools, such as email marketing, social media campaigns, and Google AdWords. These tools help you promote your website and attract more visitors.
  • Content management: Easily manage your website content with its drag and drop editor. You can easily add, delete, or edit pages without coding knowledge.
  • SEO tools: Wix provides SEO tools that help you optimize your website for Google and other search engines. These tools help you improve your website’s visibility and ranking in search results.

Wix Pricing:

Wix offers 5 main pricing plans, namely:

  • Free: $0
  • Connect domain: $4.08 per month
  • Combo: 9.25 per month
  • Ecommerce: $16.17 per month
  • Unlimited: 12.45 per month.

Create your free Wix website and get online.

Related article: Best Wix Alternatives And Competitors 

8. Hostinger.

Best GoDaddy alternative for cheapest web hosting

Hostinger

Hostinger has been a trusted web hosting provider in business since 2013. A group of IT enthusiasts founded Hostinger focused on providing high-quality services to individuals and small businesses. 

With a primary focus on security, support, and quick solutions for any problems that may arise, Hostinger is a reliable and trusted choice for those looking to establish an online presence.

Hostinger offers a wide range of services to meet the needs of various users, including shared hosting, cloud hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting, and more. Their WordPress plans, hosted in a shared environment, offer page load speeds under 200ms and a guaranteed uptime of 99.9%. 

In addition to hosting, Hostinger also offers a website builder and domain name registration services to help users easily establish and manage their online presence.

Hostinger is one of the most excellent alternatives to GoDaddy for small businesses and individuals looking for a reliable and feature-rich web hosting provider.

Key features of Hostinger:

  • Cloud hosting: An excellent option for businesses that need scalability and flexibility. The company offers a variety of plans, including pay-as-you-go and monthly subscriptions.
  • Website builder: Create a professional website without coding knowledge. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create a website in minutes.
  • Domain name registrars: Hostinger offers domain name registrar services to help you get the perfect domain name for your website.
  • Reseller hosting: A great Godaddy alternative for businesses that want to sell web hosting services to their clients. The company offers a variety of plans, including pay-as-you-go and monthly subscriptions.
  • Free daily backups: Hostinger offers your website free daily backups to ensure that your data is always safe.

Hostinger Pricing:

Hostinger’s pricing is very competitive, especially for the features they offer:

  • Single shared hosting: $1.39 per month.
  • Premium shared hosting: $2.59 per month.
  • Business shared hosting: $3.00 per month.

9. Siteground.

Most trusted web hosting provider.

Siteground

Siteground is a well-respected and popular web hosting GoDaddy alternative that has been in business since 2004.

Serving over 2 million websites globally, Siteground is known for its unlimited storage space and bandwidth, free domain name registration, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee.

The standout feature of Siteground is its focus on web speed and security. The company uses in-house solutions to make websites run faster and safer, while its simple but powerful website management tools help keep your site up and running without any hassle. 

Another point to consider when choosing Siteground as an alternative GoDaddy web hosting provider is its commitment to sustainability. The company is powered by Google Cloud, which matches 100% of the energy consumed by Siteground with renewable energy.

In addition, Siteground is known for its excellent technical support, with options for help via email, live chat, or phone. 

Key features of SiteGround:

  • User management: SiteGround makes it easy to manage your website’s users with its user management system. You can easily add, edit, and delete users and set up different permissions for each user.
  • Access to SQL: SiteGround gives you access to a MySQL database to easily store and retrieve data from your website.
  • Free SSL: You get a free SSL certificate with every SiteGround hosting plan, which helps to keep your website’s data secure.
  • CMS support: Offers support for popular content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.
  • Website builder: With SiteGround’s website builder, you can easily create a professional-looking website in minutes without any prior experience.
  • Server backups: Automatically backs up your website’s data to their servers, so you don’t have to worry about losing any vital information.

SiteGround Pricing:

SiteGround has various hosting plans, which have different features and price points.

  • Startup:$3.99 per month
  • Grow big:$ 6.69 per month
  • GoGeek: $ 10.69 per month

Related article: 7 Best Bigcommerce Competitors and Alternatives

Why shouldn’t you use GoDaddy?

Good news! You don’t have to use GoDaddy anymore.

GoDaddy is the world’s largest domain registrar, hosting provider, and cloud services company. They’ve been around for over 17 years, so you might think they know what they’re doing- but that isn’t always true. Here are some reasons why users may want alternatives to Godaddy:

Expensive plans and add-ons

GoDaddy’s cheapest shared hosting plan is $4.99 per month. You get unlimited storage and bandwidth, a free domain name, and a free SSL certificate.

But if you want any extras- like daily backups or malware scanning- you have to pay extra.

For example, their Site Backup and Restore feature costs $2.99 monthly, while their malware removal service starts at $9.99 monthly.

These aren’t huge fees, but they can add up, especially if you’re on a tight budget. And if you need multiple features, you might be better off with a different provider.

Locking you in with long-term contracts

GoDaddy offers discounts if you pre-pay for 12, 24, or 36 months of service. This might seem like a good deal, but it’s a terrible idea.

First, you’re locked into that contract for the entire duration. So if you decide you want to leave GoDaddy after six months, you’re still on the hook for the remaining six.

Second, GoDaddy raises its prices yearly- so even if you stay with them, you’ll be paying more than you would have if you just paid month-to-month.

In short, don’t fall for GoDaddy’s long-term contracts. You’re better off paying month-to-month so that you can leave anytime.

Frequent upsells and hidden fees

One of the most frustrating things about GoDaddy is its constant upselling. They’ll try to sell you a new product or service whenever you log in to your account.

And if you’re not careful, it’s easy to add something to your cart and pay for it accidentally.

For example, they recently started automatically adding their Site Lock security service to new accounts. The service itself isn’t too expensive, but it’s the principle of the thing.

GoDaddy is always trying to squeeze a few more dollars out of their customers, which can be annoying.

Slow and unhelpful customer support

If you ever have a problem with your account, good luck getting help from GoDaddy’s customer support.

They’re notoriously slow to respond and often give vague or unhelpful answers. Sometimes, they’ll even try to upsell you on a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

It’s frustrating to deal with GoDaddy’s customer support. If you can avoid it, you’ll be much better off.

Best GoDaddy alternatives wrap up.

So, there you have it.

Our 9 picks of the best GoDaddy alternatives 2022 (plus a few honorable mentions).

These best GoDaddy hosting alternatives and registrars are great options with unique strengths and weaknesses – depending on your specific needs.

If you’re starting, I recommend trying Bluehost or Dreamhost; they both have stellar customer service reputations, offer free domain names, and are very affordable.

Namecheap is also a great alternative to GoDaddy if you want to stick with a more budget-friendly host – plus, they give you a discount for paying annually instead of monthly.

And Cloudways is perfect if you need help setting up WordPress hosting or prefer an all-inclusive package; Kinsta is our top pick if you’re looking for speed, security, and support.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase a paid plan. These are products I’ve personally used and stand behind. This site is not intended to provide financial advice and is for entertainment only. You can read our affiliate disclosure in our privacy policy.

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