The GoDaddy all-in-one website builder is a popular tool for do-it-yourselfers who want to create a new website. The platform offers affordable pricing plans, an easy-to-use site design editor, e-commerce functionality and a robust set of built-in marketing features.
Pros
- Affordable plans
- 100+ mobile responsive design templates
- Free version available
Cons
- Limited site design customisation
- Limited e-commerce features
- Pricey add-ons
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GoDaddy at a glance
GoDaddy is well known for its domain registration and hosting services, but it also has its own website builder that lets you create a website from the ground up. GoDaddy’s site builder is an all-in-one solution that includes web hosting and a website design editor.
Forbes Advisor recently included GoDaddy on its list of 10 best website builders. GoDaddy compares favourably with other platforms, such as Wix and Squarespace.
Intuitive site-building tools make GoDaddy one of the easiest-to-use site builders available today. This means GoDaddy is an excellent tool for beginners and those with limited or no coding or design skills.
To create your website, simply answer a few questions, and GoDaddy’s Artificial Design Intelligence editor generates an initial site design that you can customise. If you prefer, you can create your website by selecting one of GoDaddy’s 100+ design templates, and then use the drag-and-drop editor to tailor your site design to suit your needs.
GoDaddy offers a free plan with limited features, such as a GoDaddy-branded site and domain. There are four paid plans that all come with a free SSL certificate, custom domain connection, analytics and 24/7 support. Here are the top features included in GoDaddy’s paid plans:
Other benefits
The GoDaddy website builder offers a variety of tools and attributes that help you create a powerful online presence. Here are a few of the most in-demand features and benefits you get with GoDaddy:
- Accept payments. With the E-commerce plan, you can process payments via GoDaddy Payments or through a variety of other payment processors, including PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Blog. Add a blog to your GoDaddy website; the builder comes with popular blogging features like category management and blog commenting
- Email marketing. All paid plans include the ability to send emails directly from the GoDaddy dashboard, though send volumes vary significantly by plan (100 to 25,000 emails allowed per month)
- Appointment/Service scheduling app. All paid plans include a free appointment scheduling app, though you’ll have to upgrade to the Premium or E-commerce plan for advanced features, such as recurring appointments, group events, appointment email reminders and appointment payments
- 24/7 customer support. Get round-the-clock support via chat, phone and the GoDaddy online Help Center
- Sell digital and physical products. On the E-commerce plan, you can sell both physical and digital products
- Digital marketing suite. Starting at an additional £16.99 per month on top of your plan fee, access GoDaddy’s suite of marketing tools, including branded content creation, social media management, search engine optimization, expanded email marketing, paid search and social and email analytics
- Unlimited storage and bandwidth. There’s no limit on file storage or bandwidth for your GoDaddy website
- Website design services. GoDaddy offers custom website design; you must contact the company directly for a free consultation and pricing information for these services
- Hardware options. If you have a physical store or need to process in-person payments, GoDaddy offers both a card reader and a full POS system.
Fine print
There are many strong reasons to go with GoDaddy but, like all platforms, GoDaddy has some drawbacks too. Before choosing a website builder, make sure you understand what it can and can’t do for you.
Limited design customisation
The good news is that you have access to more than 100 attractive website design templates with GoDaddy. The not-so-good news is that these templates are relatively rigid and offer limited fonts and layout adjustment. This means the GoDaddy website builder isn’t a terrific solution for those who prefer more control over website design.
No website transfer
You can build a WordPress website with GoDaddy hosting and transfer your site to another hosting provider. If you build your site with the GoDaddy website builder, you cannot move your site to another hosting service.
Limited app integrations
Most website builders integrate with hundreds if not thousands of apps, which allows for significant freedom in terms of expanding website features and functionality. GoDaddy does not have an app store, and a deep dive into its Help Center did not reveal which integrations are available. With fewer app integrations, your GoDaddy website might not be able to accommodate the specialised features that other platforms offer.
SEO is limited
GoDaddy offers an SEO Wizard on its top three paid plans. The Wizard helps you with SEO by asking questions about who your customers/readers are, the geography you serve and what your page is about. The tool then suggests keywords and guides you in creating optimised titles, headlines and page descriptions. These steps are helpful in SEO but barely touch the surface of complete site optimization.
The GoDaddy SEO Wizard may lead some, especially beginners, into a false sense of security that their sites are optimised. We recommend you build your SEO know-how without solely depending on GoDaddy, as no site builder will fully optimise your site for you.
How the GoDaddy website builder stacks up
Both GoDaddy and Wix offer free plans with limited features. At £6.99 per month, GoDaddy’s basic plan is cheaper than the Wix and Squarespace basic plans, which are £7.50 and £16 per month, respectively. When it comes to e-commerce, all platforms’ fees are similar. The GoDaddy e-commerce plan is £12.99 per month, while the Squarespace Basic Commerce plan is £28, and Wix basic e-commerce plan is £20 per month.
GoDaddy offers considerably fewer templates than Wix. Also, while GoDaddy templates are clean and functional, they lack the style and flair offered via Squarespace templates. GoDaddy offers free appointment scheduling and limited email marketing with all its plans; with Wix and Squarespace, you’ll incur an upcharge for these features.
Is the GoDaddy website builder right for you or your business?
The GoDaddy website builder is an intuitive tool that lets you quickly build a website. GoDaddy provides you with everything you need within its platform. This all-in-one functionality means you won’t have to fuss with finding external plugins or hosting services.
Created with beginners in mind, the GoDaddy builder is excellent for anyone with limited technical and design experience. The platform lets you incorporate the most in-demand features on your website, including email capture and communication, social media integration, blogging and e-commerce functionality. Plan fees are relatively modest, which means GoDaddy can accommodate nearly any budget.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best website builder today?
The top three web builders available today are Weebly, GoDaddy and Squarespace. These platforms feature prebuilt themes and drag-and-drop interfaces, making it easy and affordable to create a functional, well-designed website.
Does the GoDaddy website builder include hosting?
When you create your website with the GoDaddy website builder, hosting services are included. GoDaddy also offers several shared and dedicated hosting plans that can be used with other website builders, such as WordPress, Drupal and Joomla.
Can I have Google Ads on my GoDaddy website?
Yes, you can add Google AdSense to your GoDaddy website. You’ll need to sign up for Google AdSense and be approved before adding advertisements to your website.
Do I get a free custom domain with GoDaddy?
GoDaddy website builder paid plans offer free custom domain connection, but unless you find a special offer (which GoDaddy runs from time to time), you’ll need to purchase your custom domain separately. You can buy your domain through GoDaddy or another domain registrar, such as Domain.com or Namecheap.
Is GoDaddy reliable?
GoDaddy is a reliable website builder that is widely considered one of the best platforms for creating websites. GoDaddy has a solid reputation for excellent website uptimes.
Are website builders secure?
Because most website builders offer cutting-edge technology, they are usually ahead of the curve when it comes to keeping their sites secure. They do this by keeping their customers’ websites protected by using top-end technology. Because of this, most website building companies offer some of the best security options available on the internet.
