HostGator vs. GoDaddy: Which Is Better for You?

HostGator and GoDaddy are two popular web hosts that performed reasonably well in our hands-on testing — but which one should you choose?

I used data from my HostGator and GoDaddy reviews to compare these hosts in key categories like ease of use, performance and pricing to determine which web hosting provider is better for your needs and budget.

I based my evaluation on each company’s shared and WordPress hosting, as these hosting types are most useful to folks looking to create hobby sites, blogs or small business websites. Shared and WordPress hosting are also the varieties of web hosting HostGator and GoDaddy excel at. If you’re looking for a more advanced hosting solution, check out our guides to the best VPS hosting, best cloud hosting or best dedicated hosting.

HostGator vs. GoDaddy: Which is better?

HostGator and GoDaddy have similar offerings, including a range of shared and WordPress hosting options. However, HostGator pulls ahead of GoDaddy in three key areas:

• Ease of use: HostGator is easier to use, from the one-page purchase process to the guided site creation process for WordPress.
• Security: HostGator offers permanent SSL certification and firewall protection — two of the most essential website security features — on all hosting plans. On the other hand, GoDaddy only offers SSL certification for the first year on the most affordable plan and doesn’t provide firewall protection on any shared or WordPress hosting plans.
• Pricing: HostGator is significantly more affordable than GoDaddy, especially since it doesn’t require add-ons for essential features.

While GoDaddy’s server performance is better than HostGator’s, the difference is minimal. HostGator only had a few minutes of downtime and slightly slower (not even a full second) site speed. The only place where GoDaddy proved significantly better was customer service, something you hopefully won’t need often for a simple website. Unless your top priority is receiving excellent customer service, you’re better off with HostGator than with GoDaddy.

Ease of use winner: HostGator

HostGator provides a simple, one-page purchase process and an intuitive account dashboard where you can quickly access management tools for your websites and domains. HostGator plans also feature pre-installed WordPress, complete with automatic SSL certification. Another great feature is the site launcher, a pre-installed plugin with quick links to things like page creation and WooCommerce installation.

Getting started with GoDaddy is more complicated. The purchase process involves navigating through multiple pages plus dealing with aggressive upsells at checkout. After signup, you’ll need to install WordPress and enable SSL certification yourself. There’s no site launcher/assistant for WordPress, so you’ll need to figure out how to navigate the admin panel on your own.

HostGator and GoDaddy both use the industry-standard cPanel for server management, making this the one area of ease of use where the two platforms are equal. The number of tools listed on cPanel — and their technical names — can be overwhelming for new users, but there are many tutorials to help you figure out its most important functions. The use of cPanel also makes it easy for you to transfer websites between HostGator and GoDaddy.

Website builders

Website builders are visual tools for creating a site without using any code. Most website builders use front-end editing, letting you see how changes you’re making will appear to your visitors in real time. Website builders are generally considered the easiest way to create a site, as the company handles adding things like e-commerce software and updating/securing the website builder software for you.

HostGator and GoDaddy both offer website builders. Unlike WordPress and other open-source content management systems, these website builders are proprietary, making it difficult to switch hosting companies later on. Still, using your hosting company’s website builder can be a great option if you’re confident in the host you’ve chosen.

I haven’t tested the HostGator or GoDaddy website builders for CNET, so I can’t confirm whether one is easier to use than the other. However, I have used several other website builders in my personal site creation journey, and most of them are similarly intuitive. I therefore feel comfortable saying that HostGator and GoDaddy are equal on this front.

Overall thoughts on ease of use

If usability is your main concern, HostGator is a better choice than GoDaddy. Apart from the cPanel and website builder (areas where GoDaddy is equal to HostGator but not better than it), every aspect of the HostGator experience is simpler than its GoDaddy counterpart. The HostGator WordPress site launcher is a particularly nice feature for beginners, outmatched only by the A2 Hosting site assistant.

Performance winner: GoDaddy

There are three factors to consider when determining a web hosting company’s server performance:

• Performance tools: Some web hosts offer things like caching, a protocol that increases site speed by storing data in specialized “caches” that operate at the speed of the server’s (or visitor’s) central processing unit or CPU. Caching is generally faster than the default process of pulling website data from random access memory or RAM.
• Site speed: The number of seconds it takes for a site to load. Bounce rate — the percentage of people who leave a site after viewing only one page — decreases by 32% when loading times go from three to one seconds, leading most experts to recommend keeping your site speed under three seconds.
• Uptime: The amount of time, typically expressed as a percentage, your site is accessible to the internet for. Uptime matters because users who can’t load your site will often go to another site. This can lead to a loss of trust, traffic and even income.

Let’s consider how HostGator and GoDaddy stack up across these three categories.

Performance tools

HostGator offers a basic caching tool for all users. Higher-tiered plans include a content delivery network — CDN — that stores site data in several networked servers around the globe, allowing users’ browsers to pull information from the server closest to their physical location to improve loading speeds for international users. CPUs are also included with higher-tiered plans to improve site speed and reliability.

GoDaddy lets you choose the data center where your site will be hosted, so you can pick one close to your target audience’s location to improve loading times for those users. This is the only performance tool offered for basic shared hosting and WordPress hosting users. Higher-tiered WordPress users can also get a CDN. Caching tools aren’t available on any shared or WordPress hosting plans from GoDaddy. However, you can always add a third-party caching plugin to your WordPress site. Many of them can even be added for free.

Site speed

My testing process for web hosting services includes running speed tests over the course of five days with WebPageTest. Every round of testing is at a different time of day and includes tests from various locations to estimate site speeds for international users. I also run tests from both desktop and mobile devices. Speed testing isn’t perfect — a user’s internet plan and device can impact loading times — but this range of tests gives me a reasonable estimation of most users’ experience.

These tests allowed me to create the following average site speeds:

• 2.93 seconds for HostGator, based on a mobile average of 3.45 seconds and a desktop average of 2.41 seconds
• 2.29 seconds for GoDaddy, based on a mobile average of 2.74 seconds and a desktop average of 1.84 seconds

While both of these site speeds fall under the recommended maximum of three seconds, GoDaddy’s site speed is significantly better than HostGator’s. However, this is without activating HostGator’s additional caching tools. Enabling caching through HostGator’s site management area might close this gap.

Uptime

HostGator and GoDaddy both offer the industry-standard 99.9% uptime guarantee, meaning your site won’t go down for more than ten minutes per week on either host’s servers. I used BetterStack to monitor a test site on each host for one week to see if they lived up to these guarantees.

Both companies met the 99.9% uptime guarantee, but my HostGator site had seven minutes of downtime during my week of monitoring, cutting it pretty close to the 10 minute maximum. The GoDaddy test site, on the other hand, had no downtime at all during my week of monitoring.

Overall thoughts on performance

Performance is one area where GoDaddy outshines HostGator. GoDaddy’s site speed is faster — in fact, it’s the fastest site speed of any host I’ve tested — and it exceeded its 99.9% uptime guarantee with zero minutes of uptime during my tests. Meanwhile, HostGator had notably slower site speed and a full seven minutes of downtime, clocking the highest amount of downtime I’ve encountered with any web host other than InMotion Hosting.

Security winner: HostGator

There are two security measures every web host should offer:

• Secure socket layer certification: An encryption protocol that protects data sent to and from your site, such as email addresses submitted through a contact form. This protocol also signals that your site is safe. For instance, some VPNs and browsers won’t even open a site without it.
• Firewall: Filtration software that scans data sent to your site and prevents malware and other threats from getting through. A firewall can’t protect against every threat, but it will protect against most common malware.

HostGator offers both SSL certification and firewall protection on all plans. You’ll also get malware scanning, which searches for malware that gets through the firewall and notifies you if it finds anything. 

By contrast, GoDaddy only offers SSL certification for the first year on the most basic shared hosting plan. You’ll have to pay $100 per year for every following year that you want SSL certification or buy the Web Security Standard add-on for $8 a month to start ($13 a month on renewal). The Web Security Standard package is also the only way to get firewall protection on a shared or WordPress hosting plan from GoDaddy.

Overall thoughts on security

HostGator is the clear winner here, offering both permanent SSL certification and firewall protection on all hosting plans. While it’s not the most secure hosting service — A2 Hosting offers a much more impressive security suite — it’s definitely better than GoDaddy.

Customer service: GoDaddy

HostGator and GoDaddy both offer 24/7 customer support via live chat and phone. However, there’s a catch for HostGator users: phone support isn’t available on the most affordable plan. You’ll need to pay for at least the Baby plan (the second-tier shared hosting plan or first-tier WordPress hosting plan) to access phone support.

My experience with HostGator support also wasn’t great. Live chat representatives were quick to respond and able to answer simple questions, but when I asked a more advanced question, they had to forward my complaint to another team. This is common, as live chat teams are typically only trained to deal with simple problems. The unfortunate part of this experience is that I never received a follow-up email. I reached out again and they scheduled a phone call, but I never received the scheduled call. Reaching out via support ticket was equally frustrating.

I had a much better experience with GoDaddy’s customer service. Live chat support was prompt and helpful. There are actually two phone support options, text support and call support. I was impressed with the fast, comprehensive answers I got from both. The only issue I had with GoDaddy support was an aggressive upsell from the live chat representative.

Overall thoughts on customer service

HostGator and GoDaddy both promise 24/7 support through various channels, but in my experience, only GoDaddy delivers. I received quick, helpful service through all three of GoDaddy’s communication channels. GoDaddy offered the best service I’ve encountered with any web host other than Ionos, our top-ranking web host.

Pricing winner: HostGator

There are two types of pricing to consider when comparing web hosts:

• Introductory pricing: The amount you’ll pay for your first contract term. This often comes at a substantial discount of 50% or more. However, you’ll be required to pay up front for at least one year to access introductory pricing. Some hosts require you to sign up for two, three or even four years to get the best introductory discount.
• Renewal pricing: The amount you’ll pay to renew your contract, typically displayed on a web host’s site as the “regular price.” This is often at least 50% higher than your initial payment and still requires you to pay up front for at least one year.

Let’s take a look at how HostGator and GoDaddy compare for these pricing types!

Introductory pricing

HostGator’s most affordable shared hosting plan is the Hatchling plan, starting at $3.75 a month with a three-year contract. The most affordable WordPress hosting plan is the Baby plan, starting at $4.50 a month with a three-year contract. You’ll also need to pay for your domain after the first year. Domains from HostGator typically cost $20 to $30 a year. You can save on long-term domain costs by moving your domain to a registrar like Namecheap.

GoDaddy’s cheapest shared hosting plan is the Web Hosting Economy plan, starting at $6 a month with a three-year contract. The most affordable WordPress hosting plan is Managed WordPress Basic, starting at $9 a month with a one-year contract or $7 per month with a three-year contract. 

If you want firewall protection on shared or WordPress hosting from GoDaddy, you’ll need to pay an additional $8 a month for Web Security Standard, which includes SSL certification and malware scanning. Web Security Standard increases to $13 a month after the first year even if your main hosting contract is three years. You’ll also need to pay for a domain after the first year. Domains from GoDaddy typically cost $20 to $30.

Renewal pricing

HostGator’s Hatchling plan jumps to $10.99 a month on renewal, and the WordPress Baby plan skyrockets to $16.50 a month. Both of these prices require a three-year contract; you’ll pay more for each month on a one-year contract. These prices also don’t include the annual domain fee, so you’ll need to budget for that separately.

GoDaddy’s Web Hosting Economy plan rises to $10 a month on renewal and the Managed WordPress Basic rises to $13 a month. You can access these prices on a monthly, annual or triannual plan. However, you’ll also need to pay for a domain — typically $20 to $30 per year through GoDaddy — and an additional $13 per month for Web Security Standard.

Overall thoughts on pricing

HostGator is the clear winner for introductory pricing, with both shared and WordPress hosting starting at less than $5 a month. You also won’t need to pay for add-ons to access essential features like SSL certification or firewall protection. The only thing you’ll need to pay extra for during your initial three-year term is the annual domain renewal.

Renewal pricing is more complicated. GoDaddy’s Web Hosting Economy plan costs $1 less per month than the HostGator equivalent, and GoDaddy’s Managed WordPress basic plan costs $3.50 less per month than the HostGator equivalent. However, you’ll need the Web Security Standard add-on to access basic security features like a firewall, adding $13 a month to the core web hosting cost. This makes HostGator the overall winner for cost.

HostGator vs. GoDaddy: Which is better for me?

After testing both services, I recommend HostGator over GoDaddy for anyone looking to create a for-fun hobby site or blog. HostGator is significantly more affordable, intuitive and secure.

If you’re looking to start a business website, GoDaddy may be a better choice. The server performance is slightly better and the customer service is some of the best I’ve experienced with any web hosting company. If your website will be essential to your income, these benefits can outweigh the extra costs and the slightly more complicated setup process.

However, there are better web hosts than either of these companies. If you truly want the best of the best, I recommend Ionos. Ionos is highly affordable and offers excellent server management tools, great uptime and the best customer service I’ve worked with during my web host reviews. Hostinger is another great choice, with intuitive site creation and management tools, great uptime and impressive site speeds.

HostGator vs. GoDaddy FAQ