5 Best GoDaddy Alternatives for Web Hosting in 2022
Elizabeth Kraus has more than a decade of first-hand experience building and growing a boutique digital marketing agency and double that in small and mid-size business marketing management. She provides expert answers to marketing questions related to branding, content marketing, web development, email, social media, and SEO.
This article is part of a larger series on Small Business Websites.
GoDaddy is a popular web hosting provider known for its ease of use, but its prices aren’t the lowest, and its servers aren’t ultra-reliable. The best GoDaddy alternatives have reliable servers and native site builders. They also include domains, SSL certificates, and professional email accounts―all at affordable prices. We looked at dozens of providers and narrowed it down to our top five, with the best GoDaddy alternatives based on the following use cases:
- DreamHost: Best overall GoDaddy alternative for general web hosting
- InMotion: Best alternative to GoDaddy for businesses needing extensive storage
- Bluehost: Best GoDaddy alternative for businesses building a WordPress website
- IONOS: Most budget-friendly GoDaddy competitor
- A2: Best GoDaddy alternative for growing teams needing several professional email accounts
GoDaddy & Best Alternatives at a Glance
GoDaddy Alternative | Introductory Price Range (Monthly)* | Renewal Price Range (Monthly)* | Average Server Uptime | Key Features | FSB Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | $2.99 to $19.99 | $8.99 to $24.99 | 99.9% |
| |
 | $2.59 to $3.95 | $5.99 to $10.99 | 99.98% |
| 4.35 out of 5 |
 | $2.49 to $12.99 | $8.99 to $22.99 | 99.99% |
| 3.74 out of 5 |
 | $2.75 to $13.95 | $9.99 to $26.99 | 99.98% |
| 3.58 out of 5 |
 | $0.50 to $8 | $6 to $16 | 99.98% |
| 3.35 out of 5 |
 | $2.99 to $12.99 | $10.99 to $25.99 | 99.99% |
| 2.75 out of 5 |
*On a 12-month billing cycle for shared hosting
DreamHost: Best Overall GoDaddy Alternative for Web Hosting
DreamHost
What We Like
- Unlimited bandwidth and free automated backups on all plans
- Free domain for a year and free SSL certificate (annual plans)
- New WordPress Site Builder month-to-month pricing available
- 24/7 support
- 97-day money-back guarantee if you pay by credit card
What's Missing
- Custom control panel instead of a full cPanel
- Only two U.S.-based servers
- Poorer server uptime compared to InMotion or A2
- Only 50GB storage on its cheapest plan (vs 100GB with InMotion)
- No ecommerce functionalities on shared hosting plans; for ecommerce, try Bluehost
How It Compares to GoDaddy
- DreamHost has cheaper pricing than GoDaddy
- DreamHost’s control panel is easier to use and more intuitive than GoDaddy’s cPanel
- Built-in drag-and-drop builder for WordPress, which GoDaddy lacks
- Higher user reviews than GoDaddy
- Free automated backups with DreamHost, which GoDaddy only offers as an add on for an extra $2.99 per month
DreamHost offers comparable web hosting services to GoDaddy, including shared servers, dedicated WordPress hosting, domain registration, and virtual private server (VPS) hosting. DreamHost has cheaper prices at $2.59 per month for a three-year plan (renews at $5.99), while GoDaddy’s prices are more expensive at $2.99 per month for the first year, renewing at $8.99. Plus, users report better support with DreamHost, as well as a more intuitive control panel.
Where DreamHost lacks in unique features—like extremely fast loading speeds and the ability to host more than one site on its cheapest plan—it makes up for with the value of its general features for the cost. For example, it has 50GB of storage on its cheapest plan, which, while not the highest, is still a solid offering at a regular cost of $5.99 per month.
Aside from decent storage, it also has unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and a free domain on all of its plans when you opt for a one-year or three-year contract. This makes DreamHost the overall best GoDaddy alternative for web hosting. In addition, like Bluehost, DreamHost plans now include a WordPress site builder. This makes DreamHost a good option for businesses wanting a WordPress site for customizability and features, without the learning curve.
Unlike GoDaddy, DreamHost only offers two data servers located in the U.S. If your main audience is in North America, this won’t pose a problem as users report that DreamHost’s page loading speeds are faster than average. But if your audience is located elsewhere, like Asia or Europe, we suggest checking out A2 as it has servers located in Europe, U.S., and Asia, or IONOS, which has 10 servers located around the globe.
DreamHost Pricing & Features Compared to GoDaddy
Shared Starter | Shared Unlimited | GoDaddy Economy | |
|---|---|---|---|
Introductory Price per Month* | $2.59 | $3.95 | $2.99 |
Renewal Price per Month* | $5.99 | $10.99 | $8.99 |
Contract Length | 1 or 12 months | 1 or 12 months | 12, 24, or 36 months |
Websites | 1 | Unlimited | 1 |
Email Accounts | At $1.67 per month each | Unlimited | ✕ |
Storage | 50GB | Unlimited | 100GB |
Unlimited Bandwidth | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cloudflare CDN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free Domain for 1 Year | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free SSL Certificate | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ |
*On a 36-month billing cycle
DreamHost Key Features
DreamHost’s solid features and low prices put it on top of our list of the best GoDaddy alternatives for web hosting. Here are some of its standout features:
- New WordPress site builder: All DreamHost plans, including its low-cost starter plans, include the new WordPress site builder and WordPress installation and support.
- Affordable pricing: DreamHost only has two shared hosting plans to choose from. At regular rates, they cost $5.99 and $10.99 per month, respectively. On its cheapest plan, DreamHost comes with a free domain name, free SSL, and 50GB of storage.
- Monthly contracts: Unlike Bluehost, DreamHost gives you the option to pay per month. It might cost you more money in the long run, but it’s a good way to test out the service without tying yourself in for too long.
- Free automated daily backups: Many web hosting companies perform weekly backups, but daily backups are rarely seen. What’s more, is that DreamHost offers this service completely free of charge—even on their cheapest plan.
Need more information? Learn more about this web hosting platform by reading our comprehensive DreamHost review.
InMotion: Best Alternative to GoDaddy for High Entry-tier Storage
InMotion
What We Like
- High storage (100GB) on its cheapest plan; only A2 offers as much
- Allows 2 websites on their cheapest hosting plan; most GoDaddy competitors only allow one
- Fast page loading speeds and option to increase site speed by upgrading plans (similar to A2)
- 99.99% average server uptime
- 90-day money-back guarantee
What's Missing
- No free domain on its cheapest plan, unlike DreamHost
- Servers are U.S.-based; for international audiences, try A2 with servers located all over the world
- Backups aren’t free, unlike DreamHost (they’re made through a paid plugin)
- Ecommerce only comes with the Power plan at $15.99/month—cheaper with Bluehost at $14.99/month
How It Compares to GoDaddy
- Build 2 websites on InMotion’s cheapest plan, whereas GoDaddy allows just one
- Free SSL certificate with all InMotion plans—you must upgrade to get an SSL certificate on GoDaddy
- Professional email addresses, even on its cheapest plan (email accounts have to be purchased separately through GoDaddy)
- InMotion has faster page loading speeds and more reliable servers
InMotion is a popular and ultra-reliable web host, with servers based in the U.S. It’s one of the most reliable North American web hosting providers, with an average uptime of 99.99%. It’s also known for its page loading speeds, with the option to increase speeds by upgrading your plan (just like A2).
With regular pricing starting at $8.99 per month, InMotion is more expensive than DreamHost and IONOS, but more affordable than Bluehost and A2. The rates are more than reasonable, considering its server speeds and performance. Plus, InMotion has all the nifty features, like 100GB on its cheapest plan, along with the ability to host two websites. These make it the best GoDaddy alternative for those who want a high storage limit in entry-tier plans.
However, despite having great prices for its offerings (especially on its cheapest plan), it’s still more expensive than a budget web hosting provider like IONOS. If you’re only looking to host a single website, we highly recommend IONOS for web hosting with introductory prices starting at a mere 50 cents.
InMotion Pricing & Features Compared to GoDaddy
Core | Launch | GoDaddy Economy | |
|---|---|---|---|
Introductory Price per Month* | $2.49 | $4.99 | $2.99 |
Renewal Price per Month* | $8.99 | $11.99 | $8.99 |
Contract | 1, 12, 24, or 36 months | 1, 12, 24, or 36 months | 12, 24, or 36 months |
Websites | 2 | Unlimited | 1 |
Email Accounts | 10 | Unlimited | ✕ |
Storage | 100GB | Unlimited | 100GB |
Unlimited Bandwidth | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free Domain | ✕ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free SSL Certificate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cloudflare CDN | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ |
*On a 36-month billing cycle
InMotion Key Features
InMotion is one of the most popular web hosting providers and one of the best GoDaddy competitors, for good reason. Here are just some of its best features:
- Solid “cheap” plan: The cheapest plan, regularly priced at $8.99 per month, has 100GB of storage, 10 free professional email accounts, and the ability to host two websites (GoDaddy and most GoDaddy alternatives include just one). This is on top of reliable servers and fast page loading speeds.
- Fast speeds and reliable servers: InMotion boasts a 99.99% average server uptime, plus ultra-fast page loading speeds that can be boosted with an upgraded plan. This is far superior to many of its competitors, with the exception of A2. However, A2 is also more expensive.
- Great money-back guarantee: InMotion gives a 90-day money-back guarantee—more generous than most GoDaddy alternatives for web hosting, as the industry standard is 30 days. DreamHost offers a similar guarantee (97 days), but only for credit card payments. This means that you can fully test InMotion out without commitment.
Bluehost: Best GoDaddy Competitor for WordPress Websites
Bluehost
What We Like
- Easy drag-and-drop WordPress site builder included with all hosting plans
- Plenty of services outside of shared hosting
- Free domain for 1 year on all plans
- Unlimited websites on all plans
- Unlimited bandwidth on all plans
- Free professional emails
- Easy, beginner-friendly interface
What's Missing
- Only U.S.-based servers, unlike A2
- No monthly contracts; minimum of 12-month tie-ins (for month-to-month contracts, visit DreamHost)
- 50GB storage on its cheapest plan; for a higher limit at the same price, try InMotion
- Slower page loading speeds and less reliable uptimes than average
How It Compares to GoDaddy
- Host unlimited websites on all plans—GoDaddy’s cheapest plan only lets you host one
- Bluehost provides free backups, which cost $2.99 for 5GB support on GoDaddy
- Bluehost includes a free SSL certificate, which GoDaddy only offers on its most expensive plan
- Bluehost interface is easier than GoDaddy’s for setting up a website
Bluehost and GoDaddy are arguably two of the most popular web hosting providers. Unsurprisingly, they offer similar features, but Bluehost edges out GoDaddy by just a little bit. Bluehost has a slightly easier interface, better support, more affordable prices, and from five to unlimited email accounts (GoDaddy doesn’t include any).
Bluehost’s plans are all-inclusive, so they come with everything you need to build and launch a new website, making it a great choice for those just starting out. This makes it an excellent option for businesses still in the process of creating a website.
Another thing we like about Bluehost is that it allows you to host unlimited websites on its cheapest plan. That’s a very generous offering, considering all of the other GoDaddy competitors—with the exception of InMotion—allow just a single website on entry-tier plans. InMotion allows two sites, which still pales in comparison to Bluehost.
Plus, all of Bluehost’s shared plans also come with a beginner-friendly, drag-and-drop builder for WordPress. In fact, this is why we named it the best cheap website builder for highly customized WordPress sites without the learning curve. By comparison, GoDaddy and IONOS also have site builders, but they aren’t WordPress-based.
Bluehost is a great hosting option compared to other GoDaddy alternatives. However, its 50GB storage, average server uptime of 99.98%, and slower loading speeds put it below some GoDaddy competitors—especially InMotion. For the same price point and for faster servers, we recommend giving InMotion a try.
Bluehost Pricing & Features Compared to GoDaddy
Basic | Plus | Choice Plus | GoDaddy Economy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Introductory Price per Month* | $2.95 | $5.45 | $5.45 | $2.99 |
Renewal Price per Month* | $9.99 | $13.99 | $18.99 | $8.99 |
Contract | 12 or 36 months | 12 or 36 months | 12 or 36 months | 12, 24, or 36 months |
Websites | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 |
Email Accounts | 5 | Unlimited | Unlimited | ✕ |
Storage | 50GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 100GB |
Unlimited Bandwidth | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free Domain for 1 Year | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free SSL Certificate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cloudflare CDN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ |
*On a 12-month billing cycle
Bluehost Key Features
Bluehost consistently makes it to our list when it comes to the top web hosting companies. Here are a few of the features that set Bluehost apart from other GoDaddy competitors:
- Unlimited website hosting: Bluehost is leagues ahead of every other GoDaddy competitor with unlimited site hosting on its cheapest plan. In contrast, InMotion allows two websites to be hosted on its cheapest plan while the other GoDaddy alternatives only provide hosting for a single site.
- Free domain: Bluehost gives each shared hosting plan a free domain name for one year. This is one of the cheapest ways to get a free domain name, which is especially useful if you’re yet to choose a domain name for your website.
- Useful, built-in WordPress builder: All of Bluehost’s shared hosting plans come with its drag-and-drop WordPress site builder. This means that your site will have all the customizability that comes with a WordPress website, but without the steep learning curve that WordPress usually requires.
Before purchasing a Bluehost web hosting plan, see if it’s right for you with our in-depth Bluehost review.
IONOS: Most Affordable GoDaddy Alternative for Web Hosting
IONOS
What We Like
- Low-cost plans with introductory prices as low as 50 cents per month
- Free domain for 1 year on all plans
- Free SSL certificate and Site Scan malware protection with (dedicated) WordPress hosting plans
- Free automated daily backups on all plans
- 10 data centers worldwide for quicker loading speeds (though it lacks Asia-based servers)
What's Missing
- Very limited storage on the cheapest plan (10GB)
- Only one professional email account per plan—A2 offers unlimited professional emails for every plan
- No cPanel
- Prices jump up significantly after 12 months
How It Compares to GoDaddy
- IONOS has cheaper introductory and renewal prices for a good range of web hosting services than GoDaddy
- IONOS provides a free SSL certificate, which GoDaddy only offers on its most expensive plan
- While IONOS only offers one professional email account per hosting plan, GoDaddy doesn’t include any
- IONOS includes free automated backups on all plans, a service you must purchase as a $2.99 add-on with GoDaddy
IONOS’ offerings are comparable to the basic features other providers on this list offer. They do, however, shine in their pricing as IONOS’ plans edge out GoDaddy’s offerings significantly on pricing alone. For example, its mid-tier plan has an introductory price of just 50 cents per month, which goes up to $10 per month after the first 12 months. This makes IONOS the cheapest GoDaddy alternative for web hosting.
IONOS’ performance guarantee is far from the best (its server uptime is at 99.98%, which is less reliable than InMotion and A2). Its servers aren’t as quick as either of these GoDaddy competitors. But it’s still a solid option, especially considering the introductory pricing and the fact that there’s a native site builder if you want to get your website up and running quickly.
Plus, IONOS includes automated daily backups on all of its plans and a free domain name for one year. Keep in mind, though, that the lowest plan has the worst storage capacity of all other GoDaddy alternatives, as it’s capped at just 10GB.
IONOS includes just one professional email account with each hosting plan, which sounds paltry compared to the 10 accounts included free with InMotion’s base tier or unlimited accounts with A2. However, IONOS also offers additional email accounts for $1 per month that include a domain, reducing the cost of getting business email accounts compared to other providers that only include one or don’t include any.
IONOS Pricing & Features Compared to GoDaddy
Essential | Business | Expert | GoDaddy Economy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Introductory Price per Month* | $4 | $0.50 | $8 | $2.99 |
Renewal Price per Month* | $6 | $10 | $16 | $8.99 |
Contract | 1 or 12 months | 1 or 12 months | 1 or 12 months | 12, 24, or 36 months |
Websites | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 |
Email Accounts | 1 | 1 | 1 | ✕ |
Storage | 10GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 100GB |
Unlimited Bandwidth | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cloudflare CDN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free Domain for 1 Year | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free SSL Certificate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ |
*On an annual billing cycle
IONOS Key Features
IONOS is one of the best alternatives to GoDaddy for web hosting, especially when it comes to cost. These are the key features to take note of:
- Cheap introductory pricing: IONOS’ mid-tier plan starts at 50 cents per month for 12 months. In contrast, GoDaddy’s cheapest plan starts at $5.99 per month. No other GoDaddy competitor has prices as low as IONOS.
- Free automated daily backups: IONOS provides free automatic backups for all of its plans, even on its cheapest offering. This is similar to what our top GoDaddy alternative, DreamHost, provides in its highest tier, but for a fraction of the price.
- Ten servers located worldwide: IONOS has 10 data centers across Europe and North America, providing faster loading speeds to visitors from the two locations. In comparison, most GoDaddy competitors have two or three data centers.
A2: Best GoDaddy Alternative for Unlimited Email Accounts
A2
What We Like
- Servers located in the U.S., Europe, and Asia
- Ultrafast load time (and the option to upgrade for even faster speed)
- Free website migration
- Month-to-month contracts offered
- Unlimited free professional email accounts
- 24/7 support
- 30-day money-back guarantee, and prorated refunds after 30 days
What's Missing
- Expensive starting plans after renewal
- Limited storage on its lowest plan
- No free automatic backups on its cheapest shared hosting plan, unlike DreamHost
- No free domain name, unlike DreamHost
How It Compares to GoDaddy
- A2 has much faster servers and page loading times than GoDaddy, especially for WordPress hosting
- A2’s servers are more reliable; GoDaddy’s average uptime is 99.92%
- Free SSL certificate included with A2 plans (GoDaddy only offers this on its most expensive plan)
- Choose A2 over GoDaddy if you want better, more responsive customer support
GoDaddy might be the more established name, but users report that its shared hosting servers are overwhelmed and overloaded. However, over at A2 Hosting, its servers are known for their speed, giving your site visitors a much better user experience, leading to lower bounce rates and improved search engine optimization. This also makes it ideal for content-heavy sites, such as portfolio websites and sites showcasing video content.
Aside from speed, A2’s servers perform considerably better than GoDaddy’s, reporting an average uptime of 99.99%. This puts A2 at the very top percentile for server reliability. GoDaddy’s is currently at 99.92%, which is decent enough, but definitely on the lower end when it comes to hosting uptimes.
Another feature that sets A2 apart from GoDaddy and most GoDaddy competitors is the inclusion of unlimited email accounts in the lowest-tier plan. This makes it the best option for businesses that want to set up multiple professional emails using its domain name without paying more.
While A2 is overall one of the best GoDaddy alternatives, it’s by no means the cheapest. Its renewal prices are definitely on the higher end, especially as some of its features (like storage on its cheapest plan and free automated backups) are lacking. For much cheaper plans, give IONOS a try.
A2 Pricing & Features Compared to GoDaddy
Startup | Drive | GoDaddy Economy | |
|---|---|---|---|
Introductory Price per Month* | $2.99 | $5.99 | $2.99 |
Renewal Price per Month* | $10.99 | $12.99 | $8.99 |
Contract | 1, 12, 24, or 36 months | 1, 12, 24, or 36 months | 12, 24, or 36 months |
Websites | 1 | Unlimited | 1 |
Email Accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | ✕ |
Storage | 100GB | Unlimited | 100GB |
Unlimited Bandwidth | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cloudflare CDN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free SSL Certificate | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ |
Free Domain | ✕ | ✕ | 1 year |
*On a 36-month billing cycle
A2 Key Features
A2 can get expensive on renewal, although its features are top-notch. Plus, it becomes ultra-affordable compared to other GoDaddy alternatives if you have to purchase multiple email accounts to use with your domain. Here are some other key features to focus on from A2:
- Fast server speeds: A2’s biggest draw is server speed, with average page loading speeds of 1.3 seconds. They have four servers located around the world (specifically, Arizona, Michigan, the Netherlands, and Singapore) for fast loading speeds, no matter where your visitors are located. You also have the option to increase server speed by upgrading to higher-tier plans.
- Extremely reliable servers: For the past 12 months, A2 averaged a 99.99% uptime—much more reliable than GoDaddy’s 99.92% average, and still much better than the industry average of 99.95%.
- Great customer support: A2 offers a variety of customer support channels for 24/7 service. They have a knowledge base and frequently asked questions (FAQs), plus phone support, a ticketing system, and a live chat tool. Users report that A2 connects you with real human agents, and that they take only a few minutes to connect and receive your queries.
How We Evaluated the Best GoDaddy Alternatives for Web Hosting
All these hosting providers have something to offer small businesses. We looked at each provider and the features they offer for the price. We also considered any extra services they provide that set them apart from the competition, how good their support is, and how customers reviewed them.
The best GoDaddy alternatives have a good mix of features, affordable plans, reliable servers, fast loading speeds, excellent customer support, and are easy to set up and use. Based on our criteria, DreamHost comes out as the best alternative to GoDaddy for web hosting. It has robust services (like free domain registration), affordable plans and add-ons, great customer service, and a beginner-friendly custom cPanel, making it easy for anyone to host a website.
Here’s how we broke down our evaluation of the top GoDaddy competitors:
30%
Pricing
35%
General Features
5%
Niche Features
10%
Support
20%
Expert Opinion
30% of Overall Score
Pricing and affordability are persuasive factors when it comes to committing to a web hosting service. Especially for small businesses on a limited budget, we understand that pricing is a major consideration. These five GoDaddy hosting alternatives were analyzed according to not only their introductory prices, but also their renewal fees, discounts (if any), trial periods, and money-back guarantees.
35% of Overall Score
Features like storage, bandwidth, uptimes, and speed are important to note when it comes to choosing the best web hosting provider for your business. Your chosen hosting provider may be cheap, but their features need to be useful—regardless of what you pay.
5% of Overall Score
Your business might require certain features that aren’t offered by all of the hosting providers mentioned above. Aside from general and basic features we believe should be present, it’s helpful to know which provider offers the specific services your business needs or wants.
10% of Overall Score
Aside from ease of use, having good support is crucial to customer satisfaction. We looked at each of these providers to see which have 24/7 support, and on which channels support can be accessed.
20% of Overall Score
Arguably the most important criteria, we used our own firsthand experience to determine which of these service providers are worth the price. We based our recommendations on overall value (the features that you get for the amount that you pay), how popular the hosts are with customers, and how easy we find these providers are to use.
*Percentages of overall score
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does my website need besides web hosting?
Aside from a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress, or an all-in-one hosting-and-site builder like Squarespace or Wix, you also need to purchase a domain name (unless it’s included with your hosting or site builder plan). Read our whole list of website basics and download a free checklist for building a website for your small business.
What is a CMS?
A CMS, or a content management system, is software used for building, editing, and managing sites without coding knowledge. The most popular example of a CMS is WordPress, but Wix and Squarespace are content management systems as well. Learn more about content management systems and how they work with the other tools present in a website.
What’s the easiest way to build a website for my small business?
Building a website through WordPress after purchasing a hosting plan is fairly simple, especially if you use Bluehost, which includes its WordPress site builder with all hosting plans. However, it’s not the easiest or fastest way. If you want to build a website in a few hours, the best way to do so is through an all-in-one site builder, like Squarespace or Weebly.
Simply create an account, design your website, and publish—the site builder you choose will host the site for you, and many include both a domain name and SSL certificate for free. See our recommendations for the best website builders and try them for yourself.
You Might Also Like…
- Still interested in trying GoDaddy out? Read our full review of GoDaddy hosting first.
- Already on Bluehost? Learn how to set up an email account on Bluehost quickly and easily.
- Need a website builder and not a web host? See our review of GoDaddy’s site builder.
