SiteGround vs GoDaddy: which hosting provider is better for you?

Both SiteGround and GoDaddy are popular and well-known names in the hosting industry. However, they can’t be completely equal, so it’s natural to compare SiteGround vs GoDaddy to learn which one is the better option for you.
SiteGround is the more popular option because of its powerful shared hosting plans, great security features, and low prices. This is why we call SiteGround the winner of this comparison.
On the other hand, GoDaddy is a great option too, with a diverse collection of hosting services and cheap registration of domain names.
Check out this SiteGround vs GoDaddy comparison to see how exactly SiteGround won against GoDaddy based on the price, ease-of-use, performance, security, and customer support features.
SiteGround vs GoDaddy: overall comparison
SiteGround | GoDaddy | |
Rating | ||
Price from | From $2.99/month | From $2.99/month |
Free domain | No | Yes |
Payment types | Credit card | Credit/Debit Card, PayPal, GoDaddy in store credit, GoDaddy gift card, wire transfer |
Hosting types | Shared WordPress/WooCommerce and cloud hosting | Shared, WordPress, Business, VPS, Dedicated |
Control panel | Custom control panel Site Tools | cPanel |
Average speed | 217ms | 341ms |
Monitored uptime | 99.99% | 99.98% |
Uptime guarantee | 99.9% | 99.9% |
Server locations | The US, UK, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, and Singapore | The US, The Netherlands, Singapore |
Security | Free SSL certificates, weekly/daily backup, DDoS protection, 2-factor-authentication, AI anti-bot protection, and a Security plugin | 24/7 network security, DDoS protection |
Support | 24/7 live chat, email, and phone | 24/7 live chat and phone support, knowledge base |
Website migration | Free automated WordPress migration or paid professional site transfer | Around $99 for website migration |
Extras | Staging, caching, emails, white-label, collaboration tools, and CDN | Office 365 email |
Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
Website | www.siteground.com | www.godaddy.com |
SiteGround vs GoDaddy: hosting pricing comparison
SiteGround overall is a more affordable hosting provider than GoDaddy. Even though GoDaddy does offer a cheaper shared hosting plan which costs $2.99/month compared to SiteGround’s $2.99/month.
Now, apart from shared hosting, here are the prices of other hosting services offered by both providers.
Hosting type | SiteGround | GoDaddy |
Shared hosting | $2.99/month | $2.99/month |
WordPress hosting | $2.99/month | $8.99/month |
WooCommerce hosting | $2.99/month | $15.99/month |
Cloud hosting | $100.00/month | ❌ |
VPS hosting | ❌ | $4.99/month |
Reseller hosting | $4.99/month | ❌ |
Windows hosting | ❌ | $5.99/month |
Dedicated hosting | ❌ | $129.99/month |
Visit SiteGround | Visit GoDaddy |
GoDaddy does offer more types of hosting services compared to SiteGround, but they are also quite costly. However, since shared hosting is the most popular option, it will be the main point of this comparison topic.
SiteGround’s cheapest shared hosting plan allows you to host a single website with 10GB SSD storage space and free SSL protection. In addition, you get unlimited bandwidth, support for unlimited email accounts, and access to useful tools, like advanced security features, native CDN, SuperCacher plugin, and daily automatic backups. All of that, for only $2.99/month.
On the other hand, GoDaddy's cheapest shared hosting plan also allows you to host 1 website with unlimited bandwidth. You’ll also get 25GB of disk space, a free domain for 1 year, and a free annual subscription to Microsoft 365 email for the 1st year.
The downside to GoDaddy’s plan is that there’s no option for automatic daily backups and no free SSL protection.
Now, when it comes to domain costs, GoDaddy does have an advantage. With GoDaddy, you get a “.com” TLD for just $0.01/year if you get a 2-year purchase – the second year renewing at $18.99. As such, the total cost of getting a .com domain for 2 years is $19.00 total.
In comparison, SiteGround charges a flat $17.99/year for a .com domain. As such, you spend $35.98 in 2 years for a .com domain with SiteGround, making GoDaddy the better option.
SiteGround vs GoDaddy: ease of use
When it comes to SiteGround vs GoDaddy, they’re both great in terms of ease to use. However, SiteGround, with its native dashboard and custom control panel – Site Tools, is more intuitive and, therefore, easier to use. GoDaddy also comes with a native dashboard that takes care of the simple stuff. But, for more advanced options, you get the cPanel. It’s good and functional but can be a bit overwhelming for new users, making SiteGround more beginner-friendly.
With SiteGround, the whole user experience revolves around a centralized dashboard that you access after creating a new account. From here, you get access to your standard settings like account details, available services, websites, billing information, etc.

From the “Websites” area, you get to access Site Tools for each hosted website. The overall interface looks like this:

As you can see, it looks very similar to the WordPress dashboard. You have a left-hand sidebar where you can jump between different settings for your site, speed optimization, WordPress, domain, email settings, website stats, and developer options. You can also pin your frequently used tools to the top and get a quick overview of your site info right underneath it.
Moving on, let’s talk about GoDaddy. The native dashboard is very efficient – it’s super clean and gives easy access to all the basic options. You can even set up your website straight from the dashboard and manage domains, email accounts, etc.

However, for more advanced hosting management options, GoDaddy throws in the cPanel.

As you can see, cPanel looks much more cluttered compared to SiteGround’s Site Tools. You have a “General Information” panel to the right and all the various settings and tools at the front and center.
From the cPanel, you can access your core WordPress files or email settings, manage your databases, domains, activate SSL, and much more. From here, you can also find tools like Softaculous or Installatron to help you install a content management system, such as WordPress, with a couple of clicks.
SiteGround vs GoDaddy: performance
We compared SiteGround vs GoDaddy in terms of performance and SiteGround takes the lead again. It outperforms GoDaddy in having twice as little downtime and faster loading times, which makes SiteGround a much more reliable and faster hosting provider.
For more accurate results comparing SiteGround vs GoDaddy performance, we tested both hosting providers up close for two months.
Uptime and response time
With SiteGround, we got 99.99% uptime. During this time, we experienced 3 outages totaling 7 minutes of downtime. Compared to the average downtime in the industry, this is excellent! SiteGround guarantees a 99.9% uptime, so you don’t have to worry about your website not being available for long periods of time.

In terms of response time – the time to fetch the first byte of data and the HTTP headers – we got an average of 217ms. To give you a better idea, the market average is 600ms, which carries SiteGround to the top-tier.
Now, moving to GoDaddy, we recorded an uptime of 99.98%. Just like the other hosting provider, the site experienced 3 outages, but the downtime was more than double, reaching a total of 16 minutes. Still, it’s within the industry standards, and you are promised a 99.9% uptime guarantee.

The average response time was also good, reaching 341ms and staying within the industry average. However, it’s worth mentioning that it was slightly inconsistent, varying from a maximum of 447ms and a minimum of 280ms.
Overall, SiteGround has better uptime and faster response time, earning it the win in this round.
Website Speed
Website speed performance is just as crucial as other measures. You wouldn’t want your visitors to leave because of a slow website, would you? That’s why we compared SiteGround vs GoDaddy in terms of speed measures as well.
Before examining the results, it’s important you understand what the terms that we’re going to use mean:
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): The time taken for the largest graphic on the web page to load. According to Google, an LCP of less than 2.5s is considered good.
- Fully Loaded Time: The time taken to fully load every element on a web page and execute all JavaScript. The industry average is 3 seconds.
Now that you understand what the results mean, let’s look at how SiteGround performed on GTmetrix.
We got an LCP of 872ms and a Fully Loaded Time of 1.1s. Both figures are well within Google’s recommendations as well as the industry averages, which is excellent!

Moving on, we evaluated how GoDaddy performed on GTmetrix. We recorded the same time for LCP and Fully Loaded Time at 1.5s. Both measures are within industry averages but noticeably slower compared to SiteGround.

Overall, SiteGround is more reliable with 99.99% uptime compared to GoDaddy’s 99.98%. It’s also faster with 872ms LCP, 1.1s Fully Loaded Time, and 217 average response time. GoDaddy lags far behind, scoring 1.5 for both LCP and Fully Loaded Time, and 341ms as the average response time.
SiteGround vs GoDaddy: website security
SiteGround offers a much more comprehensive and robust security solution compared to GoDaddy. It's no surprise considering that SiteGround goes in our most secure hosting providers list. The reason for that is you get access to many advanced security features for free with SiteGround.
SiteGround offers the following security features for free:
- 24/7 Network Monitoring: server status is checked every 0.5 seconds to ensure everything is working properly.
- Free SSL: every SiteGround plan comes with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate.
- Automatic Daily Backups: all of your files are automatically backed up every day and stored on remote servers.
- Custom Firewall: Constantly updated rules to safeguard you and your site from emerging threats and bad actors.
- AI Anti-Bot System: automatic detection and blocking of bot traffic.
- Dedicated Security Plugin: All SiteGround plans get a dedicated security plugin to protect you from DDoS attacks, scan for malware, and automatically update plugins and themes.
Other than this, SiteGround also offers domain privacy as a paid security add-on. It costs $12 for the 1st year and $24 for renewals.
In comparison, GoDaddy offers super basic security options – features that you just can’t do without. On top of that, if you want extra security, it charges a hefty fee.
Here’s what you get for free:
- 24/7 Network Monitoring: GoDaddy offers 24/7 network monitoring to protect your site from threats, but there’s no mention of how frequent the checks are.
- Free SSL: Only the two most expensive GoDaddy Shared hosting plans offer SSL certificates. Considering that most hosting providers give them for free, it’s quite surprising that the Economy and Deluxe plans don’t include an SSL.
All other security features are accessible through paid add-ons. The Website Security add-on is a single package that combines an SSL certificate, a Web Application Firewall (WAF), and an anti-malware system. However, the whole thing costs $4.75/month - that’s even more than the basic plan itself.
SiteGround vs GoDaddy: customer support
When it comes to SiteGround vs GoDaddy, the results are quite similar in terms of customer service. Both of them offer 24/7 support over the phone and live chat. However, SiteGround can be contacted via tickets too.
With that being said, the SiteGround support system is designed to make it more of a “help yourself” system, something DIY folks like. Every page contains helpful widgets providing useful tips on what each button, tool, or feature does. On top of that, you have a vast knowledge base filled with helpful articles and how-tos.
Yet, if you run into some technical issues and need human assistance, you can always give SiteGround’s super helpful and friendly agents a call. If you prefer texting rather than speaking, you can also start a live chat. This will trigger the smart chatbot, which will either direct you to a potentially helpful knowledge base article or connect you to a support rep, which, by the way, replies very fast.
In comparison, GoDaddy’s customer service approach is very conventional. You get a vast knowledge base known as the Help Center, which contains hundreds of tutorials and answers to FAQs. But if you want a human to help you, you can reach out either via phone or live chat.
From our experience, the support team is knowledgeable and helpful. However, we did experience some issues while trying to connect to the support team over live chat.
SiteGround vs GoDaddy: final recommendations
And that brings us to the end of this SiteGround vs GoDaddy showdown. As you can see, SiteGround beats GoDaddy in every single department.
Now, to wrap things up, let’s take a look at the scoreboard:
Feature | SiteGround | GoDaddy | Verdict |
Price | SiteGround is more expensive with its base plan starting at $2.99/month. With GoDaddy, the cheapest plan costs $2.99/month. However, SiteGround offers a lot more value for the money. | ||
Ease of use | SiteGround offers a more intuitive and beginner-friendly user experience with its native dashboard and custom control panel – Site Tools. GoDaddy also focuses on being easy to use, but the cPanel can feel a bit overwhelming for beginners. | ||
Performance | With SiteGround, we got 99.99% uptime, whereas GoDaddy scored 99.98%. The Fully Loaded Time for SiteGround was 1.1s, while GoDaddy was a bit behind, reaching a total of 1.5s. | ||
Security | SiteGround provides a more comprehensive security solution offering advanced protection features for free. Meanwhile, GoDaddy only offers basic security features free of charge. So, if you wish to have extra protection, you can either get SiteGround or get paid add-ons with GoDaddy, which are very expensive. | ||
Customer support | Both SiteGround and GoDaddy offer 24/7 customer support over the phone as well as live chat. |
SiteGround offers more value for your money than GoDaddy and, additionally, it offers better performance and access to advanced security features. It’s also easier to use, making it a better option for beginners who are looking for a powerful hosting service.
However, GoDaddy is a pretty great provider for scaling your site or needing a better variety of hosting options. Choose this provider if you have experience in the hosting world or want to build a personal website.
Alternatives to SiteGround and GoDaddy
Both SiteGround and GoDaddy are popular hosting platforms. SiteGround is known for its powerful infrastructure and advanced features, whereas GoDaddy is more affordable.
However, it’s worth mentioning that these two aren’t the only options available. Here are a couple of alternative hosting providers that you might be interested in.
Hostinger
If you’re looking for the most bang-for-the-buck, affordable hosting provider, then Hostinger is my recommendation. The prices start as low as $2.51/month, for which you get a custom beginner-friendly UI, great uptime, fast load time, all the basic security features, and 24/7 customer support. That’s hard to beat!
Bluehost
Bluehost is an excellent hosting provider for beginners and small businesses. Pricing starts at $2.95/month and offers great WordPress-centered features, reliable customer support, and good security. It also offers access to tons of business-focused tools and advanced features like staging, convenient website management, and much more. Whether you’re looking for a service to host a blog or start a business, Bluehost works for both.
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SiteGround vs GoDaddy FAQs
Is GoDaddy better than SiteGround?
No, SiteGround is better than GoDaddy in most departments. This includes performance, security features, ease of use, and even customer support. However, GoDaddy is a more affordable option, yet it doesn’t offer as many features as SiteGround.
Is GoDaddy or SiteGround better for beginners?
SiteGround is better for beginners as it comes with helpful widgets throughout the interface and includes Site Tools – an intuitive control panel for website and hosting management.
Does SiteGround include WordPress?
Yes, SiteGround can host your WordPress website and all plans come with an automatic WordPress installation.
Is SiteGround good for WooCommerce?
Yes, SiteGround is a good option for WooCommerce. This provider covers all the needed essentials and includes useful features to make sure that your online store runs faster and is truly secure.
What is the difference between SiteGround and GoDaddy?
SiteGround is a more beginner-friendly option than GoDaddy. Additionally, SiteGround offers more WordPress-oriented features, has better performance and security results, and for less money.
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