GoDaddy Web Builder Review 2026: Is This Popular Web Hosting Platform Really a Good Web Builder?

GoDaddy is a powerful web-building platform with many features, but its high price tag may not be affordable for anyone just starting out.

GoDaddy is a popular web hosting and web-building platform that’s been around for a long time, but it isn’t the only player worth considering. We tested GoDaddy and liked its large offering of useful tools, multiple options like a proprietary web builder and WordPress integration, and helpful AI assistance. 

On the other hand, GoDaddy is more expensive than other web builders for ecommerce tools. It's also had a history of data breaches, which is concerning for customer privacy. 

Considering that GoDaddy’s resources are tested and seasoned, we understand why it’s an attractive choice. Read on for our full GoDaddy review.

Pros
  • Intuitive AI generation
  • Impressive editing, SEO, marketing, and ecommerce tools
  • More customizable than other ecommerce builders like Shopify
Cons
  • You have to pay a lot more for the best ecommerce tools
  • Under FTC scrutiny for lax data security protections resulting in major data breaches
In this article
At a glance
Our experience
Prices and subscriptions
Web hosting
Features
Security and bandwidth
Customer support
FAQs
Bottom line: Is GoDaddy good?

At a glance

Price $9.99-$20.99/mo
Free plan No
Free trial Yes — 7 days
Money-back guarantee Yes — up to 30 days
Number of collaborators Up to 20
Storage space Unlimited
Custom domain Yes (WordPress only)
Site analytics No
Ecommerce tools Varies by plan
AI tools Yes
Learn more Get GoDaddy

How we test web builders

We use our proprietary grading rubric in all of our testing, which considers ease-of-use, design, price, compatibility, and features (among other metrics). 

Our testing process is designed to ensure that the product isn't too confusing, delivers on its claims, and offers you a lot for a reasonable price. We sign up for each option ourselves, just like you would. Our ratings reflect the real-world performance of the product, which allows us to give our best advice on whether or not it's worthwhile.

To learn more about how we test, check out our full testing methodology here.

We last tested GoDaddy on December 15, 2025.

4.3
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On GoDaddy Web Builder's website
Website Builders
GoDaddy Web Builder
  • Impressive editing SEO, marketing, and ecommerce tools
  • More customizable than other ecommerce builders like Shopify
  • The AI web builder is intuitive but very glitchy

Our experience

We signed up for a GoDaddy free trial with no credit card required upfront. We opted to test GoDaddy's AI web builder, which didn't cause any glitches this time around.   

GoDaddy makes building a website easy by asking several questions before creating your website. You'll just need to specify what features you need on your site, what kind of website you want, and provide some details about your business.

Screenshot of GoDaddy AI questions for All About Cookies test website
Screenshot of GoDaddy AI questions for All About Cookies test Website

The website was also easy to edit once fully loaded. The media editing tools were useful, and we found everything to be well organized and categorized. We could change our template design and color palette, add pages, upload our own media, and do everything else you'd expect from a traditional web design platform.

Our main dashboard presented us with action items to get the website up and running. These tips were helpful and took us to the places within the site editor to customize. 

GoDaddy list of steps to get started on building website

Overall, GoDaddy lives up to its reputation with tools and functionality. However, you might be dissuaded by this service based on GoDaddy's history of data breaches and FTC scrutiny. 

GoDaddy prices and subscriptions

GoDaddy's prices range between $9.99-$20.99/mo, and the features and functionality you get depend on your chosen plan. GoDaddy is at the top of the price range for ecommerce web builder platforms, but it’s not as expensive as Shopify, which ranges between $29.00-$2,300.00/mo.

The table below compares features across GoDaddy's Basic, Premium, and Commerce plans. 

Features Basic Premium Commerce
Price $9.99/mo $14.99/mo $20.99/mo
Money-back guarantee
Number of collaborators Up to 20 Up to 20 Up to 20
Storage space Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
Custom domain Yes (WordPress only) Yes (WordPress only) Yes (WordPress only)
Site analytics
Ecommerce tools Some More Most
AI tools
Learn more View plan View plan View plan

While GoDaddy is more expensive than some competitors, we do think you get your money’s worth when it comes to what’s offered. However, because of the upfront costs, we think that beginners may find more economical options that will ease them into ecommerce.

If you’re in a service-based industry or are a creative, GoDaddy might be a bit much for you. While you can sell products and take appointments through the site, other platforms like Wix and Hostinger have a smaller monthly price tag and will work just as well. 

Plus, those two include a free custom domain with paid plans. Like Shopify, GoDaddy doesn't automatically give you a custom domain. You only get a free custom domain if you purchase a one-year term on web hosting or WordPress plans. 

If your goal is ecommerce, you should choose GoDaddy’s Commerce plan. It has the most resources to help you build out a thriving business. It’s the most expensive plan option, but you can start smaller and grow into it. 

It’s the best choice for anyone who takes their online business seriously, but you'll need to integrate third-party analytics tools like Google Analytics, SimilarWeb, and HotJar if you want to track site analytics. 

GoDaddy features

GoDaddy has a variety of features that all lend themselves to building a professional and profitable online business. You’ll find:

  • Web-building tools
  • Editing capabilities
  • Widget integration
  • Ecommerce help
  • SEO and blogging assistance
  • Marketing tools
  • And other bonus features

Building a website

The AI web builder asked us to specify the features we need, specify what kind of website we need, and provide a brief description of our site. From there, GoDaddy built a complete website for us. While this isn’t the only way to build a site with GoDaddy, we think that using AI is the easiest way to get your site started

GoDaddy gave us a short tutorial on website builders so we knew what each section was and how to customize it.

Screenshot of GoDaddy tutorial for All About Cookies test website
GoDaddy tutorial for All About Cookies test website

Using and editing media

GoDaddy offered more robust media editing options compared to other platforms we've tested. Some of the features we liked the most were the remove, filter, and adjust options. It’s nice knowing we have the option to edit our media directly in GoDaddy, rather than relying on outside software.

GoDaddy web builder photo editor

GoDaddy also allows you to add videos to your website. You can either upload a video you've created or you can import a video from a URL. 

Widget library

If you integrate WordPress into your GoDaddy site, you can use the WordPress widgets. If you create a site from the proprietary builder like we did, you can use separate GoDaddy-compatible marketplaces like Elfsight to choose your widgets.

Screenshot of GoDaddy app library for All About Cookies test website
Screenshot of GoDaddy app library for All About Cookies test website

Ecommerce tools

The ecommerce tools have an entire menu split out based on what you want to do. We were able to customize our product and service pages in one section and view orders in another. 

The selling tools are well-organized and easy to use, and we found them to be the most comprehensive of the sites we’ve tested.

Screenshot of GoDaddy ecommerce dashboard for All About Cookies test website
Screenshot of GoDaddy ecommerce dashboard for All About Cookies test website

SEO and blogging tools

GoDaddy uses AI to help determine SEO needs based on your site. This was among the most comprehensive SEO sections we’ve seen in a web-building platform, and we could see how this would be an invaluable tool as your business grows. 

We chose to build an outdoor adventure gear site, so GoDaddy’s AI scanned the web to see what customers of similar stores are searching for to help us optimize our SEO.

Screenshot of GoDaddy SEO dashboard for All About Cookies test website
Screenshot of GoDaddy SEO dashboard for All About Cookies test website

Marketing tools

From social media integration to a partnership with Microsoft 365 for email marketing, we were given a lot of opportunities to create marketing campaigns. GoDaddy even includes an AI assistant to help you create and schedule posts. It’s very intuitive.

Screenshot of GoDaddy marketing dashboard for All About Cookies test website
GoDaddy marketing dashboard for All About Cookies test website

Bonus features

There are a lot of bonus features, including payment acceptance, order syncing, and analytics. 

Our favorite was the analytics tool. If we were running a live site, we would be able to see our key demographics and make decisions on products and services based on the information GoDaddy provided about customer engagement.

GoDaddy web hosting

GoDaddy proved to be a reliable, easy-to-use web host with strong performance, solid uptime, and helpful AI and WordPress tools. Its clean dashboard and all-in-one approach make setup simple, especially for beginners or WordPress users. 

However, confusing plan options, aggressive upselling, and higher prices than competitors limit its value. We recommend GoDaddy for small businesses prioritizing convenience over cost.

Web hosting features

GoDaddy stands out for its long-standing reputation, easy-to-use dashboards, strong WordPress integration, and built-in AI tools for simplified site creation. It offers an all-in-one hosting experience backed by reliable performance and 24/7 support.

GoDaddy Web Hosting Economy includes:

  • Free domain
  • Free email mailbox, dedicated storage, contacts, and calendar
  • Free SSL certificate for one year

Web hosting test results 

GoDaddy proved its 99.9% uptime claims during our testing and it passed the stress test. Although the average response time was solid, our maximum response time shot up to 4,535 ms, which was over the recommended maximum.

Uptime 100%
Average response time 288 ms
Did GoDaddy pass the stress test? Yes
Learn more Get GoDaddy

Read Our GoDaddy Review

Learn more about our experience testing GoDaddy web hosting services in our complete GoDaddy review.

Security and bandwidth

GoDaddy includes an SSL and unlimited storage space. For an additional monthly fee, GoDaddy sells extra security, such as DDoS protection and priority support. 

Hackers are more likely to target bigger and more profitable sites, so we recommend additional security packages if you have one of those. Especially considering that GoDaddy's web hosting platform has been under FTC scrutiny for lax data security protections that resulted in major data breaches between 2019 and 2022. 

As a result, GoDaddy was required to update its security measures to comply with EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks.[1]

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4.8
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On TermsFeed's website
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GoDaddy customer support

Support type GoDaddy customer support
Email or live chat Yes
Phone Yes — 1 (480) 366-3546
Online guides or forums Yes

We love to see live chat and even AI chat with 24/7 support. GoDaddy includes this feature, like many of its competitors. However, GoDaddy is one of the only platforms we’ve seen that has a phone number for support

If you’re more of a self-help kind of person, the online guides are well-organized and efficient. 

FAQs

Can I use GoDaddy to build a website for free?

No, GoDaddy has no free plans. You can use the platform for free for a week before you’re charged. 

We suggest ensuring you have the time to build your site during the trial so it’s up and running by the time your plan payment hits your card.

Which GoDaddy plan is best?

GoDaddy’s plans depend on your goals. If your goal is to build a thriving online store, we suggest the Commerce plan. It’s the most expensive, but it also has the most tools to help you be successful.

Why is Wix better than GoDaddy?

Wix and GoDaddy both have their merits, but Wix is better for beginners and people on tight budgets. GoDaddy is better for scaling an ecommerce business, especially if you’re already comfortable and familiar with the industry.

Is Google Sites cheaper than GoDaddy?

If you have a Google account and want to build a basic website, then Google Sites is a good free option. GoDaddy doesn’t offer a free plan, so Google Sites is technically cheaper. 

However, you can upgrade your Google Sites business website to a premium plan, with subscriptions ranging from $6.00-$18.00/mo per user. It’s cheaper to transfer a domain to GoDaddy than it is to Google Sites, with about a $5.00/yr price difference.

Bottom line: Is GoDaddy good?

GoDaddy is a powerful option for ecommerce, but beginners may find it overwhelming at first. If you’re ready to dive into the online marketplace world, you’ll love the included tools. As you scale your business up, GoDaddy offers additional security tools like DDoS protection and priority support, which we haven’t found included on other platforms.

If you’re aiming to build the next large-scale ecommerce business, then platforms like GoDaddy can help you create a professional, functional site that will impress customers. See how GoDaddy compares to other top website builders for ecommerce:


Wix

Hostinger

IONOS
Best for Best overall Best for ease-of-use Best value
Starting price Free or $17.00/mo $2.99/mo $1.00/mo
Custom domain Free for one year with premium plans Free for one year with all plans Free for one year with all plans
AI tools AI tools included with all plans Additional AI tools start with Business plan Additional AI tools start with Plus plan
Drag and drop editor + AI builder Yes, plus WordPress builder Yes, plus WordPress builder
View plans Get Wix Get Hostinger Get IONOS


4.3
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On GoDaddy Web Builder's website
Website Builders
GoDaddy Web Builder
  • Impressive editing SEO, marketing, and ecommerce tools
  • More customizable than other ecommerce builders like Shopify
  • The AI web builder is intuitive but very glitchy
Author Details
Mary is a seasoned cybersecurity writer with over seven years of experience. With a B.S. in Liberal Arts from Clarion University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Point Park University, she educates audiences on scams, antivirus software, and more. Her passion lies in educating audiences on helpful ways to protect their data.
Steph Trejos is a Senior Product Testing Editor at All About Cookies, leveraging her expertise in the cybersecurity field. She holds a B.A. in English: Editing, Writing, and Media, as well as Media/Communications Studies. With over five years of professional writing experience, she has garnered recognition for her work on anti-financial crime topics, such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and cyberthreats.

Citations

1. FTC Takes Action Against GoDaddy for Alleged Lax Data Security for Its Website Hosting Services (January 2025)