1&1 Hosting versus. GoDaddy Hosting – the 2 greatest brands within the website hosting business. Between their Super Bowl commercials, ubiquitous print ads, and repair bundling, GoDaddy and 1&1 are usually considered a minimum of as it were in nearly everybody’s website hosting decision.
Editor’s Note – This publish was initially printed in The month of january 2014. It’s been revised & updated by May 2016.
But, the large brand campaigns typically don’t discuss the actual products they’re selling – within this situation website hosting. Because they are the two greatest brands in website hosting, I frequently get questions regarding both – and just how 1&1 hosting (see their plans & promotions here) compares with GoDaddy hosting (see their plans & promotions here).
Additionally to dealing with both web hosting companies for client projects, I’m additionally a customer of both GoDaddy and 1&1 hosting a couple of partner side projects. Here’s my introduction to how 1&1 hosting compares with GoDaddy based by myself knowledge about each – and just how they may suit you based on your objectives and just what you value inside a hosting company.
Quick aside – I’m particularly searching at shared Linux hosting. It’s the least expensive, most flexible option (ie, you’ll be able to have an online prescence operated by WordPress, Joomla, etc or plain HTML). Unless of course you realize of the specific need to get dedicated or Home windows website hosting, then you definitely most likely don’t require it. Shared Linux hosting is often the best, most flexible fit for many website projects.
Let’s take a look at 1&1 hosting versus. GoDaddy according to prices, features, performance, usability, and customer support.
Disclosure – I receive customer referral charges from companies pointed out on this web site. All data & opinions derive from my experience like a having to pay customer or consultant to some having to pay customer.
Prices
The main trouble with evaluating website hosts is it’s difficult to truly compare apples to apples. Should you take a look at 1&1 hosting versus. GoDaddy particularly, it’s much more confusing given that they structure their plans just slightly differently (ie, you are able to’t really compare GoDaddy’s starter tier (‘Economy’) with 1&1 hosting’s starter tier (‘Unlimited’). Listed here are their particular prices grids.
 
Let’s take a look at what you’re really buying when you buy shared Linux hosting (should you don’t possess a specific requirement for Home windows, then you need to be utilising Linux). You’re really buying domain connectivity (ie, you have a website and you may tell it to direct people to a particular server for everyone your website), databases (ie, often a mySQL database that stores all of the information on your website therefore it can generate webpages), and disk space (ie, space for storage to help keep files that will get offered on your webpages).
GoDaddy and 1&1 hosting frequently run promotions (find 1&1’s latest promo here and GoDaddy’s latest here) to ensure that can invariably mess up prices comparisons with a couple dollars. However, what exactly for much better value go to at least one&1 hosting. Their Unlimited package resembles GoDaddy’s Economy package and allows for limitless domains.
Another plans are nearly identical with a few marketing upsells featuring variations in some places.
If you’re knowing GoDaddy versus. 1&1 hosting exclusively according to prices – 1&1 wins slightly. However, prices isn’t frequently the only real objective of investing in a hosting company. And you’ll not require limitless databases. Frequently additional features matter, so I love to take a look at individuals individually.
Features
Both 1&1 and GoDaddy offers lots of freebies and add-ons for their hosting plans. Both of them provide a free website name for any year with acquisition of a hosting plan.
Both of them offer pre-packages application installers for software like WordPress or Joomla. GoDaddy does hand out more advertising credits to Google, Facebook, and Bing in the event that’s something which’s especially valuable for you.
Typically, 1&1 hosting does a more satisfactory job fluffing up their plans with standard features, aside from one.
1&1 hosting does daily backups of the server, while GoDaddy doesn’t. Now, you shouldn’t depend in your webhost to backup your site. That’s 100% under your control. That stated – unexpected things happen, also it’s always beneficial to possess a safety internet…as lengthy because the safety internet doesn’t cause you to procrastinate your personal backups.
1&1 hosting has another helpful non-fluffy feature: money-back guarantee. GoDaddy does “in-store credit” for returns. 1&1 hosting does money-back guarantee.
If you’re knowing 1&1 hosting versus. GoDaddy according to features – I’d state that 1&1 hosting offers the less expensive, unless of course you intend on managing a lengthy advertising campaign and 100% is going to do your personal site backups, by which situation GoDaddy will be a less expensive.
Performance
Features, however, don’t really matter when the hosting company doesn’t perform. The task of the hosting company is deliver your site files to some customer’s browser when they visit you website as reliably so that as rapidly as you possibly can.
Uptime may be the way of measuring how good the net host fits the “reliably” a part of performance. Both GoDaddy and 1&1 claim industry-standard uptime of 99.9%. Any way of measuring uptime by customers will anecdotal (including mine – neither me nor my clients have experienced noticeable downtime with either). Their uptime claims should be audited – and so i’ll provide them with both a tie on reliability.
Quick aside on reliability – be skeptical associated with a host that more than-promises reliability. Everybody can (and does) go lower sooner or later. Amazon . com went lower. Google goes lower. GoDaddy goes lower. And 1&1 certainly goes lower. You are very likely a really high-degree of performance out of your hosting company, but don’t let past performance set future expectations. Furthermore, both services promise “unlimited bandwidth” (ie, the number of concurrent visitors you could have in your site). That’s an incomplete untruth for pretty much all web hosting companies. If your internet site is featured on CNN, Yahoo, and goes viral on Facebook simultaneously…your website is most likely likely to crash. Again, expect a higher-degree of performance, but don’t have impractical expectations or put value in unfulfillable promises.
To evaluating 1&1 hosting versus. GoDaddy on performance. Despite the fact that we are able to’t take a look at uptime directly – we are able to take a look at how rapidly their servers delivers files – ie how quickly your site is.
There’s lots of variables which go into just how rapidly an internet site loads – the way it’s setup, the number of images and videos you’ve, etc. However your hosting company offers quite a bit related to it. To check apples to apples, you can try Time For You To First Byte (TTFB), ie how lengthy will it go ahead and take hosting company to understand the request once it’s received the request from the customer.
Quite simply, if somebody types inside your website – how lengthy will it go ahead and take server to state “hey – I acquired your request, I’m retrieving your files at this time.” Listed here are the outcomes of the test I ran with identically setup websites on GoDaddy and 1&1 (new WordPress install & no caching) in December 2015.
You’ll observe that 1&1 wins the TTFB comparison, quite handily. That stated, you’ll also observe that on total load time – GoDaddy also loses. Typically, this is put lower to the way the website is setup or how large it’s. But my test was with identical, new websites, to ensure that variable has gone out.
Since that time, 1&1 has improved while GoDaddy has become worse.
With all of that in your mind – I’d state that 1&1 hosting has better performance overall, because it’s simpler to repair publish TTFB occasions in your site than pre-TTFB occasions. However, if you’re planning on the more fundamental site and don’t intend on trying out settings, then GoDaddy will get partial points inside your ledger.
Usability
You take control of your server and hosting account with backend software that’s in your server (sort like Home windows on the PC). This backend software is to visit find your server & website information. It’s in which you install software to power your site (for example WordPress or Drupal). It’s in which you setup your email – essentially just managing your bank account.
Servers automatically can be quite technical and incredibly daunting for DIYers. The greater experience you’ve, usually the additional control and options you would like, while first-timers want simplicity of use over anything. Hitting that balance is exactly what I call usability – are you able to really make use of your hosting account how you desire to use it without frustration?
cPanel may be the industry-standard backend for hosting accounts. It’s open-source (meaning nobody owns you and it could possibly get support anywhere online, since multiple hosts have a similar or similar setups), and incredibly common. It’s not particularly pretty, however it’s straightforward and understandable. Newcomers will find what they desire, and much more seasoned website proprietors could possibly get what they need.
Until early 2014, neither GoDaddy nor 1&1 hosting used cPanel. Both of them chosen custom, proprietary backend systems, quarrelling it permitted these to personalize the knowledge for his or her customers. By The month of january 2014, brand new GoDaddy hosting accounts possess the (compensated $1/mo) option to utilize a modified form of cPanel.
In comparison, 1&1 hosting includes a custom backend. Here’s what each appears like.
GoDaddy cPanel Backend – note the large WordPress icon close to the top:
Theoretically, 1&1 will be able to give a more and better custom knowledge about their custom backend. Regrettably, I’ve found their backend experience incredibly frustrating. 1&1 hosting’s backend prioritizes technical settings (for example Global PHP Settings) while burying stuff that are more inclined to be required by very first time users (for example DNS settings and WordPress install apps). 1&1’s backend also offers the odd practice of breaking during routine actions.
And neglecting to install really fundamental products (like a database for WordPress).
GoDaddy’s hosting system is fairly straightforward. It prioritizes things that’ll be required by newcomers, making a lot of operations seamless and straightforward. For instance, listed here are the steps to auto-installing WordPress on GoDaddy (notice – it’s 1 step). And you may reach this screen after clicking the large WordPress icon towards the top of the Dashboard seen above.
Again, in comparison, installing WordPress “automatically” requires multiple steps with increased technical jargon on 1&1 hosting. You need to dig past their 1&1 website builder to the application section.
And travel through various installation “modes” for whatever reason, which are extremely confusing.
after which comes the 5 step process:
Which only agreed to be an example of my usability frustrations with 1&1 hosting. Not too GoDaddy is really a shining star either – but a minimum of GoDaddy originates a lengthy way lately, particularly with toning lower the upsells and product lock-ins.
Big suggests GoDaddy hosting on usability.
Customer Support
Customer support, like overall uptime, is frequently difficult to judge according to just anecdotes – and firms’ internal metrics aren’t generally available. Both GoDaddy and 1&1 are huge companies with many different customers. Usually, customers with higher encounters rarely discuss their customer support (particularly if the services are functioning correctly). Meanwhile, customers that do have issues will vocally discuss their bad encounters online.
Should you perform a quick look for GoDaddy complaints or 1&1 hosting complaints – there are plenty of dissatisfied customers. Personally, i have experienced fine customer encounters with 1&1 hosting and GoDaddy – but nothing amazing like I’ve had with providers like InMotion or HostGator. 1&1 hosting and GoDaddy offer customer support by telephone, email, forum, understanding-base, and chat 24/7/365.
My newest 1&1 customer experience revolved around a unsuccessful install of the database for WordPress. The operator clarified very rapidly (no hold time) and it was very cordial. However, I discovered they have their customer support setup like a cost center. The leading finish operators don’t have deep or broad technical experience, and something that’s beyond fundamental will get transferred in the chain. Rather of securing, I requested to become emailed when the issue was resolved.
The problem was resolved within ten minutes, and that i received quick follow-up via email in the repetition. Overall, it had been fine, although not astounding. And I saw where lots of customers who might not be aware of more knowledge about a problem (and want technical assistance) could rapidly become frustrated.
GoDaddy appears to possess a different tradeoff. My newest knowledge about them involved fifteen minutes of hold time (plus much more as the problem had been solved) in return for a front finish service repetition who’d technical expertise (particularly in tracking lower a CNAME error). These were cordial, and useful.
For customer support, I’d give GoDaddy a maximum-hands, especially thinking about their recent re-focus on supplying better hosting.
Conclusion
Searching at 1&1 hosting versus. GoDaddy – it’s really difficult to say who’s the “best” webhost unless of course you actually consider your exact goals and what you’re searching for inside a hosting plan.
To begin with, if you’re not associated with utilizing a big brand like 1&1 or GoDaddy, i then recommend HostGator, Website Hosting Hub or InMotion Hosting.
I even produced a Buzzfeed-style hosting quiz to assist sort the choices according to your objectives.
You’ll improve performance, better service, and prices than either 1&1 or GoDaddy (I personally use HostGator to operate my smaller sized sites particularly, and have it within my website setup guide while using InMotion with this site particularly).
That stated – if you’re offered on either GoDaddy or 1&1, here’s the way i approach them:
If you think confident navigating your hosting account and dealing with customer support, then you definitely’ll reduce your cost and obtain better performance by choosing 1&1 hosting (see their plans & promotions here).
If money isn’t the only problem for you, then you definitely’ll have a better experience and obtain a lot more value with GoDaddy hosting. So that as lengthy while you’re not managing a really resource intensive site, then you definitely’ll get performance that’s pretty much as good. In the event that’s the situation – you can examine out GoDaddy’s plans & latest discount promotions here.
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