Finding the Best Web Host: Hostinger vs. GoDaddy Compared

Having a website is a must nowadays, especially if you own a business or run an organization. It is a good thing that there are plenty of web hosting services out there you can choose from to get your product or brand on the Internet.

Web hosting services come at all sizes and prices, but if you want a cost-effective option, you can pick from two of the most affordable providers today: Hostinger or GoDaddy.

To help you out, I am giving you an easy-to-read Hostinger vs GoDaddy comparison article that examines the features and offerings of each service, while also sharing my take on which option is better overall.

TL;DR: The main difference between Hosting and GoDaddy is that Hostinger offers cheaper plans compared to GoDaddy, but GoDaddy provides more options for plans, a wider range of features, and slightly better customer support. Hostinger, however, is better overall, due to its combination of cost-effectiveness, security features, and ability to offer inclusions that buyers can actually use.

Ready for the full rundown? Read on below.

Hostinger vs GoDaddy: Overview

Hostinger is a web hosting service company originally hailing from Lithuania. It started in 2004 as a company called Hosting Media before eventually settling into its current name in 2011. Apart from its main web hosting solutions, it also offers domain registration, shared hosting, cloud hosting, Minecraft hosting, WordPress hosting, and VPS.

GoDaddy is older than Hostinger, having been founded in 1997 in the United States. On top of its web hosting service, it also offers website building, domain registration, and SSL certificates. Due to its popularity and longevity, GoDaddy is considered by many as one of the biggest web hosting companies across the globe. 

Hostinger and GoDaddy are two of the most popular web hosting service providers in the world. Other prominent web hosting brands also include Bluehost, Dreamhost, GreenGeeks, Hostgator, and SiteGround, just to name a few. 

Hostinger vs GoDaddy: Main Features

	HOSTINGER	GODADDY
Official website	www.hostinger.com	www.godaddy.com
Monthly rate (starting)	$1.99 monthly for WordPress hosting	$1.99 monthly for shared hosting
Free domain	Yes	Yes
Email accounts	Free multiple accounts	Free 1 account for a year
Unlimited websites	Yes	Yes
Website builder	Yes	Yes
Shared hosting	Yes	Yes
WordPress hosting	Yes	Yes
VPS	Yes	Yes
Cloud hosting	Yes	None
Dedicated server hosting	None	Yes

Hostinger Main Features

With a starting price of $1.99 monthly for WordPress Hosting, Hostinger is clearly the more affordable option. But because its basic plan is cheap, you can’t expect too many inclusions.

But if you choose the Premium plan at $2.99 monthly, the features start becoming generous, with 100 websites, 100 GB SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited MySQL databases, and free domain registration, among many others.

GoDaddy Main Features

GoDaddy’s basic plan may be slightly pricier, but I like the fact that it does offer free domain, Microsoft 365 mailboxes, unmetered bandwidth, one-click WordPress installation, 10 databases, 100 GB storage, and a built-in payments platform.

The Winner Is: Hostinger

Hostinger costs less than GoDaddy, and I think that Hostinger’s long list of features, even on its basic plan, simply offers more options, which could come in handy for website owners who may be planning some incremental or major upgrades in the near future.

Hostinger vs GoDaddy: Security and Privacy

	HOSTINGER	GODADDY
DDoS protection	Yes	Yes
Firewall	Yes	Yes
Automated backups	Yes	Yes
Free SSL certificate	Yes, for each plan	Yes, for certain plans
24/7 network security	24/7 support only	Yes

Hostinger Security & Privacy

In terms of security, Hostinger comes with DDoS protection, firewall, automated backups, and free SSL certifications for all of its plans. I really appreciate the presence of advanced security modules, which include mod_security, Suhosin PHP hardening, and PHP open_basedir protection, just to name a few. 

As mentioned earlier, Hostinger offers automated weekly backups, which I really like. If you go for Hostinger’s Business plan ($4.99 monthly), you get to enjoy automated daily backups, which should prove advantageous for those who run websites that constantly update content. 

I also love the inclusion of Cloudflare protection and BitNinja. Given Hostinger’s cheaper rate, you do get a lot out of your money in terms of security and privacy. GoDaddy’s security and privacy features, however, come with a catch.

GoDaddy Security & Privacy

GoDaddy can compete by also delivering DDoS protection, SSL certifications, and automated backups. That being said, it is kind of a bummer for me knowing that the SSL and backup offerings are either not unlimited (SSL certificates are not available on all plans) or built-in for free (additional backup and security will mean paying extra). 

Most popular web hosting service providers existing today typically grant free SSL certificates on all their plans. So it is kinda mind-boggling for me how GoDaddy refuses to join the club yet. 

The only way you can get free SSL certificates is to get a Maximum plan (which is expensive) or to pay extra. SSLs are not only important for security purposes, they can actually help improve your website’s SEO rankings. But I sometimes get the feeling that GoDaddy is holding its SSLs hostage, so to speak.

And it is not just the SSLs. GoDaddy also asks for additional payment if you want automated backups. 

Sure, GoDaddy provides plenty of options for its plans and pricing tiers. But frankly, it is a turnoff to later find out there are some security features that are being shackled. 

Still, GoDaddy provides a win via its 24/7 network security guarantee. It is refreshing to know that, at least, this one is made available completely free of charge. 

The Winner Is: Hostinger

I always say that security is a must when it comes to running a website. So if you are getting a web hosting service plan, is required to pay extra for some security and privacy seems a bit too much to ask.

For people like me, that expect security to be a given, I am not too happy with the idea of spending additional money on something that should already be there in the first place.

This is why I am picking Hostinger for this round. It doesn’t compromise security while also respecting the website owner’s budget.

Hostinger vs GoDaddy: Pricing and Plans

HOSTINGER	GODADDY
Single – $1.99 monthly Premium – $2.99 monthly Business – $4.99 monthly	Economy – $5.99 monthly Deluxe – $7.99 monthly Ultimate – $12.99 monthly Maximum – $19.99 monthly

Hostinger Pricing and Plans

I fully understand that Hostinger’s pricing structure is deliberately designed to attract those with limited budgets. It does keep the options simpler and easier to understand for users, which is definitely a plus for me.

Also, the price difference between the basic (Single) and priciest (Business) is only three dollars, further enforcing Hostinger’s budget-friendly style. 

I personally think that the Single plan (the cheapest option) is actually not bad. On top of hosting one website and one email account, Hostinger also throws in a couple of databases, 30 GB of SSD storage, 10,000 monthly visits, 100 GB bandwidth, WordPress acceleration, GIT access, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Naturally, the upper tiers – the Premium and Business plans – incrementally improve upon the Single plan’s offerings. But I do love the fact that for all three plans, the presence of the 30-day money-back guarantee is consistent.

For your reference, here are the renewal rates for all three of Hostinger’s plans:

• Single – $3.99 monthly when you renew
• Premium – $6.99 monthly when you renew
• Business – $8.99 monthly when you renew

GoDaddy Pricing and Plans

Compared to Hostinger, GoDaddy has a more diversified pricing structure. The Economy and Deluxe options provide more standard inclusions, while the more expensive plans justify their pricing through added security features and other specialized functionalities.

I shouldn’t be surprised with how elaborate GoDaddy’s pricing is — the company, after all, has been in the web hosting service business for more than a couple of decades now. 

Let us start with GoDaddy’s Economy plan. At $5.99 monthly, it is obviously pricier than Hostinger’s basic plan (Single at $1.99). You might be wondering: The price difference is rather big, isn’t it?

I think the rate is justified on account of the 100 GB storage and unmetered bandwidth that comes with the plan. Sure, it may be for just one website, but it does give a lot of leeway for website runners with big dreams and big ideas, even if they are just starting out with a single website.

The monthly rates progressively go up in other tiers, which is pretty understandable given the standard unlimited storage, bandwidth, and a number of hosted websites inclusions in GoDaddy’s advanced plans. 

One thing that needs to be mentioned, however, is that with GoDaddy, there may be a catch somewhere. For instance, certain inclusions are given free of charge, but only for the first year. Subscribers who are not careful could end up paying for charges that suddenly materialize after twelve months.

For your reference, here are the renewal rates for all four of GoDaddy’s plans:

• Economy – $8.99 monthly when you renew
• Deluxe – $11.99 monthly when you renew
• Ultimate – $16.99 monthly when you renew 
• Maximum – $24.99 monthly when you renew 

GoDaddy’s plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee, but only if you pay for a year. But if you pay on a monthly basis only, you only get a 48 hour guarantee.

The Winner Is: Hostinger

Let me just say that the website owner’s specific requirements are to be considered carefully. For those with less complex website needs, Hostinger’s simplified pricing structure should be a good fit.

But for those who have bigger ideas for their website, especially those that involve e-commerce, extensive amounts of data, heightened security, online payments, and multiple end-user profiles – GoDaddy can provide more diversified options. 

But I am picking Hostinger because it does a decent job of not overwhelming customers with too many options. By limiting its plans to three choices, you can easily select which option should work for your requirements.

I get GoDaddy’s approach, which is to provide as many options as possible for subscribers. But it is easy to get lost in the details and differences of each plan. Also, GoDaddy is rather fond of offering add-ons if you pay extra, which may confuse customers even more.

In terms of how cost-effective you can be, I think Hostinger emerges as the victor. For example, if you buy its Premium plan, you get 100 GB of storage along with unlimited email accounts, bandwidth, and a number of hosted websites.

That option actually competes well with GoDaddy’s Economy inclusions. But it is three dollars cheaper. 

So, Hostinger wins this round.

Hostinger vs GoDaddy: Customer Support

	HOSTINGER	GODADDY
Live Chat Support	Yes (24/7)	Yes (24/7)
Email Support	Yes (24/7)	Yes (24/7)
Phone Support	None	Yes (24/7)
Public Forum	None	Yes
Video tutorials	None	Yes

Hostinger Customer Support

Hostinger does away with phone support because it believes it can be more efficient in helping customers through live chat and email. While it may be considered a bold decision on Hostinger’s part, some of its customers may disagree.

I personally think talking on the phone is quicker, compared to typing words through live chat or email. And if ever I encounter serious web hosting issues for my website, I would definitely prefer to talk to a person right away.  

GoDaddy Customer Support

I may be old school on this one, but I think that phone support is still important in this day and age. The 24/7 phone support offering from GoDaddy can provide some assurance for customers, especially those who want to avoid downtimes as much as possible.

Of course, GoDaddy’s team should hold up their end of the bargain by actually being here to pick up the phone when a customer calls. True – I love the fact that there is a phone call I can call when there is trouble, but if nobody is answering, that would just be ironic, wouldn’t it?

The Winner Is: GoDaddy

I believe that good customer support should always provide more options for customers to contact the provider. By that logic, GoDaddy manages to beat Hostinger by a nose via its 24/7 phone support. 

FAQ

Summary

In my opinion, GoDaddy offers more features and options and provides slightly better customer support compared to Hostinger. Unfortunately, more is not always better, I’m afraid. Customers who don’t know any better may end up spending too much money on features they might not be able to use.

Hostinger, however, not only simplifies its pricing structure but also manages to provide more affordable and cost-effective web hosting solutions for customers.

While it does not offer as many features as GoDaddy, Hostinger provides enough inclusions to still make its customers happy. And of course, it beats GoDaddy when it comes to pricing, security, and overall convenience.

Know more about these two web hosting services by visiting Hostinger or GoDaddy. Choose your web hosting service today!

References

• https://www.hostinger.com/web-hosting 
• https://www.hostinger.com/contacts 
• https://support.hostinger.com/en/articles/1583287-what-kind-of-security-measures-does-hostinger-use 
• https://www.godaddy.com/en-uk/hosting/web-hosting 
• https://www.godaddy.com/en-uk/contact-us