Is BlueHost Better than GoDaddy? These two are probably the best-known figures in the online services market. GoDaddy is the biggest domain registrar and also a web hosting provider. And BlueHost is one of the first choices for beginners when it comes to web hosting.
Both hosting providers have been going strong for a while in internet years and offer affordable, reliable services, and their reputations are stellar and well-earned. We know it can be difficult to separate the top providers sometimes, but that’s where we come in. We’ve dug into the features of both to provide research-based recommendations (and warnings).
In Short…
Both hosting providers offer an uptime guarantee of 99.9%, and 24/7 live chat, phone, and email customer support. They also provide tutorials and knowledgebase articles where you’ll find solutions to problems and answers to questions you may have.
The main difference between these two web hosts, which may influence your final decision, is the type of security offered. GoDaddy performs backup and malware scans daily while BlueHost only does this on a weekly basis. An even closer look at the other differences and similarities between BlueHost and GoDaddy is discussed below.
BlueHost vs GoDaddy: Reliability & Uptime Guarantees
Whether you like it or not, you’ll need to be aware of your website’s uptime and the potential dangers of downtime. Luckily, both hosts are aware and put priority measures in place to avoid the costly consequences of any major downtime.
Furthermore, there are guaranteed compensation packages on both ends.
BlueHost – 2/5
Generally speaking, my uptime tests with Bluehost have been reasonable. But unlike other providers, they don’t offer an SLA (Service Level Agreement) that guarantees a minimum uptime.
In our tests, Bluehost’s speed didn’t exactly come out at the top of the table, the speed needs to be improved.
GoDaddy – 3/5
GoDaddy talks about their 99.9% uptime guarantee on their site but they don’t seem to mention what, if any, credit you receive if they fail to honor this commitment. Anyhow, there is a promised guarantee, therefore there must be compensation.
BlueHost vs GoDaddy: Security & Backup
Unless you are a super tech nerd and have unlimited work hours or have one on your team, you’ll want some security measures in place. Let’s see how team gator and team daddy fare in this department. Data can be compromised in many ways – consider this, you absolutely need as much security as your provider can handle.
BlueHost – 3/5
Bluehost offers a couple of extra paid add-ons to enhance security. For example, SiteLock prevents hacker attacks and CodeGuard gives you more backup options. I liked the fact that they have an optional two-factor authentication system, even if a hacker breaks your password, they won’t gain automatic access to your Bluehost account.
‘As a courtesy’, Bluehost creates monthly, weekly and daily backups that you’ll be able to download and restore. So yes, only 3 backups and they can’t assure you they’ll have them – other providers offer over 20 backups to choose from.
If you want extra backup options (e.g. on-demand backups), you can purchase their pricey backup add-on.
GoDaddy – 3/5
Daily backups and malware scans are carried out and your entire website and its files are backed up and stored in the cloud. You pay a tiny monthly fee for this protection and it’s well worth it to avoid facing a crisis where you may lose a folder or everything related to your site.
GoDaddy is so huge that they’re a major target for hackers. Systems block an average of 2.5 million brute force attacks every hour. All hosting plans provide SHA-2 and 2048-bit encryption, the most powerful protection available. Having deep pockets means GoDaddy can spend more on security so customers will have peace of mind.
Their security is quite good, but subconsciously there is an additional fee you have to pay for it. You have to pay twice for backups of their Security plan. This is not included in your hosting plan. Just browse their site and you can see how the way they list and describe their products is almost intentionally confusing. Not just a sales page; if you’ve ever tried to navigate the dashboard, it’s terrible and problematic.
Security in their massive data center is a critical component of their business. They have an uninterrupted power supply. There are various powerful cooling systems to keep servers and other equipment at the right temperature. Real people monitor everything 24/7/365 via CCTV so if intruders break in or if there are any problems with any of their equipment, there are people on the spot to fix such problems.
BlueHost vs GoDaddy: Free Trial & Money-Back Guarantee
If you happen to be unhappy with your services or plan, you want to be able to get financial compensation. While this is unlikely with these two great hosts, it’s an ideal backup plan.
BlueHost -3/5
Be aware that they don’t offer any uptime warranty! Other hosting providers will compensate you (e.g. a free month) if their global uptime drops below certain levels (usually 99.9%).
But, if you still want to use Bluehost, remember that you can try Bluehost for free for 30 days.
GoDaddy – 2/5
You get a 45-day money-back guarantee if your contract is one year.
If it’s only for a month, however, you’ll only get a 48-hour money-back guarantee.
Read the terms and conditions as only a portion of the money will be refunded and generally, it’s just the hosting part, not the domain name or other add-ons.
BlueHost vs GoDaddy: Who is The Winner?
It is very difficult to decide who will win this competition. They have scores that are not much different. And sadly overall they don’t get good grades. Currently, we also find a lot of complaints about these two giant hosting companies.
To create a great site, you definitely need a reliable hosting service. Here’s where most people struggle to pick the right hosting choice as there are too many options available ranging from free to premium. But if you are looking for alternative hosting for them, we recommend that you consider some hosting such as ASPHostPortal, BigRock, HostForLIFE.eu, or RackSpace.
