Godaddy vs WP Engine: guide for 2024

Godaddy vs WP Engine: Final verdict

Looking over GoDaddy vs. WP Engine, it’s clear why both hosts are so popular. They have both hosted millions of
websites that run on WordPress for decades, building up a loyal customer base.

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  WP Engine (Overall grade: 8.6)
  
  
  sets itself apart with exceptional managed WordPress hosting, prioritizing features tailored for optimized performance and security. Its standout strengths include excellent uptime, enhanced WordPress-specific capabilities, and superior customer support. WP Engine’s EverCache® technology, seamless global CDN integration, and multiple environment setups for development, staging, and production promote high efficiency and speed. Users also benefit from in-depth threat detection and advanced DDoS mitigation. Though the service comes at a higher price point, WP Engine delivers premium value for businesses focusing on performance and security— the ideal choice for high-traffic sites, agencies, and developers.
  
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  GoDaddy (Overall grade: 7.8)
  
  
  excels in providing a broad range of hosting plans, making it versatile for users from personal bloggers to small businesses. Its key strength lies in affordable, comprehensive packages that include free domains, email hosting, and an intuitive website builder. GoDaddy offers unmetered bandwidth, making it a practical option for high-traffic sites. Frequent add-ons like the AI creation tool and WordPress migration support enhance its appeal. However, it falls short in delivering consistent uptime and faces criticism for upselling tactics and high renewal costs. Despite these setbacks, its varied hosting options and user-friendly features make it a viable option for budget-conscious users and beginners.
  

Hosting Types Offered

Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.

Although both offer a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs, in
certain cases, one platform may prove to be more suitable.

Detailed comparison

🏆 Winner: WP Engine: Superior uptime and proactive maintenance make WP Engine the top choice.

Both GoDaddy and WP Engine are renowned for their commitment to uptime and availability, catering to businesses of all sizes. GoDaddy offers a commendable uptime guarantee of 99.9% and has shown an actual uptime rate of 99.98% during two months of testing. Its server response time of 341ms and efficient global load times showcase strong performance. However, GoDaddy’s WordPress hosting experiences frequent short downtimes, which can be a cause for concern for some users. The compensation for downtime is limited to service credits, which might not fully mitigate the impact of outages.

WP Engine stands out with an exceptional uptime performance, achieving a flawless 100% uptime over a two-month period. Its average server response time is 489ms, paired with minimal response time variation, indicating remarkable stability. The platform’s 99.99% SLA is highly reliable, backed by extensive global data centers that reduce latency and enhance site performance. Automated updates, daily backups, and 24/7 global support ensure websites remain secure and available. These features make WP Engine the more reliable choice for users prioritizing consistent uptime and proactive site maintenance.

🏆 Winner: WP Engine: Superior performance and specialized WordPress features. WP Engine outshines GoDaddy in terms of general performance with its EverCache® technology and robust Global CDN, which significantly reduce load times. Both hosting services offer SSDs, but WP Engine’s emphasis on the latest PHP versions boosts its site performance. GoDaddy provides unmetered bandwidth and shared or dedicated resources depending on the plan, whereas WP Engine offers isolated resources for consistent performance. Both hosts have global data centers, but WP Engine ensures better CDN integration with over 200 points of presence, enhancing global reach.

WP Engine outshines GoDaddy in terms of general performance with its EverCache® technology and robust Global CDN, which significantly reduce load times. Both hosting services offer SSDs, but WP Engine’s emphasis on the latest PHP versions boosts its site performance. GoDaddy provides unmetered bandwidth and shared or dedicated resources depending on the plan, whereas WP Engine offers isolated resources for consistent performance. Both hosts have global data centers, but WP Engine ensures better CDN integration with over 200 points of presence, enhancing global reach.

Website Speed

WP Engine sets itself apart with fast page load times due to its proprietary EverCache® technology, which optimizes server response. Its use of the latest PHP versions further speeds up performance, allowing quicker processing of requests. GoDaddy offers good speeds with its optimized servers and global data centers, and it also includes a 1-click WordPress install. However, WP Engine’s focus on WordPress-specific enhancements and Core Web Vitals optimization leads to noticeably faster load times, making it the better choice for performance.

Scalability

WP Engine provides a scalable architecture that can handle traffic spikes without manual intervention. It offers isolated resources to ensure performance remains steady even during surges. While the details on the cost for scalability are not specified, the focus on automated updates and real-time monitoring supports smooth scalability. GoDaddy also provides options to upgrade to more powerful plans with dedicated resources or VPS Hosting but lacks the seamless auto-scaling capabilities found in WP Engine. Costs for scaling with GoDaddy are clearly outlined, depending on the VPS configuration or shared hosting upgrade path you choose.

🏆 Winner
WP Engine: High-performance WordPress hosting featuring enterprise-grade security and compliance.

Both GoDaddy and WP Engine, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

GoDaddy includes various technical security features like AutoSSL, DDoS protection, a Web Application Firewall (WAF), and CloudLinux for resource management. They also provide malware scanning and daily backups. WP Engine offers advanced technical measures, including real-time threat detection, monitoring, and automatic core updates. WP Engine additionally uses global edge security featuring advanced DDoS mitigation and Argo Smart Routing for faster and more secure traffic management.

Operational security measures:

GoDaddy provides 24/7 customer support via phone and chat. They offer managed and automated updates for errors, sitemaps, and firewall settings. WP Engine also provides round-the-clock global support with a 97% satisfaction rate, and premium support options for enhanced assistance. WP Engine performs live threat detection and proactive security alerts, ensuring that threats are mitigated in real-time. They also offer managed WAF and DDoS mitigation as part of their operational security.

Compliance and certifications:

GoDaddy is fully GDPR compliant and offers PCI-certified products like WooCommerce Hosting. They recommend third-party products for secure payment processing. WP Engine is SOC-2 compliant and ISO 27001-2013 certified. WP Engine’s PCI vulnerability scanning includes results that may vary due to customized components.

🏆 Winner GoDaddy: Offers a wide range of hosting plans with comprehensive free services.

GoDaddy and WP Engine both present impressive hosting solutions, but they cater to slightly different user needs. GoDaddy excels in providing a variety of hosting plans suitable for personal bloggers to small businesses, with noticeable perks such as free domains and email hosting. It’s user-friendly with its inclusion of a free website builder, and many plans include a free SSL certificate. GoDaddy is exceptionally appealing to small businesses due to its unmetered bandwidth, making it a robust option for high-traffic sites without additional costs. Innovative add-ons like the AI creation tool and free WordPress migration simplify the process for beginners and those transferring existing sites.

On the other hand, WP Engine is tailored towards users who desire premium WordPress-centric features alongside high-end performance and security. It offers a fully managed WordPress experience with notable enhancements like the EverCache® technology for improved site speed. The inclusion of multiple environments for development, staging, and production make it a strong contender for advanced developers. WP Engine also emphasizes security with features like advanced DDoS mitigation and a WordPress-optimized Web Application Firewall. While it does provide free SSL certificates and daily backups, its starting price is steeper compared to GoDaddy, aligning more with businesses who prioritize performance over cost.

Both providers support a range of users from beginners to experts with user-friendly website builders and WordPress staging areas. However, in terms of developer tools, both GoDaddy and WP Engine offer robust options including SSH access, support for multiple programming languages, and Git for version control, thus appealing to developers looking for advanced capabilities.

Email services:

GoDaddy includes free email hosting with many of its plans, making it convenient for businesses to set up professional email accounts without extra costs. Transactional email capabilities are not explicitly highlighted, but the provision for email campaigns stands out. WP Engine, while managing WordPress-specific emails and offering advanced security measures, lacks integrated email hosting services. Instead, it resells third-party services like Google Workspace and Outlook, which come at an additional cost.

🏆 Winner WP Engine: Elevated above its competitor with comprehensive and user-friendly managed WordPress hosting plans.

Evaluating the pricing of plans among various hosting providers can be complex due to their differing pricing and renewal strategies. Additionally, certain plans require annual commitments, which adds to the difficulty of making comparisons. The prices listed are based on monthly commitments; plans requiring annual commitments are indicated. Additionally, although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.

The second paragraph compares the pricing plans focusing on features such as price, plan duration, and any unique offerings. WP Engine offers specialized managed WordPress hosting plans that start at higher price points but include more comprehensive features, such as priority support and global CDN. Conversely, GoDaddy provides both shared (Web Hosting) and WordPress hosting plans with attractive introductory pricing, which increases significantly upon renewal. GoDaddy’s Web Hosting Economy plan, for instance, starts at $5.99/month with a high renewal rate, while WP Engine’s Startup plan begins at $20/month with robust included features. User reviews further position WP Engine as superior in customer satisfaction and technical support.

Enterprise plans

For enterprises, both WP Engine and GoDaddy offer comprehensive options. WP Engine’s Custom Plan stands out with dedicated account managers, advanced security features, and tailored resources at a starting price of $600/month. GoDaddy also offers plans like Web Hosting Maximum at $17.99/month, providing up to 50 websites, extensive storage, and free SSL for all websites. While GoDaddy’s pricing remains attractively lower, WP Engine’s superior support and prioritized resources make it the more robust choice for large-scale enterprise needs.

🏆 Winner
GoDaddy: Offers a simplified setup with a one-click installation process and additional support features.

GoDaddy utilizes an industry-standard cPanel for its admin panel, which is widely recognized for its user-friendly interface. cPanel allows users to manage multiple aspects of their hosting environment such as installing applications, managing backups, and fine-tuning security settings with minimal technical knowledge required. The accessibility of cPanel makes it suitable for both technical and non-technical users, providing an intuitive experience that helps streamline the setup and management of websites.

WP Engine, on the other hand, offers a custom-built admin panel specifically tailored for WordPress websites. While this might initially seem daunting for some users unfamiliar with WordPress-specific configurations, the platform simplifies many complex tasks. The custom interface is designed with a focus on performance and security, providing accessible features that cater to the needs of both developers and less tech-savvy users. Although not as universally familiar as cPanel, WP Engine’s custom admin panel is engineered to enhance user experience specifically within the WordPress ecosystem.

Both GoDaddy and WP Engine offer migration services for websites. GoDaddy provides a free WordPress migration tool, allowing users to easily transfer their existing WordPress site to GoDaddy’s hosting. This tool is streamlined for ease of use, requiring minimal effort from users. WP Engine offers an Automated Migration plugin that simplifies the process of transferring WordPress sites to its platform. It also provides detailed guides for manual migration when the plugin is not compatible. Both GoDaddy and WP Engine’s migration services are free, which aids users in transitioning their sites seamlessly.

The platforms provide extensive knowledge bases filled with guides, how-to articles, and instructional content. GoDaddy offers a wide range of resources alongside 24/7 chat and phone support. WP Engine also boasts a detailed help center with an intuitive search function and around-the-clock support via live chat, phone, and ticketing, ensuring comprehensive user support.

🏆 Winner:
WP Engine: Delivers detailed control over user roles and permissions.

When it comes to user management features, WP Engine provides a more comprehensive suite of tools compared to GoDaddy. WP Engine offers a detailed breakdown of user roles such as Owners, Full users with and without billing, and Partial users with and without billing permissions. This allows for a nuanced assignment of responsibilities, ensuring that each user has access to the necessary environments and tools. GoDaddy’s user management capabilities aren’t explicitly detailed and lack specifics, making it less flexible and transparent in comparison. WP Engine’s clear delineation of roles and the ability to assign specific permissions provide businesses with better options for managing different levels of access.

WP Engine’s user interface for managing users is intuitive and user-friendly. Users can easily access the User Portal, where they can navigate through account settings, user roles, and permission assignments. The process of adding, editing, and removing users is straightforward, involving simple steps that can be quickly executed. GoDaddy, on the other hand, lacks detailed information about its user management interface, which can potentially make it harder for users to efficiently navigate and manage their settings compared to WP Engine’s streamlined dashboard.

Evaluating the effectiveness of access controls, WP Engine stands out with robust features to manage a large number of users efficiently. The ability to filter account activity logs by user, environment, and specific actions ensures that administrators can monitor and audit user activity effectively. This level of detailed tracking is not available for GoDaddy, which may pose challenges for businesses requiring meticulous access control and monitoring. WP Engine also supports unique features like managing SFTP logins, Git keys, CDN, and SSL certificates, further enhancing its capability to manage user access on a granular level.

WP Engine User Roles Table:

🏆 Winner WP Engine: A superior choice for ease of access and satisfaction, with comprehensive customer support features.

Both GoDaddy and WP Engine offer extensive customer support, including 24/7 phone support, live chat, and a detailed knowledge base. GoDaddy’s phone support includes both general and award-winning teams, and live chat is accessible on the U.S. subdomain. They supplement this with a free WordPress migration tool, daily backups, and SMS support. However, they do not provide specialized enterprise support, unlike WP Engine.

WP Engine stands out with its high customer satisfaction score and advanced customer support features. They offer phone and chat support around the clock, access to WordPress experts, and premium support options for dedicated agents. Their user portal consolidates plan management and technical support into one place. WP Engine’s detailed documentation and additional tools such as error logs, cache management, and security features make them a reliable choice for users requiring advanced support.

Godaddy vs WP Engine: User feedback

GoDaddy generally receives praise for its ease of use, affordability, comprehensive service offerings, and user-friendly interface, making it a popular choice for domain registration and basic web hosting. Many users appreciate the ability to purchase domains, web hosting, email services, and other digital products all in one place, along with frequent discounts for new customers. However, customer service experiences are inconsistent; while some users find it helpful and responsive, others report long wait times and unknowledgeable support staff. Additionally, recurring issues include high renewal costs, persistent upselling, and occasional technical difficulties.

WP Engine exudes excellence in managed WordPress hosting, boasting top-notch technical support that’s often highlighted as a standout feature. Users appreciate the user-friendly dashboard, seamless migration tools, daily backups, and solid security measures, all of which contribute to high performance and reliability. However, the service does come at a higher price point, which some users find steep, especially for entry-level plans or smaller projects. Despite occasional concerns about costs and some technical nuances, WP Engine’s premium service quality justifies the expense for many, making it a highly recommended solution for businesses and developers alike.

Godaddy vs WP Engine: FAQ