Do you host with goDaddy? If you do, you need to stop. It is the worst hosting platform/interface/service I’ve ever used. I’ve been creating websites for over 8 years now, and I’ve never gotten more angry then with sites hosted on GoDaddy! Here’s my list:
1. I can’t find anything!
The GoDaddy interface is the most disgusting/confusing interface ever. Did you get a domain, or hosting, or 1 of their other 100 services? There’s an admin screen for everything!! Domain Management, Hosting Management, Email Management, Deluxe Hosting Management, DNS Management, blah, blah, blah, and the list goes on.
Real World Example:
Trying to move my clients WordPress site to my server. I have to backup the WordPress Database. Can’t find PHPMySQL. Oh, I found it, under Hosting Management, then clicked a button called options, then went to the hosting control center, then looked for databases drop down, clicked manage database. I need a user name and PW. I tried the one I logged in with…WRONG! OK… I see the username field, wtf is the pw? Oh silly me, I have to create a new pw from a tiny little icon on the top that says pw in about a size 8 font. Just incase your not sure what a size 8 font is, it looks like this.
I can go on with different stories of how their user interface has screwed me up, but another time.
2. I get nothing but problems
I use WordPress a lot. I build other sites as well with databases. I always seem to get issues that never occur anywhere else. Just random errors pop up. Page not found, fatal errors, database errors. No rhyme or reason, I’ll test everything on my local server and even my host, everything works fine, but on GoDaddy Hosting…FAIL!
Real World Example:
Trying to install a plugin on my clients website to back it up to move it. FATAL ERROR! Can’t fix it. I’ll upgrade wordpress to the latest version. ERROR! Apparently he has an old version of PHP that you have to pay for to upgrade.
I download a site, pretty large site (social network), keeps timing out. I had to download in piece meal, took me forever.
3. Customer Support is a Joke
When I call customer support on a service that a company offers, I expect some knowledgeable people. Not with GoDaddy. I’m pretty sure they just hire people who can read a candid response of answers.
Real World Example:
I need to change an A Record for a client but they have all of there emails hosted with GoDaddy (about 50). In GoDaddy’s DNS the A Record is “linked” with all the mx records, and such. I need to figure out a way to do this without affecting the emails.
Conversation went a little like this:
Customer Support: Hi this is GoDaddy, blah blah, can I help you?
Me: Yes hi, I’m actually looking to see how I can add or change the A record for my client who has about 50 emails set up without actually affecting the emails.
Customer Support: … Is there a problem with the site?
Me: No, I just need to know how I can do that.
Customer Support: So what are you trying to do, something with an A? record? (purposely put two question marks to imply the lady had no idea what I was talking about)
GoDaddy is good at one thing only, to buy domains from. If you need a domain, yes, go to godaddy. But if you’re looking for anything else, please save your money and go to an actual hosting company. I’ll be more then happy to recommend a few.
About Jonathan
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I have never experienced so many hosting service failures on every level of paid service than with GoDaddy. Never, ever. We use WordPress, keep all updates installed and it still times out and does not display the web pages. I will be moving all my shared Windows hosting accounts as soon as this season is finished. Totally trash hosting service and embarrassing media commericals.
Agreed! Do you know where you’ll be going, I can definitely offer suggestions!
I couldn’t agree more. The admin interface is horrid. It follows no logical order. The servers are never kept up to date on their Winblows Servers. Try getting a backup restored, it will take at least 5 support requests and days to get done. Try downloading or restoring a site without errors or timeouts, good luck!
I am a pretty mellow guy and they are the only hosting company to ever piss me off. So much so, I was seriously contemplating building a site just to promote and Anti-Goddady agenda.
Since then, I always add 25% to any job I do involving a Godaddy site.
It’s been a couple months since my last nightmare with them, but I still get mad thinking about it.
Thanks for letting me rant.
Greg Wallace recently posted..A warning about my code snippets
Wow Greg, that’s actually not a bad idea, adding %25. I usually just try to steer them into getting me to host it, I’m 80% successfull, plus I get residual =)
I thought GoDaddy was the worst hosting ever (and they are crazy bad in my opinion too). But I recently had to do some work on a client site on 1and1. If it’s possible, their hosting is even worse than GD.
That said, I refuse to give GoDaddy any more of my money. Between their sleazy ads, upsell hell purchase process, elephant hunting, and SOPA shadiness I’ve had more than enough. I get my domains elsewhere now too.
Chris Cree recently posted..How to Transfer Your Domain Away from GoDaddy
Hey Chris, where do you get your domains from? I’ll be honest I only use GoDaddy for domains and haven’t really risked venturing out.
Don’t buy your domain names from GoDaddy because if you ever have to transfer them out of Godaddy it is a nightmare.
Yeah, I’ve experience that first hand! What do you recommend?