Should I use the GoDaddy website builder?
What it does well, where it falls short, the price after year one, and what to ask first.
See the templatesThe short answer: it is one of the easiest builders to get a page live on, which is its strength. The weaknesses are the price after the introductory year, the limited control over how things look, and the fact that leaving is harder than arriving. If you just need something up tonight, it works. If you want a site that is yours, read on.
What it does well
- Fast. A page can be live in an hour
- Hosting, the padlock and a basic domain are bundled
- Decent on a phone without you doing anything
Where it falls short
- Introductory pricing. The first year is cheap, then the renewal is the real price, and it goes up
- Design is pick a block, not change a block. Everything looks a bit GoDaddy
- You cannot export the site. If you leave, you start again
- Search ranking is average. It is not bad, but it is not built for it
The questions to ask
- What does this cost in year two?
- Is the domain registered in my name, and can I move it?
- Can I take the pages with me?
Where we sit
Our template websites are £99 to set up and £20 a month, which does not go up after a year. The domain is yours. If you leave, the words, photos and address go with you. It is less flexible than a builder in one way, you pick from our designs rather than drag anything anywhere, and more flexible in another: we make the changes you cannot.
Want to see yours? Pick a website template and fill it in for free. You only pay when you want it live. Already have a site? Bring it in and we fill a template from it.