Nexcess vs GoDaddy “The Best Choice …”

98.2 %

Overall Score

88.8 %

Overall Score

Nexcess is a managed hosting provider focused on high-performance solutions for WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento, making it ideal for e-commerce businesses. It offers features like auto-scaling, staging environments, and strong security, catering to businesses needing powerful, specialized hosting.

GoDaddy, in contrast, is a more general web hosting and domain service, popular for its affordability and user-friendly tools. It provides a range of services, from shared hosting to website building, targeting individuals and small businesses.

The key difference is Nexcess’s focus on optimized, performance-driven hosting for e-commerce, while GoDaddy offers a more cost-effective, beginner-friendly platform for a broader audience.

Nexcess

Performance: |5.0| ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In terms of performance, Nexcess excels with its managed hosting solutions, offering optimized environments for WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento. It provides features like built-in caching, auto-scaling, and advanced security, ensuring faster load times and reliability, particularly for e-commerce and high-traffic websites.

Uptime: |4.9|⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nexcess typically offers excellent uptime, often exceeding 99.99%, thanks to its managed hosting infrastructure and advanced monitoring.

Customer Service: |4.8|⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nexcess is known for its responsive and expert customer service, offering 24/7 support through phone, live chat, and email. Their support team is highly specialized, particularly in managing WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento platforms, making them a preferred choice for businesses needing in-depth technical assistance.

GoDaddy

Performance: |4.8| ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

GoDaddy’s performance is more basic, suited for smaller websites and less resource-intensive operations. While it offers solid uptime and speed, it lacks the specialized optimizations that Nexcess provides, making it less ideal for businesses requiring high-performance hosting or handling large-scale traffic.

Uptime: |4.9|⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

GoDaddy also provides reliable uptime, usually around 99.9%, but may not match Nexcess in consistency and performance during high-traffic periods or for complex sites.

Customer Service: |4.7|⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

GoDaddy also provides 24/7 customer support through various channels, but its service is more general in nature. While GoDaddy is well-regarded for assisting with basic hosting and domain issues, it may not offer the same level of specialized expertise as Nexcess for performance-driven or complex hosting environments.

Overall Comparison Nexcess vs GoDaddy

GoDaddy provides affordable hosting options aimed at beginners, while Nexcess offers a higher-priced solution focused on premium WordPress management and advanced features. The question is, is Nexcess worth the extra cost, or does GoDaddy offer better value?

To fairly compare Nexcess and GoDaddy, I evaluated both across various criteria, such as pricing, features, and performance. Nexcess came out on top in four out of five categories, making it the clear winner in this comparison.

AspectNexcess GoDaddy
Hosting TypeManaged hosting for WordPress, WooCommerce, MagentoGeneral hosting for a wide range of websites
Performance High-performance, optimized for e-commerceBasic performance for smaller websites
Uptime99.99%+99.9%
Customer Service24/7 expert support, specialized assistance 24/7 general support, good for beginners
FeaturesAuto-scaling, staging, built-in caching, advanced securityBasic hosting tools, domain services, website builder
Target AudienceBusinesses needing optimized, high-performance hostingIndividuals and small businesses needing affordable hosting
PriceHigher cost, tailored for performanceMore budget-friendly, general services

1. Plans and Pricing

Nexcess offers a wider variety of WordPress hosting plans, while GoDaddy is more affordable

Nexcess offers a wider variety of WordPress hosting plans, though GoDaddy is the more affordable option. Nexcess delivers fully managed WordPress hosting with seven different plans tailored to small and medium-sized businesses. GoDaddy also has a managed WordPress option, but only with three plans. Nexcess justifies its higher cost with a more extensive set of WordPress features, tools, and plugins, which I’ll cover in more detail in the features section.

Plan TypeNexcessGoDaddy
Basic WordPress HostingStarts at $19/monthStarts at $5.99/month
WooCommerce HostingStarts at $19/monthStarts at $20/month
VPS HostingStarts at $59/monthStarts at $19.99/month
Dedicated HostingStarts at $169/monthStarts at $129.99/month
Domain RegistrationNot included (separate service required)Starts at $12.99/year
Backup & Security Add-onsIncluded in plansAdditional cost for enhanced features

Nexcess gives you the option to choose between monthly or annual billing, while GoDaddy offers more flexibility with monthly, annual, biennial, or triennial subscriptions. GoDaddy also includes a free domain when you sign up for an annual plan, which Nexcess does not.

Both providers offer free site migrations for WordPress sites. Nexcess comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans, no matter the billing cycle. GoDaddy also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, but it only applies if you opt for an annual or longer-term plan. For monthly plans, the refund window is just 48 hours.

In terms of cost, GoDaddy’s plans are more budget-friendly, especially with the added perk of a free domain, making it the winner here. However, Nexcess offers strong value for its price, especially when compared to other premium WordPress hosting services.

Winner? GoDaddy, thanks to its affordable pricing and free domain for small to medium-sized websites. That said, Nexcess remains a competitively priced option among enterprise-level hosting providers.

Pricing Details of Nexcess

Pricing Details of GoDaddy

pricing plan GoDaddy

2. Features

Nexcess Offers More Resources and Advanced Features for WordPress

Nexcess provides seven WordPress hosting plans that offer between 15 GB and 800 GB of SSD storage, 2 TB to 10 TB of bandwidth, and unlimited email accounts, with the ability to host between 1 and 250 websites. Each plan includes a free CDN, free SSL certificate, unlimited page views, daily backups stored for 30 days, a staging environment, and developer tools like SSH, Git, and WP-CLI. Additionally, Nexcess includes premium tools such as iThemes Security Pro, iThemes Sync, and the Beaver Lite website builder.

Nexcess also offers AI-driven plugin updates. Whenever a plugin update is available, it’s first tested on a clone of your site to ensure compatibility. If no issues arise, the update is then applied to your live site.

In comparison, GoDaddy’s three managed WordPress plans provide 20 GB to 60 GB of SSD storage, support 25k to unlimited monthly visitors, and include free Microsoft 365 business email for a year. While all GoDaddy plans feature daily automatic backups (stored for 90 days), the lowest-tier plan lacks features like site staging, WP-CLI, and SSH access. Additionally, GoDaddy limits users to one website per plan.

GoDaddy also doesn’t match Nexcess in terms of WordPress management. For example, while GoDaddy offers automatic updates for WordPress and plugins, these are the basic built-in WordPress features, applied without testing, which could lead to compatibility issues or site crashes.

NexcessGoDaddy
Hosting TypesManaged hosting for WordPress,
WooCommerce, and Magento
General web hosting, domain
registration, website builder
Disk Space 15GB – 800GB SSD20GB – 60GB SSD
Free Domain
Free SSL CertificateWith certain plans
Bandwidth2 TB – 10 TBUnlimited
Automatic BackupsDaily backups and staging environmentsLimited backup and staging options
Control PanelNexcess Client PortalcPanel, Plesk
Email AccountsUnlimited2 – 5 free Microsoft 365 mailboxes,
unlimited cPanel webmail mailboxes
Free CDN
Free Site Migration
Money-Back Guarantee30 days30 days with annual plans or longer,
48 hours for monthly plans
InfrastructureHigh-performance infrastructureFocus on affordability and ease of use
CachingAuto-scaling and built-in cachingShared hosting, VPS, and dedicated hosting options
Free CDN
Support24/7 specialized support24/7 general customer support
Development Developer-friendly tools and environmentsUser-friendly website builder and templates

The winner? Nexcess. Clearly, Nexcess provides better WordPress management and a wider range of value-added features compared to GoDaddy.

3. Performance

Nexcess Delivers Superior and More Reliable Performance

The winner? Nexcess. Nexcess delivers superior and more consistent performance compared to GoDaddy.

Nexcess offers ten data centers—six in the US, three in Europe, and one in Australia—while GoDaddy is vague about the number and locations of its data centers, only providing general options for North America, Europe, and Asia.

Both hosts have optimized their servers for WordPress, but Nexcess takes it a step further by including premium caching solutions like Redis, which improves performance for e-commerce sites by reducing the load on storage hardware and databases. Nexcess also offers server-level caching via an NGINX reverse proxy, image optimization, and a proprietary content delivery network (CDN) with every plan. Additionally, it includes a unique plugin performance monitor to track the impact of WordPress plugins on your site’s speed.

GoDaddy falls short in terms of WordPress optimization, offering only basic features like free CDN access without the advanced performance tools that Nexcess provides.

Nexcess guarantees 100% uptime, although compensation kicks in only after 15 minutes of cumulative downtime in a month, which is still better than GoDaddy’s 99.9% uptime promise.

In performance tests, Nexcess had an average page load time of 1.65 seconds and achieved 100% uptime. In contrast, GoDaddy’s average load time was slower at 1.9 seconds and showed inconsistencies, with some tests taking up to 3.4 seconds to load the same page. While GoDaddy also achieved perfect uptime, Nexcess’ faster and more reliable servers make it the clear winner in this category.

Page performance of Nexcess

Page performance of GoDaddy

4. Ease of Use

Nexcess:

Custom Dashboard: Offers a user-friendly interface tailored for managed hosting.

Specialized Support: 24/7 support from experts familiar with WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento, aiding troubleshooting.

Built-in Features: Automatic updates and backups streamline management.

Developer Tools: Provides advanced features like staging environments but may require some technical knowledge.

GoDaddy:

Intuitive Interface: Simplified control panel makes it easy for beginners to navigate.

Website Builder: Offers an easy-to-use website builder with templates, ideal for non-technical users.

Affordable Entry Plans: Simple setup for basic hosting services, attracting casual users.

General Support: Accessible support for a wide range of hosting needs, but may lack in-depth technical guidance.

Hosting Provided

Hosting provided

What Our Customers Have to Say?

Nexcess:

Performance Praise: Customers frequently highlight fast load times and reliable uptime, especially for e-commerce sites.

Support Satisfaction: Many users appreciate the knowledgeable and responsive customer support, particularly for complex hosting issues.

Ease of Use: Users find the platform intuitive for managing their websites, especially with the built-in tools.

GoDaddy: 

Affordability: Customers often commend GoDaddy for its budget-friendly plans and value for basic hosting needs.

User-Friendly: Many users appreciate the easy setup and straightforward control panel, making it ideal for beginners.

Mixed Support Experiences: While some users report positive experiences, others have mentioned delays in customer service response and limited technical expertise.

Advantage of Nexcess & GoDaddy

NexcessGoDaddy
Optimized for high-performance e-commerceBudget-friendly plans for basic needs
Specialized support for WordPress and Magento User-friendly interface for beginners
Advanced security features Wide range of hosting options
Daily backups included Easy domain registration process
Auto-scaling capabilitiesPopular website builder
Developer-friendly tools and stagingExtensive resources and tutorials
Reliable uptime with strong performanceLarge customer base and community support

Disadvantage of Nexcess & GoDaddy

NexcessGoDaddy
Higher pricing compared to basic hosting providersPerformance may lag for high-traffic sites
Complexity may be overwhelming for beginnersLimited specialized support for complex issues
Focused mainly on WordPress, WooCommerce, and MagentoLess optimization for e-commerce compared to Nexcess
Some features may require technical knowledgeUpselling of additional services can be frequent
Limited plan options for very small websites Basic plans may lack essential features

5. Support

Nexcess Provides More Support Channels and Quick Response Times

Nexcess offers 24/7 support through live chat, email/ticketing, and phone. To test the quality of their support, I reached out via live chat to inquire about transferring my site to another data center. Within just a couple of minutes, I received a response.

GoDaddy provides support via live chat and phone, with phone support available through multiple global call centers. Although GoDaddy claims 24/7 live chat availability, I found it offline during my first attempt. When it was available, it took a while to connect to a representative, and the conversation had several pauses.

Nexcess takes the win in the support category, thanks to its quicker response times and wider range of support options. Although my initial request confused the agent, after clarifying, they swiftly directed me to the appropriate documentation.

GoDaddy, like Nexcess, offers 24/7 support, but only via live chat and phone. When I tried using GoDaddy’s live chat to ask basic WordPress questions (check out our full GoDaddy review), the service was offline at first. Upon trying again later, it was back online, but it took a frustrating 51 minutes just to connect with an agent. The conversation was then frequently interrupted by long pauses, making it clear the agent was managing multiple chats at once. While I eventually got the answers I needed, the long wait made it feel less worthwhile.

Both Nexcess and GoDaddy offer extensive knowledge bases with helpful guides and tutorials, which can be a good alternative to contacting support, especially in GoDaddy’s case. However, Nexcess provided the assistance I needed much faster, securing another win for its support.

Both are Provide Better support

Nexcess: 

24/7 Availability: Offers round-the-clock support via phone, live chat, and email.

Specialized Expertise: Support team is knowledgeable in WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento, providing tailored assistance.

Quick Response Times: Generally praised for prompt and efficient responses to technical inquiries.

Resources: Provides extensive documentation, tutorials, and a knowledge base for self-help.

GoDaddy: 

24/7 Support: Also available 24/7 through phone and live chat, but response times can vary.

General Assistance: Support staff is knowledgeable but may lack deep expertise in complex hosting issues.

Community Forums: Offers community support and forums for users to ask questions and share solutions.

Resource Availability: Provides a knowledge base, but some users report difficulty finding specific answers.

While GoDaddy offers lower pricing, Nexcess stands out with its more robust WordPress features, superior performance, and quicker support. For these reasons, Nexcess clearly wins in this comparison.

Nexcess is also featured among our top web hosting providers for 2024, whereas GoDaddy didn’t make the list. If you want to explore more options, be sure to check out our other top recommendations.

6. Security

Nexcess Provides More Advanced Security Features

Both Nexcess and GoDaddy offer 24/7 site monitoring and include free SSL certificates with all plans. Each uses its respective CDN to help protect against DDoS attacks, ensuring your site stays online even if targeted.

Nexcess takes security up a notch by including the premium iThemes Security Pro suite with all its plans. This plugin regularly scans your WordPress site for vulnerabilities and automatically applies patches. It also blocks bots and malicious IP addresses.

GoDaddy, on the other hand, performs daily malware scans. If a threat is detected, it will work to restore your site—but only if you have a backup in place. While this helps remove malware already on your site, it doesn’t address the vulnerabilities that allowed it in.

Though GoDaddy focuses on cleanup, Nexcess excels at preventing security breaches from happening in the first place, making Nexcess the clear winner in this category.

Security FeatureNexcessGoDaddy
SSL CertificatesFree SSL includedFree SSL included with some plans
DDoS Protection Advanced DDoS protectionBasic DDoS protection
Regular BackupsDaily backups includedOptional backups available
Malware ScanningIncluded in plansBasic scanning available as add-on
Firewall ProtectionBuilt-in, advanced firewallBasic firewall options
PCI CompliancePCI-compliant hosting availableLimited PCI compliance options
Two-Factor AuthenticationAvailable for accountsAvailable but may require setup

While GoDaddy offers lower pricing, Nexcess stands out with its more robust WordPress features, superior performance, and quicker support. For these reasons, Nexcess clearly wins in this comparison.

Nexcess is also featured among our top web hosting providers for 2024, whereas GoDaddy didn’t make the list. If you want to explore more options, be sure to check out our other top recommendations.

Hosting Management

AspectNexcessGoDaddy
Control Panel Custom dashboard with advanced toolscPanel and custom GoDaddy interface
Automatic Backups Daily backups included Optional, available as paid add-on
Staging Environments Included in all plansLimited or available in higher-tier plans
Auto-scalingAutomatic scaling during traffic spikesNot available or limited
Security ManagementAdvanced security features, PCI-compliantBasic security tools, paid add-ons
Developer ToolsSSH, Git, and staging tools availableLimited developer tools

Nexcess Hosting Management

Nexcess Hosting

GoDaddy Hosting Management

GoDaddy Hosting

Final Recommendations

CriteriaNexcessGoDaddy
Best For Businesses needing optimized,
high-performance hosting
Individuals and small businesses seeking
affordable, user-friendly hosting
E-commerce Sites Highly recommended for WooCommerce
and Magento
Suitable for small e-commerce
sites but less optimized
Technical Support Needs Ideal for users needing specialized
support for complex platforms
Best for users who prefer general
assistance and simpler setups
Budget ConsiderationsHigher pricing, but justified by
performance and features
More budget-friendly options available
Ease of UseUser-friendly for those familiar with
WordPress and e-commerce
Very beginner-friendly, great for non-technical users
Security FeaturesStrong security features for high-traffic sites Basic security measures, additional
features available at extra cost
Long-Term GrowthScalable options for growing businesses Suitable for small projects, may need to upgrade for growth

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Nexcess: Offers managed WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, VPS, and dedicated hosting.

    GoDaddy: Provides shared hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS, dedicated hosting, and a website builder.

Nexcess is known for high-performance hosting, optimized for e-commerce and heavy traffic.

GoDaddy offers decent performance but may not match Nexcess for resource-intensive sites.

Nexcess provides 24/7 specialized support with expertise in e-commerce platforms. GoDaddy also offers 24/7 support, but it may be less specialized for complex issues.

Nexcess typically has higher pricing due to its managed services and optimizations. GoDaddy offers more budget-friendly options, especially for basic hosting.

Both Nexcess and GoDaddy offer money-back guarantees, but the duration and conditions may vary. Nexcess typically offers a 30-day money-back policy.

GoDaddy is generally considered more beginner-friendly due to its intuitive interface and website builder. Nexcess may require some technical knowledge.

Nexcess includes advanced security features, DDoS protection, and daily backups. GoDaddy offers basic security measures, with additional features available for purchase.

Yes, both platforms support e-commerce hosting. Nexcess is more optimized for WooCommerce and Magento, while GoDaddy can host smaller e-commerce sites effectively.

GoDaddy is well-known for its domain registration services. Nexcess does not offer domain registration as part of its hosting services.

Nexcess is more suitable for scaling as it offers managed services and features like auto-scaling. GoDaddy can support growth but may require migrating to higher-tier plans as needs increase.

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