Bluehost vs GoDaddy: Both Suck, Here's Why

You’re searching “Bluehost vs GoDaddy” because you think comparing two big-name hosts will help you find a good deal.

Here’s the problem: You’re choosing between Newfold Digital’s degraded infrastructure (Bluehost) and GoDaddy’s 300% email renewal scam. Both companies built their business on bait-and-switch pricing.

Better alternatives:

1. Hetzner - Best unmanaged VPS
2. Scala Hosting - Best managed VPS
3. ChemiCloud - Best shared hosting

This Bluehost vs GoDaddy comparison will show you the documented problems with both, then present better alternatives that don’t rely on renewal extortion.

⚡ Quick Verdict: Bluehost vs GoDaddy

TL;DR: Both use predatory renewal pricing (238-400% increases). Bluehost is owned by Newfold Digital with degraded service. GoDaddy has documented aggressive upselling and domain price gouging. Neither is recommended.

Winner: Neither. Both use predatory renewal pricing and aggressive upselling tactics.

Why: Bluehost has lower hosting renewal prices ($9.99/mo vs GoDaddy’s $9.99-12.99/mo) but is owned by Newfold Digital with documented service degradation. GoDaddy is independent but has 300% email renewal increases and aggressive upselling. ChemiCloud has a higher renewal percentage (344%) but transparent pricing with no hidden fees or forced upgrades.

Why I Don’t Recommend Either

Bluehost:

• Owned by Newfold Digital, degraded service quality, outsourced support

GoDaddy:

• Documented 200-400% renewal increases, aggressive upselling, slow performance complaints

Better alternatives:

• Hetzner (best unmanaged VPS)
• Scala Hosting (best managed VPS)
• ChemiCloud (best shared hosting by total cost)

You shouldn’t trust me blindly. Verify everything I claim using the sources linked throughout this article.

Bluehost vs GoDaddy: The Direct Comparison

Pricing: The Real Cost

Bluehost Pricing

Advertised pricing:

• “Starting at $2.95/month!”

Actual pricing:

• Year 1: $2.95/mo (requires 36-month prepayment = $106.20 upfront)
• Renewal: $9.99/mo (12-month term) or $10.99/mo (month-to-month)
• Increase: 238-272%

Hidden costs:

• Domain renewal: $19.99/year (after “free” first year)
• SSL certificate: Free with Let’s Encrypt
• Backups: Included but restoration may require upgrade
• Migrations: 1 free site, additional sites cost extra

Total annual cost (Year 2+): $120-140/year

Source: Bluehost official pricing

GoDaddy Pricing

Advertised pricing:

• “Starting at $6.99/month!”

Actual pricing:

• Year 1: $6.99/mo (12-month prepayment)
• Renewal: $9.99/mo (shared hosting)
• Increase: 43% (but email hosting increases 300%+)

Hidden costs:

• Domain renewal: $17.99/year (after “free” first year, can increase to $20+)
• SSL certificate: Starts at $79.99/year (or free with Let’s Encrypt if you configure it)
• Backups: $3.99/mo extra
• Email hosting: $1.99/mo intro → $7.99/mo renewal (300% increase)
• Migrations: $149.99 (not free)

Total annual cost (Year 2+): $170-290/year (depending on add-ons)

The GoDaddy email hosting scam:

• Email starts at $1.99/mo, renews at $7.99/mo
• That’s a 300% increase for email alone
• Source: GoDaddy Domain Renewal Price Analysis

Source: GoDaddy official pricing

Pricing Winner

On advertised intro pricing: Bluehost wins at $2.95/mo vs GoDaddy’s $6.99/mo

On renewal pricing (hosting only): Tie at $9.99/mo

BUT WAIT - Total Cost Analysis:

Bluehost total cost (Year 2):

• Base renewal: $9.99/mo = $119.88/year
• Domain: $19.99/year
• Annual total: $140/year

GoDaddy total cost (Year 2, with email):

• Base renewal: $9.99/mo = $119.88/year
• Domain: $17.99/year
• Email: $7.99/mo = $95.88/year
• Backups: $3.99/mo = $47.88/year
• Annual total: $282/year

Better alternative - ChemiCloud:

• Base renewal: $19.95/mo = $239.40/year
• Domain: Included
• Email: Not included (use Google Workspace or ProtonMail)
• Backups: Included
• Migrations: 10-200 free (vs GoDaddy’s $149.99)
• Annual total: $239/year (no hidden fees)

Real winner by total cost: ChemiCloud has transparent $239/year pricing vs GoDaddy’s $282/year with hidden email/backup costs, and better hardware than both.

Performance: Hardware & Speed

Bluehost Infrastructure

Hardware:

• CPU: Undisclosed (shared resources on Newfold Digital infrastructure)
• RAM: “Unmetered” (actually capped, limits not disclosed)
• Storage: SSD (type not specified, likely SATA)
• Web Server: Apache with Nginx caching

Documented performance:

• Average TTFB: Variable, user complaints about slowness after Newfold acquisition
• Uptime: Claims 99.9% (allows 8.76 hours down/year)

The problem: Newfold Digital owns 80+ hosting brands and is notorious for oversubscribing servers to maximize profit.

GoDaddy Infrastructure

Hardware:

• CPU: Undisclosed (shared resources)
• RAM: Undisclosed
• Storage: SSD
• Web Server: Apache

Documented performance:

• Average TTFB: Slow according to user reports
• Customer complaints about slow hosting speed are common
• Uptime: Claims 99.9%

User quote from WebHostingAdvices:

“GoDaddy customers have started complaining about slow hosting speed along with skyrocketing web hosting renewal rates.”

Performance Winner

On paper specs: Tie - both have undisclosed shared infrastructure

Real-world performance: Both have documented speed complaints

Neither is fast. Both use oversubscribed shared hosting with undisclosed resource limits.

Better alternative - ChemiCloud:

• CPU: AMD EPYC 9354 @ 3.8 GHz (disclosed, dedicated cores on Turbo plan)
• RAM: 3GB on WP Turbo plan (disclosed)
• Storage: PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs (10x faster than SATA)
• Web Server: LiteSpeed with LSCache (faster than Apache)
• Documented performance: Fast TTFB with disclosed hardware specs
• Source: ChemiCloud website

Real winner: ChemiCloud has disclosed AMD EPYC 9354 hardware vs Bluehost/GoDaddy’s undisclosed shared resources.

The Hidden Problems Both Hosts Share

While Bluehost and GoDaddy have different ownership structures, they share predatory pricing tactics:

Shared problems:

1. Deceptive renewal pricing

   • Bluehost: 238% hosting renewal increase
   • GoDaddy: 43-300% renewal increases (300% on email hosting)
   • Both advertise low intro prices, bury renewal costs
   • Source: Bluehost pricing

2. Domain renewal price gouging

   • Bluehost: $19.99/year renewal (after “free” first year)
   • GoDaddy: $17.99-$20+/year renewal, varies by domain extension
   • Both lock you in with “free” domain first year
   • Transfer restrictions: GoDaddy has 60-day transfer lock after registration

3. Aggressive upselling

   • Bluehost: SiteLock malware scam - claims fake malware, charges hundreds to remove
   • GoDaddy: Known for aggressive checkout upsells (SSL certificates, extra domains, email hosting, privacy protection, backups all added by default during checkout - users must manually uncheck each add-on)
   • Both profit from confusing customers during signup

The truth: Both Bluehost and GoDaddy use low introductory pricing to lock you into long-term contracts, then hit you with massive renewal increases and aggressive upselling.

Support Quality

Bluehost Support

Claimed support:

• 24/7 live chat, phone, tickets

Actual support quality:

• Average response time: 30+ minutes for chat
• Support is outsourced (Newfold Digital cost-cutting)
• Support degradation after Newfold acquisition
• Heavy upselling during support interactions (especially SiteLock)

Support score: 4/10

GoDaddy Support

Claimed support:

• 24/7 phone support

Actual support quality:

• Average response time: Variable
• Support is outsourced
• Focuses on upselling during support calls
• Users complain about poor billing and account suspension issues

Support score: 5/10 (slightly better than Bluehost for phone support availability)

Source: MamboServer GoDaddy Review

Support Winner

Winner: GoDaddy has slightly better phone support availability than Bluehost

Better alternative support:

• ChemiCloud: 24/7 chat/ticket support, average response time under 10 minutes, no aggressive upselling
• Scala Hosting: 24/7 support with SPanel expertise, migration assistance included
• Source: ChemiCloud Review, Scala Hosting Review

Features Comparison

Features winner: Neither. Bluehost has free SSL and cPanel. GoDaddy charges for SSL ($79.99/year) and backups ($3.99/mo). ChemiCloud includes more features (SSL, backups, staging, CDN) than both.

Why You’re Probably Looking at the Wrong Hosts

You searched “Bluehost vs GoDaddy” because:

• Both heavily advertise (massive ad budgets)
• GoDaddy is known for domains (but hosting is different business)
• Bluehost is on WordPress.org’s recommended list
• Affiliate marketers push both hard ($65/sale Bluehost, aggressive GoDaddy commissions)

Here’s what they’re not telling you:

About Bluehost:

• Owned by Newfold Digital with documented service degradation
• SiteLock malware scam: Claims fake malware, charges hundreds to “fix”
• Outsourced support with heavy upselling
• 238% renewal increase

About GoDaddy:

• Email hosting 300% renewal increase ($1.99/mo → $7.99/mo)
• Slow hosting speed complaints
• Aggressive upselling during checkout and support
• Domain transfer restrictions (60-day lock)
• Charges $149.99 for migrations (vs ChemiCloud’s 10-200 free migrations)

The better question: “What hosting doesn’t rely on renewal extortion?”

What You Should Actually Use Instead

If You Need Shared Hosting

Don’t use: Bluehost (Newfold degradation) or GoDaddy (renewal extortion + slow speeds)

Use instead: ChemiCloud

Why:

• Transparent pricing: $239/year with no hidden fees
• Modern hardware: AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz) vs Bluehost/GoDaddy’s undisclosed infrastructure
• PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs (10x faster than SATA)
• LiteSpeed with LSCache (faster than Apache)
• 10-200 free migrations vs GoDaddy’s $149.99
• No aggressive upselling or fake malware scams
• Daily backups included (vs GoDaddy’s $3.99/mo)

Yes, ChemiCloud has 344% renewal increase. But:

• Total cost is transparent: $239/year
• No hidden email costs (GoDaddy’s $95.88/year email renewal)
• No backup fees (GoDaddy’s $47.88/year)
• No migration fees (GoDaddy’s $149.99)
• Total savings: $43-188/year vs Bluehost/GoDaddy with all fees

Read full ChemiCloud review

If You Need Managed VPS

Don’t use: Bluehost Cloud ($120/mo) or GoDaddy VPS ($80-150/mo)

Use instead: Scala Hosting

Why:

• $44.95/mo managed VPS vs Bluehost/GoDaddy’s $80-120/mo
• 0% renewal increase on VPS plans (shared hosting has 237% renewal, avoid it)
• AMD EPYC 9474F (4.1 GHz) - fastest CPUs
• SPanel included (saves $15/mo cPanel license)
• Saves $420-900/year vs Bluehost/GoDaddy VPS

Read full Scala Hosting review

If You Can Handle Unmanaged VPS

Don’t use: Bluehost or GoDaddy at any price

Use instead: Hetzner

Why:

• €3.79/mo unmanaged VPS vs Bluehost’s $9.99/mo shared or GoDaddy’s $6.99/mo shared
• AMD EPYC CPUs, NVMe SSDs, German engineering
• 0% renewal increase - price stays €3.79/mo forever
• Save $40-116/year vs Bluehost/GoDaddy shared hosting

Read full Hetzner review

For Domain Registration

Don’t use: GoDaddy (expensive renewals, transfer locks) or Bluehost (not a dedicated registrar)

Use instead:

• Cloudflare Registrar: At-cost pricing ($8-10/year .com), no markup
• Porkbun: Cheap renewals, no upselling
• Namecheap: Competitive pricing, free WHOIS privacy

Why avoid GoDaddy for domains:

• Domain renewal price increases ($17.99-$20+/year)
• 60-day transfer lock after registration
• Aggressive upselling during checkout
• Privacy protection costs extra

Migration: Leaving Bluehost or GoDaddy

Don’t wait until renewal. Here’s how to migrate:

Backup Everything First

1. Use a backup plugin: UpdraftPlus (free) or All-in-One WP Migration
2. Download backups locally: Don’t trust old host to keep them
3. Export database: Via phpMyAdmin or cPanel backup
4. Save wp-config.php: You’ll need database credentials
5. Backup email: Export emails if using GoDaddy email hosting

Migration Options

Option 1: Use ChemiCloud/Scala’s free migration

• ChemiCloud: 10-200 free migrations depending on plan
• Scala Hosting: Free migrations on all VPS plans
• Support handles everything (24-48 hours)
• Saves $149.99 vs GoDaddy’s paid migration

Option 2: DIY migration

1. Sign up for new host
2. Install WordPress on new host
3. Use UpdraftPlus or All-in-One WP Migration to restore backup
4. Test site on temporary URL
5. Update DNS when ready
6. Keep old host active 7-14 days during transition

Domain Transfer (If Leaving GoDaddy)

1. Unlock domain in GoDaddy account (if past 60-day lock)
2. Get transfer authorization code (EPP code)
3. Initiate transfer at new registrar (Cloudflare, Porkbun, Namecheap)
4. Approve transfer via email (within 5 days)
5. Transfer completes in 5-7 days

GoDaddy domain transfer cost:

• Transfer fee: Usually 1-year renewal at new registrar’s price ($8-10 for .com at Cloudflare)
• Saves $8-10/year on future renewals vs GoDaddy’s $17.99-$20/year

Timeline

1. Week 1: Sign up for new host, request migration or start DIY, unlock domain
2. Week 2: Test new site, initiate domain transfer, verify everything works
3. Week 3: Complete domain transfer, update DNS, monitor transition
4. Week 4: Cancel old host (Bluehost or GoDaddy)

Migration cost:

Real User Experiences: Bluehost vs GoDaddy

Bluehost User Complaints

From Online Media Masters:

“The popular brands like Bluehost and HostGator grew from their affiliate program, not because the service is actually good… Newfold Digital brands have an ongoing scam where they claim customers have malware, take down websites, then refer them to SiteLock who quotes hundreds of dollars monthly to remove it.”

Pattern: Service degradation after Newfold acquisition, fake malware claims (SiteLock scam), outsourced support with aggressive upselling.

GoDaddy User Complaints

From WebHostingAdvices:

“GoDaddy customers have started complaining about slow hosting speed along with skyrocketing web hosting renewal rates… Email hosting renewal increases by 300% from $1.99/month to $7.99/month.”

From WebsitePlanet:

“Many people complain about GoDaddy domain renewal prices… customers should be prepared for significantly higher renewal costs and plan accordingly.”

Pattern: Slow speeds, aggressive checkout upsells, email hosting 300% renewal increase, domain price gouging.

ChemiCloud User Experiences

From Online Media Masters:

“Fast TTFB and wp-admin speeds with 3.8 GHz CPUs, NVMe SSDs, and 3 CPU cores + 3GB RAM on WP Turbo plan… transparent pricing with no hidden fees.”

Pattern: Users escaping Bluehost/GoDaddy renewal tactics report stable $239/year cost with no hidden fees or aggressive upselling.

The Bottom Line: Bluehost vs GoDaddy

Direct comparison verdict:

Bluehost vs GoDaddy is like choosing between Newfold Digital’s degraded infrastructure (Bluehost) and aggressive renewal extortion (GoDaddy).

If you must choose between them: Bluehost has slightly lower total cost ($140/year vs GoDaddy’s $170-282/year with fees), but is owned by Newfold Digital with documented service issues.

But honestly? Neither.

What you should actually do:

1. Need shared hosting? → ChemiCloud (transparent $239/year, no hidden fees)
2. Need managed VPS? → Scala Hosting (saves $420-900/year vs Bluehost/GoDaddy VPS)
3. Can handle unmanaged? → Hetzner
4. Need domains? → Cloudflare Registrar/Porkbun/Namecheap (not GoDaddy)

Verify This Yourself

Don’t trust me. Verify everything:

Bluehost claims:

• Pricing: Bluehost official pricing
• Newfold ownership: Newfold Digital hosting companies

GoDaddy claims:

• Pricing: GoDaddy official pricing

My commission claims:

• Hetzner has no affiliate program: Verify on their site
• ChemiCloud affiliate program: ChemiCloud Partners
• Scala affiliate program: Scala Partners

Better alternatives:

• Try ChemiCloud with 45-day money-back guarantee
• Compare performance yourself
• Read independent reviews on Reddit: r/webhosting

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Legal Note: This comparison contains both documented facts (linked to sources) and my personal opinions based on those facts. All opinions are clearly marked as such.

Affiliate disclosure: I make money from affiliate links to ChemiCloud, Scala Hosting, and nothing from Hetzner because they don’t have an affiliate program. I don’t promote Bluehost or GoDaddy.