Before we discuss the specific features of WordPress vs. GoDaddy, it’s important to understand the different services you will need for your website and the services they each provide.
When you create a website, there are several components you need. You need a domain name, a website host and a platform to build that website. For website builders, you can either build it yourself (which may require knowledge of coding and a lot of time and patience) or you can use a website builder that is specifically designed to be easy to use with templates and drag-and-drop features.
Part of what makes GoDaddy so easy to use is that you can log on to the website, purchase a domain name and hosting and also build a website with the provided templates. GoDaddy offers all of these services as a one-stop shop.
WordPress.org is a free, open-source CMS that you can use to build a website. The platform is free to use, but you’ll still need to purchase a domain name and website hosting elsewhere (on GoDaddy, for example) and then integrate your website with your website host.
WordPress does offer website hosting for free, but it will generate the domain name for you and it will be a subdomain of WordPress (for example, www.wordpress.com/yourbuisnessname). As a business, it’s safe to say you’ll want a custom domain name (www.yourbuisnessname.com) and a website host, which you will need to purchase. Domain names can generally cost around $100 per year, charged by a web hosting company such as GoDaddy.
If you decide to use a website builder because it’s easier, you’ll need to pay a monthly fee. GoDaddy charges $9.99 per month (Basic plan) to use the website builder.
Additionally, while WordPress.org is free to use, the learning curve is steeper. Building a website with WordPress is not as easy or fast as using a website builder such as the one GoDaddy or other companies like Squarespace or Wix offer. However, there are two main benefits to building a website with WordPress: you will have many more customization options and, once the website is built, you will not have to pay a monthly subscription fee to keep it running.