Wix vs. GoDaddy Website Builder: Which One to Choose in 2023

Technology has made it easy for non-developers and designers to create and launch websites without writing a single line of code. 

Wix and GoDaddy are some of the biggest names in no-code website building. The two platforms have AI design wizards and templates you can customize to launch professional websites. 

Even though both Wix and GoDaddy offer almost similar solutions, they also have some differences. This Wix vs. GoDaddy comparison will explore the similarities and differences between these web builders to help you make an informed decision. 

An Introduction to Wix

Wix is a platform that allows non-coders to create websites. This all-in-one software has drag-and-drop features that you can use to launch and customize different features for your website. 

As a user, you can use the ready-made templates on the platform or create custom ones. Wix also has built-in features such as contact forms, a blog, and an online store that you can use based on your needs. 

You can follow these steps to set up your first Wix site;

• Create an account on Wix

• Select if you are creating the website for yourself or other people

• Select the type of website you want to create (I have chosen “Blog” for demonstration purposes)

• Choose a name for your business

• Mention the goals of your website

• Select add-ons for your website

• Go to your dashboard

You are now ready to customize your website. Wix has free and paid plans. The free plan gives you a domain with a Wix extension. You can upgrade to paid plans to fully own the domain name and create a professional website. 

Wix claims that it serves over 200 million users worldwide. These are some of the reasons why this platform is loved by many;

• You can easily navigate around this platform through its drag-and-drop editing feature. 
• Over 900 templates to choose from.
• You can easily customize the templates on this platform to suit your needs. 
• A variety of content blocks and variations that you can pick and customize.
• Presence of an SEO toolkit you can use to optimize your site for search engines. 
• Presence of a third-party app marketplace to improve the functionality of your website. 

GoDaddy Website Builder: An Introduction

GoDaddy is mostly known in the domain registration and web hosting spaces. However, the platform also features the GoDaddy Website Builder, which you can use to build and launch mobile-friendly websites for free. 

Ideally, GoDaddy Website Builder works as follows;

Pick your niche: It can be an e-commerce platform, a salon, a personal blog, or anything that suits your needs. 

Choose the name of your brand: After entering your brand name, you will be taken several other steps before you can pick a template.

Give more information about your business: The website builder needs to know if you are just starting or you are established. 

Create your website: The wizard will give you two options: launch a ‘packing’ page or create a fully functional website.

Publish the website: This is the final step. However, you can always come back and customize the website. 

These are the benefits of using GoDaddy Website Builder;

• Variety of templates to choose from.
• You are assured of security as GoDaddy uses secure hosting to protect you from hackers.
• It is easy to use this website builder, irrespective of whether you are a developer or a beginner. 
• This website produces websites that are mobile-friendly. 
• GoDaddy is trusted for its reliability, and you are guaranteed 99% uptime. 

Wix vs. GoDaddy: Quick Comparison

GoDaddy vs. Wix: Features Comparison

Wix and GoDaddy differ on several fronts. The following are some of the key areas that make each tool unique.

#1. The Art of Designing Websites

Both GoDaddy and Wix use artificial design intelligence (ADI) tools to determine the nature of the website that you want to create. The interface will ask you several questions about your site, the business you want to launch, and your target customers to determine your needs. 

However, you don’t have to depend entirely on artificial intelligence to design a website. Both Wix and GoDaddy Website Builder allow you to pick and customize a template. 

GoDaddy

GoDaddy has various design templates catering to almost all types of businesses and niches.

You can play around with the drag-and-drop editor to place your elements and create your web pages.

Wix

Wix has over 800 templates. Once you have picked a template, you can customize it using the drag-and-drop editor.

You can start with a blank template or select one from the available ones and customize it.

The winner

Wix wins on the design templates as it has more templates. The structured-grid editor on GoDaddy limits customization levels. However, it is a perfect option for those who are not skilled designers. GoDaddy’s drag-and-drop editor limits where you can place different elements on your webpage. 

#2. Pricing

Both Wix and GoDaddy offer a free trial, where you can enjoy premium features without paying anything. However, their charges are not the same. 

Wix

With Wix, you can launch a free website with a .wix extension on the free forever plan. You can also opt-in for different paid plans categorized into ‘Website Plans’, ‘Business & eCommerce Plans, ’ and ‘Enterprise Plans’. Business paid plans that accept online payments start from $17/month. 

GoDaddy

GoDaddy offers various paid plans categorized into ‘Basic’, ‘Standard’, ‘Premium’, and ‘eCommerce’. You can enjoy a 7-day free trial on any of these plans. Paid plans on GoDaddy Website Builder start from $11.99/month.

GoDaddy wins on the pricing feature as its prices are more competitive than Wix premium plans. 

#3. Documentation

As mentioned, GoDaddy was originally a web hosting company that added a website builder to its services. The platform has guides that will take you through website creation, managing, and marketing a site.

Wix was created as a website builder. The platform features comprehensive and clear documentation. This section has elaborate examples and videos to ensure nothing is uncovered. 

Even though GoDaddy Website Builder has everything you need to set up a website, its documentation is less elaborate than Wix’s. 

#4. Customer support

Both Wix and GoDaddy have awesome customer support channels.

Wix

On Wix, before you even think of contacting support, the platform has guides that take you through the basics. You can try phone or email support if you need personalized attention on Wix. 

GoDaddy

GoDaddy has set up tutorials to help you design your site in minutes. There is an ever-present chat helper that can help you get unstuck. You can also contact support by phone.

Both platforms offer 24/7 support. Thus, you are assured that someone will always help you when in need. 

#5. Apps & Plugins

Wix and GoDaddy have different apps that you can add to your application.

Wix

Its marketplace has 300+ apps. The Wix team creates some of these apps, while others are from 3rd parties. Some of these apps are free, while others are paid.

The choice of the apps will vary depending on the nature of the website that you own. Wix Blog is an example of a built-in app. On the other hand, Google Adsense is a third-party app. 

GoDaddy

You can connect different apps to your website through the GoDaddy Website Builder Integrations.

Some of these apps are free, while others are paid. 

Winner

Wix has a bigger marketplace with more integrations.

#6. E-commerce features

• Payment options: You can pay for goods using PayPal, Apple Pay, and credit cards on GoDaddy. On the other hand, Wix currently accepts PayPal, Stripe, and Square as payment options.
• Shipping: GoDaddy makes it easy to ship all over the world. On the other hand, Wix requires additional apps for shipping.

#7. Search Engine Optimization

You want to reach a big audience when you publish a website online. SEO is one of the approaches to ensure you get organic traffic. Wix and GoDaddy have SEO features to help you rank better on search engines.

Wix allows you to optimize your website for search engines in its paid plans. You can optimize header code, URL slugs, descriptions, and meta titles. You can also integrate your Wix site with tools such as Semrush. 

GoDaddy SEO tools allow you to search for keywords, optimize your homepage, images, and site pages, and get found locally. The platform has a comprehensive guide and videos to avoid getting stuck. 

FAQs: Wix vs. GoDaddy

Author’s note 

Wix and GoDaddy are amazing platforms for creating and launching websites without writing code. However, from my analysis, there are some scenarios where you can use Wix over GoDaddy and vice versa;

When to use Wix

• You want to customize your website: Wix offers high levels of customization. You can also add custom code through code snippets and custom code blocks. 
• You want to integrate third-party apps: The platform has a store with third-party apps such as emailing, booking, and security. 
• A website with lots of content: You can have up to 100 static pages on Wix. The same platform does not limit the number of blog posts you can publish. 

When to use GoDaddy Website Builder

• You need to build a website fast: GoDaddy’s AI tool helps you launch your website in minutes.
• You are looking for a cheap option: GoDaddy is cheap, and you can channel the saved funds to other things such as marketing and SEO. 
• A website where users can book appointments: If you serve an international market, appointment booking ensures you get all the leads. 

Apart from the high price, Wix wins over GoDaddy on most features. 

Conclusion 

Wix and GoDaddy are just among the many website builders in the market today, and we hope you can now know which to use on your next website. The two are perfect options for beginners looking to launch functional websites. 

If you want more control over your website, explore a content management system such as WordPress. You may also explore Wix Vs. WordPress.