GoDaddy vs IONOS: which is better for UK websites?
Short answer
IONOS wins on our overall score
GoDaddy5.1/10
vs
IONOS6.2/10
IONOS scores 6.2/10 against 5.1 for GoDaddy, mainly on renewal price (inc vat) and support.
Choose GoDaddy for quick single sites or users already using godaddy domains. Choose IONOS for budget buyers or storage-heavy sites.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission, which never changes a score. Disclosure
Side by side (entry plans)
| Item | GoDaddy | IONOS |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Economy | Standard |
| Intro price /mo | £4.79£3.99/mo VAT basis not stated | £3.60£3/mo for 6mo ex VAT |
| Renewal /mo | £10.79£8.99/mo | £7.20£6/mo |
| Term | 12 months (first term) | Monthly after promo |
| Year 1 cost | £57 | £65 |
| 3-year cost | £316 | £238 |
| Storage | 25 GB NVMe | 100 GB NVMe |
| Sites | 1 | Unlimited |
| 1 | 1 | |
| UK data centre | No UK data centre verified | No UK data centre verified |
| 24/7 live chat | Yes | Yes |
| Phone support | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Free SSL | Yes | Yes |
| Email included | Yes | Yes |
| Daily backups | Yes | Yes |
| 1-click installer | Yes | Yes |
| Staging | Not stated | Not stated |
| Free domain | Yes | Yes |
| Trustpilot | 4.4 | 4.7 |
Prices verified 2026-11-01 (GoDaddy) and 2026-11-01 (IONOS). Highlighted = cheaper. "Not stated" means the pages we checked don't say.
Score breakdown
| Component (weight) | GoDaddy | IONOS |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal price (inc VAT) (25%) | 3.7 | 5.5 |
| Intro price (inc VAT) (10%) | 2.5 | 3.3 |
| Trustpilot (15%) | 7.0 | 8.5 |
| Support (15%) | 8.0 | 10.0 |
| Guide features (20%) | 8.3 | 8.3 |
| UK data centre (15%) | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Total | 5.1 | 6.2 |
Same overall score as our homepage and reviews, calculated across all hosts we track. How it works.
GoDaddy
Big-name registrar with 24/7 phone support; best if your domains are already there
- 24/7 phone and chat support
- Free domain listed with hosting
- Daily backups and free SSL
- Well-known brand for domains
- Renewal more than double the intro price
- UK data centre not stated
- VAT basis not stated on the hosting page
IONOS
Rock-bottom entry prices with big storage allowances
- Very cheap first year (Plus £1/mo for 12 months)
- Huge NVMe storage allowances
- 24/7 phone, chat and email support
- Free domain and SSL
- Renewal jump after promo
- UK data centre for shared hosting not stated
- Few mailboxes on lower plans
Frequently asked questions
Is IONOS better than GoDaddy?
On our overall score, IONOS scores 6.2/10 and GoDaddy scores 5.1/10. The score weights renewal price, intro price (both inc VAT), Trustpilot, support, features and UK data centre; the breakdown table on this page shows where each one wins.
Which is cheaper, GoDaddy or IONOS?
On entry plans including VAT: GoDaddy Economy costs about £57 in year one and £316 over three years; IONOS Standard costs about £65 and £238. That includes the switch to renewal pricing after any promotion.
Do GoDaddy and IONOS have UK data centres?
GoDaddy: not verified (Data centres in North America and Europe; UK not stated). IONOS: not verified (Shared hosting data centre location in UK not stated (existing record)).
Can I switch from GoDaddy to IONOS later?
Yes. You can move a site between hosts at any time; the main costs are your time and any unused prepaid term. See our guide to moving host for a step-by-step checklist.