GoDaddy POS Review and Pricing in 2023

GoDaddy POS Editor’s Score: 9.2/10

Price/value	9.2/10
Features	9/10
Customizations, add-ons and integrations	9/10
Ease of use	9.7/10
Customer support	9.1/10

Why We Chose GoDaddy for E-Commerce

When we tested GoDaddy, it was abundantly clear that it dominates the e-commerce space among POS systems. Instead of simply offering POS hardware and software to be used in-store, GoDaddy offers POS platforms and features for in-person and online sales. For example, you can use GoDaddy to purchase a domain name, build a company website and online store, and accept online and in-person payments (via online, physical and virtual terminals).

GoDaddy's virtual terminal — With GoDaddy’s virtual terminal, you can transform your personal devices into credit card terminals without additional hardware.

We also like that GoDaddy provides marketing and loyalty tools to help you reach your customers by advertising your business online and in person. GoDaddy also offers essential POS features like reporting and analytics so that business owners can make informed business decisions. GoDaddy integrates with other third-party applications.

FYI

GoDaddy recommends its Smart Terminal for physical store owners and its Card Reader for on-the-go businesses. You can purchase any POS software plan with these devices, but we recommend the Commerce or Commerce Plus plan if you need e-commerce capabilities.

What We Like About GoDaddy POS

You can accept payments online and in person, as well as through pay links and a virtual terminal.
GoDaddy can track online and offline sales in one dashboard.
Payments are secured with end-to-end encryption and strict PCI compliance.
You can use the GoDaddy Payments Hub to view all your online and POS transactions, receipts, and returns in one place.

What We Don’t Like About GoDaddy POS

GoDaddy doesn’t allow third-party payment processing.
The intro rates are great, but they could go up quite a bit once you renew.

Overall Ease of Use

GoDaddy offers intuitive software that is easy to install and use, as well as a mobile app for iOS and Android users. The cloud-based platform can be used in-store, or you can make your POS mobile with the mobile app and card reader, or by using the virtual terminal with a smartphone or laptop.

We like that GoDaddy hardware can integrate with third-party accessories, so you can easily set up a system that works for you. The platform supports integrations, which is great for streamlining processes, and you can track sales and payments from one place. GoDaddy also offers online appointment booking features, which isn’t something we saw in many other POS systems.

GoDaddy sales tracking — GoDaddy tracks sales from multiple outlets (e.g., online store, social media) in one location.

Features of GoDaddy POS

GoDaddy has POS features to help you accept and manage customer purchases. However, it differs from the competition in that its plans include a wealth of other tools to help you build and run your e-commerce business.

Website and E-Commerce

GoDaddy is notorious for its website-building capabilities, and these features are integral to its POS plans as well. We like that each POS plan comes with website builder templates, custom domain connections, and a website and marketing analytics dashboard. These aren’t features found among many competitors. The Commerce and Commerce Plus plans also come with extensive online store and marketplace selling features that are far above what many competitors offer. We especially like that GoDaddy offers advanced online tools like online auto inventory and product sync and abandoned cart recovery.

Payment Processing

Although some competitors integrate with third-party payment processors, GoDaddy offers in-house payment processing through GoDaddy Payments. It is typically beneficial for users to have the option to integrate with external payment processors, but GoDaddy’s payment processing rates are highly competitive, making its in-house payment processing a desirable feature. With GoDaddy, users can process credit and debit card payments, contactless payments, and online payments. If you need to accept payments through a virtual terminal, GoDaddy offers that as well.

Did You Know?

If your business processes both in-person and online sales, you’ll likely need a payment gateway and payment processor. GoDaddy Payments satisfies these needs.

When testing GoDaddy, we noticed one unique payment feature that can be especially useful for online users: Pay Links. This allows businesses to create and send customized online payment requests to customers.

You can create GoDaddy Pay Links to request online payments.

Customer Loyalty and Marketing

GoDaddy’s customer loyalty offerings are on par with other vendors in the POS industry. For example, some GoDaddy plans include discounted and promotional features like coupons and sales badges, as well as gift cards. If you really want to reach your target audience online, GoDaddy also provides e-commerce marketing tools like business listings, social media posting and scheduling, email subscriber signup forms, and shoppable social posts.

Analytics and Reporting

GoDaddy offers analytics and reporting capabilities, which is standard for this industry. For example, you can access a website and marketing analytics dashboard. If you accept payments, you can track sales across all channels through one dashboard. The GoDaddy Payments Hub is also useful for viewing all your transactions, returns and receipts at once.

Overall Pricing

We like that GoDaddy offers multiple POS plans, and the company is upfront about what each plan costs and includes. You can choose from four plans, depending on which features you need. Here is a breakdown of GoDaddy’s software pricing:

Plan	Starting price (monthly)	Features and services
Basic	$6.99	Website building, POS and payment processing, a commerce and payments hub, design and content, and marketing
Premium	$13.99	Everything in the Basic plan, plus more comprehensive online appointment features
Commerce	$14.99	Everything in the Premium plan, plus an online store and marketplace selling
Commerce Plus	$29.99	Everything in the Commerce plan, plus more automated features

We also like that GoDaddy offers a one-year limited warranty and 30-day refund on its devices. Here is a breakdown of GoDaddy’s hardware pricing:

GoDaddy Smart Terminal – $249 per device (typically $499)
GoDaddy Card Reader (with charging dock) – $49 per device (typically $99)

Unlike some POS vendors we reviewed, GoDaddy doesn’t integrate with third-party payment processors. Instead, it processes payments in-house with GoDaddy Payments. We found its payment processing rates to be highly competitive:

Online cards – 2.3% + $0.30 per online transaction
In-person cards – 2.3% per in-person transaction
Virtual terminals – 3.3% per virtual terminal transaction

We also like that select plans include a seven-day free trial. Although some competitors we reviewed offer free trials up to 30 days, some don’t offer free trials at all, so we think GoDaddy’s trial period is sufficient.

Implementation and Onboarding

We like that companies can get started with GoDaddy rather quickly. GoDaddy POS systems come with free two-day shipping (after POS orders are approved). This speedy service means that you can be up and running in no time.

Once you have the GoDaddy POS system, you can get started right away, as there is no extra software to install. The Quick Start Guide included with your device shows the steps needed for implementation. If you have compatible accessories such as printers, cash drawers and barcode scanners that you want to connect to your GoDaddy Smart Terminal, the process is relatively easy and doesn’t require any advanced tech skills.

GoDaddy can connect to other devices — GoDaddy can connect securely to other devices.

Customer Support

GoDaddy offers a wealth of customer support on its website. You can access a searchable help center, how-to videos, an online community and blog posts. To speak with a representative directly, you can contact GoDaddy support by phone or live chat. Support is available 24/7, which is on par with the industry standard.

GoDaddy is accredited with the Better Business Bureau and received an A+ rating from the agency, which we like to see in our best picks. Not many competitors can claim this same status.

FYI

If you need help with your GoDaddy POS platform, you can reach a customer support representative 24/7 by phone or chat.

The Limitations of GoDaddy

GoDaddy’s hardware selection is limited compared to competitors. It offers the essentials you need to accept customer payments with its Smart Terminal (a dual-screen device with a built-in payment processor, barcode scanner and receipt printer) and its Card Reader, but that’s all. We like that the GoDaddy Smart Terminal includes a power adapter and docking station so that you can connect third-party hardware and accessories like wireless printers and cash drawers, but you will need to purchase these items separately. If you are searching for a top POS system with a wider variety of hardware and accessories, check out our Clover review and our Toast review.

Another potential drawback is that it processes payments in-house with GoDaddy Payments. This means you won’t have the option to outsource your payment processing to a third party. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since GoDaddy’s processing rates are highly competitive, but it is something to consider if you intend to use another payment processor. If you want the option to use a third-party processor, read our review of Lightspeed.

Methodology

We researched and analyzed dozens of POS systems to identify the top solutions on the market. We looked at pricing, contracts, hardware, platform compatibility, features, reports, payment processing, integrations, usability and customer support. We watched product videos and even got hands-on experience with demos when possible. When looking for the best POS system for e-commerce specifically, we prioritized e-commerce functions, payment processing, integrations and implementation.

FAQs

Does GoDaddy provide a payment gateway?

GoDaddy provides a built-in payment gateway called GoDaddy Payments. GoDaddy Payments can be used for its commerce tools, such as online stores, managed WordPress sites, Pay Links and virtual terminals.

What is a GoDaddy Smart Terminal?

GoDaddy offers a couple of POS hardware options, one of which is the Smart Terminal. This dual-screen device has a built-in payment processor, as well as a barcode scanner and receipt printer. It’s a one-stop-shop piece of hardware for accepting customer payments and recording sales and customer data. The Smart Terminal also comes with a power adapter and docking station that allows you to connect it to other POS accessories.

Bottom Line

We recommend GoDaddy for …

Retailers that want to sell their products both online and in-store.
Companies that want their POS system to integrate with their website.
Companies that want their POS system implemented quickly.
Merchants that want to accept mobile payments.

We do not recommend GoDaddy for …

Companies that want to use a third-party payment processor.
Restaurants looking for a wide range of hardware.

GoDaddy POS Review and Pricing

GoDaddy POS and Pricing

The Verdict