GoDaddy acquired ManageWP on September 6, 2016, when the hosting giant purchased the popular WordPress site management tool. This acquisition gave GoDaddy a powerful way to offer a centralized dashboard for managing multiple WordPress sites, combining hosting and site management under one roof.
GoDaddy Acquired ManageWP: Uniting Hosting and Management Tools
ManageWP was founded in 2010 and officially launched in 2012 by Vladimir Prelovac in Belgrade. It gained traction as a go‑to solution for WordPress professionals who need to manage backups, updates, staging, migrations, and site monitoring, especially when handling dozens or hundreds of sites.
By acquiring ManageWP, GoDaddy integrated a proven multi-site management tool into its portfolio. Reuters said terms remained undisclosed, but this move allowed GoDaddy to offer a “single destination for best‑in‑class WordPress management and hosting.”
Jeff King, GoDaddy’s SVP of hosting, emphasized that the platform would be offered globally to developers, designers, and site administrators. He noted that users could manage their WordPress sites “no matter where they are hosted,” maintaining ManageWP’s hosting-agnostic promise.
What GoDaddy Acquired ManageWP Brings to the Table
This acquisition offers clear advantages for both existing ManageWP users and GoDaddy customers:
- Centralized dashboard: Enables unified management of updates, backups, and migrations across multiple sites.
- Free premium features: Select ManageWP advanced tools, which are now free to GoDaddy Pro users.
- Preserved independence: ManageWP will continue as a standalone brand, respecting its user base and development philosophy.
- Deep GoDaddy integration: Seamless links with GoDaddy’s Managed WordPress and Pro services.
- Future internationalization: With the support of GoDaddy’s resources, translation efforts will accelerate.
Users responded strongly. Some worried about potential shifts in pricing or platform neutrality, while others praised the acquisition for offering stability and scale.
A Robust Platform for WordPress Professionals
WordPress site owners typically juggle updates, backups, and maintenance across hosting services. ManageWP’s Orion dashboard streamlined this by allowing centralized control, saving time, and reducing errors.
GoDaddy’s acquisition means:
- Improved reliability: Leverages GoDaddy’s infrastructure to enhance uptime and performance.
- Scalable backups and migrations: Handles larger portfolios with robust backend systems.
- Marketing and growth potential: Integrates with GoDaddy Pro to encourage usage among professional developers.
Vladimir Prelovac and the entire ManageWP team joined GoDaddy, ensuring continuity in talent and vision.
Challenges and Community Reactions
Despite overall optimism, the acquisition triggered debate. Some longtime users feared potential:
- Mandatory migration to GoDaddy hosting in the future.
- Decreased cross‑platform support is affecting facilities not hosted on GoDaddy.
- Changes in service quality, citing GoDaddy’s past with Media Temple users.
However, leaders like Prelovac reiterated GoDaddy’s commitment to independence. He stated their roadmap and pricing would remain unchanged, and the core focus would be user-driven development and support.
The Broader Context: GoDaddy’s WordPress Strategy
This move aligned with GoDaddy’s pattern of strategic acquisitions in 2016: acquiring FreedomVoice in May and then ManageWP in September. These acquisitions demonstrated GoDaddy’s commitment to expanding services beyond domains into managed WordPress hosting and professional management.
GoDaddy strengthened its offering to developers, marketers, and agencies by combining hosting and toolsets.
Toward Smarter WordPress Management
The acquisition positioned GoDaddy as a one-stop shop: domains, hosting, and advanced WordPress management. It set a precedent for bundled services and introduced premium management tools within hosting packages.
The combination allowed GoDaddy to promote streamlined workflows and sharpen its competitiveness in the crowded WordPress tools market.
What Lies Ahead for Managed WordPress Users
For professionals managing a portfolio of sites, the union of GoDaddy and ManageWP delivers:
- A unified dashboard for cross-site control.
- Access to professional-grade features.
- Ensure that a global team will support developments and updates.
GoDaddy’s leadership in managed WordPress platforms gives customers potential for better uptime, advanced feature rollouts, and proactive innovation.
A Roadmap for the Future
The alignment between GoDaddy and ManageWP hints at further integration with products like GoDaddy Pro, future feature expansion, and enhanced multilingual support. This partnership could improve workflows, cost savings, and peace of mind for agencies and freelancers.
Final Take
GoDaddy acquired ManageWP to solidify its comprehensive WordPress platform provider role, from domain registration to professional maintenance. Users can expect continuity, improved tools, and strategic enhancements with the same team and roadmap intact.
Explore the ongoing updates and coverage on WordPress-related acquisitions.