GoDaddy Help

What is a website backup?

This video and the information below it explain the importance of backing up your website and options for doing so.


A website backup is a snapshot of all your website's important components. Website backups should include all of the following elements of your website:

  • Website code files
  • Any website databases
  • Images
  • Any add-ons, plugins, or themes used by your website

Making backups of your website is an important part of regular site maintenance. You don't want to be left without a backup of your site should something happen - such as a security compromise, or if your billing accidentally lapses long enough to cancel your account. By keeping regular backups, you ensure that you have a way to bring your website back without having to rebuild it from scratch.

Making Backups

There are several ways you can create a backup of your website.

Backup OptionWhen to use this option?
Use your hosting platform's built-in backup systemThis is an one-click option to make a backup of your hosting account (Linux Hosting with cPanel / Windows Hosting with Plesk / Managed WordPress). This is the most useful if you do not plan to change platforms (i.e. cPanel backups can only be restored to Linux Hosting with cPanel, Plesk backups to Windows Hosting with Plesk, etc.)
Use the GoDaddy paid website backup serviceThe best option if you simply want your site to always be backed up on time, without having to worry about creating backups yourself.
Manually create a backup of your site (files and database)You can manually back up your site's files with FTP and database in phpMyAdmin. This is a more advanced option and it's useful if you need to upload this backup to a different type of hosting account. If your site doesn't have a database, back up files only.

More info