{"id":7689,"date":"2025-11-11T15:07:28","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T23:07:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/?p=7689"},"modified":"2025-11-11T15:07:28","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T23:07:28","slug":"godaddy-website-builder-hit-with-170-million-patent-verdict-what-it-means-for-users","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/7689\/godaddy-website-builder-hit-with-170-million-patent-verdict-what-it-means-for-users\/","title":{"rendered":"GoDaddy Website Builder Hit with $170 Million Patent Verdict: What It Means for Users"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">    <picture>\n                <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-150x137.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-500x455.webp 500w, https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-610x556.webp 610w, https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-800x729.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 100vw, 70vw\">\n                <img src=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-800x729.jpg\" \n             srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-150x137.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-500x455.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-610x556.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-768x700.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict-800x729.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/godaddy-website-builder-patent-infringement-verdict.jpg 1200w\" \n             sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 100vw, 70vw\" \n             width=\"800\" \n             height=\"729\" \n             alt=\"GoDaddy website builder patent infringement verdict; uncertainty for GoDaddy websites\" \n             loading=\"lazy\" \n              \n             decoding=\"async\" \n             class=\"wp-image-7691\" >\n    <\/picture>\n    <\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Your site is safe &#8211; but some features and content may be at risk<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, a Delaware federal jury awarded <strong>$170 million<\/strong> to Express Mobile, Inc. in a patent infringement case against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/?s=godaddy\">GoDaddy<\/a>. The patents involved cover <strong>\u201cruntime engine \/ browser-based website construction\u201d<\/strong>, which directly relates to GoDaddy\u2019s Website Builder and Managed WordPress tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use GoDaddy\u2019s website builder, you may be wondering what this means for your site, your content, and your ability to control your website. Here\u2019s the breakdown &#8211; plus tips for users who want more long-term security and control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Will my GoDaddy website stop working?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No. Your website will <strong>continue to function normally<\/strong> for now. GoDaddy will not remove existing sites immediately. You can continue updating, publishing, and managing your site as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Could GoDaddy website builder features change?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes &#8211; potentially in the future. Because the patent covers <strong>key website builder drag-and-drop and live preview functions<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some <strong>editing tools or templates<\/strong> might need to be modified or removed if GoDaddy is required to redesign around the patent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Future updates<\/strong> to the Website Builder could be delayed until the appeal process is resolved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>GoDaddy Website Backup limitations and what GoDaddy users need to know<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the most important point for users in the context of the lawsuit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you use <strong>GoDaddy\u2019s proprietary Website Builder (Websites + Marketing)<\/strong>, you <strong>cannot fully back up all site elements<\/strong>. GoDaddy only lets you save <strong>sections, text, and settings<\/strong> &#8211; but <strong>images, blog posts, products, and other custom content may not be included<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This means that if GoDaddy has to remove or alter certain features due to the patent verdict, some parts of your site <strong>may not be restorable<\/strong> from a backup.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Users on <strong>Managed WordPress or cPanel hosting plans<\/strong> are in a much safer position: they can back up <strong>all files and databases<\/strong>, giving them full control to restore or migrate their site elsewhere if needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\ud83d\udca1 For users concerned about feature reliability and long-term control, platforms like <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\">UltimateWB<\/a><\/strong> provide <strong>full server control and complete site backups<\/strong>, so you won\u2019t be affected by third-party patent disputes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Will this affect GoDaddy website builder\/hosting pricing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Possibly. Large patent fines or settlements sometimes influence subscription costs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>New plans could see <strong>price adjustments<\/strong> in the future.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Current subscriptions should be safe for the duration of the billing period, but keep an eye on official GoDaddy communications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What you should do as a GoDaddy user<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Backup what you can manually<\/strong> &#8211; download any images, blog posts, or product data that might not be fully backed up by GoDaddy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monitor GoDaddy updates<\/strong> &#8211; watch emails, blog posts, or release notes for any changes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consider alternatives for full control<\/strong> &#8211; if your website is on the GoDaddy website builder you might want to migrate your website out to gain more stability. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\">UltimateWB<\/a><\/strong> allows complete control over your site, features, and backups, eliminating dependency on third-party platform changes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bottom line<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The patent verdict is a big deal for GoDaddy, but your <strong>current website continues to work<\/strong>. The main risk is for users of GoDaddy\u2019s proprietary Website Builder: <strong>some features or content may be altered, and not everything can be backed up fully<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For those looking for <strong>full control and peace of mind<\/strong>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\">UltimateWB<\/a> provides a self-hosted environment where you manage all aspects of your website without relying on third-party platforms that could be affected by legal disputes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/6960\/why-so-many-businesses-are-switching-from-hosted-platforms-to-self-hosted-builders\/\">Why So Many Businesses Are Switching from Hosted Platforms to Self-Hosted Builders<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Got a techy\/website question? Whether it\u2019s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/ask-david\">\u201cAsk David!\u201d form<\/a>. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB \u201cAsk David!\u201d section.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your site is safe &#8211; but some features and content may be at risk Recently, a Delaware federal jury awarded $170 million to Express Mobile, Inc. in a patent infringement case against GoDaddy. The patents involved cover \u201cruntime engine \/ &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/7689\/godaddy-website-builder-hit-with-170-million-patent-verdict-what-it-means-for-users\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[94,621],"tags":[5929,349,5926,5930,5928,5927,1078,77,885],"class_list":["post-7689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-website-builder-software-comparison","category-technology-in-the-news","tag-drag-and-drop-editor","tag-godaddy","tag-patent-verdict","tag-self-hosted","tag-site-backup","tag-site-management","tag-web-development","tag-website-builder","tag-website-updates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7689"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7689"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7689\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7692,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7689\/revisions\/7692"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7689"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7689"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatewb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}