Hosting guide · GoDaddy

Claude CMS on GoDaddy hosting

Already host with GoDaddy? If your plan comes with cPanel, you can install Claude CMS on it in a few minutes and have Claude build and edit your site from a conversation. This guide covers which GoDaddy plans work, the steps in your GoDaddy account, and the one setting that stops installs from connecting.

Claude CMS is a PHP application with a built-in database. On GoDaddy it needs a cPanel (Linux) hosting plan, PHP 8.2 or newer, .htaccess rewrites and a valid HTTPS certificate issued for your domain. GoDaddy’s website builder and Managed WordPress plans are different products, covered below.

Get Claude CMS Or we’ll install it for you

Compatibility

Which GoDaddy plans work

GoDaddy sells several different things as “hosting”. Claude CMS installs on the ones that give you real server files and PHP. Here is where each one stands.

GoDaddy product	Claude CMS	What to know
Web Hosting (cPanel)Economy, Deluxe, Ultimate and up	Works	The usual choice: PHP, `.htaccess` support and cPanel’s File Manager are all there. Deluxe and higher plans advertise free certificates for all your sites; on Economy the free certificate can cover the first year only, so check yours is still valid before you install.
Web Hosting Plus	Works	The same cPanel with more resources. The steps below are identical.
VPS and dedicated servers	Works	You control the whole server. Run PHP 8.2 or newer on a web server that reads `.htaccess` files, such as Apache, with a certificate for your domain.
Managed WordPress	Use our WordPress connector	These plans are built to run WordPress. Keep your WordPress site and connect Claude to it with our plugin instead.
Websites + MarketingGoDaddy’s website builder	Not compatible	There are no server files to install anything into. If you want to move off it, see how Claude CMS compares with GoDaddy’s builder.
A domain registered at GoDaddy	Host it with us	Keep the domain where it is and point it at Claude CMS hosting. Only a couple of DNS records change.

Requirements

What Claude CMS needs from your GoDaddy plan

Four things. GoDaddy’s cPanel plans cover the first three; the fourth is the one worth checking before you start.

The installer runs a pre-flight check (PHP version, ZipArchive, a writable folder, outbound downloads) and tells you what is missing before it changes anything.

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PHP 8.2 or newer

Claude CMS runs on PHP 8.0 and up, but choose 8.2, 8.3 or 8.4. GoDaddy adds its paid PHP Extended Support at renewal to plans left on versions PHP.net no longer supports, which has included 8.1 since January 2026.

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The Zip extension

The installer downloads Claude CMS as one package and unpacks it in place. It checks for the extension before it starts and tells you if it is missing.

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`.htaccess` rewrites

Clean page addresses come from an .htaccess file. GoDaddy’s cPanel hosting runs on Linux and reads it.

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A certificate for your domain

Claude reaches your site over HTTPS and checks the certificate. It has to be issued for your domain, not GoDaddy’s generic one. Step one below covers it.

No database to set up. Claude CMS keeps your content in a built-in database file that the installer creates for you. If you would rather use a MySQL database from cPanel, you can choose it during setup.

Step by step

Install Claude CMS on GoDaddy

You will need the installer link we email you once your Claude CMS account is set up. Everything else happens in your GoDaddy account.

Check your domain has its own certificateIn your GoDaddy account, go to My Products, select Manage next to your Web Hosting (cPanel) plan, then cPanel Admin. In cPanel, open SSL/TLS Status. Your domain should be listed with a valid certificate. If it is not, make sure the domain is added to the hosting account and its DNS points at your hosting, then run AutoSSL from the same screen.
Set PHP to 8.2 or newerBack in your hosting account’s dashboard, open Settings, then Server, and change the PHP version to 8.2, 8.3 or 8.4. Save, and give it a minute to apply.
Create a claude folderIn cPanel, open File Manager, go to your site’s folder (public_html for your main domain) and create a folder named claude. Your existing site is not touched.
Upload the installerDownload the installer from the link in your installer email. It is a single file, claude-cms-setup.php. Upload it into the claude folder; there is nothing to unzip.
Run it in your browserVisit https://yourdomain.com/claude/claude-cms-setup.php. It downloads Claude CMS, verifies it and opens the setup wizard. Choose the built-in database unless you prefer a cPanel MySQL database.
Register the site and connect ClaudeWhen the wizard finishes, select Register & Secure. Your registration code is already filled in, and the installer removes itself once your site is registered. Then add Claude CMS to Claude by following Connecting to Claude in our Help Centre.

Your existing site keeps running. Claude CMS installs into its own folder and changes nothing else. Once it is connected, Claude can work on the rest of your site’s files whenever you ask it to.

Troubleshooting

GoDaddy snags, and how to clear them

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Claude can’t reach the site

Usually the certificate. If cPanel shows a generic GoDaddy certificate rather than one issued for your domain, Claude’s connection is refused. Fix the domain and DNS, run AutoSSL, then reconnect.

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The installer says something is missing

It checks the PHP version, the Zip extension, a writable folder and outbound downloads before it starts. Change the PHP version in GoDaddy’s dashboard, or ask GoDaddy support to enable what is missing.

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Saving changes returns “403 Forbidden”

A security filter on the server can block requests that carry page content. Ask GoDaddy support to check the security log for your site and allow requests to /claude/api.php.

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Your domain is at GoDaddy, the site isn’t

Registering a domain and hosting a site are separate. If the site lives elsewhere, or with us, you only change DNS records at GoDaddy. Here is how.

Rather not?

Skip the setup altogether

If you would rather not touch cPanel, there are two ways to hand it over.

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We install it on your GoDaddy hosting

Our Setup + Monthly plan includes installing and configuring Claude CMS on your hosting, plus routine web edits, for $12.99/month with the first month free. GoDaddy’s Delegate Access lets you invite us in without sharing your password; our hosting details form tells you who to invite.

See the plan →Hosting details form →

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We host it for you

Move the site to Claude CMS hosting: a test space and a live space, your domain connected for you and nothing to install. Your domain can stay registered at GoDaddy.

Hosting for Claude →

FAQ

Claude CMS on GoDaddy — common questions

Can I run Claude CMS on GoDaddy hosting?

Yes, on GoDaddy’s Web Hosting (cPanel) plans, Web Hosting Plus, and GoDaddy VPS or dedicated servers. It installs into its own folder next to anything already on the account. GoDaddy’s website builder has no server files to install into, and Managed WordPress plans are better served by our WordPress connector.

Which GoDaddy hosting plan do I need?

Any Web Hosting (cPanel) plan will run it, Economy included. If you plan to run several websites, choose a plan that allows more than one site, and check what each plan includes for SSL certificates.

Do I need to create a database in cPanel?

No. Claude CMS keeps your content in a built-in database file that the installer creates for you. If you would rather use MySQL, create a database in cPanel first and choose it during setup.

Will installing it affect my existing website?

No. The installer works inside the claude folder you create and leaves the rest of your site alone. Once Claude CMS is connected, Claude can work on your other files too, but only when you ask it to.

Why can’t Claude connect to my GoDaddy site?

Almost always the certificate. Claude connects over HTTPS and refuses a certificate that was not issued for your domain, such as the generic one a server shows before your own certificate is set up. In cPanel, open SSL/TLS Status, check your domain has a valid certificate, run AutoSSL if it does not, then reconnect.

Which PHP version should I use on GoDaddy?

PHP 8.2, 8.3 or 8.4. Claude CMS runs on PHP 8.0 and newer, but GoDaddy adds its paid PHP Extended Support at renewal to plans left on versions PHP.net no longer supports, which has included PHP 8.1 since January 2026.

Can you install it on my GoDaddy hosting for me?

Yes. Our Setup + Monthly plan includes installing and configuring Claude CMS on your own hosting. GoDaddy’s Delegate Access lets you give us access without sharing your password, and our hosting details form tells you who to invite.

Can I move my site off GoDaddy hosting later?

Yes. With Claude CMS hosting, Claude builds the new site in your test space while the GoDaddy site stays live, and you point your domain at it when you are ready. The domain itself can stay registered at GoDaddy.

Your GoDaddy hosting, run by Claude

Install Claude CMS on the hosting you already pay for and build your site by conversation. Plans start at $8.99/month.

Get Claude CMS → All hosting guides

Claude CMS is not affiliated with or endorsed by GoDaddy.