DNS Backup for GoDaddy
Why back up GoDaddy DNS
GoDaddy has no zone file export. None. You can view your records in the dashboard, one domain at a time, but there’s no download button, no bulk export, and no change history. If your account lapses or someone deletes records, that data is gone.
BackupMyDNS connects to GoDaddy with a read-only API key, captures a full zone snapshot every time a record changes, and stores the diff. Every record, every version, downloadable as a standard BIND zone file.
What permissions we need
BackupMyDNS requires a GoDaddy API key with domain read access. GoDaddy’s API keys are created in their developer portal. We use the key only to list your domains and read their DNS records. We cannot modify, create, or delete any records or domains.
The API key is stored AES-256 encrypted. You can regenerate or revoke it at any time from GoDaddy’s developer portal.
What GoDaddy’s native tooling misses
This is short, because GoDaddy’s native tooling barely exists for DNS backup:
No zone file export. GoDaddy does not offer a zone file download. Not in the dashboard, not via API in a standard format. The only way to see your records is to look at them in the web UI or pull them through the API. BackupMyDNS does this automatically and converts them to standard BIND zone file format.
No bulk export. If you manage 30 domains on GoDaddy, getting a complete record of all your DNS requires clicking into each domain individually. There is no “export all” function.
No change history. GoDaddy doesn’t track when records were changed, what the previous value was, or who made the change. If a record gets modified or deleted, the old value is gone immediately.
Account lapse risk. If your GoDaddy account lapses — credit card expires, billing issue, account dispute — zone data can be purged. Unlike a registrar lock that preserves the domain, the DNS records themselves have no guaranteed retention once the account is delinquent.
GoDaddy-specific gotchas
Service-injected records. GoDaddy automatically adds DNS records for services you’ve purchased: email forwarding, website builder, domain parking, SSL validation. These records appear in your zone but you didn’t create them. During a migration, people don’t know which records are theirs and which are GoDaddy’s. A backup with historical snapshots lets you see when each record appeared.
Domain parking records. Parked domains have A records and CNAMEs pointing to GoDaddy’s parking page. When you activate a domain, you need to know which records to keep and which are parking artifacts. Without a backup, you might preserve records that serve GoDaddy ads, or delete records that are actually needed.
Clunky bulk management. GoDaddy’s DNS dashboard is designed for managing one domain at a time. If you have dozens of domains, keeping track of what’s configured where is painful. BackupMyDNS gives you a single view across all your GoDaddy zones with full search and diff capability.
TTL limitations. GoDaddy enforces minimum TTL values and sometimes silently adjusts TTLs you set. Your backup captures the actual TTL values in effect, not what you thought you set.
Pricing
Your first domain is free with daily checks and 30 days of retention. Pro plans start at $14/mo for up to 100 zones with hourly checks and 1 year of retention. Business plans at $49/mo cover 1,000 zones with 10-minute checks and unlimited retention.
All data is AES-256 encrypted at rest. Fort Knox mode available — we email you the backup and delete it from our systems.
Get started
Connect your GoDaddy account with a read-only API key. Setup takes under two minutes.