The Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model seems not to easily capture the nonlinear patterns exhibited by the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in terms of daily confirmed cases. As a result, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Error, Trend, and Seasonality (ETS) modeling have been successfully applied to resolve problems with nonlinear estimation. Our research suggests that it would be ideal to use a single model of ETS or ARIMA for COVID-19 time series forecasting rather than a complicated Hybrid model that combines several models. We compare the forecasting performance of these models using real, worldwide, daily COVID-19 data for the period between January 22, 2020 till June 19, and June 20 till January 2, 2021 which marks two stages, each stage indicating the first and the second wave respectively. We discuss various forecasting approaches and the criteria for choosing the best forecasting technique. The best forecasting model selected was compared using the forecasting assessment criterion known as Mean Absolute Error (MAE).