NameCheap Review (2024)
TL;DR: What We Think of NameCheap
While NameCheap hosting plans may not boast the top-tier features, they deliver sufficient functionality at very competitive pricing. Overall – not flashy, but solid. Budget-savvy webmasters, this one’s for you.
Suitable for:
Beginners-friendly, or Budget Hosting
Our Evaluation: NameCheap Pros and Cons
NameCheap Pros
- Budget-friendly shared hosting plans
- Excellent domain name prices with free lifetime privacy protection
- Free site migration
- Perl, Ruby, and Python support in shared hosting plan
NameCheap Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Limited VPS plans
- Only US and UK-based servers
- Pay extra to choose UK-data center
Our Detail Findings & Experience with NameCheap
About NameCheap: Quick Introduction
Established in 2000 by Richard Kirkendall, Namecheap embarked on a mission to revolutionize the domain industry by offering unparalleled low prices and service excellence.
Evolving beyond domain registration, Namecheap now provides a comprehensive suite of online solutions including hosting, security, and managed WordPress services. Today, as the world’s second-largest domain registrar, Namecheap remains dedicated to fostering accessibility and affordability on the internet while prioritizing customer satisfaction above all else.
| Performance |
Is NameCheap fast in terms of hosting speed and performance?NameCheap supports CDN and Litespeed server in their lowest shared plan. Built-in caching mechanism is available in the more expensive plans. The company publishes their server and network service status publicly, click here to visit. |
| Security |
Are websites hosted on NameCheap secure with server-side security?Yes, websites hosted at NameCheap are safe. NameCheap prioritizes security with features such as auto malware scan, advanced web application firewall (WAF), DDoS protection, free SSL certificates, daily backup, . These measures protect your data and ensure your site is secure from common cyber threats. |
| Supports |
What types of customer support does NameCheap offer?Help at NameCheap is avaliable via phone, live chat, and email. |
| Value for Money |
Is NameCheap worth its pricing in term of value?NameCheap is very cheap when weighed against its feature offerings and long-term cost. At $1.48 per month (renews at $4.48/mo), basic shared hosting allows you to host 3 websites with 24/7 customer support, a free domain name, daily backup, and 30-days money back guarantee. Higher plans with better features like VPS starts at $6.88/mo, cloud hosting at $/mo and dedicated hosting at $59.57/mo. |
| Overall Users Satisfaction |
What do users say about NameCheap?Overall, user feedback with Namecheap appears to be positive. Customers appreciate the excellent support and cheap services provided by the company. However, some NameCheap users have encountered choppy waters. In particular, some users are unhappy with Namecheap’s built-in website builder tool, the need for separate payments for different services, and navigating the complexities of refunds. These aspects are crucial vital points to consider when choosing your hosting plans at NameCheap. For additional insights, please refer to the user reviews section below. |
| Beginners Friendliness |
Is NameCheap suitable for beginners?Because of the cheap startup plans and freebies that come with Namecheap hosting, many new users may find this a strongly viable option. For less than $2 to kick off with, you get access to a very basic plan plus domain name, privacy protection, and SSL certificate. The very reasonable amount of resources offered on these plans make them viable for long-term costing as well. |
| Small Business Friendliness |
Is NameCheap suitable for small businesses?The biggest issue that small business operators will likely face with Namecheap is in reliability. Although not horribly bad, Namecheap isn’t exactly the most outstanding when it comes to uptime and this might impact brand image for small businesses. There is a free website builder that can be used for rapid site development, but it isn’t exactly the best in the market. |
| Web Developers Friendliness |
Is NameCheap suitable for web developers?Thanks to the extra support added for developer tools, Namecheap can be a, pardon the pun, cheap platform to do some testing on. It isn’t easy to find a host that has shared web hosting plans that developers can use to run specialized-language scripts. Although from what I seem the field is widening and more choices are becoming available, for the time being, one of them is Namecheap. |
| Host Own Email |
Can you host custom email accounts with NameCheap?Yes, you can host your own email accounts with NameCheap. This significantly reduces your costs by eliminating the need for expensive third-party email services. |
| Onboarding |
Is NameCheap easy for new customers to start with?Most Namecheap services are instantaneously available upon payment. Once you’ve made your selections, payment can be made using credit/debit cards, PayPal or Bitcoin. In fact, Namecheap was among the earlier adopters of Bitcoin web hosting. Making payment will trigger their system to send you your account details. This will contain all the information you need to get started with them. |
| Free Trial |
Is NameCheap available for a free trial?Yes, NameCheap offers a 30-day free trial period. If you are not satisfied with their services for any reason, you can cancel within this period and receive a full refund. |
NameCheap Plans & Pricing
NameCheap provides a range of web hosting solutions, including Shared, VPS, Dedicated, and Reseller hosting plans. The company also offers specialty hosting services such as Managed WordPress, Email, and Minecraft hosting.
Consider Renewal Prices When Choosing
When evaluating hosting options, it is important to note that many hosting companies offer substantial discounts during the initial signup period, but prices often increase significantly upon renewal. Be sure to research and compare the renewal prices and not just the introductory rates to understand the true cost of hosting over time.
To help you in making an informed decision, we have prepared two tables below that compare the initial signup costs and renewal costs of NameCheap services with several other providers we monitor.
Compare NameCheap’s Signup Cost Against Competitors
| Web Host | Shared | VPS | Dedicated | Cloud | Managed WP | Windows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NameCheap | $1.48 – 4.98/mo | $6.88 – 24.88/mo | $59.57 – 238.88/mo | $ – /mo | $2.91 – 5.74/mo | $ – /mo |
| Cloudways | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $11.00 – 1056.00/mo | $14.00 – 487.00/mo | $ – /mo |
| Webempresa | $2.97 – 8.97/mo | $ – /mo | $359.4 – 659.4/mo | $47.4 – 71.4/mo | $2.97 – 8.97/mo | $ – /mo |
| Hostgator | $3.75 – 6.25/mo | $34.99 – 93.99/mo | $89.98 – 139.99/mo | $4.50 – 13.95/mo | $4.50 – 13.95/mo | $4.76 – 14.36/mo |
| HostPapa | $2.95 – 12.95/mo | $19.99 – 249.99/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $19.95 – 114.95/mo | $ – /mo |
| A2 Hosting | $2.99 – 14.99/mo | $2.99 – 99.99/mo | $109.99 – 529.99/mo | $ – /mo | $11.99 – 41.99/mo | $ – /mo |
Compare NameCheap’s Renewal Cost Against Competitors
| Web Host | Shared | VPS | Dedicated | Cloud | Managed WP | Windows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NameCheap | $4.48 – 9.48/mo | $9.88 – 28.88/mo | $67.88 – 259.88/mo | $ – /mo | $6.88 – 19.88/mo | $ – /mo |
| Cloudways | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $11.00 – 1056.00/mo | $14.00 – 487.00/mo | $ – /mo |
| Webempresa | $118.8 – 358.8/mo | $ – /mo | $718.8 – 1318.8/mo | $94.8 – 142.8/mo | $118.8 – 358.8/mo | $ – /mo |
| Hostgator | $9.99 – 19.99/mo | $79.95 – 149.95/mo | $179.99 – 279.00/mo | $8.95 – 17.95/mo | $8.95 – 17.95/mo | $12.99 – 21.99/mo |
| HostPapa | $12.95 – 34.99/mo | $19.99 – 249.99/mo | $ – /mo | $ – /mo | $19.95 – 114.95/mo | $ – /mo |
| A2 Hosting | $12.99 – 29.99/mo | $8.99 – 239.99/mo | $199.99 – 749.99/mo | $ – /mo | $25.99 – 61.99/mo | $ – /mo |
Caution: Prices May Vary Web hosting prices can change frequently. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information, please visit the official NameCheap website.
Is NameCheap the Right Choice for You?
NameCheap stands as a beacon for those who seek the sweet spot between affordability and essential hosting functionalities. With shared hosting plans that won’t bleed your wallet dry, tempting domain name deals, and advanced hosting security features – NameCheap a haven for budget-conscious beginners and solo bloggers.
Despite the narrower selection of VPS plans and limited server locales, NameCheap’s value proposition is a compelling choice for those just starting out or looking to establish a personal or small-scale web presence.
Summary of NameCheap Pros and Cons
NameCheap Pros
- Budget-friendly shared hosting plans
- Excellent domain name prices with free lifetime privacy protection
- Free site migration
- Perl, Ruby, and Python support in shared hosting plan
NameCheap Cons
- Price increase during the renewal
- Limited VPS plans
- Only US and UK-based servers
- Pay extra to choose UK-data center
NameCheap Alternatives to Consider
In case NameCheap is not right for you, below are some alternatives to consider. You can also find more options in our hosting reviews page (full list).