A review of Namecheap, one of the best companies for domain registration and a leading web hosting provider. Namecheap offers domain name purchases at discounted prices and website hosting at a lower cost than other hosting companies. But does the quality of its hosting services match its domain registration services? What are the advantages, disadvantages, and pricing of Namecheap hosting?
About Namecheap
Namecheap is a well-known web hosting company and one of the oldest domain registration and hosting providers on the internet. Founded in 2000, Namecheap is best known for its affordable pricing. You can purchase a domain name for your website or online store starting at just $5, whether it’s a .com, .net, .org, or .info. But Namecheap doesn’t stop at domains; it also offers a variety of hosting plans, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, WordPress hosting, and dedicated servers.
Thanks to its excellent services, Namecheap has become one of the top web hosting companies worldwide. It ranks second among the largest domain registration and hosting providers, just behind GoDaddy, and currently manages over 10 million domain names. The company's popularity stems from its affordability, making it an excellent choice for beginners who have limited budgets for domain registration and hosting.
What sets Namecheap apart in domain and hosting services is its high-speed performance, continuous customer support, and discounted pricing. Additionally, it offers several free features, such as a basic SSL certificate, SSD storage, and unlimited bandwidth. Namecheap's shared hosting plans start at just $1.98 per month, making it an attractive option for cost-conscious users.
Is Namecheap Hosting Affordable?
Yes, Namecheap is one of the cheapest web hosting providers, and this affordability is its main strength, allowing it to compete with major hosting companies like Hostinger, Bluehost, and GoDaddy. Namecheap offers several budget-friendly plans, starting at just $1.98 per month.
However, while Namecheap's hosting is fast, affordable, and reliable, it is best suited for small websites, startups, and new online stores. If you are planning to host a large business website or a high-traffic site, Namecheap’s hosting may not be the best option, as its lower-tier plans are optimized for beginners rather than large-scale operations.
Previously, on our website, we reviewed Hostinger’s hosting plans and key features. You can check out that comparison to help you choose the best option for your needs.
Types of Namecheap Hosting Plans
Namecheap offers various hosting types, with the most popular being Shared Hosting. This type of hosting includes three different plans, each varying in features and price. All shared hosting plans come with fast and secure performance, a free SSL certificate, and a free domain name. Here’s a breakdown of the pricing and features:
1. Stellar Plan (Best for Beginners)
- Allows hosting up to 3 websites
- Includes a free website builder
- Automatic backups twice a week
- 20 GB SSD storage for fast performance
- Price: $1.98 per month
- One of the cheapest hosting plans available compared to other providers
2. Stellar Plus Plan (Best Value)
- Unlimited websites
- Unlimited SSD storage
- Unlimited email accounts
- Free automatic backups
- Price: $2.98 per month
3. Stellar Business Plan (Best for Small Businesses)
- Cloud hosting with 50 GB SSD storage
- Unlimited websites and email accounts
- Free automatic backups
- Free domain and website builder
- Price: $4.98 per month
Each of these plans provides affordable and feature-rich hosting solutions, but the Stellar Business plan is the most powerful, making it ideal for small businesses or websites that need higher performance.
Additional Features of Namecheap Shared Hosting
Namecheap’s shared hosting plans come with many valuable features across all tiers, ensuring security, speed, and flexibility. Here are some key benefits:
✅ Free SSL Certificates – Enhances website security and trust.
✅ Unlimited Domain Names – No restrictions on the number of domains you can host.
✅ Ultra-Fast CDN (Content Delivery Network) for Free – Improves website loading speed globally.
✅ Free Website Migration – Transfer your site from another host within 24 hours at no extra cost.
✅ Reliable Performance & Security – Ensures smooth website operation with built-in security features.
These benefits make Namecheap an excellent choice for those looking for affordable yet feature-rich web hosting.
Namecheap WordPress Hosting Plans
Namecheap offers three different WordPress hosting plans, branded as EasyWP, claiming to be the fastest WordPress hosting available. According to the company, its hosting outperforms competitors like GoDaddy and Bluehost in terms of loading speeds.
1. EasyWP Starter Plan (Best for Beginners)
- 10 GB SSD storage
- Supports up to 50,000 monthly visitors
- Free SSL certificate for security
- Free CDN for faster global performance
- Price: $0.98 per month (first year), renews at $48.88/year
2. EasyWP Turbo Plan (Best for Growing Websites)
- 50 GB SSD storage
- Handles up to 200,000 monthly visitors
- 1.5x more CPU power and RAM
- Free SSL and CDN included
- Price: $1.98 per month (first year), renews at $94.88/year
3. EasyWP Supersonic Plan (Best for High-Traffic Websites)
- 100 GB SSD storage
- Supports up to 500,000 monthly visitors
- More advanced performance optimizations
- Free SSL and CDN included
- Price: $2.98 per month (first year), renews at $114.88/year
With 3x faster speeds than traditional shared hosting, EasyWP plans provide an optimized WordPress experience. Additionally, an intuitive control panel makes it easy to manage websites, and 24/7 live support ensures a smooth hosting experience.
Key Features & Benefits of Namecheap Hosting
1. Affordable Pricing
Namecheap is one of the cheapest hosting providers, with plans starting at just $1.98/month. Despite the low price, the service maintains decent performance and reliability compared to competitors.
2. 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
You can try Namecheap risk-free with its 30-day refund policy. If you're not satisfied, you can cancel and get your money back.
3. Free cPanel Control Panel
All Namecheap hosting plans come with cPanel, a user-friendly control panel for managing websites, email, databases, and backups. cPanel supports Arabic and is widely preferred for its simplicity and efficiency.
4. Choice of Data Center Locations
Unlike many competitors, Namecheap allows you to choose your hosting server location in the USA, UK, or the Netherlands. Hosting in Europe costs an extra $1 per month, but it can improve performance for European visitors.
5. Free Domain Name & WhoisGuard Protection
All hosting plans include a free domain, plus one year of free WhoisGuard to protect your personal information from public exposure.
6. Free Automated Backups
- Stellar Plan: Free backups twice per week
- Stellar Plus & Stellar Business: Daily, weekly, and monthly backups
- Having multiple backup options ensures data safety and quick restoration if needed.
7. Free SSD Storage & SSL Certificate
- SSD storage improves website speed and performance compared to traditional HDDs.
- SSL certificates encrypt data, making websites more secure and improving SEO rankings.
Final Thoughts: Is Namecheap Hosting Worth It?
Namecheap is an excellent budget-friendly hosting provider, especially for beginners and small websites. While it may not be the best for large-scale businesses, it delivers solid performance, free features, and excellent value for money.
If you’re considering Namecheap, we have an exclusive discount for our visitors—offering great savings on hosting plans and a free domain!
Disadvantages of Namecheap Hosting
After discussing the advantages of Namecheap hosting, it's also important to highlight its disadvantages to provide a complete Namecheap review.
1. Issues with Customer Support
Although Namecheap offers 24/7 customer support, some users face challenges when resolving complex issues. The support team mainly communicates in English, and there may be delays in responses, especially when using live chat or email support.
Additionally, Namecheap's support team is more knowledgeable about domains than hosting-related technical issues, which can limit the effectiveness of their assistance for web hosting customers.
2. Higher Renewal Prices
When renewing your hosting or domain services, you’ll notice that the renewal price is higher than the initial purchase price. Namecheap applies discounts only for the first year, and once this period ends, the price returns to its regular rate.
This pricing strategy is common in the hosting industry, encouraging users to try the service at a lower cost before committing to the standard price. However, customers should consider long-term costs before making a decision.
Despite the renewal increase, Namecheap’s prices remain competitive compared to other hosting providers.
3. Uptime is Not Perfect
While Namecheap’s uptime is around 99.8%, this means potential downtime of up to 20 minutes per week. Although this may seem minimal, it can still impact businesses that require maximum availability.
Lower uptime increases the risk of website downtime, which can affect user experience and revenue.
4. Namecheap Hosting is Not the Fastest
Website speed is a crucial factor for user experience and SEO rankings. If a site is slow, visitors may leave and choose competitors instead.
Although Namecheap hosting is reliable, it is not known for being the fastest. Users who prioritize high-speed hosting may need to consider alternative providers.
However, website speed depends on multiple factors, including website optimization, caching, and CDN usage—not just hosting speed.
5. Money-Back Guarantee is Not Fully Refundable
While Namecheap provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, customers may not receive a full refund. Some fees may be deducted, such as the cost of a domain or SSL certificate, which were initially offered for free.
This means that users who request a refund might receive less than the original amount paid.
6. Additional Cost for European Data Centers
Customers who prefer hosting in Europe (UK or Netherlands) will need to pay an extra $1 per month compared to hosting in the United States.
This additional charge is due to higher operational costs in European data centers. Many hosting companies rely on third-party data centers, leading to increased expenses for non-US locations.
Best Domain Registrar – Namecheap
If you choose any Namecheap hosting plan, you’ll receive a free domain name. However, if you already have a website and need to renew your domain, or if you want to purchase a new domain for a Blogger website, then Namecheap is the best and cheapest domain registrar available.
Namecheap offers domain names starting at just $1, along with frequent discounts and promotions on all domain extensions, including .com, .org, .net, .info, and more.
If you're looking for an affordable and reliable domain provider, Namecheap is the best choice!
Steps to Purchase a Domain from Namecheap:
First: Log in to the website
Go to the official Namecheap website.
- Log in to the website if you already have an account, or create a new account by clicking on "SIGN UP" at the top.
- On the next page, enter your correct details, including your name, password, and email address, then click "Create Account and Continue."
- Access the confirmation email for your account and activate it.
Second: Purchasing the Domain
- Before buying a Namecheap domain, you should know that the website constantly offers discounts on domain names and allows you to copy a Namecheap discount coupon from the page in front of you.
- First, go to the domain sales page on Namecheap by clicking on "Domains" at the top or from [here].
- You will see a search box in the white field—enter the domain name you want to check if it is available and not already taken.
- Use one of the coupons below the search box to get a discount on your domain.
- To purchase a .com domain, use this coupon NEWCOM598, and the price will be reduced from $10.28 to $5.98.
- After settling on the domain name you want, click on "Add to Cart."
- At the bottom of the page, click checkout to complete the purchase steps.
- The next step is to choose the domain duration, whether for one year, two years, or more. On the right side, enter the discount code and click "Apply."
- To complete the process, click "Confirm Order," then proceed with the payment steps and use your preferred payment method, whether Visa or MasterCard.
- After entering your payment details, click "Pay Now."
- Complete the steps and add the domain to your website—now you have a domain name from Namecheap.
With this, I have finished reviewing Namecheap, covering its advantages, disadvantages, pricing plans, and hosting packages. I also provided details on purchasing a domain from Namecheap.You can subscribe to Namecheap hosting through our special link and use our discount coupon to enjoy a lower price than usual.
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