If you are looking for a domain name and hosting service provider, then Namecheap can be a perfect fit for you. We will be reviewing Namecheap in detail in our review guide.

As you may have heard about Namecheap before, we will discuss it in detail here. So, without any further delay, let's dive into our guide.

Namecheap: A Brief Introduction

The history of Namecheap can be traced back to 2000 when Richard Kirkendall founded it. It was just a domain name registrar and web hosting company back then. Since then, it has developed and expanded considerably.

It is one of the largest independent domain registrars worldwide, with over 10 million customers. In addition, it has over 17 million domains under management. Today, it provides its hosting services with various domain names like ".org," ".com," and ".net," just to count a few.

Most American businesses also register their website with ".com." In fact, according to data from Verisign, the largest TLD in 2021 was .com, with 158.6 million reported domain names in the domain name base.

So, now you can think there are thousands and hundreds of domain names and domain name users. All of them are using the domain name registrar and hosting service providers as per their needs.

What Services Namecheap Offer?

As we already know, Namecheap is a domain registrar and hosting service provider. However, with these two services, it also provides a lot more to its customers. Let's explore the exciting features offered by Namecheap.

The services that Namecheap offers to its customers are as follows,

• Domain registrar

• Hosting services

• VPN services

• Free and automatic SSL installation

• Unmetered bandwidth

• Free website builder and privacy protection

All of these services are distributed in various pricing plans. While the basic plans have limited services, you can expect more services in premium plans.

If we talk about its hosting services specifically, it is a broad category under which many more divisions exist. These divisions are based on server space, technical support, bandwidth, budget, and website requirements. Following are the divisions of hosting service,

Shared Hosting

This hosting plan is particularly good for you if you have numerous websites and want centralized control. In this plan, you host several websites on a single physical server.

In one more way, it can be useful. For example, if you are an individual and want cost–efficient hosting services. So you can form a group with other individuals and buy this plan altogether.

In this way, numerous users can share one server and its resources and costs. With this, you will also get cPanel, domain registration, free website builder, and unmetered bandwidth.

Reseller Hosting

As you can understand from the name itself, you can resell your hosting services in this hosting plan. So, in this plan, you can buy hosting services from Namecheap and resell them to your customers. With the option to white label its hosting services and then resell it.

WordPress Hosting

If you have a WordPress account, this hosting service is for you. Under this plan, you will get optimized hosting services offering quick loading times and better performance. Moreover, this plan provides an SSL certificate, an easy-to-use installer, and automatic backups.

VPS Hosting

VPS hosting by Namecheap is extensive and lets you decide whether to install cPanel. This plan will give you full root access to the server and dedicated resources. Also, you can personalize this plan and choose your operating system from Debian, CentOS, and Ubuntu.

Email Hosting

You will get a business email address, domain name, spam protection, and secure webmail access in an email hosting service. This is especially good if you are interested in email marketing.

Dedicated Hosting

In dedicated hosting Namecheap, you will get complete control over their servers and a choice of operating system. With that, you will get dedicated resources, too.  

How Namecheap is Different from Others?

Above, we have discussed the services provided by Namecheap to its customers. As a next step in our Namecheap review guide, we shall discuss how it differs from other hosting service providers.

Data Protection and Security

Namecheap is very serious about its customer data privacy and protection and pays utmost attention to ensure that. Its powerful security features offer two–factor authentication, an SSL certificate, and privacy protection.

These Namecheap also offer regular backups, security updates, and efficient firewalls. Also, for the shared hosting plan users, it provides 50 free PositiveSSL certificates for a year.

cPanel Installation

The cPanel that Namecheap offers is based on industry standards and is very efficient. You can manage your website, email account, and web hosting through its control panels.

Also, on your cPanel, you will Namecheap user's features, stats information, and files. The Namecheap cPanel is particularly designed to manage the individual hosting accounts on the server.

Through your cPanel, you can perform numerous tasks, such as uploading and managing your website files. And editing DNS records for your domains, adding and removing add-on domains and subdomains.

Simple to Use

If you are a newbie in the field, then Namecheap has brought you a user-friendly interface. With this, you will also get a streamlined and seamless dashboard to manage your domains and hosting.

You can quickly and easily check purchase products and renewal dates through your dashboard. Also, if you are stuck at any point, you can use Namecheap's Knowledge Base with how–to tutorials.

It has comprehensive resources for newbies like you so that you can troubleshoot common issues. This way, you will learn more about website management and web hosting.

Website Migration

After hearing about the Namecheap pricing plans, if you decide to migrate your website from another hosting company. Then you can do it very easily with some simple steps.

Namecheap will help you migrate your website seamlessly from any hosting company within 24 hours. Also, it will require just 15 minutes of downtime to migrate the website. And if it fails to do so, it claims to provide account credit equal to your first year of shared hosting plan pricing.

Website Builder

Site Maker is the website builder offered by Namecheap, which is available in a drag–and–drop option. You don't need coding skills to build your website from scratch when you have Namecheap.

To get started, you need to sign up with your email ID, and then you can start building your website for free. You can select any design and add blocks or remove them as you like.

CDN Services

What makes Namecheap stand apart from the crowd is its Content Delivery Network. Its CDN service is very fast and has a high bandwidth. So, you can upload and update your website content in just a few seconds.

Special Inclusions

In your annual shared hosting plan, you will get many things extra with your base package. Also, additional addons are available for you regardless of the package you choose. Moreover, you will get numerous discounts and offers for the first year.

Bandwidth Limits and Storage

In the basic plan of Namecheap, you will get a storage of 20GB SSD, while the highest one offers 50GB SSD storage. You will get moderate space for your website and its files, database, and emails.

In addition, it offers unmetered bandwidth to its users. So, while you have a limited bandwidth, you can transfer unlimited data between your website and visitors.

Pros and Cons of Namecheap

This section of our Namecheap review guide will offer the entire guide's essence and help you make an informed decision. The pros and cons of Namecheap are as below,

Pros

• If you are looking for a budget-friendly hosting service provider, it is pretty good with all its services.

• Namecheap is ideal for small businesses and individuals with its limited storage and low budget.

• Also, if you want to earn extra passive income, you can use the Namecheap reseller plan.

• Namecheap provides comprehensive tutorial videos and a knowledge base with 24/7 live chat for paid plans. 

Cons

• If you are an international website owner or a large business, its bandwidth, storage, and other cPanel features will disappoint you.

• Namecheap has pretty good basic plans and features but lacks premium features.

• Also, its data centers are located in the U.K. and U.S., so if you are from a country far apart, then its distant servers can trouble you.

• It lacks telephonic customer support service.

Namecheap Plans

Following are the three different plans offered by Namecheap,

Stellar Plan:

• This is Namecheap's basic plan and offers you hosting services for up to three websites and your selected CMS

• 20GB SSD and unmetered bandwidth

• Free access to email service and website builder

• Free domain name and SSL certificate ( SSL certificate is only free for the first year)

Stellar Plus Plan

• This plan offers unlimited websites and automatic backups

• Unmetered SSD storage, unlimited hosted domains, subdomains, and parked domains

• Unlimited email accounts, auto–backups, and semiweekly backups

Stellar Business Plan

• Unlimited website hosting and unlimited mailboxes for the domain

• 50GB SSD, auto–backup, and cloud storage

• PHP accelerators, including eAccelerator and xCache, for enhanced performance

FAQs

Is Namecheap a good servicer provider?

We can say that Namecheap is a good hosting service provider under the price range it offers. Namecheap offers its services for pocket–friendly prices and is ideal for small businesses.

Is Namecheap a secure hosting service?

Namecheap boasts of being one of the most secure hosting service providers. According to its privacy policy, it doesn't share its customer's data with other third parties or collect any personal data.

Which is better, Namecheap or Bluehost?

When it is a comparison between Namecheap and Bluehost, there is no winner or loser. Both of them have their characteristics and features to offer. So, it's up to you what features you are looking for in your hosting service provider.

Is Namecheap really cheap?

Well, Namecheap is one of the most cost-efficient hosting service providers available. When you compare its pricing plans to others, you will find it affordable for small businesses.

How much does SSL cost in Namecheap?

If you have a Namecheap plan, then SSL certificate service is free for the first year, and you don't need to pay any charges. However, after your first year ends, you must pay charges according to the pricing plans.

Is Namecheap domain privacy safe?

Yes, Namecheap gives assurance of its domain privacy and doesn't collect any personal data for domain names. It has a strict policy towards its client data and protection.

Conclusion

To summarize, Namecheap is a good hosting service provider on a budget. Although it started as a mere domain registrar, it has developed significantly with time. And now it has come to provide other services as well. Its affordable prices can attract you. However, you should consider other factors as well. When you buy any plan, the SSL certificate is free for the first year but not after that.

After your first year, you must pay for the SSL certificate, which can be overwhelming. Because the SSL price suddenly rises, no promo codes might be left anymore. In that regard, this might not be a cheap option. However, again, when you compare the pricing plans of Namecheap with others, you will find that it's a good option.

Namecheap is a hosting service provider best suited for small to medium-sized businesses and individuals. It is not ideal for big businesses that need a near-storage service, a larger bandwidth, and many other things.

One more thing that needs to be pondered over is your plan. Today, you might be a small business, but you must be planning to expand in the future. So, before buying any plans, you should consider your future needs, too. And see whether your current plan can scale with your business or not. Thus, before making any decisions, think about everything and then decide wisely.