NAMECHEAP WEB HOSTING REVIEW
Namecheap Web Hosting Indepth Review
introduction
Among many web hosting service providers, Namecheap has quickly made an identity for itself. Though it came into existence in 2000, its hosting service was launched in 2007. Since then, they have grown to accommodate more and more customers through their efficient web hosting services.
Namecheap provides some of the most comprehensive web hosting services at affordable pricing and has many different hosting plans available. While most of us know Namecheap for its domain registration and management services, their hosting services are worth the investment?
Let us check out their hosting services in detail.
- Namecheap Hosting at a Glance
Namecheap is an ICANN-accredited name that started as a domain name registrar and today has over 3 million customers all around the globe.
Namecheap is rated among the top domain providers that let customers choose a domain name and popular TDLs. Since online presence is a necessity today, Namecheap strives to provide affordable and easy access to all the services that you need to get your website running. It is a trusted host and manages around 11 million domain names.
Along with domains, they also offer fast and reliable hosting plans with a 100% uptime guarantee. The hosting plans offer a plethora of features which include SSLs, a 30-day money-back guarantee, top-notch security, 24/7 customer service, and much more.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website
2. About Namecheap & its Values
Namecheap was founded by Richard Kirkendall in the year 2000 and over time it has racked up millions of followers. Richard opined that access to economically-priced domain names and internet services is deserved by everyone.
Namecheap believes that the internet is a necessity and everyone should have access to it. Thus, it provides first-class yet affordable services in the form of domains and hosting services.
It excels as an independent company throughout the industry for its transparency and defining the brand values. They take a clear course when it comes to their pricing policy and services.
One of the best features of Namecheap is how prominently they reveal their renewal rates and have a list of expandable features too. Thus, it can be said that Namecheap is a company with a solid culture that defines it.
3. Who is Namecheap Hosting Best for?
Namecheap is a beginner-friendly solution. So, anyone who wishes to set up a website, blog, e-commerce store, WordPress website, or app should sign up at Namecheap.
Being the least expensive hosting provider, you'll be able to host your website within your set budget. You'll also secure the best deals on domains without being overcharged. So, if you're planning to buy domains with multiple TLDs (xyz.com, xyz.co, xyz.io), Namecheap is the place to go.
Startups who plan to build a full-fledged app will also benefit from its hosting solutions. Opt for dedicated servers at an affordable price and start building your stuff.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website
4. Namecheap: Types of hosting and how they work?
There are many web hosting options available to users today. Each type of hosting has distinct features and caters in its way to the needs of website owners.
Namecheap mainly offers 3 types of hosting to its users. Depending upon their requirement users can opt for shared hosting, VPS hosting, or dedicated hosting.
a. Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is one of the simplest ways to host your website. Under shared hosting, a single server hosts multiple websites and each customer gets a part of the server to host their website. Users on the shared server can access features like database, email accounts, disk space, monthly traffic and other add ons offered by the host. When you opt for a shared hosting plan, all the domains share the same resources like CPU and RAM.
· How does it work?
As the name indicates, shared hosting is a type where one server is shared by multiple customers. Since the resources are shared, the cost of this type of hosting is relatively cheaper. Under shared hosting, a server is partitioned to host multiple accounts and manage thousands of websites.
· Who is it suitable for?
If you are an entry-level website owner then shared hosting is the best option for you. Whether you are a business owner, a blogger, or a community group, shared hosting will provide you with lots of benefits. Most importantly it comes at a lesser price and hence is a cost-effective way to get your website running.
b. VPS Hosting
Known as a Virtual Private Server, VPS hosting can be used to host a website within its own space on a server even though it shares a physical server with other users. VPS hosting can open a world of possibilities that would otherwise not be available with shared hosting. Once a website has outgrown shared hosting it needs to shift to VPS hosting.
· How does it work?
Under VPS hosting, though the hardware and resources are shared, each user is allocated their share of computer resources. By doing so, the neighbor effect is prevented and the cost is saved. VPS hosting caters to lesser users as compared to shared hosting.
· Who is it for?
This type of hosting is suitable for those website owners who want dedicated hosting but do not have the technical knowledge and funds to afford it. VPS hosting is for those who want the cost benefits of shared hosting and control of dedicated hosting.
c. Dedicated Hosting
If one wants to be in complete charge of the space on the server then dedicated hosting is the right choice. Dedicated hosting comes with a host of additional features as compared to the shared and VPS hosting. Under this type of hosting, a client is in complete ownership of the assets like the RAM, CPU, storage, etc.
· How does it work?
In a dedicated hosting space, one rents the entire physical server. You have access to several features that help to manage a significant amount of traffic and run your website smoothly. Under this hosting option, you are required to have technical knowledge about servers to manage them efficiently. However, you can seek help from managed dedicated server services.
· Who is it for?
If your website generates more traffic and you have the finances at your disposal then a dedicated server can be a good option. This type of hosting is highly suitable for those with enhanced security requirements and specialized hardware needs. Dedicated hosting is also a great choice for big data, machine learning, website and application hosting, etc.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website
5. Namecheap Hosting: Features
Namecheap has been around for over two decades. And in the meantime, it has grown from a domain registrar to a full-fledged web service provider.
a. Excellent Uptime
A strong uptime is the most important feature of a good web host. Web hosting is all about keeping customers’ web pages accessible at all times and any downtime will cause loss of revenue and visitors to the client.
Namecheap promises an uptime of 100% and guarantees compensation whenever there is a shortfall. It is worth mentioning that Namecheap achieved an average uptime of 99.96% from April 2020 to March 2021.
b. Free Migration & Domain
Namecheap assists you to migrate your site from the previous host without any additional cost. With Namecheap, you can get a full cPanel migration in less than 24 hours and not more than 15 minutes of downtime. It also provides a free domain to the users who sign up for their hosting plans. However, the free domain is only available for the first year. Subsequently, users have to pay a fee to renew the domain.
c. Faster Load Time
The second most important feature after uptime is the load time/speed. Research indicates that speed is directly correlated to the visitor’s happiness. By this, we mean that if your site takes more time to load then the customer will look for other options. A site that loads slowly is as bad as a site that is down and it can send away visitors.
The average load speed with Namecheap was 447 ms as per pidgom.com.
d. User-Friendly Interface
Namecheap has invested a good amount of time and effort in developing its UX. Their control panels are the best when it comes to simplicity and workflow. The user interface is organized and facilitates the user to navigate and scroll through various options. Their user interface is clean, simple to use, and boasts a de-cluttered layout.
e. cPanel Control Panel
Namecheap provides cPanel with their hosting plan which is a wonderful feature. The panel is clean, uncluttered, and can display tons of information at one glance. It also gives you the freedom to protect your Namecheap login area with 2-factor authentication and secure the integrity of your account.
f. Money-Back Guarantee
With Namecheap, you have the option to claim back your money if you don’t find it to be the right platform for your website. Though it offers a 30-days money-back guarantee to the users, extra add-ons like server management, licenses, and dedicated IP addresses are non-refundable.
g. Secure your data with Backup
Many hosting companies charge a fee for backing up your data. But Namecheap provides a free backup service with all their plans. Though the backup interval varies for different plans, it is important to know that there are no additional charges involved. A backup feature is especially helpful in case of site updates, hacks, and plugin malfunctions.
h. Plans that fit every Budget
Namecheap offers several plans at very affordable rates. Its stellar hosting plan starts at $1.58 per month (when billed yearly) with several add ons and functionality features. With each plan, Namecheap users have the option of choosing the data center either in the UK or the US.
i. Compatibility
Namecheap offers excellent compatibility with WordPress, thanks to Namecheap’s own cloud hosting platform, EasyWP. EasyWP is optimized for WordPress to offer you super-quick WordPress installation in just a single click. Using the WordPress dashboard, you can install any theme or plugin of your choice to manage your site efficiently.
Its WordPress hosting plans comes pre-installed WordPress that’s hosted on Namecheap cloud. Using the WordPress dashboard, you can install any theme or plugin of your choice to manage your site efficiently.
j. High performing server
Namecheap uses the latest server technology from brands like Dell, HP, and Supermicro. Thus, they combine impressive performance with affordable pricing. With their shared hosting plans you have access to servers that perform at least 50% faster than the others.
k. Good shared server plans
Namecheap surely takes the trophy when it comes to its shared hosting plans. Their plans are surprisingly inexpensive and hence, they make a cost-effective way for start-ups, individuals, and small to medium businesses to start their websites. While the prices are low and affordable, Namecheap does not sacrifice the number of features and other add-ons.
l. Provides scalability
Yet another impressive feature of Namecheap is that it offers a lot of scalabilities. Apart from offering several shared hosting plans, they make upgrading an easy task whenever users need more data. One need not wait till the next billing cycle to upgrade. If your website is expecting a hike in traffic at any point, you can make an upgrade straight away.
m. CDN
Namecheap offers fast-speed and high bandwidth Supersonic CDN to store your website on multiple servers. Their CDN is equally suitable for entrepreneurs, medium and small-sized businesses as it provides great performance at a lower cost. Its features include advanced security, global coverage, improved SEO ranking, instant activation, and much more.
n. Variety of services
Apart from hosting your website Namecheap has various services under its hood. Some of its services include hosting private email, selling your domain name via Namecheap marketplace, domain name registration, etc.
o. Pricing Policy
Namecheap is appreciated for its transparent pricing policy. While many other hosts raise the renewal price, Namecheap doesn’t do the same. Instead, it maintains an upfront rate that is communicated to the users at the beginning. It is an honest move on the part of Namecheap as owning a website is a long-term thing. Some hosts play scandalously by charging low initially and then raising the amount significantly higher which may not work out for many.
p. Informative Status Page
Namecheap yet again shines by providing a status page that shows if they are under maintenance or facing downtime. The page provides many details like announcements for maintenance, service upgradation, network status, emails, etc.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website
6. Other Important Features:
a. Softaculous
Softaculous is an added feature that Namecheap offers with their shared plan. By using this tool, users can install software that will allow them to improve and extend the features of the website.
Softaculous can be accessed through the administrative area of the cPanel. All the apps and features that you want to add to your website can be installed easily with the help of the Softaculous script.
This Softaculous acts like an app store that gives you access to apps, blogs, discussion forums, photo galleries, etc. Using the Softaculous app users can also download the following:
· Social networking features
· Email apps
· E-commerce tools
· Frameworks like Laravel, Bootstrap
· Wikis
· Online calendar for events, etc.
· Online Games
If there is anything that you want to install onto your website then Softaculous can help you to do it with ease. Managing your website becomes a smooth and hassle-free task with Softaculous.
b. Bonus Features
· Backup Choices
Namecheap offers an excellent bonus feature in the form of free backup with every plan. Though only the highest plan has a daily backup option, other plans provide backup twice a week.
Since data is vulnerable to hacking and misuse, users need to have a regular backup of data. But when the company itself is performing the backup for free of cost, it is a wonderful feature.
c. Other features:
· Free beta of Supersonic CDN
· Free SSL installation for the first year
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website
7. Cost of Namecheap Hosting Plans
a. Shared Hosting
Namecheap offers 3 types of shared hosting plans. Each one comes with a different set of features and offers several benefits to the users.
· Stellar - This is the cheapest and most basic plan that starts at $2.88/month. You can host 3 websites on 20GB SSD accelerated servers; have 30 email accounts, and 50 My SQL databases. This plan also includes a free backup twice weekly.
· Stellar Plus - The stellar plus plan is available at $4.88/month. Under this plan, users will get unlimited sites on unlimited space, unlimited emails, and unmetered bandwidth. However, on the downside, the servers are not pure SSD.
· Stellar Business - With the Stellar business plan, users have access to unmetered bandwidth, daily and weekly backups, unlimited sites, and 50GB pure SSD space. Users have to pay $8.88/month for this plan. Stellar business accounts are hosted on non-popular servers and hence, the overall performance is better.
b. VPS Hosting
The VPS hosting plans range from $19.95 to $69.95 per month. However, the VPS plans do not offer unlimited bandwidth like shared hosting. Though this is a step down from the shared option, you don’t share the VPS and hence, you have more control and power.
c. Dedicated Hosting
Namecheap dedicated hosting plans start at $61.88 to $212.88 per month. In this type of hosting, all the hardware and software on the server are dedicated to you. There is also an option to self-manage the server if you want additional control.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
8. Onboarding and Account Management
Just like you get excited to open a new product, onboarding/signing up for a new web host can be daunting as well as exciting. A good web host is the one that can eliminate the daunting part and make the process a seamless and exciting one.
Namecheap does exactly this by keeping the whole onboarding journey a simple one.
Following are the steps:
· Begin by signing up for the account
· Next you will receive a welcome email from Namecheap that will guide you to get your login credentials.
· You can then either go to the guided tutorial or directly log in to the new dashboard.
The onboarding page is free from complicated and distracting designs or layouts and hence, the users can easily sail through the login process without getting overwhelmed.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
9. Security
Security is one aspect where Namecheap is highly committed. The company ensures its servers are protected with the latest safety measures, which in turn protect the customers. Namecheap goes the extra mile when it comes to protecting its customers from malicious attacks and other harms.
· SSL Certificates - For your website’s security, Namecheap provides an SSL certificate which acts as a third-party verification for measuring the strength of the Secure Socket Layer encryption. Namecheap provides a wide range of SSL certificates to prevent identity thefts from the client’s websites. For instance, it provides Instant SSL which is great for business, Positive SSL Multi-Domain which works best for E-commerce, and so on. Additionally, every SSL certificate comes with an SSL site seal, top-tier support, 256/128-bit encryption, and browser ubiquity.
· Premium DNS - By providing the customers with Premium DNS service, Namecheap ensures that their site is always functional. Without DNS protection your website may experience DNS disruptions and go offline. Namecheap’s Premium DNS offers smart global infrastructure and high-level DDoS security for your network layer including DNSSEC.
· VPN - With Namecheap’s VPN, users can sit back and relax while their network stays protected. The VPN uses servers that are run by StackPath. Moreover, Namecheap’s VPN is compatible with Windows, Linux, iOS, and android. Once you sign up for a plan, Namecheap VPN will prompt you to download the version that is best for you.
· Domain Privacy Protection - Once you purchase/register a domain all your personal information like name, address, phone number, etc. gets listed in the public WHOIS directory. But with Namecheap’s WhoIsGuard privacy protection you can prevent such information from being displayed and protect your domain from being spammed.
· Two-factor Authentication - Adding one more layer of protection to your account is the two-factor authentication security. Even if your password is stolen, your account remains 100% safe and secure from theft with 2FA. You can choose from methods like 2FA that includes Universal 2nd Factor and Time-based One-Time Password, and OneTouch.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
10. How Namecheap Handles the security?
Namecheap handles security like a pro for its hosting services.
· You can request a copy of your site backup whenever you want as Namecheap creates regular backups.
· To provide a highly technical in-house security, Namecheap makes use of the best hardware and software firewalls.
· For restoration, monitoring, and backup services it provides CodeGuard as an add-on service to its customers.
· The plans include virus scanners.
· You can also protect your site from brute force attacks with the help of “Leech Protect”. With this feature, you can restrict the maximum number of logins that can happen in 2 hours.
· SSL certificates prevent your sensitive information from being stolen.
· To be at the forefront of securing the customer websites, Namecheap regularly puts its defensive measures to test and tweaks when necessary.
· You also get hotlink protection.
· Namecheap’s Premium DNS service comes with DNSSEC.
· WhoIsGuard assists you to protect your personal information like name, address, contact number, etc. from hackers, spammers, and marketing companies.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
11. Customer Support
Providing wonderful customer support should be the priority of all the hosts. Since not all users are tech-savvy, hosting companies should strive to provide help at all times and in all forms.
The customer support provided by Namecheap is decent as you can seek help from
· Knowledge base - The knowledge base provided by Namecheap is pretty good as it contains in-depth answers for solving the issues faced by customers. However, on the downside, it is primarily focused on domains and not hosting.
· Live chat - Customers can also seek help from their helpdesk and live chat. Though the live chat request is accepted instantly, it takes some time to connect to an agent. One can get responses typically within a few minutes.
· Emails - Users can send in emails regarding the issues faced by them and the customer support team will get back with an appropriate solution for the same. However, text-based support can become a tedious one for those who face complicated issues.
· Forums - Discussion forums are also one way of seeking answers for the issues that may crop up on your website.
Two best indicators of a company that wants to build a happy customer base are the availability of a broad range of support channels and investment in the troubleshooting section, FAQ, and such other DIY customer support features.
Though Namecheap is still on the mediocre level when it comes to customer support, it can be said that they are steadily improving over time. They have improved their knowledge base by adding documentation on hosting and how-to videos to assist the customers.
Namecheap’s Customer Support at a glance:
· Live chat is available 24/7/365
· Email support is available
· A comprehensive knowledge base to assist the customers
· A forum to address your queries
· No phone support available
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
12. Namecheap Hosting: Pricing Plans & Packages
a. Shared Hosting Plan
Namecheap’s shared hosting plans are the most affordable ones and offer a lot more than the other basic plans that we see. There are 3 shared hosting plans to choose from.
Stellar - The most basic and low-priced plan that Namecheap offers is the stellar plan beginning at $ 2.88/month. Users can avail of this plan at $ 1.58/mo if they opt to make a one-time payment for the whole year.
Features & Benefits:
· You can host 3 websites with this plan
· 20GB SSD storage space
· Free domain name for the first year with privacy protection
· Free CDN Beta
Stellar Plus - This shared hosting plan costs $4.88/month that can be renewed at $57.88/year. It is loaded with all the benefits of the Stellar Plan and in addition, it offers the following features:
Features & Benefits:
· Unlimited websites
· Unmetered SSD
· Auto backup
Stellar Business - This plan is an ideal choice for those who want to start a website for their business. The plan costs $8.88/month.
Features & Benefits:
· Unlimited websites
· 50 GB SSD space
· Auto back-up
· Free CDN
· Cloud Storage
· Free domain name
All the shared hosting plans offer the following:
· Unmetered bandwidth
· Free website builder
· Free automatic SSL installation
· Free site migration in less than 24 hours
· 50 free positive SSL certificates for one year
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
b. VPS Hosting
VPS hosting plans are suitable for those who are looking for more control and flexibility. One of the major benefits of this type of hosting is that you can expand your plan as your business requirements grow. VPS plans are hosted on lightning-fast networks in Phoenix, Arizona and hence you get superb page speeds.
Pulsar - Namecheap offers this plan to its users at $6.88/month. With this plan, you have the privilege of choosing server management. It also has the top security standards and provides free transfer of websites.
Features and Benefits:
· 2 GB RAM
· 2 CPU cores
· 40 GB SSD space
· 1000 GB bandwidth
Quasar - With Namecheap’s VPS plans, you can see a considerable increase in the site speed and reliability, and the Quasar plan provides the same. This VPS plan is a great value at $12.88/month.
Features & Benefits:
· 4 Cores
· 6 GB RAM
· 3000 GB Bandwidth
· 120 GB SSD RAID 10
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
c. Managed WordPress Hosting Plan
If you are a WordPress user then Namecheap has got you covered with their WordPress hosting plans. It has different plans that are 3X fastest than normal hosting and come with an affordable price tag. With the EasyWP WordPress hosting plans, your website can go live within minutes, thus saving you time and money.
EasyWP Starter - If you are a beginner with WordPress, then this plan is a perfect choice for you. With this starter plan, you get 1st month free. You can opt for this plan if you wish to build your first website. Namecheap charges $3.88/month for this plan.
Features and Benefits
· 10 GB SSD storage space
· 50k visitors per month
· Installation in under 90 seconds
· 3X faster than traditional hosts
· Supports any domain name provider
· SFTP and database access
· Hosted on Namecheap’s cloud
EasyWP Turbo - If you are searching for more storage space and enhanced performance for your WordPress website then the EasyWP Turbo plan will work for you. It starts at $7.88/month with a free trial for the first month.
Features and Benefits
· 200K visitors/month
· 1.5x more CPU
· Free CDN
· Free SSL
· 50 GB SSD storage
· 1.5x more RAM
· Other common benefits that are available for all WordPress plans
EasyWP Supersonic - Once your business grows you also need to scale up your website and this is where the EasyWP Supersonic plan comes to your aid. The plan starts at $11.88/month with a first-month free trial like the other plans.
Features and Benefits
· 100GB SSD Storage
· 500K visitors/month
· 2x more RAM
· 2x more CPU
· 99.99% uptime
· Free CDN
· Free SSL
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
d. Dedicated Hosting Plan
The Dedicated hosting plans from Namecheap are perfect for those who want to keep the reins of their website in their hands. There are many different plans to choose from, depending upon your website needs.
Xeon E3-1241 v3 - This is the starter plan under dedicated hosting and costs $48.88 per month. It offers the following features:
Features and Benefits:
· 1 TB HDD
· 4 cores @ 3.5 GHz
· 8 GB DDR3
· 100 TB/month bandwidth
Xeon E- 2236 - The next dedicated plan is the Xeon E-2236 which is priced at $78.88/month. This plan is suitable for accommodating the increasing business needs.
Features and Benefits:
· 32 GB DDR4
· 6 cores @3.4 GHz
· 2x480 GB SSD
· 100 TB/mo bandwidth
Dual Xeon Silver 4208 - The dual Xeon plan comes at $159.88/month after a discount of 20% in the first month.
Features and Benefits:
· Unmetered bandwidth
· Dual 8 cores@ 2.1 GHz
· 64 GB DDR4
· 500 GB backup storage
· 2 x 1TBNVMe
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
e. Reseller Hosting Plan
This kind of hosting plan can help you to earn a passive income by reselling hosting resources to your clients. If you are a web developer, web designing firm, or web hosting entrepreneur then you can consider this type of hosting.
Nebula - Starting at $19.88/month this reseller hosting plan is the basic one by Namecheap. You have access to features like WHM control, cPanel, account management tools, etc. which are common among all the plans.
Features and Benefits
· 25 cPanel accounts
· 30 GB SSD storage
· Unmetered bandwidth
· 30-day money-back guarantee
Galaxy Expert -The Galaxy Expert plan costs $32.88/month and comes with added benefits for the user. You can choose to bill it monthly, quarterly, or yearly.
Features and Benefits:
· 100 cPanel accounts
· 90 GB SSD storage space
· Unmetered bandwidth
· WHM
Universe Pro - The highest Reseller hosting plan is the Universe Pro that is priced at $54.88/month.
Features and Benefits:
· WHMCS starter
· 150 GB SSD storage
· 150 cPanel account
· Unmetered bandwidth
· 30-day money-back guarantee
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
f. Email Hosting Plan
The email hosting plan provided by Namecheap is one of the best in terms of cost vs value. Under this type of hosting, you have different plan types to choose from depending upon your requirements.
Email hosting includes:
· Professional/custom email
· The option to sync and share emails, tasks
· The option to view your inbox in windows, android, and Apple.
Starter Plan - This is the cheapest plan available that costs $0.84/month. It is the most affordable option with plenty of features at your disposal that will help you to run your business smoothly.
Features and Benefits:
· 2GB file storage
· 5GB email storage
· Webmail access
· Two-factor authentication security
· POP3/IMAP access
· 1 free mailbox
Pro Plan - If your business is slightly big and your requirements are more than the basic plan then you can opt for the pro plan. It comes with added features that will efficiently cover your business needs. It is priced at $2.40/month and can be renewed at $33.88/month.
Features and Benefits:
· 3 mailboxes
· 15 GB storage (files)
· 30 GB storage (emails)
· Mobile sync support provided
Ultimate Plan - The ultimate plan under email hosting costs $3.96/month and comes with a host of added features to enable you to efficiently reach out to your customers and community.
Features and Benefits:
· 5 email boxes
· 75 GB storage for emails
· 30 GB storage for files
· Complete mobile sync support
· Premium email service
· Includes docs, sheets, and presentations
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
13. Performance – Is it fast enough?
a. Uptime
Uptime is an important factor that helps to determine the performance of your website. A higher uptime offered by your host means that your website will be live for a longer time. Namecheap promises a 100% uptime like many other hosts in the market. For all the instances, when the uptime goes below 100%, they promise to give monetary compensation.
Users reported an average uptime of 99.96% which is not at all a bad performance from Namecheap. Though there are occasional outages, the overall uptime provided by Namecheap is satisfactory.
Average Uptime for 5 months: http://stats.pingdom.com/zp1kq4gopbjs/4081441/history
· July 2021 99.95%
· June 2021 100%
· May 2021 99.98%
· April 2021 99.99%
· March 2021 99.92%
As you can notice that Namecheap strives to maintain a decent uptime that is above 99.9% and for 2 months the uptime has also touched the 100% mark which is a good sign.
Several hosts out there are providing better uptime. However, the uptime provided by Namecheap is worth the price that they charge. If your business is small or medium-sized and receives an average amount of traffic then Namecheap hosting can be a good option for you.
b. Response time
Response time is yet another criterion that plays an important role in determining the performance of your host. A slow response time is known to upset the visitor and increase the chances of them leaving your website and searching for other options.
The average response time for Namecheap over the past 12 months comes to 412 ms which is a pretty positive feature.
Response time for last 6 months: (http://stats.pingdom.com/zp1kq4gopbjs/4081441/history)
· August 2021 349 ms
· July 2021 467 ms
· June 2021 456 ms
· May 2021 428 ms
· April 2021 419 ms
· March 2021 411 ms
Thus, it is evident from the above stats that Namecheap performs decently with the response time, however; some hosts put up better performances.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
14. Customer Reviews
After studying 5832 customer reviews on Trustpilot we can say that a large percentage of users voted in favor of using Namecheap for hosting their websites.
Many customers applauded Namecheap for its affordable and easy-to-use hosting plans. Some even commended Namecheap for providing wonderful customer support and having a powerful hosting base. The positive reviews appreciated the simple interface, smooth set-up process, and free privacy features.
On the contrary, some users were disappointed with the slow hosting, some faced troubles as their emails stopped working and their website was down while one user criticized the customer support for being inefficient and incapable of resolving the hosting issues.
It is worth mentioning that Namecheap has received 4 stars on Techradar, 4 stars on Websitesetup.org, and 3.5 stars on HostAdvice.com. These ratings prove that Namecheap’s overall performance has been loved by the users and they are happy to be hosting their website there.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
15. Namecheap: Pros and Cons
a. Pros
· Affordability - The biggest selling point of Namecheap is its affordability. You can register a domain and host a website relatively cheaply compared to other hosting providers. The company works on the principle that everyone should have access to the world of internet.
· Good uptime - Good uptime is one of the most important business requirements today. Namecheap guarantees 100% uptime and in case they fail to do so you get your money back. The average uptime offered by them is 99.88% which is by no means a bad score. A higher uptime means your site will be functional for more time and you will lose fewer customers.
· Good loading speed - It is a well-known fact that sites that take longer to load lose out on customers. No one wants to sit and wait while the site loads. Any site that takes more than 3-4 seconds will see the customers walking away to other websites.
As per Google, an ideal load time should be less than 3 seconds. For Namecheap, we can say that it performs well with an average load speed of 458 ms which is impressive.
· Disk space - Namecheap does it right when it comes to providing sufficient disk space for hosting multiple domains. The stellar plan offered by Namecheap provides 20 GB of SSD storage which is sufficient to accommodate 3 small to medium-sized sites. All their other plans come with unlimited storage space which is a big plus point. Furthermore, Namecheap uses SSD instead of the traditional HDD’s and this is yet again a strong selling point.
· Easy to use - Namecheap’s user interface is extremely easy to use and clutter-free. This makes it convenient for the users to navigate through the different options. The interface is simple and efficiently displays a lot of information. Namecheap’s product management is also straightforward and there is access to everything like billing, domain management, and much more.
Free migration - If you are unhappy with your existing host and wish to switch to Namecheap then you can get a free website migration service. Your site will be migrated quickly with no downtime or a maximum of 15 minutes.
· Great basic plan - Namecheap offers one of the best basic plans out there. Their smallest shared hosting plan starts at $2.88 per month allowing you to host 3 websites. Since most of the other hosts allow only one website, Namecheap proves to be economical and unique.
Free domain privacy - Namecheap is one of the few hosting providers that offer free domain privacy protection. When you buy a domain, it automatically protects your personal details from getting into the WHOIS database. That's a big plus.
· Free email accounts - Namecheap offers more than what the customers would actually need. For instance, they provide as many as 30 email accounts with the stellar plan and unlimited accounts with all the other plans.
● A High number of TLDs - Domain is the main area of Namecheap and there is no surprise that they provide a high number of TLDs for their customers. The latest TLDs can be found on their website along with the launch date and other details. For instance, they provide generic TLDs, country-specific TLDs, etc.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
b. Cons
● Average Support - The customer support is not so great at Namecheap. You can get in touch with the service agents with live chat and email. But they tend to be slow. You'd have to wait several minutes for an agent to show up. Furthermore, you might be transferred to another agent for further assistance. This lengthens the entire process.
● High Renewal Rates - Namecheap is cheap, but only for the first year or so. When there's a renewal, you'll end up paying more. For some plans, the renewal cost is as much as twice the initial cost. But even then, the service seems reasonable compared to other hosting providers.
● Domain Transfer Fees - If you're transferring the domain registration over to Namecheap, then expect to pay a transfer fee. This often varies and depends on any existing offers you may have from Namecheap.
· Lack of Data Centers - When it comes to having data centers, Namecheap can be seen lagging as compared to the other hosting companies in the industry. They have centers in Phoenix [in the State of Arizona,USA], and the UK data center is in Nottingham which is too little.
Many hosting companies have more than 20 data centers. This is one area where Namecheap has disappointed the customers. Moreover, if you choose the UK data center you are required to pay $1 extra per month which can be disappointing.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
16. Namecheap Hosting: FAQs
1. Is Namecheap really cheap?
Yes, Namecheap offers some of the most affordable hosting plans without any second thought. There are a wide range of plans that are crafted to suit different business needs.
2. Does Namecheap have accreditations or certifications?
Yes, Namecheap is an ICANN-accredited domain registrar firm based in the United States. It was started in 2000 by CEO Richard Kirkendall.
3. Does Namecheap support WordPress?
Yes. Namecheap offers WordPress hosting to help you build a brand new WordPress website. With its efficient tools, you can set up your WordPress site in a few clicks.
4. Is Namecheap Reliable?
With an average uptime of 99.96%, we can say that Namecheap is a reliable hosting company. Though there are times when their uptime is below the claimed mark, however, they offer users money back for the time their site is down.
5. Can I use Namecheap for Email hosting?
Absolutely yes. If you are in search of a straightforward solution for email hosting then you can rely on Namecheap. They provide different plans for your business and each plan comes with many features.
6. Which Namecheap plan should I opt for?
It is recommended to start with a cheaper plan like Stellar and see how you find the services of Namecheap. You can always upgrade to a higher plan when the need arises and Namecheap provides full support to migrate you to a higher plan.
7. How is Namecheap’s Customer Support?
Though their customer support is not the best rated, we can say that they do have several options to assist their users. Some of the customer support options include live chat, knowledge base, and ticketing.
8. What are Namecheap Apps?
Namecheap offers many apps for free and some of them are priced relatively low. Once you register with Namecheap, you can use these apps to make your website more functional. Some of the apps are website builder, logo maker (free), website uptime monitoring app, validation.com, G suite, business card maker, etc.
9. How does Namecheap perform when it comes to security?
When it comes to security features Namecheap is one of the most dedicated hosts. It provides features like 2-factor authentication, VPN service, browsing protection, virus scanners, SSL certificates, hotlink protection, backups, and much more.
10. What is Softaculous by Namecheap?
One of the benefits that users receive for signing up with Namecheap’s shared hosting plan is a tool called Softaculous. With the help of this tool, you can easily install software and improve the features and functionality of your website.
11. What can I install using the Softaculous tool?
You can think of Softaculous as an app store using which you can install many apps. For instance, you can install Wikis, Ad management, web-based games, email services, social networking features, e-Commerce software tools, and so on.
12. What happens when the hosting period with Namecheap expires?
Once your hosting period ends, Namecheap displays its parking page instead of your website. You don’t need to panic as your entire website’s files are safely stored but the emails that are subsequently sent to your domain name-based email address will be lost.
13. What is Jellyfish by Namecheap?
Jellyfish is a smart machine learning-based spam filter tool that aims to protect you from email spam, threats, phishing, malware, viruses, etc. It enables shared hosting and private email customers to manage their email efficiently by blocking emails or domains.
14. Does Namecheap offer different payment plans?
Yes, with Namecheap hosting plans you have the liberty to opt for monthly, quarterly, or yearly payment. Only the Business Pro plan is available for monthly renewal. The more you spend in one go, the more savings you can have in the long run.
15. How many shared hosting plans are available with Namecheap?
There are 3 shared hosting plans: Stellar, Stellar Plus, and Stellar Business priced at $1.58/mo, $2.68/mo, and $4.80/mo respectively.
16. Which programming language can be used with Namecheap?
Namecheap allows you to integrate many programming languages into your website which includes MySQL, Perl, Ruby on Rails, and PHP.
17. Is my data backed up?
Namecheap plans claim to carry out backup twice weekly, though it is only for restoration purposes. This means you should carry out backups on your own, though you can request Namecheap for a backup free of cost.
18. Are there any hidden charges or fees?
No. Namecheap maintains transparency about its charges and costs. Thus, you will not find any charges being levied to you that have not been disclosed before you sign up.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
Conclusion
Namecheap is a trusted host that provides its users with decent hosting features. It offers affordable hosting options with the basic features which can help to run a small website with ease.
· Pricing - Namecheap offers some of the most affordable plans for every business need. The lowest plan starts at $1.58 per month for a 2-year subscription. The plans are all-inclusive however, the renewal rates will double.
· Performance - Though Namecheap did a decent job with its average uptime of 99.96%, there are hosts performing way better. Similarly, the response time of Namecheap stood at 412 ms which is again considered an average performance. Despite these two factors pulling down the performance of Namecheap, we can say that the host handles heavy traffic pretty well.
· Security - Namecheap can be seen at the forefront when it comes to securing customer websites. It provides tons of security features like SSL certificates, DDoS protection, regular backups, and much more.
· Support - Namecheap provides plenty of customer support in the form of live chat, knowledge base, and ticketing system. Their customer service is commendable and the resource center is capable of teaching you much about online presence. On the downside, the absence of phone support disappointed many users.
· Best for- Namecheap hosting is the right choice if you are a beginner or individual with a tight budget. Being the most affordable hosting provider, Namecheap allows you to host your website within your budget. With a wide range of features, you can certainly bank on Namecheap for your hosting needs.
Do we recommend Namecheap?
Yes, we recommend Namecheap as their services are worth the price. The fact that it has some of the most reasonably priced plans has given them a decent customer base. Though it is not one of the top-most hosting companies out there, their plans are highly affordable ones and has every useful feature for small businesses and individual.
With an average uptime and performance, Namecheap can be a good choice for those who have simple hosting requirements or simply want a low-cost hosting service for their website.
Click Here To Get An Affordable Web Hosting Plan From Namecheap Official Website.
Disclosure: Links contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Web Hosting Reviews and allowing us to continue to bring you valuable content.