Quick Aside On Namecheap And Godaddys Services
GoDaddy & Namecheap both started life as domain name registrars, which allows them to sell & manage domain names. It is also the service that they are well-known for.
But they also offer a ton of complimentary services. Ill actually cover that below. But its important to keep in mind that you can buy web services such as domains, hosting & email separately.
Ive also specifically covered reviews of Namecheaps web hosting and GoDaddys web hosting.
Still with me? Great! Lets dive into the full Namecheap vs. GoDaddy review! Because youre already the type of person who knows that your domain name is your name on the Internet and that it matters who provides it Ill break the review down into 6 categories that actually matter price, user experience, interface, extras, upsells, and principles based on my experience as a consultant & owner of domains.
Dont Understand the Terms?
If you arent quite sure of all of the terminologies, you can learn more about:
Okbut suppose you really just want to save money right now. In that case, GoDaddy usually wins with their deep discounting.
So GoDaddy or Namecheap? Well, if you are planning on running your website for more than 2 years Namecheap.
But, if you are just trying to claim a name fast, and dont mind transferring it later then GoDaddy will save you a few bucks upfront.
Godaddy Claims That It Keeps Your Site Protected But It Doesnt
GoDaddy claims that its website security program checks and protects your website from malware and other potential security violation.
But in reality, it doesnât seem to mind much if malware is spreading around on their servers.
Most hosts temporarily block users who make too many incorrect log-in guesses or users who use POST repeatedly.
But with GoDaddy, it allows users or bots to endlessly pound on login screens trying to guess passwords. Yikes!
What Are Some Alternatives
- panthur.com and
- aws.com
For the reasons Ive outlined above, I implore you to avoid GoDaddy and instead aim to use any of the providers you see above.
Namecheap even offers a discount to GoDaddy users who transfer their domains away to make their transparent, good value prices even cheaper.
Just use the coupon code Switch2NC and you will get a year added to your domain for a discount.
Depending on your level of understanding, switching providers might also be a bit difficult. We help clients move away from GoDaddy to other platforms all the time.
So if you need help feel free to simply send me a message. Would be happy to help.
Got any ideas for a blog topic youd like to hear about? Send me a message with a suggestion.
Read Also: Transfer Domain Squarespace
Renewal Pricing Vs Registration Period
When selecting your domain registrar, its easy to become confused on what your pricing is now, and what it will be later. So, to help you avoid bursting into tears or uncontrollable anger upon renewal, we recommend knowing how domain pricing works.
Not paying attention to this has severe consequenceswe all live extremely busy lives and having to constantly remember to pay your domain bill every month or renew each year is a hassle.
It can also cost you thousands of dollars, all your hard work on your site, and possibly your sanitymomentarily.
Imagine waking upyour laptop hums with excitement as you anticipate your daily revenue, but instead you are greeted with a message that reads this domain is expired.
Immediate panic rushes through you. Not only do you not have your revenue report, youre losing money at the same time. You have failed to renew and your domain has been purchased by someone else who wants to charge you $3,000 to get it back.
Now, this is an extreme casebut it happens often.
The point is, promotional registration pricing is a huge benefit and taking advantage of it for as long as you can is smart business. Upon renewal, you will pay a much larger monthly feecommonly between $12.99 per month to $29.99 per month, depending on your provider.
And, if you fail to renew on time, you could lose your domain entirely and all the hard work and traffic you built.
Make sure you understand the renewal pricing and when that bill must be paid.
How To Get A Domain Name From Namecheapcom
Namecheap is another popular website for buying domain names and getting website hosting. As their domain name prompts, they often have a lot of good deals and somewhat lower annular prices than GoDaddy, for example.
So if you love a good bargain, heres how to buy a domain name via Namecheap.
Step 1: Run your desired domain name search first and review available options. Namecheap has a really huge collection of new TLDs such as .art .digital, .luxury among 400+ other options.
Also, if your name isnt available or youd like to get some more ideas, switch to their advanced search view aka the Beast Mode:
As you can see from above, you have a lot more features to play with such as price range, suffix/prefix, and so on. This can help you drill down to that perfect domain name that is short, memorable, available, and yet cheap!
Step 2: After youve chosen the best contenders, proceed to your cart to start the checkout process. At this point, you can also add some extras and customize your order:
With Namecheap, you get a lifetime free WHOIS protection for every domain name, plus they recently added a bonus premium DNS offer . When you enable it, your domain gets yearly protection against DNS/DDoS attacks , plus ultra-fast global DNS response. This gives you some extra leverage in terms of your website speed.
On top of that, you can select some affordable up-sells such as:
Also, you can play around with your renewal. Namecheap provides a small discount for 2+ years.
Don’t Miss: Cost To Register A Domain
How To Transfer A Domain Name To Google Domains
If youve already registered your domain at another domain registrar, you can also transfer your domain from that registrar to Google Domains.
The process is fairly similar but youll also need to perform some actions at the registrar where your domain name is currently registered.
To get started, and click the Transfer tab. Then, enter the domain name that you want to transfer:
Google Domains will automatically detect where your domain name is currently registered and provide a step-by-step wizard to guide you through the transfer process:
Once you finish the transfer, youll be able to manage your domain name just as if youd registered it directly through Google Domains.
Google Domains is definitely one of the best places to register a domain name.
Google Domains offers transparent, competitive pricing for most popular domain extensions. It can be pricey for certain extensions like .io but its near or below the competition for extensions like .com and .org.
It offers a well-designed interface, along with nice features like free privacy protection, Google DNS, automatic Google Search Console verification, and strong two-factor authentication.
If youre having trouble getting a specific domain name, that domain might be parked. Learn more about that here.
And if youre looking for WordPress hosting to pair with your new domain, give Kinsta a look.
Save time, costs and maximize site performance with:
Namecheap And Godaddy Pros And Cons
When looking for a domain service, remember theres no perfect company. Every domain registrar has its good and bad aspects.
With that said, there are pros and cons associated with Namecheap and GoDaddy.
- The check-out process can cause confusion
- Domain manager is not integrated into the same window as other features
- The domain transfer process can be difficult
- Too many instances of upselling
- Long customer support wait times
- Due to promotions and upsell tactics, there are a lot of pop-up specials on the screen. This can be annoying when you are trying to navigate quickly around the site.
As you compare Namecheap and GoDaddy, be mindful that GoDaddy is a larger company. There are some problems that large companies experience. For example, GoDaddy may not have as many personal touches as Namecheap.
Namecheap is a smaller company. As a result, it can provide more personalized services to its customers.
Read Also: Can I Transfer My Domain Name To Another Host
How To Register A Domain Name For Free
Youve heard the rumor about free domain names. Is it true?
Yes! There are actually ways to get a free domain name for your website.
First, you can get a free domain name for a web hosting provider such as Bluehost.
They offer every new user a 1-year free domain with any of their hosting plans. You can either register a brand new domain name with them or transfer a domain name, registered with another company.
Some other hosting providers who also have a 1-year free domain policy:
- HostGator
- Dreamhost
- InMotion Hosting
Note: The downside of getting a domain name from a hosting provider is more expensive renewals. After a free year, most hosting providers will charge a higher renewal fee, compared to domain registrars.
Best Domain Registrars For Small Businesses: 2021
All prices are for “.COM” extensions. Other domain extension prices may vary.
Data effective 11/23/21. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change.*Applies to new customers on their first domain purchase
We verified each brand’s pricingeverything is mostly the same, although GoDaddy increased its renewal costs for .COM by $1.00 to $18.99. We also verified all features and information presented in this article.
We also rearranged some sections to enhance readability.
This article has been updated with the most recent pricing information for 2021. Changes include a minor price decrease for DreamHost and minor increases for Name.com and Dynadot.
We updated this page to reflect recent pricing changes among our top-ranking providers. Though it didnt affect our rankings, HostGators latest .com domain renewal price and Dynadots new starting price may make a difference for some users.
Bottom line: 1& 1 IONOS is the best overall pick since it’s the most transparent with pricing. Google Domains is ideal if you just want something quick and simple, while Namecheap’s user-friendly experience makes the process super easy.
Trying to figure out which domain registrar is best can feel a lot like trying to spot a specific golden retriever in a crowd of golden retrieversthey all seem to have the same features, they all do pretty much the same thing, and unless you know specifically what youre looking for, youll have a hard time telling them apart .
Recommended Reading: Io Domain Register
Porkbun The Best Registrar For Com Alternatives
Youve got a great idea for a website and youve even got the perfect name. Theres just one problemyou cant get the .com for your site name because its either unavailable or ridiculously expensive.
Thats going to be true for a lot of you. So, dont try to get cute with clever misspellings or take all the vowels out just to get a .com URL. Instead, get creative with domain extensions. Thats where Porkbun can be a lifesaver.
Porkbuns search function reveals all sorts of useful alternative extensionslike .shop, .studio, .agency, and .help, to name a fewbut it also allows you to get the best short-term deal and renewal pricing on them.
Porkbuns first-year promotional pricing on most domains is under $8. The site guarantees the lowest registration rate for over 200 extensions, including:
- .services: $4.87 for the first year
- .space: $1.15 for the first year
- .help: $7.77 for the first year
- .forsale: $10.87 for the first year
- .app: $13.49 for the first year
- .foundation: $6.87 for the first year
You can even get a steal if you find a .com that suits you at $8.58 for the year.
But better still is their renewal pricing. This is where Porkbun really outshines the rest of the pack. Pick any extension and Porkbuns renewal pricing is sure to be at the top or within the top three.
Porkbun wont punish you for locking up your domain right off the bat, either. At checkout, you can choose a term anywhere from one year up to ten.
Hover: Great Search Tools And Suggestions
Hover is a simple registrar, offering average prices and good service. Where Hover shines are their suggestions, showing similar domains with different styles and synonyms to help you narrow down the domain you want. Their search page has a useful sidebar with different categories and filters for different extensions.
Here, we searched for the domain cookiesbygrandma.com, which was taken. Hover automatically suggested a list of domains similar enough to our search term that we might be alright with those instead. If youre not sure exactly what domain you want, you should try searching around on Hover.
Their .com domains start at $12.99 per year, and they offer email forwarding at $5 per year, plus free WhoIs privacy on top of it.
Recommended Reading: Cost Of Buying A Domain
Domaincom The Best For Not Being Blind
Domain.com offers exceptional pricing for new domain registrations, but it really outshines the crowd by setting low, predictable renewal rateseven for premium extensions like a .com.
Whether youre a first-time buyer or have decades of experience registering domain names, its a smart choice. As your domains about to expire, its normal for a lot of questions to pop into your brain. Am I getting a good deal, are there lower rates out there, and how long should I renew for?
Whether youre renewing for one year or five, renewal time can be a hassle, especially if you have numerous domains to pay for.
But Domain.com has a handy chart with registration and renewal prices for all the extensions they offer so you never have to guess what youll pay next year and the year after that.
You can see a couple things from the image above. First, Domain.com offers a ton of unique extensions. Second, and most importantly, the renewal price is clearly listed right next to the original registration price.
Thats rightnot only can you secure a cherry .com domain name for just $8.99 for the first year, you also know you can renew it for just $13.99. Thats definitely on the lower end of renewal rates for a premium extension .
The registration process is quick, easy, and suitable for beginnerseven if youve never done it before, you can be in and out in less than a minute.
Plus, you can get 25% off using our special coupon code: CRAZYEGG
Free Vs Paid Domain Protection
When you sign up for a domain, you need to provide information for WHOISa public database filled with information about users online who have purchased a domain name or created an IP address.
Think of it as a phone book for the Internet. Like a phonebook, you can use it to find the personal information of anyone with a domain name.
Spammers love the WHOIS directory. It gives them easy access to different people they can attempt to contactas well as their contact information.
Luckily, you can keep the information out of their hands with domain privacy and protection.
Most domain registrars, like Namecheap, include WHOIS protection for free. Those who dont charge about $12/year, like Bluehost.
That might determine your ultimate decision on what domain registrar you go with. Youll definitely want to research the domain registrars WHOIS privacy policy and whether or not youll have to purchase it at checkout.
You can also use your business info, since its already publicly available. Definitely dont use your personal info, though.
Read Also: How Much For A Domain Name