2017 NameCheap Hosting Review: Expert Rating (Pros & Cons)
In its initial years, Namecheap was just another place one could go to get a domain but year after year, they refined their offerings in that space and come 2007, they added web hosting to their offerings
With almost two decades in the hosting industry now, Namecheap hosting has remained true to their goal set at the time of establishment: to be honest, friendly, straightforward and helpful to their clients. Proof of their outstanding services lies in the 3 million clients they host in addition to 7 million domains they manage to date.
Have Your Blog Up & Running In 20 Minutes or Less!
My Free Step-By-Step Guide Will Get Your Blog Up & Running 20 Minutes Or Less
What sets Namecheap hosting apart from their competitors is the almost tangible reasoning behind their inception. The founder, Richard Kirkendall, wanted to provide everyday people impeccable service and value priced domains. Namecheap puts its customers first on their priority list. There are a lot of Namecheap reviews that can confirm these words.
Also, the company believes that the Internet is for everyone, not just programmers and engineers. Thus, they are committed to offering outstanding service to ensure people with great ideas can maximize their potential using the internet.
In this Namecheap hosting review, we dissect it reveal everything you will ever want to know about the company.
Ratings
- Reliability - 4.5/5.0
- Features - 4.0/5.0
- Customer Support - 4.0/5.0
- Ease Of Use - 4.3/5.0
- Pricing - 4.5/5.0
Namecheap Web Hosting Review
Although the company was founded in 2000, it only began to offer Web hosting services in 2007. And in that short period of time, they have established themselves as a cheaper yet versatile option for beginners and veterans. They are a top email hosting provider as well (more on that later on in our Namecheap email hosting review). Prices are enticing except for the huge hike from the second year. As for their cPanel, it is easy to use and minimalist.
Using the latest technology, they have ensured speed and up times are consistent. Namecheap is also very security conscious and has gone to great lengths to ensure websites on their hosting service are secure. They have invested in SSL certificates, WhoisGuard and PremiumDNS. To add on that, proven transparency in their actions has helped to build clients trust.
Pros
Pricing
True to their word, Namecheap offers some of the cheapest prices for hosting services. For a beginner or a startup company with limited resources, they're an ideal Web host. Since there are many companies offering cheaper hosting options as well, let's look further at what is added to this particular offering
- A guarantee of affordable pricing at all times
- Intro pricing into plans for as little as $9.88 per year (shared web hosting)
In fact, if you check out any Namecheap shared hosting review, you will find that Namecheap offers one of the cheapest hosting plans of all the Web hosts you may consider.
On-Boarding
From the sign up to the effective running of your site, Namecheap offers one of the smoothest experiences for their new clients. After sign up, you will receive an email with detailed instructions on how to log in and begin your process. The process is easy and manageable. Once on board, the dashboard is extremely easy to navigate. If you are WordPress user looking to host your site with Namecheap, here’s a video you will want to watch on how to do that:
Transparency
With Namecheap, there are no hidden agendas and gimmicks lurking about. They are transparent about their abilities, goals, and brand values. They inform their clients about their stand on issues such as the curtailing of Internet freedom and publicly acknowledge organizations they have partnered with in this cause. In addition, with Namecheap, there is no fine print that may escape you as all their pricing plans and renewal rates are prominently displayed for customers.
Security
To ensure their client's websites are secure, the company has SSL certificates which come with a site seal to reassure visitors to your site that details of their transactions are protected. To add on to that, they also have industry standard encryption and recognition on any browser.
One Stop Solution
Instead of having a separate domain host and Web host, Namecheap has provided their clients with the option of having both under one roof. It is an ideal solution for people who prefer not to host hop.
Cons
Plan Limitation
Namecheap plans place a limit on resources by capping them. For people with one or two small websites that can abide by these caps, the effects are next to none. However, those with a few more websites, even on different plans, the caps can affect your website's operations as they are applied duly.
More Of A Domain Host Than A Web Host
As a reputable ICANN accredited domain registrar, Namecheap has 7 million domains under their management and over 3 million clients. This is double the number of web hosting clients. Clearly, their expertise lies in domain hosting. As a result, the web hosting services can be a secondary consideration.
Short Money Back Guarantee
With some of their close competitors offering a 97-day money back guarantee (DreamHost), a 14-day guarantee almost appears insincere. Moreover, potential customers find the time too short to perform a proper trial.
Pricing
Unfortunately, the subsequent price after the first year doesn't stay the same. It increases exponentially leaving clients feeling cheated. Much as the web host offers an introductory price of $9.88 only to charge you almost four times the amount from the second year for the same plan is not well-received by many.
Top Features Of Namecheap Hosting
Performance And Uptime
Using the latest Web servers from Supermicro, Dell, and HP, Namecheap guarantees fast speeds which are reliable and consistent. Each server has 16GB of RAM, four hard drives with RAID protection and at least two processors. Furthermore, the site is optimized using CloudLinux. Excluding scheduled maintenance, the site has registered up times of 99.9% every month. In fact, Namecheap's up time records are among the best in the industry.
Excellent Email Hosting Services
Besides the cPanel email, there’s also the Namecheap Private Email. The cPanel panel is the typical email hosting that lets you send emails and manage the email accounts. It’s great if you require a couple of standard email accounts.
Still, all these features come included with the Namecheap Private Email but on top of that, it will let you set up exchange accounts that you can use to synchronize appointments, email folders, calendar as well as tasks between it and supported devices or email clients. If you want more from this Namecheap Private Email, go for the business packages.
Data Centers
The site has data centers in both the US and Europe. Upon signing up, you are offered the choice of one depending on your location. By offering full redundancy on all their networks using redundant switches, routers, and bandwidth providers, the company provides a platform that is stable. As a result, clients not based in the US still enjoy an incredible standard of service.
Free Backups
While other Web hosts provide backup services for a fee or for a limited time only, Namecheap provides it twice a week for free. This saves the time-consuming inconvenience of manual backup.
Conclusion
In an industry that is notorious for turning a blind eye to anything that can affect their bottom line, Namecheap has been extremely vocal in fighting for internet rights and freedoms. As a matter of fact, they have recently asked their clients to support net neutrality together with them. They are strongly opposed to the stop online piracy act -SOPA and were the first to officially host the MoveYourDomainDay in 2011.
Other than that, Namecheap has vested interests in keeping their image of an average internet user's best platform intact. And what’s clear from our Namecheap hosting review is that the company is still growing, both as a domain and Web host, and above all else, they have more to offer the industry and clients as well. On both accounts, we can surmise they are off to a great start. However, if you would love to host with a company that has gathered a solid reputation in the web hosting space, HostGator should be your trusted bet.
Have Your Blog Up & Running In 20 Minutes or Less!
Get My Free Step-By-Step Guide Will Get Your Blog Up & Running 20 Minutes Or Less