Namecheap vs GoDaddy: which one is better for you?
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Namecheap and GoDaddy are popular domain registrars and web hosting companies. Deciding between the two can be challenging because each offers a distinct set of features.
Namecheap is known for its affordable pricing, straightforward interface, and strong customer support, while GoDaddy boasts a wide range of services, robust features, and extensive marketing tools.
In this article, I’ll analyze the most important features offered by both services, including their performance, pricing, customer support, and security. These key things will help you decide which is better for your website.
Namecheap vs GoDaddy: overview
Namecheap outshines GoDaddy in most tests, making it a better overall choice. Namecheap is more affordable, making it ideal for beginners and small personal blogs. If you're looking to sharpen your website creation skills, Namecheap is an excellent starting point. Meanwhile, GoDaddy is well-suited for small businesses, blogs, and news sites that anticipate increased traffic. It offers a reliable and easy-to-use solution, balancing affordability with performance.
Here's a quick comparison of the key features these two providers offer:
| Namecheap | GoDaddy | |
| ⭐ Rating | ||
| 💵 Price | From $1.58/month | From $6.99/month |
| 📑 Uptime guarantee | 100% | 99.9% |
| 🔥 Coupons | Namecheap coupon 78% OFF | GoDaddy coupon 30% OFF |
| Storage space (from) | 20 GB | 25 GB |
| ✂️ Free domain (first year) | Yes | Yes |
| 🔒 Free SSL certificate | Yes | Yes (only 1 year with Economy plan) |
| ➡️ Site migration | Yes | Yes |
| 💾 Automated backups | Yes, twice a week | Yes |
| 📧 Email accounts | Yes (unlimited with Stellar Plus plan) | Yes (up to 5) |
| 👨💻 24/7 support | Yes | Yes |
| 💰 Money-back guarantee | 30-day | 30-day |
| Private DNS | Yes | No |
Namecheap vs GoDaddy performance
When comparing their performance, Namecheap and GoDaddy demonstrated impressive speed and reliability. Namecheap excelled at loading websites faster, but GoDaddy outperformed when handling increased traffic.
Website speed
I created two similar websites and ran them through various tests to compare the performance of each provider.
For speed testing, I focused on three key metrics:
- Time to First Byte (TTFB). Measures the time it takes for a browser to receive the first byte of data from the server.
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Indicates how quickly the largest visible content on the website loads.
- Speed Index. Reflects how long it takes for the website to appear usable to the user.
The results for the website hosted by Namecheap were as follows: the TTFB was 0.404 seconds, the LCP was 1.188 seconds, and the Speed Index was 1.103 seconds.
GoDaddy performed slightly better in terms of TTFB, which was 0.369 seconds. However, its LCP was 1.417 seconds, and the Speed Index was 2.735 seconds, making it significantly slower than Namecheap in these areas.
This test revealed that while GoDaddy was quicker in server response, Namecheap provided a faster and more responsive user experience overall in this specific testing.
Stress testing
To evaluate how well both providers handle increased website traffic, I conducted a stress test by sending 50 Virtual Users (VUs) over a period of 5 minutes and 12 seconds.
Namecheap managed the traffic impressively, with no HTTP failures and stable performance under load. It achieved a peak request rate of 46 requests per second and a 95th percentile (P95) response time of 319 milliseconds, handling 95% of requests within this time. Overall, Namecheap demonstrated consistent performance without issues.
That said, GoDaddy showed even better results. The system reached a peak of 46.33 requests per second and achieved a remarkable 95th percentile (P95) response time of just 70 milliseconds, with 95% of requests completed within this time. Throughout the test, GoDaddy had no HTTP failures as well.
GoDaddy beat Namecheap in P95 response time and requests per second, handling slightly more requests. Both providers had no HTTP failures, showing strong reliability. GoDaddy’s results suggest it was more efficient, with faster and more consistent response times.
Price comparison
When it comes to pricing, Namecheap is cheaper than GoDaddy, with plans starting at $1.58 per month compared to GoDaddy’s $6.99 per month.
Both providers offer similar types of popular and widely used hosting services:
| Namecheap | GoDaddy | |
| Shared hosting | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| Reseller hosting | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| WordPress hosting | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| Email hosting | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| VPS hosting | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| Dedicated servers | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
Shared hosting remains the go-to choice for most bloggers, small businesses, and other small to medium-sized projects. Namecheap offers a range of shared hosting plans with distinct features to suit various needs. Similarly, GoDaddy provides several shared hosting options, each tailored for different requirements.
GoDaddy's cheapest shared hosting plan includes one website, 25GB of storage, a free domain, email, an SSL certificate, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a free WordPress migration tool. In contrast, Namecheap's most affordable plan offers a free domain name, hosting for three websites, 20GB of storage, 30 mailboxes, and a website builder. I would choose Namecheap, as it offers similar value at a much lower price point.
For those looking for more, GoDaddy's most popular plan, Web Hosting Deluxe (priced at $9.99/month), includes ten websites, 25 databases, 50GB of storage, a free domain, email, SSL certificates, and a WordPress migration tool. Namecheap's Stellar Plus plan, at a lower price of $2.28/month, provides a free domain, unlimited websites, unmetered SSD storage, unlimited mailboxes, AutoBackup, and a website builder.
In VPS hosting, Namecheap's plans start at $6.88/month with 2 CPU cores, 2GB RAM, and 40GB SSD, while GoDaddy's VPS plans begin at $8.99/month with 1 CPU core, 2GB RAM, and 40GB SSD. Given that GoDaddy provides only 1 CPU core and is priced slightly higher, I personally prefer Namecheap for VPS hosting.
For WordPress hosting, Namecheap starts at $2.91/month after a 30-day free trial, including 10GB SSD storage, support for 50,000 visitors per month, and free CDN and SSL. GoDaddy's WordPress hosting plans start at $8.99/month, offering 10GB SSD storage, free SSL, weekly backups, a Web Application Firewall, and automatic malware removal.
Hosting management: ease of use
In terms of user experience, both providers use cPanel, which offers a similar layout. Their account management dashboards are user-friendly, though GoDaddy's has a more minimalistic and modern design.
Account management dashboard
When it comes to account management panels, Namecheap’s dashboard is slightly more basic but still easy to use.
GoDaddy's interface is more modern-looking. While I didn't find either difficult to navigate, first-time users might initially find it challenging to get acquainted with both providers' features.
Overall, I preferred the setup process with Namecheap. I encountered issues with GoDaddy when trying to connect my domain to hosting, as the hosting settings didn’t clearly indicate the connection problem. I had to manually update the DNS settings to point my domain to the shared hosting IP address.
Control panel comparison
Both providers use cPanel, the industry standard, which features a straightforward and user-friendly interface. While cPanel is easy to navigate, its feature-rich nature might be overwhelming for inexperienced users. Personally, I enjoy working with cPanel because it’s widely used by many hosting providers and becomes easy to navigate once you spend a bit of time learning all its controls.
Namecheap offers additional exclusive cPanel features, including Softaculous Apps Installer, Website Builder, Jellyfish Spam Protection, Namecheap Knowledgebase, and ImunifyAV.
On the other hand, GoDaddy offers Installatron. Website Builder is purchased separately. There are also fewer security applications and tools. The knowledge base is accessed via the GoDaddy website instead of via cPanel.
Website security
Both providers offer robust security features, including free SSL certificates for the first year and automatic backups.
Here are some unique features that each provider offers:
| Namecheap | GoDaddy |
| Free automatic SSL installation for the first year | Some plans include free AutoSSL |
| Domain name and privacy protection | Network security monitoring and DDoS protection |
| Some plans include automatic backups and cloud storage | Automatic daily backups |
| Server monitoring for security updates |
Customer support
Namecheap and GoDaddy excel in customer support, offering multiple contact channels and 24/7 assistance. They each maintain extensive knowledge bases to address common issues and frequently asked questions.
| Namecheap | GoDaddy | |
| Phone line | - | 24/7 in 37 countries |
| Live chat | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Knowledge base | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | - |
Namecheap provides 24/7 support through live chat and email. From my experience, their live chat service is both responsive and efficient, quickly resolving issues with timely responses.
GoDaddy, however, distinguishes itself with a wider range of communication options. GoDaddy offers 24/7 phone support in 37 countries, which can be particularly useful for resolving more complex issues through direct interaction with a representative. While their live chat support is also helpful, it often involves longer wait times and additional follow-up questions before resolving the main issue.
Namecheap vs GoDaddy: final verdict
Overall, both providers are strong contenders, but your final choice should align with your specific needs. In my testing, Namecheap generally performed better in many scenarios. However, it's crucial to consider which features matter most to you.
I recommend GoDaddy for small to medium-sized businesses. It excels at handling increased traffic and is well-suited for blogs, news sites, or any other site that can afford a bit more investment and has some experience in website management.
On the other hand, Namecheap is an excellent option for beginners seeking a cost-effective yet high-quality hosting provider. Despite performing slightly worse than GoDaddy in stress testing, Namecheap offers superb performance, ease of use, and robust security, even with its starter plans. Additionally, its customer support is very helpful, making it an ideal choice for those new to managing websites.
Namecheap vs GoDaddy FAQs
Is Namecheap owned by GoDaddy?
No, Namecheap is not owned by GoDaddy. They are independent companies and direct competitors in the domain registration and web hosting industry. Each has its own corporate structure, pricing models, and customer base, with Namecheap focusing on affordability and privacy, while GoDaddy offers a broader range of services.
Is Namecheap better than domain.com?
Namecheap offers better response times and overall uptime compared to Domain.com. It also outshines Domain.com in pricing and customer support. While Domain.com is ideal for beginners due to its simplicity and ease of use, Namecheap provides more advanced features for experienced users.
Why is Namecheap so cheap?
Namecheap keeps its prices low by leveraging a large customer base and strong partnerships with major web hosting companies. These relationships allow them to negotiate better deals, which they pass on to customers, making their services more affordable without compromising on quality.
Which company is best for a domain name?
GoDaddy is a top choice for buying a domain name, widely recognized and trusted in the industry. They manage over 84 million domain names, making them one of the most popular and reliable providers for securing and managing your online presence.
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