Name.com vs Namecheap
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Name.com and Namecheap.
Quick Verdict
3.6/5
Name.com
0 reviews
3.8/5
Namecheap
0 reviews
Namecheap is rated higher (3.8 vs 3.6). Owned by Identity Digital (formerly Donuts Inc.) since the 2017 Rightside acquisition; not part of Newfold Digital About 23M gTLD domains under management (IANA #1068, October 2026)
Name.com Domain registrar with website builder bundle | Namecheap Affordable domains with free WhoisGuard privacy | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.6 (0 reviews) | 3.8 (0 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | paid | paid |
| Starting price | From $13.19/mo | From $11.18/mo✓ |
| Best for | Developers and small platforms registering domains at scale who want a scriptable registrar with bundled privacy and published reseller pricing. | Small businesses, freelancers, and developers wanting a mainstream registrar with privacy bundled, decent support, and room to add hosting or email later from one account. |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | api access | api accessbrowser extension |
| Visit Name.com → | Visit Namecheap → | |
Name.com
Pros
- + Free Domain Safe on eligible domains: WHOIS privacy, SSL certificate, and security locks included
- + Documented public REST API with pricing endpoints, plus published reseller tiers
- + Long operating history since 2003 with roughly 3.1 million gTLD domains under management
- + Full registrar toolkit: bulk tools, aftermarket, backorders, DNS management, URL forwarding
- + 24/7 live chat support with ticketing and a broad knowledge base
Cons
- - No DNSSEC support on Name.com's own nameservers — DS records only via third-party DNS
- - Renewal outliers: .info renews at $40.19 and .xyz at $21.19 after cheap first years
- - .com renewal of $20.19 is several dollars above near-wholesale registrars
- - Ownership has changed three times in a decade; current parent is a registry operator
- - Hosting and email bundles are standard fare — buy domains here, infrastructure elsewhere
Namecheap
Pros
- + Free WhoisGuard privacy for life on every eligible registration, renewal, and transfer
- + Large, stable registrar: ~23M gTLD domains under management, operating since 2000
- + Free DNS with Dynamic DNS (FreeDNS), DNSSEC controls for supported TLDs, 100 email forwards per domain
- + Good developer tooling: API plus official Terraform provider, bulk search/transfer/update
- + No fee to leave — just release the registrar lock and request the auth code, and strong public record on registrant rights
Cons
- - .com renewal of $18.68 and a $70.00 restore fee put long-term cost above at-cost registrars
- - Steep new-gTLD renewal cliffs (.design $69.18, .live $47.68) behind cheap first years
- - Checkout upsells and a dashboard that has grown dense over the years
- - API access gated behind 20 domains or $50 of balance/spend
- - Majority owned by CVC Capital Partners since September 2025 — the independent era is over
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