It can be a daunting task when you are trying to select a domain name registrar. This gets even more complicated when there are well known providers that seem to all offer similar benefits and products. One common conundrum many people find themselves faced with is making the choice between Namecheap and GoDaddy.
There are many die-hard fans of each platform, but it all depends on what works best for you.
Company Comparisons: Background and History
While both Namecheap and GoDaddy are ICANN-accredited domain registrars and web hosting service providers, they aren’t identical.
In 2000, Namecheap came to be when founder Rich Kirkendall brought the company to life. With more than 3,000,000 domain names under its management, Namecheap comes recommended by the widely-read tech blog Lifehacker.
At the time of this blog’s publishing, Namecheap boasted half a million clients that it offers domain and hosting services to.
GoDaddy was begun a few years prior to Namecheap, in 1997. Founder Bob Parsons takes the credit for that. With more than 55 million domains under its management, GoDaddy is the leading domain name registrar worldwide. With 12,000,000 clients and more than four thousand employees, it’s no small feat.
When it comes to the size of the company, as well as the customer base and time in the market managing domains, GoDaddy beats Namecheap in all categories.
How Much Does it Cost? Domain Registration Prices
To register a dot com domain on Namecheap, you’ll have to spend around ten dollars annually. For GoDaddy, that price is closer to 13 dollars.
For the savvy shopper, both of these domain leaders provide numerous coupons and promotional codes that you can find for a deal.
Coupons can allow you to register a domain for as little as three or four dollars. If you are registering a domain for the first time, you might want to consider GoDaddy just based on the price. But if you decide to transfer your domain at any time, you can always do that as well.
Is the Domain User Friendly?
One of the most important things you might want to have in a domain registrar is the usability. Consider what you want your user experience to be. Both Namecheap and GoDaddy offer quite easy to manage tools and control panels with numerous functions.
With GoDaddy, you can access a control panel that lets you manage every service from one panel. Here you can manage domains, transfers, auctions and bids. You can also use this panel to understand the other optional products that might be connected with your domains. Expiration reminders are another great feature.
Automatic renewal is another great feature. This allows you to avoid domain expiration by automatically renewing each year.
Want to manage your domain A records, Name Servers, MX Records, C name and Domain forwarding? GoDaddy allows this. Plus, you can set a security feature that prohibits your domain from being transferred by a hacker or unauthorized user.
Having all of these functions compiled in one screen makes for a convenient user experience. Namecheap provides similar fuctions but the control panels look and feel different. So this one is really a user choice on which you prefer.
What’s the Customer Support Experience? Namecheap vs. GoDaddy
You don’t really appreciate the customer support options offered by your domain registrar until you really need them. And hopefully you won’t have any troubles that cause you to need them. But if you do, it’s nice to know you have customer support at the ready to help.
Users of both Namecheap and GoDaddy have said that their customer support experiences were positive. With quick response times on submitted tickets, you know that your issue is being addressed in a timely manner. Whether by phone or email, you should get a positive response.
Of course there’s always someone out there who has had a negative experience. Some users have written negative reviews online about how particular domain names were lost or stolen. Both companies seem committed to helping even if there is a problem that ends up being their fault.
Both companies have taken measures to beef up their security to avoid issues happening in the first place, but you have to just know that in business there will always be someone you can’t please.
Extra Stuff: Free Bonus Features
It’s nice to get something for free every once in a while. Especially when you are in business. While the old saying is that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, there are a few options you can enjoy with the domain registrars we’ve mentioned. There are some freebies that come standard with domain registrars such as Free DNS, 24 hour a day customer support and the streamlined control panel. These have almost gotten to be industry standards and customers would balk if they weren’t free.
Additionally, Namecheap offers a WhoisGuard subscription for a single year as a free bonus when you register or transfer a new domain (if eligible).
Which is Better Namecheap or GoDaddy?
This really depends on you. When thinking about registering a domain, consider what your needs and wants might be. Both Namecheap and GoDaddy are good options and offer a variety of benefits and features.
One might be better for you or they both might be good options. GoDaddy has the industry experience and clout as well as simple to use control panel. Namecheap is also a good option and don’t forget the freebie of WhoIs!
If you have other questions about domain registration, custom website design, email marketing or anything else in the world of online marketing, we’d love to talk to you!
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