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GoDaddy vs Namecheap Domain Comparison: The Ultimate Domain Registrar Comparison for Smart Choices! (September 2024)

Norman Dwemer

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Welcome to the GoDaddy vs Namecheap Domain Comparison.

Why these two?

you may ask. Well, GoDaddy is the largest domain registrar of them all (which has clearly paid off in terms of consolidating the GoDaddy brand), while Namecheap is more of a niche registrar that has earned its place on the radar thanks to very attractive pricing and good quality of service.

So, let’s see which company comes out on top and which one will be better for you when it comes to registering a new domain name.

GoDaddy vs Namecheap Domain Comparison: Which Is More Popular?

Let’s start with some data, just to give you a handle on where both companies stand and how many domains they each have under their umbrellas.

Here’s the Data:

• GoDaddy: 63,138,399 total domain names registered.
• Namecheap: 12,372,408 total domain names registered.

GoDaddy clearly wins the popularity contest, having registered almost ten more domain names than Namecheap. In fact, GoDaddy leads the domain market as a whole, with all other players well behind (for example, they have registered approximately six times as many domains as the second-ranked company on the list).

The total number of domain names registered worldwide is estimated at around 330 million, giving GoDaddy a market share of around 18%. In comparison, Namecheap has only 2%.

That said, these are just numbers and don’t necessarily mean that one company is better than the other. And you shouldn’t base your decision solely on these market share values.

Here’s a better way to look at it: The fact that both GoDaddy and Namecheap deal with millions of domain names only proves that both are reputable companies with solid foundations and that they are reliable enough for you to consider working with either of them.

Which Top-Level Domains (TLDs) Can You Register with GoDaddy vs Namecheap?

When it comes to top-level domains, both GoDaddy and Namecheap can offer you almost exactly the same product. And “almost” is the keyword.

Here’s what I mean:

Classic and traditional TLDs such as .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, .co, and .mobi can be registered with both GoDaddy and Namecheap.

Then there are country code TLDs: these are created to represent various countries around the world and are traditionally used for websites that want to cater to audiences in those countries.

Some of the most popular TLDs in this category are: .ru for Russia (used for 5.1% of all domains), .de for Germany, .jp for Japan, .uk for the United Kingdom, etc. In total, there are more than 250 of these country-code TLDs available.

The caveat is that some of them cannot be registered with any of the companies we compare today. Therefore, if you are interested in a particular country code TLD, it is best to visit GoDaddy and Namecheap and use their domain search tools to make sure your TLD is available.

For example, .pl domains are not available on Namecheap but are available on GoDaddy. The same is true for .it domains.

To check this for yourself, go to GoDaddy’s domain search and Namecheap’s domain search.

Finally, there is the new set of generic TLDs that go beyond the standard set of .com, .net, and so on. Today, you can find domains like .pizza, .love, .club, .website, .design and many more. Both GoDaddy and Namecheap offer a wide range of these TLDs, but the problem is in the details…. Or, more precisely, in the prices. Depending on which TLD you’re interested in and which registrar you get it from, your bill will vary. Which brings me to:

Which Is Cheaper: GoDaddy or Namecheap?

To be perfectly honest with you, domain registrars do not have the clearest pricing models out there.

First of all, different TLDs usually have different prices. Secondly, the price also depends on whether we are talking about a new domain registration, a renewal, or a domain transfer (moving a domain from one registrar to another).

So, instead of trying to explain all this somehow, let’s see a direct comparison between GoDaddy and Namecheap for some of the most popular TLDs.

As you can see, the prices are very, very different. You can end up overpaying if you choose the wrong registrar for the domain you want. Some of the most significant examples:

All domain renewals are cheaper with Namecheap.

Finally, when it comes to domain transfers, it seems (from our testing) that the price you pay with Namecheap is their standard domain renewal price, while the price you pay with GoDaddy is their new domain registration price. This means that you can often get a promotional price with GoDaddy on your transfer.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the price can vary depending on the period of time for which you want to register the domain. Basically, the longer the registration period, the cheaper the price per year.

However, it is normal to register a domain name for one year. This way, you will have a certain margin to redirect the project after a while, if necessary, and you will not be stuck for five or ten years with a domain name that you no longer need.

Additional Things You Can Buy/Get for Free

Standard pricing aside, let’s take a look at what you can get with either logger as part of the package:

Depending on what your plans are for the domain, one of these offers may be more attractive. For example, if you just want to test a conceptual website and want to do it quickly and inexpensively, Namecheap may be better. But if you want to get started with a WordPress project on a managed hosting account, then GoDaddy may be it.

Which Has the Better User Panel

Traditionally, domain names and hosting seem rather complicated and very technical subjects. Therefore, a good registrar will do everything possible to make things more accessible and easy to understand, even for the novice user.

Therefore, the client or user panel should be as simple and understandable as possible. Let’s see how GoDaddy and Namecheap are similar.

This is what Namecheap’s domain management panel looks like:

And here’s GoDaddy’s:

As you can see, GoDaddy uses a much more “informalized” panel. Instead of displaying most of the available options on one screen, as Namecheap does, GoDaddy takes the other route and tries to walk the user through what is possible with their domain names.

For example, when you click on Use My Domain, you will see the following:

This is your entry point to create a new WordPress site using GoDaddy’s page builders, etc.

If you are a more advanced user, you can click on the small gear icon visible next to the original GoDaddy domain panel:

As I mentioned, Namecheap is a little different here. They choose to display everything on a couple of screens and allow you to switch between options via tabs. But, at the same time, they manage to keep the interface surprisingly understandable.

Personally, I like Namecheap’s interface better. Maybe it’s just me, but I prefer to see all the available options right away. It makes my work faster.

Customer Support

I really don’t want to discuss this in terms of who has better support based on a couple of interactions with each support team, so let’s talk facts instead:

In the end, both companies offer reasonable support options and many resources that you can consult if you prefer to manage on your own.

Pros & Cons Of Godaddy

Pros & Cons Of Namecheap

FAQs

Norman Dwemer

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Norman Dwemer is a tech blogger who focuses on the future of technology. his blog delves into emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and quantum computing, as well as their potential impact on our lives and society. Rachel’s writings provide a sneak peek into the future of tech, examining the possibilities and risks of these cutting-edge technologies. he also shares the most recent developments and research in these fields, delivering the latest news and insights to his readers. Norman’s visionary outlook on the world of tech has establihed his as an authoritative figure for anyone interested in the forefront of technology.