Our verdict
Choose Porkbun for low, transparent renewals and minimal upsells. Choose Namecheap if you want hosting, email and domains from one established provider.
Namecheap and Porkbun are two of the most popular low-cost domain registrars. Namecheap is a large, long-established registrar with hosting, email and SSL add-ons. Porkbun is known for transparent, low renewal pricing, free WHOIS privacy and a clean interface without aggressive upsells.
Choose Namecheap if…
- You want hosting, email and domains from one provider
- You value a large, established registrar
- You want frequent promotions on first-year prices
- You need a wide range of add-on services
Choose Porkbun if…
- Low renewal prices matter more than first-year deals
- You dislike upsells at checkout
- You want free WHOIS privacy and SSL included
- You manage many domains and want predictable costs
Side by side
| Criterion | Namecheap | Porkbun |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.2 / 10 | 8.4 / 10 |
| Features & fit | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Ease of use | 8.8 | 9.0 |
| Value for money | 8.8 | 9.4 |
| Support & reliability | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Security & privacy | 8.0 | 8.6 |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| Starting price (indicative) | Domains from around $10–15 / year for .com (varies) | Around $10–11 / year for .com |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Best for | Domain registration | Small businesses and individuals |
Feature by feature
| Feature | Namecheap | Porkbun |
|---|---|---|
| .com renewal (indicative) | ~ $13–15 / year | ~ $10–11 / year |
| Free WHOIS privacy | Yes | Yes |
| Free SSL | Via hosting / promos | Yes |
| Free DNS | Yes | Yes |
| Email hosting | Paid add-on | Paid add-on |
| Web hosting | Yes | Basic options |
| Upsells at checkout | Moderate | Minimal |
| Best fit | One-stop shop | Low, predictable renewals |
Pricing compared
Namecheap
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .com domain | ≈ $13 / yr | Typical renewal; promos vary |
| Stellar shared hosting | ≈ $2 / mo | Introductory rate |
Porkbun
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .com | ≈ $11.08 / mo | Per year, indicative |
Indicative USD list prices; excludes tax, add-ons and promotions. Confirm on each vendor’s site.
Renewal pricing
Porkbun's .com renewals are around $10–11 per year. Namecheap's typical .com renewal is around $13–15, with promotions for the first year.
Privacy and SSL
Both include free WHOIS privacy on most domains. Porkbun includes free SSL certificates; Namecheap offers SSL products and free certificates via its hosting.
Add-ons
Namecheap sells hosting, email, VPN and more. Porkbun offers email, hosting and site builders but keeps checkout simple.
DNS
Both offer free DNS with standard records. Many businesses point nameservers to Cloudflare for advanced DNS.
Interface
Porkbun's dashboard is clean and fast. Namecheap's is feature-rich with more menus.
Pros & cons
Namecheap
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Simple dashboard
- Competitive pricing
- Promo vs renewal differences
- Upsells
Porkbun
- Low renewals
- Free WHOIS privacy and SSL
- Clean interface
- Basic DNS features
- Limited add-on services
Key features of each
Namecheap
- Domain search. Hundreds of TLDs.
- WHOIS privacy. Free for life.
- DNS. Free DNS hosting.
- Email. Private email add-on.
Integrates with: Cloudflare, Google Workspace, Shopify.
Porkbun
- Free WHOIS privacy. Hide personal details.
- Free SSL. Certificates included.
- DNS. Easy record management.
- URL forwarding. Simple redirects.
Integrates with: Cloudflare, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365.
Who should avoid each
Skip Namecheap if…
- Premium hosting needs
Best for: Domain registration; Free privacy protection; Budget hosting add-ons.
Skip Porkbun if…
- Enterprises needing advanced DNS
- Users wanting bundled hosting
Best for: Small businesses and individuals; Domain portfolios on a budget; Users wanting free privacy.
Switching between Namecheap and Porkbun
Migration difficulty: Easy
Domain transfers take up to about a week and usually add a year to the registration. Keep DNS records identical to avoid downtime.
- Copy all DNS records from the current registrar.
- Unlock the domain and get the authorisation (EPP) code.
- Start the transfer at the new registrar and pay for the added year.
- Approve the transfer email and recreate DNS records.
- Confirm email and website work after the transfer completes.
Weigh it your way
Adjust the weights to your priorities to see which tool comes out ahead for you. Print or export the result for your team.
| Tool | Features | Ease | Value | Support | Security | Integrations | Your score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Porkbun | 7.8 | 9.0 | 9.4 | 8.0 | 8.6 | 7.2 | 8.40 |
| 2. Namecheap | 7.8 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 8.16 |
Drag the sliders to match your priorities. Scores are our editorial sub-scores; weights start at the values we publish on the methodology page. Nothing you change is stored or sent anywhere.
How our scores and weights work · Add a third tool side by side
Frequently asked questions
Is Porkbun legitimate?
Yes. Porkbun is an ICANN-accredited registrar.
Do I lose time when transferring a domain?
No. Transfers usually add one year to your existing expiry.
Which has cheaper renewals?
Porkbun typically has lower .com renewal prices.
Should I use my registrar's DNS?
Registrar DNS is fine for most sites; Cloudflare DNS adds performance and security features for free.
Does Namecheap or Porkbun have a free plan?
Namecheap has no free plan or trial; Porkbun has no free plan or trial. Indicative starting prices: Namecheap — Domains from around $10–15 / year for .com (varies); Porkbun — Around $10–11 / year for .com.
Which scores higher in our review, Namecheap or Porkbun?
Porkbun scores 8.4/10 and Namecheap 8.2/10 on our weighted rubric. Porkbun leads on 3 of six criteria. A higher score does not make it right for every buyer — see the “choose if” lists above.
