Namecheap started as a domain registrar in 2001, but expanded into hosting in 2008. Their data centers are located in Phoenix, Arizona and Atlanta, Georgia.
I have purchased a hosting plan on Namecheap and set up a typical web site. I use that example website to run these tests. Learn more about how I test.
Here is the plan information I chose:
| Plan Name | Professional |
|---|---|
| Cost | $7.48/month |
| Disk Space | 100GB |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% |
| Money Back Guarantee | 14 days |
| Notes | Site was ready within minutes after I purchased. |
On this page: Uptime | Speed | Support | Alternatives
Contents
Uptime Test
I use Pingdom to report website uptime. Pingdom is configured to make an HTTP request to the host every minute, and report if it is unreachable. It'll also report an error if the host takes longer than 30 seconds to respond (Yes, that's not actually down, but if your site takes that long to respond it is unusable in my opinion). Pingdom performs this test from at least 3 servers worldwide, and reports a problem if 2/3 servers do no respond.
This test is important if you are concerned about the reliability of your web host (this is important!)
Namecheap Uptime Test Results
Namecheap performs mediocre in the Uptime Test, with an average result of 99.93 percent. It's best result was 100.000 % but it has been as bad as 92.000 %. Namecheap most recent result on Mar 16 was 100.000 %. Namecheap has had a few significant outages (more than a few minutes) since I started testing them. It's nothing horrendous, but other hosts have better reliability.
Let’s see if Namecheap is consistent in its uptime stats:
Recent Raw Results for Namecheap
| Date | Uptime | Downtime | Outages | Avg Response Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 511 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 536 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 528 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 457 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 462 ms | |
| 99.000% | 7 mins | 1 | 500 ms | |
| 99.000% | 2 mins | 1 | 601 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 636 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 746 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 479 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 388 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 530 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 467 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 552 ms | |
| 99.000% | 1 mins | 1 | 582 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 573 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 647 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 552 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 478 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 381 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 492 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 415 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 443 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 410 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 601 ms | |
| 99.000% | 7 mins | 1 | 641 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 535 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 399 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 455 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 470 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 392 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 530 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 536 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 503 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 435 ms | |
| 0.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 0 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 486 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 437 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 533 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 542 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 566 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 612 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 567 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 539 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 675 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 746 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 669 ms | |
| 99.000% | 2 mins | 1 | 565 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 524 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 442 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 461 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 435 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 537 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 647 ms | |
| 99.000% | 2 mins | 1 | 555 ms | |
| 99.000% | 4 mins | 1 | 606 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 565 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 622 ms | |
| 100.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 629 ms | |
| 98.000% | 24 mins | 3 | 757 ms |
Page Speed Test
This test is performed by submitting a typical web page served on the host to WebPageTest and recording how long it takes to load. This test web page is 56 KB of HTML, 287 KB of JavaScript, 51 KB of CSS, and 1,128 KB of images (these are typical according to the HTTP Archive). WebPageTest (a 3rd-party, vendor-neutral organization) uses servers located in Virgina and California to measure the page load waterfall in the latest version of Chrome, on a very fast internet connection. The test is ran 5 times each, and the middle (median) result is what is counted from each location. Then the east coast and west coast times are averaged, which should eliminate any bias due to server location. We're interested in first page load, not the repeat/cached view.
If you're really interested, I use the 'Load Time' measurement that's returned from WebPageTest for ranking page speed. I still collect other metrics such as TTFB
(time to first byte), fully loaded time, and the speed index, in addition to server setting scores which are translated to grades. You can see these detailed values in the "Raw Results."
This test is important if your site resembles a typical website and you're concerned about speed (which you should be!)
In September 2014 I updated this test to be more accurate, and you'll notice page speeds were a bit higher before then. The test used to be run only 3 times from one location using a simulated cable internet connection on Internet Explorer 11. The new method provides much more consistent results.
Namecheap Page Speed Test Results
Namecheap performs above average in the Speed Test, with an average result of 3.04 seconds. It's best result was 2.00 s but it has been as bad as 72.71 s. Namecheap most recent result on Jan 4 was 2.00 s. Namecheap proves that they have consistent, low page load times. While I bet it could be improved if they enabled compression and caching headers, their stats are something other hosts strive for.
Let’s see if Namecheap is consistent in its page speed stats:
Recent Raw Results for Namecheap
| Date | Location | Load time | TTFB | Fully loaded | Speed index | Keep-alive Score | Compress Score | Caching Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.6 | 0.0s | 0.6s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.6 | 0.0s | 0.6s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 0.3 | 0.0s | 0.3s | 0.0s | F | F | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.6 | 0.3s | 2.7s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.6 | 0.3s | 2.7s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.7s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.7s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 29.8 | 27.6s | 29.9s | 28.1s | A | A | F | ||
| 29.8 | 27.6s | 29.9s | 28.1s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.9s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.7s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.7s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.4 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.4 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.9s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.9s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 25.2 | 19.2s | 25.4s | 21.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 25.2 | 19.2s | 25.4s | 21.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.4 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.4 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.5 | 0.3s | 2.6s | 0.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 2.6 | 0.3s | 2.7s | 0.9s | A | A | F |
Does Namecheap Suck?
Some people may think Namecheap sucks. Here are some real benchmarks to show you Namecheap‘s speed, reliability, and support – so you can see if they really do suck.
Is Namecheap slow?
This test measures the total time it takes to load a standard web page. Lower is better. Learn more about the Page Speed Test.
Namecheap performs impressively in the Speed Test, with an average result of 3.04 seconds. It's best result was 2.00 s but it has been as bad as 72.71 s. Namecheap most recent result on Jan 4 was 2.00 s. Namecheap proves that they have consistent, low page load times. While I bet it could be improved if they enabled compression and caching headers, their stats are something other hosts strive for.
Let’s take a look at some of the times that Namecheap had some poor page speed performance:
| Date | Location | Load time | TTFB | Fully loaded | Speed index | Keep-alive Score | Compress Score | Caching Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29.8 | 27.6s | 29.9s | 28.1s | A | A | F | ||
| 29.8 | 27.6s | 29.9s | 28.1s | A | A | F | ||
| 25.2 | 19.2s | 25.4s | 21.8s | A | A | F | ||
| 25.2 | 19.2s | 25.4s | 21.8s | A | A | F |
Is Namecheap unreliable?
This test is performed by measuring the % uptime of a host. Higher is better. Learn more about the Uptime Test.
Namecheap performs mediocre in the Uptime Test, with an average result of 99.93 percent. It's best result was 100.000 % but it has been as bad as 92.000 %. Namecheap most recent result on Mar 16 was 100.000 %. Namecheap has had a few significant outages (more than a few minutes) since I started testing them. It's nothing horrendous, but other hosts have better reliability.
Let’s take a look at some of the times that Namecheap had some poor uptime performance
| Date | Uptime | Downtime | Outages | Avg Response Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.000% | 7 mins | 1 | 500 ms | |
| 99.000% | 2 mins | 1 | 601 ms | |
| 99.000% | 1 mins | 1 | 582 ms | |
| 99.000% | 7 mins | 1 | 641 ms | |
| 0.000% | 0 mins | 0 | 0 ms | |
| 99.000% | 2 mins | 1 | 565 ms | |
| 99.000% | 2 mins | 1 | 555 ms | |
| 99.000% | 4 mins | 1 | 606 ms | |
| 98.000% | 24 mins | 3 | 757 ms |
Does Namecheap have poor customer service?
This test measures how quickly the host’s support team responds to your request. Lower is better. Learn more about the Support Response Test.
Namecheap performs alright in the Support Response Time Test, with an average result of 2.2 hours. It's best result was 0.10 h but it has been as bad as 6.00 h. Namecheap most recent result on Mar 22 was 2.20 h. Something I like about Namecheap is their honesty. While most hosts hide the fact that they oversell (put more customers onto one server than it can handle), Namecheap admits they do it. They explain that not only is it the only way for a host to survive (profitably), but usually it's fine because 99% of websites don't get that much traffic (and aren't using all the resources they're allocated). Thanks for telling the truth, Namecheap.
Let’s take a look at some of the times that Namecheap had some poor support response performance:
| Date | Support Ticket Submitted | Support Ticket Resolved | Response Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| None found! | |||
Still think Namecheap sucks?
I’ve presented you with lots of data that will show you whether or not Namecheap sucks. So, what do you think? Are they reliable, fast, and helpful? If not, consider these Namecheap alternatives.
Support Response Test
I personally contact each host's support department with a new question/concern and measure how long it takes for them to get back to me.
This test is important for every host - it's imperative your web host is able to quickly address your concerns in a timely manner, even if you're an expert webmaster. Who wants to deal with a host that has poor customer service? Tech is hard, and tech support is critical!
Namecheap Support Response Test Results
Namecheap performs okay in the Support Response Time Test, with an average result of 2.2 hours. It's best result was 0.10 h but it has been as bad as 6.00 h. Namecheap most recent result on Mar 22 was 2.20 h. Something I like about Namecheap is their honesty. While most hosts hide the fact that they oversell (put more customers onto one server than it can handle), Namecheap admits they do it. They explain that not only is it the only way for a host to survive (profitably), but usually it's fine because 99% of websites don't get that much traffic (and aren't using all the resources they're allocated). Thanks for telling the truth, Namecheap.
Let’s see if Namecheap is consistent in its support response stats:
Recent Raw Results for Namecheap
| Date | Support Ticket Submitted | Support Ticket Resolved | Response Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 10, 4:21pm | Mar 10, 6:30pm | 2.2 hours | |
| Feb 24, 3:34am | Feb 24, 6:05am | 2.5 hours | |
| Jan 27, 5:57am | Jan 27, 8:10am | 2.2 hours | |
| Dec 20, 2:55pm | Dec 20, 3:33pm | 0.6 hours | |
| Nov 28, 4:38pm | Nov 28, 7:23pm | 2.8 hours | |
| Oct 26, 10:57am | Oct 26, 4:56pm | 6.0 hours | |
| Sept 6, 6:49pm | Sept 6, 9:06pm | 2.3 hours | |
| Aug 9, 3:00pm | Aug 9, 3:03pm | 0.1 hours | |
| July 13, 2:15pm | July 13, 3:22pm | 1.1 hours |
Namecheap Alternatives: Better speed, reliability, and support
Are you having problems with Namecheap? It’s not uncommon to want to change to a better host if your current host has issues with being slow, down, or unsupportive. Let’s see if we can find a Namecheap competitor that has better uptime, faster load times, and speedier support.
Hosts faster than Namecheap
This test measures the total time it takes to load a standard web page. Lower is better. Learn more about the Page Speed Test.
If Namecheap is having page speed problems, consider these alternative hosts that score better:
Hosts more reliable than Namecheap
This test is performed by measuring the % uptime of a host. Higher is better. Learn more about the Uptime Test.
If Namecheap is having uptime problems, consider these alternative hosts that score better:
Hosts more helpful than Namecheap
This test measures how quickly the host’s support team responds to your request. Lower is better. Learn more about the Support Response Test.
If Namecheap is having support response problems, consider these alternative hosts that score better:
Namecheap vs Other Hosts
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