Purchasing Domain Names: Namecheap or GoDaddy?

DrRipley

New member
Whenever discount seasons come along and coupons are being put out by these major companies, I've always had the tendency to go with GoDaddy because they are a more famous brand. After a while, I saw a lot of comments about people not being happy with GoDaddy and they were favoring NameCheap instead. I'm now wanting to give them a try because I just ran into some technical problems with my domain, and was not particularly happy with the customer service of Godaddy. So I would like to hear some opinions from some members here if you think GoDaddy is just as good as Namecheap or if one is better than the other.
 
I prefer using Namecheap. I have around 600 domains bought with Namecheap and I was able to renew all my domains for 50 percent off renewal price and Namecheap sent me an e-mail for an additional 20 percent off. So i was about to pay 70 percent off of retail. My home has always been with Namecheap. Godaddy spends a lot of money with advertising so they are a known brand, but it doesn't mean they are the best, just known.
 
I personally like NameCheap for several reasons: I like their interface better, their pages load faster, and they don't have sexist advertising.

How did you get the 50 percent off deal, neweaver? Was that a coupon you found elsewhere or a bulk discount?
 
GoDaddy isn't as good as Namecheap. Namecheap is my domain registrar of choice. Most of my domains are registered there. I do buy domains from GoDaddy when they have a 99 cent sale. Then, I transfer the domain to Namecheap after a few months.

Namecheap has a very user friendly interface and they don't try to upsell you every 30 seconds.
 
they don't try to upsell you every 30 seconds.

You've brought up a very interesting point, I've noticed this as well. Although I didn't really realize how much it was really bothering me until you mentioned it. :D I was getting so confused and annoyed at the infinite amount of options I was being offered at GoDaddy and I didn't even know. :D

Thanks for the responses you guys, I guess Namecheap really has the common consensus of being a better option than GoDaddy. Unless there are some who would still like to put in their opinion stating otherwise. :)
 
A not-so-Internet-savvy relative of mine tried to buy a domain name. He just kept agreeing to the upsells, not knowing any better, and by the time he'd reached the checkout button it was up to $152. (I'm pretty sure it was GoDaddy.)
 
I prefer to purchase domains from Name Cheap, and use Host Gator for hosting. Purchasing domains shouldn't involve an obstacle course of excessive advertisements to navigate through before you actually complete your purchase, as it seems to be when purchasing a domain from GoDaddy. Name Cheap is just that, domain names for a cheap price, and you simply type in the domain name to check if it's available, click next twice and you've got your domain (if you have your account info already saved from a previous domain purchase). Another great thing about buying your new domain from Name Cheap is the free Whois protection. Not everybody cares about their private information being disclosed, but I personally prefer to have it hidden. When I used to use Godaddy my address and name was on blast to the whole internet, and that's an uncomfortable feeling to me.
 
A not-so-Internet-savvy relative of mine tried to buy a domain name. He just kept agreeing to the upsells, not knowing any better, and by the time he'd reached the checkout button it was up to $152. (I'm pretty sure it was GoDaddy.)

Ouch! I hope your friend clicked the back button. That's just outrageous. I bet this happens to a lot of people. It's probably the main reason they offer domain coupon deals. They will make more money on the upsells.
 
MMm, not tried NC before, I may have to go and have a look at them. Mind you, it's a pain in the bottom to transfer domains, and I've a lot with GD, so I may end up sticking with them, to avoid extra hassle.
 
GoDaddy is more famous, and has better support, but it's more expensive than Namecheap. If price is an issue (which I bet it is!), go with Namecheap, trust me :) I hope I helped!
 
MMm, not tried NC before, I may have to go and have a look at them. Mind you, it's a pain in the bottom to transfer domains, and I've a lot with GD, so I may end up sticking with them, to avoid extra hassle.

Namecheap offers a great deal to transfer domains to their service. There's usually a $4.99 coupon code floating around on the internet. That also includes free whois privacy for a year.
 
As far as 'cheap' deals are concerned, I believe GoDaddy tops the list.

They may not be offering best customer service out there, but keeping the cost effectiveness in mind, its worth going with them. I have never bought a domain name with namecheap, so won't be able to comment on their customer service, but we all know they are not as competitive as GoDaddy when it comes to domain registration and or transfer fee.

I have bought domains in as low as $1 at multiple occasions from GoDaddy, so I really won't expect great customer service either.
If that's something which matters you, then you may go with someone with proven customer service record.
 
I prefer to use Namecheap for all my domain related transactions. Even though GoDaddy offers more deals, I find the customer service and business ethics of Namecheap to be far superior. And you can use Namecheap coupons to get discounts on new domains, though you can't get them for $1 unless it is a special occasion like Black Friday or Thanksgiving.
 
GoDaddy is more famous, and has better support, but it's more expensive than Namecheap. If price is an issue (which I bet it is!), go with Namecheap, trust me :) I hope I helped!

umm, no they don't. It's actually the other way around. Namecheap has WAY better support, and your not spammed with ads every time you visit the site. Godaddy also has a lot of coupons, and once in awhile you'll find $1 domains on Godaddy so the price is not a issue if you search for some good coupons that will bring the price down. I'll never use Godaddy though, unless I buy a domain off another user that uses Godaddy, and even then I'll transfer the domain away from them.
 
I have GoDaddy for one of my domains and used Google for 2 of my domains. The 2 through Google may be through GoDaddy but I am not definite who Google uses. It is an option through Blogger to purchase a domain name directly. The one thing I like is that I don't have to worry about keeping some of my info private as Google is the one listed as tech support or contact and my name is listed as the owner, but that may not be the best thing either.

My most recent domain was through Hostgator as I just went and purchased it along with hosting.
 
GoDaddy is more famous, and has better support, but it's more expensive than Namecheap. If price is an issue (which I bet it is!), go with Namecheap, trust me :) I hope I helped!

I haven't tried out Namecheap yet, but having already tried GoDaddy's customer support, honestly I couldn't say it is better or even existent. I had an issue that came up and the most I ever got was a bot reply. Also, I don't think they are more expensive, since when promo seasons come, their prices seem to turn out to be the same. I'll probably give Namecheap a try the next promo season that comes along, and from the looks of the comments in this thread, I'll probably like them a lot more as well. But yes, you did bring up a very interesting point, thank you for your input. :)
 
If you're in Australia, you're in a good spot for a cheap domain name. a .com top-level domain is as cheap as $3 here in Australia.
But if I were in the US, I'd go with GoDaddy. They are a reliable and a cheap source.

xHysteria.
 
If you're in Australia, you're in a good spot for a cheap domain name. a .com top-level domain is as cheap as $3 here in Australia.
But if I were in the US, I'd go with GoDaddy. They are a reliable and a cheap source.

xHysteria.

Say, mate, where is this company offering dot coms for 3usd? Is it only available to Australian citizens? Do they ask for some kind of documentary proof of citizenship before selling?
 
I have never tried NameCheap. I have only gone with GoDaddy. Of course, I have only bought one or two domains in my life. They have since expired. I am still trying to get the start up money for one ecommerce site. Then again, I am not sure what the niche should be. So, I decided to hold off on getting another domain name until I am absolutely ready. I have not liked the customer service so far from GoDaddy. I think I might try other domain registrars to see if one might be better for me.
 
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