Namecheap offers more domain extensions (1,300+) and better promotional pricing for first-year registrations, while Porkbun provides superior renewal rates and a more transparent, developer-friendly interface with no upselling tactics.
Namecheap vs Porkbun — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Affordable domain registrar and web hosting provider known for budget pricing and privacy features.
Minimalist domain registrar known for transparent pricing, no upsells, and developer-friendly interface.
First-Year Domain Pricing (.com). Renewal Price (.com). Available Domain Extensions. Free WHOIS Privacy. Upselling During Checkout. User Satisfaction Score. Email Support Response Time
Choose Namecheap if you need access to niche domain extensions (1,300+ TLDs) and prefer established brand recognition with bundled hosting options. Choose Porkbun if you prioritize transparent, honest pricing with no hidden upsells, better renewal rates, and a cleaner user experience—especially ideal for developers and registrars who value simplicity.
Namecheap: Under 1 second (US) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: $1.99 (promotional) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: No, lower renewal pricing instead | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Limited presence | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Free basic migration | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Third-party only | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Free with all domains | Porkbun: N/A
Shared Hosting Monthly Cost (Introductory)
Namecheap: N/A (domain registrar) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Business hours only | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Yes, all plans | Porkbun: N/A
Global Market Share (Registered Domains)
Namecheap: Limited (requires third-party) | Porkbun: N/A
Total Cost Over 5 Years (Domain + WHOIS + SSL)
Namecheap: 12-24 hours | Porkbun: 2-4 hours
Namecheap: $24.88 (Comodo) | Porkbun: $9.95
Namecheap: Limited (upgrade required for premium) | Porkbun: Unlimited free forwarding
Namecheap: Not primary offering | Porkbun: N/A
DNS Query Response Time (Global Average)
Namecheap: $1.74 (3-month promo) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Basic only (not specified) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Limited (basic DNS for registered domains) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: $8.88 | Porkbun: $11.50 (stable)
Namecheap: $0 (AutoSSL) | Porkbun: $0 (included)
Namecheap: Yes (active 2026) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: 0 (third-party only) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: No (WHOIS privacy only) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: 8-12% (with third-party CDN) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Basic (included) | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Free with hosting | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: $1.88/year | Porkbun: $0 (included)
Namecheap: 24-48 hours | Porkbun: 2-4 hours
Namecheap: Manual DNS setup required | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: Yes, Positive SSL | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: 24-48 hours | Porkbun: 12-24 hours
Namecheap: Aggressive (auto-added) | Porkbun: Minimal (opt-in only)
Namecheap: Yes (bundled plans) | Porkbun: No (domain-only)
Namecheap: Email and chat only | Porkbun: N/A
Namecheap: N/A | Porkbun: Beginner-friendly
Namecheap: N/A | Porkbun: All providers supported
Namecheap: N/A | Porkbun: Basic DNS only
Namecheap: N/A | Porkbun: Personalized & responsive
Namecheap: N/A | Porkbun: Good for small-medium
Namecheap: N/A | Porkbun: N/A (domain registration only)
Namecheap: N/A | Porkbun: N/A (registrar service)
Namecheap: N/A | Porkbun: N/A (no subscription plans)
How to choose between Namecheap and Porkbun
Namecheap vs Porkbun — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Namecheap vs Porkbun. Contains 101 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Namecheap vs Porkbun — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Namecheap vs Porkbun.
Which registrar has cheaper renewal prices?
Porkbun offers slightly cheaper renewals at $8.75 for .com domains versus Namecheap's $8.88. More importantly, Porkbun maintains identical first-year and renewal pricing, eliminating surprise price hikes after year one. Namecheap also charges the same, but promotional first-year rates can mask the true cost of ownership.
Does Porkbun have enough domain extensions?
Porkbun supports 850+ TLDs, covering all major extensions (.com, .net, .org, .io, .co, etc.) and many country-specific domains. However, Namecheap's 1,300+ extensions win if you need obscure TLDs like .sucks, .ninja, or regional extensions. For 95% of users, Porkbun's selection is sufficient.
Is the aggressive upselling at Namecheap worth it?
Namecheap pre-checks SSL certificates, email accounts, and security add-ons during checkout, increasing typical bills by $15-30 yearly. Many users report unchecking these boxes. Porkbun presents optional add-ons without pre-selection, resulting in lower final costs and higher user satisfaction (4.6 vs 4.2 stars).
Can I use Porkbun for API-based domain management?
Yes, Porkbun provides full API access for bulk domain registration, DNS management, and automation—ideal for developers. Namecheap also offers an API but requires higher-tier accounts. Porkbun's API is more accessible to smaller users and developers.
Which registrar should I choose if I need web hosting?
Namecheap is better if you want integrated hosting bundles with domain registration (shared hosting, VPS, reseller hosting all available). Porkbun focuses on domain registration only, so you'd need to connect a separate hosting provider. For most users, separating domain and hosting is actually preferable for flexibility and cost control.
How to Choose Between Namecheap and Porkbun
Consider: First-Year Domain Pricing (.com)
First-Year Domain Pricing (.com): Namecheap has $8.88, while Porkbun has $8.75.
Renewal Price (.com): Namecheap has $8.88, while Porkbun has $8.75.
Available Domain Extensions: Namecheap has 1,300+, while Porkbun has 850+.
Free WHOIS Privacy: Namecheap has Yes, while Porkbun has Yes.
Upselling During Checkout: Namecheap has Aggressive add-ons, while Porkbun has Minimal, optional.
User Satisfaction Score: Namecheap has 4.2/5 stars, while Porkbun has 4.6/5 stars.
Email Support Response Time: Namecheap has 24-48 hours, while Porkbun has 12-24 hours.