Choosing the right domain name makes it easier for visitors to find your website. Namecheap and Google Domains have a range of domain registration services with affordable pricing to help you build your brand and make your business recognizable to potential customers.
The best domains attract customers to your website and physical store, as well as make your business look legitimate. Both these companies have all the popular domain suffixes to fit your industry needs, and you can get other services and tools along with it, like hosting and security features.
Namecheap and Google Domains Compared to the Best Domain Registrars
Namecheap made our top list among the best domain registrars, but I can’t say the same for Google Domains. Even though they’re both solid options, many people find that Hostinger is the best domain registrar for them with its web hosting and domain registration bundling. Get a free domain with your web hosting service with Hostinger.
- GoDaddy—Bet for domain protection and privacy
- Hostinger—Best for bundling domain registration and web hosting
- Porkbun—Best for creative domain extensions
- Domain.com—Best for fast and simple domain purchasing
- Network Solutions—Best for long-term domain registrations
- Namecheap—Best for affordable domain registration
- NameSilo—Best for buying domains in bulk
Namecheap vs. Google Domains High-Level Comparison
Namecheap offers a broad range of services, including hosting, while Google Domains sticks to domain registration only. Google Domains works well if you aren’t looking for extra services, and it offers a wider range of domain endings than Namecheap.
Namecheap’s broader range of services means you can get more out of your domain registration by combining it with hosting. Both companies allow you to transfer an existing domain, and Namecheap makes it especially simple. That said, if you’re starting your website from scratch, Google Domains provides website-building tools that Namecheap doesn’t.
If you already have a website, need to transfer one, or want a great deal on your domain registration, Namecheap has it all. Google Domains suits people who have a host already and need to build a website from there since Google has other resources that you can combine with its domain services. Each company has its perks, but Google Domains doesn’t offer as many features as other domain registrars.
Products and Services Offered by Namecheap and Google Domains
Both Namecheap and Google Domains are worthwhile options to consider for your domain registration, but they each have something unique to offer.
Namecheap’s web hosting services give you a free domain name, and you can get email hosting, apps, and security through the company. Namecheap also has some of the best website migration services out there, making it ideal for transferring your existing domain or web hosting service.
Google Domains is easy to use, even compared to popular services like Hostinger, GoDaddy, and Namecheap. It has plenty of tools to help you find the ideal domain name, and you can take advantage of other Google tools, like Google Workspace and Google Sites. With these integrated services, you can design and build your website and manage it going forward.
Company Health and Stability of Namecheap and Google Domains
Namecheap is owned by GoDaddy and is based in Los Angeles, California. It has over 12 million domains registered and has had the same CEO almost since its inception in 2000, which says something about the company’s consistency. Namecheap doesn’t have as much information about its funding or acquisitions available as Google Domains, but it’s been around long enough to build a positive reputation.
Google Domains has been around since 2014, when it was launched as a beta product. Google Domains is part of Google, so it’s part of a larger network of products from a company that has been in business and successful since 1998.
Google has 10,000 employees worldwide, has raised $26.1 million in funding, and has made 258 acquisitions. It has an excellent reputation among employees and is often cited as having a great workplace culture that promotes creativity and innovation, is data-driven, and offers financial assistance and opportunities to move up within the company.
Namecheap vs. Google Domains Pricing Comparison
Namecheap and Google Domains are comparably priced when put side by side. Both charge based on a monthly cost and renew your domain yearly.
Namecheap gives you a free domain with its web hosting services. It also gives you an initial discount on your domain, and you can get free products and services when you combine it with other products. The company has frequent discounts, monthly coupons, and $0.99 domains.
Google Domains is straightforward about its pricing, but it doesn’t offer as much in the way of extras. It’s a little cheaper in the long run than Namecheap after it renews, and its security is free and on par with Namecheap. Google Domains has seven industries you can choose from to help you find your domain and pick the one that’s relevant to your business.
Pricing Structure of Namecheap and Google Domains
Namecheap prices by domain, and you pay per year when your domain renews. Each domain type is priced differently, and some are as low as $0.99. The more popular domains are usually more expensive than that, though they’re still reasonably priced, with .com at $13.98 and .net and .org at $12.98 each.
Namecheap offers frequent discounts, like 50% off with a code or a discount for new customers buying their first domain. You can also get a free domain by signing up for their web hosting service, which starts at $1.98.
Google Domains has a similar pricing structure: it prices by domain, and you renew your domain yearly. Its prices are a little lower than Namecheap, but it also doesn’t give you the same discounts. That said, its prices are clearer cut, and you can get popular domains like .com, .net, and .org all priced at $12. Google Domains has over 300 domain suffixes to choose from, so you’ll find a wide range of prices among them.
Cost Comparison of Namecheap and Google Domains
For most people, Namecheap is the better deal here. It costs a little more in the long run, but when it comes down to a couple of dollars a month, it isn’t a huge jump for the service quality if you need other stuff the company offers.
With Namecheap, you have to go elsewhere to build your website, unlike some domain registrars, like GoDaddy. But if you’ve already got a website, Namecheap is ideal because it handles domain transfers and hosting migrations efficiently to avoid downtime, and it offers free migrations.
Google Domains has a few specific situations where you’re likely to find a better deal by using it. If you don’t have a website yet, Google Domains is a good place to start since it gives you the website-building tools to help you through setup. You also have Google’s other tools at your disposal, which can be convenient for registering your domain, building a website, and running your business going forward.
There’s a good chance you’ll be using some Google products anyway, so going through Google Domains can save you money on other products. That said, Google Domains doesn’t offer web hosting, so it might not be ideal if you already have a website you want to transfer or if you’re looking to bundle for a lower cost.
Trials and Guarantees for Namecheap and Google Domains
Namecheap has no guarantees for its domain registration services, but it gives you free privacy protection for life and free DNSSEC security. You can try its email service free for two months, which can be useful if you need an email address for your business. If you’re hosting with Namecheap, it has a 100% uptime guarantee for shared and dedicated hosting.
Google Domains guarantees are value-based in that they guarantee the quality of service and make other Google services available to you. It doesn’t offer any free trials related to domain registration, but it promises excellent security and domain sharing.
Namecheap vs. Google Domains Core Criteria Comparison
I evaluated Namecheap and Google Domains based on a set of criteria relevant to most people choosing a new domain. I carefully looked at how each company met—or didn’t meet—those criteria to give you a better idea of how each service can benefit your business.
My research showed that Namecheap is better for people with existing websites looking for deals to bundle their services. It combines domain registration with web hosting, security, apps, and other features that help you grow your business.
Google Domains works best for people new to domain registration because it’s easy to understand if you’re just buying a domain. It even has steps to show you how to create a successful website that will rank on Google, get you seen early on, and help with business growth going forward.
Read more about how Namecheap and Google Domains stack up against the best domain registrars.
Domain Security and Protection—Tie
When you buy your domain, you want to know that it’s secure and that any personal information will be protected. It also helps keep customer information safe, boosting trust in your business.
Both Namecheap and Google Domains have superior security and protection features. Both offer many of these features for free, including one-click DNSSEC to protect your domain against threats and ensure that visitors can trust your site. It guards your site against spam, too, by protecting your information on Whois.
Namecheap automatically gives you two-factor authentication and a year of WhoisGuard privacy protection. It also offers additional security features that you can buy, many of which are discounted so businesses can avoid cyberattacks. It does make you buy your SSL certificate after the first year, which most companies offer for free, but you can also get a range of domain privacy protection services, PremiumDNS, and FastVPN.
Web Hosting—Namecheap Wins
If you can bundle your web hosting with your domain registration, it can make for a convenient and cheaper service. Some companies even off a free domain with their web hosting services.
Namecheap is one of those companies. Its web hosting is affordable and starts as low as $1.98 per month. Businesses might want to start with the Stellar Business package at $4.98 per month. With this package, you get a free domain, and you can host unlimited domains.
Google Domains doesn’t offer web hosting, which can be a major downside for people who want to bundle and simplify things. Google Domains does have website partners you can host through, or you can go through Google Sites. Still, that process is more complicated than going through a separate host.
Domain Transfers—Namecheap Wins
Transferring your domain to another company should be an easy process that involves minimal downtime for your website. Since more downtime means more customers lost, it’s important to go with a company that handles these transfers efficiently.
Here, Namecheap wins by a long shot. It offers both domain transfers and host migrations. The company’s experts handle all the heavy lifting for you. All you have to do is put in your domain and complete the domain type requirements, and they’ll handle the rest.
Namecheap also lets you do bulk transfers if you want to transfer several domains at once and save time. Namecheap also steers clear of upsells while you transfer, so you only get what you want.
Google Domains does domain transfers, too, but it’s a little more work-intensive on your part. With Google Domains, you prepare your domain at your registrar, configure your domain settings through Google Domains, and then initiate the transfer. In other words, Google Domains doesn’t take on as much of the work for you as Namecheap does, so it leaves more space for the process to get confusing, frustrating, and tedious.
Bulk Domain Purchasing—Namecheap Wins
If you want to buy multiple domains, buying in bulk is the easiest way to do it. Many domain registrars offer discounts when you buy in bulk, and it saves you a lot of time.
Beast Mode, which is Namecheap’s bulk domain search tool, saves you money when buying in bulk. With this tool, you can enter up to 5,000 search terms to find the right domain for your website, and you can buy an unlimited number of domains at checkout.
Namecheap’s search tool even lets you put in your industry when you search so that you get a domain compatible with your business, making it easier for people to find you.
Google Domains doesn’t have a buy-in-bulk option, meaning you don’t get any related discounts, and it takes longer if you want to buy more than one domain. If you only need one domain, Google Domains is a solid option, but if not, Namecheap or another domain registrar may serve you better.
Final Verdict—Namecheap Wins
While Namecheap and Google Domains both have their advantages for different types of customers, Namecheap comes out ahead by a mile.
Namecheap has plenty of security, web hosting bundles, easy domain transferring, and bulk domain discounts that make domain registration efficient and convenient for business owners. Namecheap is a little more expensive over time than Google Domains, but it may be worth it, given the features you get with your service.
Source: quicksprout
Namecheap vs. Google Domains