Namecheap vs Kinsta: guide for 2024

Final verdict

Comparing Namecheap and Kinsta, we find each hosting provider serves distinct user needs.

• 
  Kinsta (Overall grade: 8.5)
  
  offers high-performance hosting services with exceptional uptime, speedy response times, and strong scalability features. Kinsta, leveraging Google Cloud’s infrastructure, excels in providing advanced security measures, efficient user management, and a seamless custom dashboard, making it highly suitable for high-traffic websites, multimedia sites, and agencies looking for reliable, fast, and secure hosting solutions. Its customer support is diverse, multilingual, and highly responsive, further enhancing its appeal.
• 
  Namecheap (Overall grade: 7.2)
  
  stands out for its affordable hosting plans, offering a variety of options including shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting. It provides reliable support, an easy-to-use cPanel interface, and comprehensive email hosting. Namecheap’s strengths lie in its budget-friendly pricing, audio/video streaming capabilities, and tools tailored for eCommerce. However, it faces challenges with occasional performance hiccups and slower response times, making it a solid choice for cost-conscious beginners and small businesses.

Hosting types offered

Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.

Although both offer a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs, in certain cases, one platform may prove to be more suitable.

Detailed comparison

🏆 Winner Kinsta: Offers superior uptime and outstanding performance.

Namecheap provides an appealing uptime guarantee of 100% for its shared, business, and dedicated server accounts, along with commendable 99.9% for others. Despite this strong promise, the actual performance sometimes falls short, with an average uptime of 99.96% and certain tests showing 99.82%. Response times are generally slower than market averages, with particular weaknesses highlighted in some regions.

Kinsta excels with a consistent 99.9% uptime guarantee and impressively recording perfect uptime in multiple tests. The infrastructure built on Google Cloud and Cloudflare integration enhances its reliability and quick response times, averaging 461ms. Its monitoring system ensures quick problem resolution, maintaining high performance even under load, making it a standout choice for reliable hosting.

🏆 Winner
Kinsta: High-performance hosting with advanced features.

Comparing the general performance of Namecheap and Kinsta reveals distinct differences. Namecheap offers solid speed thanks to its SSD storage across various plans and multiple data centers in the US, UK, and EU. Kinsta, on the other hand, leverages Google Cloud’s premium tier network and fastest virtual machines, along with advanced features like edge caching and image optimization. Kinsta integrates Cloudflare for enhanced site speed and security, made available at no additional cost, with 35 global data centers to ensure optimal performance.

Website Speed

Kinsta holds a significant edge. Namecheap’s EasyWP WordPress hosting boasts a fully loaded time of 0.7 seconds and 99.9% uptime, which is impressive. However, Kinsta’s edge caching and optimization tools trim the Time to First Byte by up to 50%, and tools like APM help pinpoint and address lag points. The integration of Cloudflare CDN and image optimization further contribute to faster load times, making Kinsta a stronger choice for those prioritizing speed.

Scalability

Scalability is another area where Kinsta outshines Namecheap. Kinsta offers a seamless, elastic scaling experience, easily adjusting resources without significant downtime or manual upgrades. Detailed plan analytics and flexible access management help ensure smooth scaling. Resource-intensive sites can rely on Kinsta’s managed WordPress hosting plans starting at $35/month. Conversely, Namecheap offers plans that need manual upgrades as your site grows, with various tiers across shared, VPS, and reseller hosting, but lacks the same automatic scaling capabilities found in Kinsta’s offerings.

🏆 Winner
Kinsta: Kinsta provides robust security features and comprehensive compliance regulations for a highly secure hosting environment.

Both Namecheap and Kinsta, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.

Technical security measures:

Namecheap supports various SSL certificates, from Domain Validation to Extended Validation, ensuring secure communications. It also supports PHP versions from 5.X to 8.X, catering to different user needs. On the other hand, Kinsta offers free SSL certificates with automatic renewals and support for custom and wildcard SSL certificates. Kinsta also allows users to choose their PHP version through the MyKinsta dashboard. Both providers offer essential features, but Kinsta’s edge caching and application performance monitoring add extra layers of security and performance optimization.

Operational security measures:

Namecheap uses a two-factor authentication (2FA) system, domain privacy, and a host of additional measures like FastVPN, virus scanning, and spam protection tools. Meanwhile, Kinsta offers managed WAF with DDoS protection, IP deny tools, and automatic hourly backups, along with free malware removal services if a website gets hacked. Both companies provide SSH access, but Kinsta’s proactive site monitoring and force HTTPS feature ensure ongoing site security and integrity.

Compliance and certifications:

Namecheap ensures robust GDPR compliance, offering users rights like data access, rectification, and portability. Namecheap does not specify HIPAA or SOC 2 compliance. Kinsta aligns with GDPR regulations and is SOC 2 compliant, ensuring enterprise-level security measures. Although Kinsta’s PCI compliance is not explicitly mentioned, its strong infrastructure aids in meeting PCI requirements.

🏆 Winner: Namecheap: Offering comprehensive and affordable hosting plans for a variety of user needs.

Namecheap and Kinsta both provide a range of services to cater to different types of users. Namecheap stands out with its various features including a built-in website builder available in all shared hosting plans, which simplifies the website creation process for beginners and those who want straightforward customizations. Namecheap’s plans are affordable, starting as low as $1.98 per month, making it accessible for those on a budget. It also offers free PositiveSSL certificates for the first year, free Supersonic CDN, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, further making it an attractive option for cost-conscious users.

Kinsta, on the other hand, is tailored more towards users who prioritize performance and advanced functionalities. Kinsta offers SSH access, along with FTP and SFTP, allowing for more complex customizations and higher security standards. Kinsta’s main unique selling point is its high-performance hosting environment that ensures faster load times, which can be especially beneficial for heavy-traffic websites. Although Kinsta lacks a built-in website builder and doesn’t offer free domain registration or email hosting, it excels in providing a robust infrastructure ideal for developers and enterprises looking for reliability and speed.

Both providers support a range of users from beginners to experts with user-friendly website builders and WordPress staging areas. However, in terms of developer tools, both Namecheap and Kinsta offer robust options including SSH access, support for multiple programming languages, and Git for version control, thus appealing to developers looking for advanced capabilities.

Email services:

Email services at Namecheap excel in email hosting, offering up to unlimited mailboxes with Stellar Plus and Stellar Business plans. It includes features like SMTP, POP3, IMAP, and Jellyfish Spam Protection. While Kinsta doesn’t provide built-in email hosting, it supports transactional emails and can work with third-party services like Google Workspace for more extensive email needs. For users looking to set up and manage their email campaigns directly through their hosting, Namecheap provides a more comprehensive solution.

🏆 Winner Kinsta: Kinsta offers competitive plans with excellent features suited for various hosting needs.

Evaluating the pricing of plans among various hosting providers can be complex due to their differing pricing and renewal strategies. Additionally, certain plans require annual commitments, which adds to the difficulty of making comparisons. The prices listed are based on monthly commitments; plans requiring annual commitments are indicated. Additionally, although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.

When comparing Namecheap and Kinsta, it’s evident that Namecheap provides a range of affordable plans across shared hosting, reseller hosting, managed WordPress hosting, and dedicated servers. Their introductory prices are quite low, which can be appealing to new users, but renewals can be significantly higher. Kinsta, although pricier, focuses extensively on managed WordPress hosting, with robust plans designed to handle high traffic and provide fast, reliable service. Kinsta’s plans come with premium features like higher backup retention, more included migrations, and extensive storage, which justifies its higher pricing.

Enterprise plans

For enterprises, Kinsta provides tailored WordPress hosting plans starting from $675/month, designed to host multiple high-traffic websites with extensive storage and premium features like 30-day backup retention. Namecheap, with its dedicated servers, offers customizable configurations starting from $44.88/month, suitable for various high-demand applications. While Namecheap’s flexibility is appealing, Kinsta’s enterprise plans offer more robust solutions tailored for large-scale WordPress implementations.

🏆 Winner
Kinsta: Known for its user-friendly dashboard and extensive support resources.

Namecheap employs a standard cPanel for its hosting services, making it familiar for those accustomed to traditional control panels. Beyond cPanel, their EasyWP dashboard offers simplicity with a streamlined interface specifically designed for WordPress websites. This dual approach appeals to both experienced users and novices alike. Kinsta, on the other hand, provides a custom-built MyKinsta dashboard that is designed to cater to all users, offering features such as one-click backups, easy cache management, and simple PHP version selection. The award-winning interface stands out for its intuitiveness and ease of use, making site management hassle-free.

While Namecheap’s cPanel offers a wide array of functionalities, including the Softaculous app installer, it might seem overwhelming for new users. The EasyWP dashboard mitigates this complexity but is limited to WordPress. In contrast, Kinsta’s dashboard is crafted to cater to various hosting needs, including WordPress, Static Site Hosting, and more. Its staging environments allow users to test changes effortlessly, which is a significant advantage. Both systems are user-friendly, but Kinsta’s custom solution offers more versatility and a cleaner, more integrated experience.

Both hosting providers offer efficient site migration tools. Namecheap provides free migration services via the All-in-One WP Migration plugin, ensuring ease for customers switching from various other hosts. Kinsta also simplifies the migration process through the MyKinsta dashboard, offering both basic and premium migrations. Kinsta’s service is comprehensive, providing detailed steps and support for each migration, though their advanced services might incur a fee.

Namecheap’s help center is extensive, covering setup guides, troubleshooting, and FAQs. They offer 24/7 live chat support, a help desk, and a support ticket system with SSL encryption. Their knowledge base is robust with practically everything a user might need. Kinsta also provides 24/7/365 live expert support via chat with no chatbots, complemented by comprehensive documentation and a community forum for Static Site Hosting. Their guides and tutorials are thorough and geared towards various user needs. Both platforms offer quality support, but Kinsta’s proactive monitoring and developer-oriented resources give it an edge.

🏆 Winner
Kinsta: Offers extensive user management functionalities, ensuring a streamlined experience.

Kinsta offers a comprehensive array of features to manage user roles, permissions, and accessibility effectively. Company Owners and Company Administrators on Kinsta can add and remove users at any level, offering flexibility in managing access rights. In contrast, Namecheap does not provide detailed information on user role management, limiting its ability to match Kinsta’s capabilities. Kinsta also allows Company Developers to view company users and grant access to WordPress sites, making it easier to maintain a collaborative environment. This layering and clarity in user roles ensure that Kinsta can accommodate various organizational needs, keeping user management straightforward and secure.

The user interface for Kinsta’s user management is intuitive, providing easy access to all necessary controls via the MyKinsta dashboard. Users can enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) within MyKinsta > User Settings > My Account to enhance security. Although detailed information about Namecheap’s user interface for managing users is not available, Kinsta’s comprehensive dashboard ensures easier navigation and management of user roles and permissions. This allows customers to maintain tight control over who has access to their sites, applications, and databases.

Kinsta excels in its access control measures, attributing much of the responsibility to the customer while providing robust support features. Company Owners and Administrators can efficiently handle access controls, even as the number of users grows. Each role, from Developers to Site Managers, is clearly defined, allowing organizations to scale their user management practices seamlessly. This means that regardless of the size of the company or the complexity of its user hierarchy, Kinsta remains adaptable and reliable.

Kinsta user roles table:

🏆 Winner: Kinsta: Offers extensive multilingual support and proactive site monitoring.

Namecheap and Kinsta both provide solid customer support options but with some differences. Namecheap offers 24/7 live chat and an extensive knowledge base, which includes how-to videos and a variety of learning resources. They also provide free website migration and instant setup. However, Namecheap does not offer phone support, which could be a drawback for those preferring to receive assistance via a call.

Kinsta, on the other hand, offers a more diverse range of multilingual support tailored to different time zones, which is beneficial for global users. They provide 24/7 live chat for paid customers and phone support for sales inquiries. Kinsta’s proactive site monitoring ensures quick response to potential issues, enhancing the overall reliability. While both providers have extensive resources, Kinsta edges ahead due to its additional support features like SOC 2 compliance and advanced security measures.

User feedback

Namecheap is widely appreciated for its affordability, reliability, and high-quality customer support. Users commend the availability of free SSL certificates, user-friendly cPanel, and outstanding hosting speed. However, shared hosting speed and the occasional slow response from support are noted concerns. Despite these minor drawbacks, Namecheap remains a popular choice for beginners and small to medium businesses due to its competitive pricing and satisfactory service quality.

Kinsta is highly recommended by users for its reliable and easy-to-use hosting services, particularly for WordPress sites. Customers appreciate the fast and responsive customer support, impressive speed, and robust security features provided by the platform. The user-friendly dashboard and extensive documentation also stand out as significant advantages, making it easy for both novices and tech-savvy individuals to manage their sites. However, some users find the pricing to be on the higher side, and a few have suggested improvements like expanding data center locations and providing direct access to all integrated services. Overall, Kinsta is praised for delivering a high-quality, dependable hosting experience.

FAQ