For a new, price-conscious small site on shared hosting, Namecheap is the better pick on the evidence available. Its shared plans show lower advertised rates, include a year of Standard SSL, and its hosting overview advertises free migration for new plans. Network Solutions is a reasonable choice if you want domain and hosting under one roof, but its free-domain and SSL offers have tight limits and its plans renew at the then-current rate. This is a comparison of advertised prices and features, not a hands-on uptime or speed test.
Quick comparison
| Factor | Namecheap | Network Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Entry shared plan | Stellar, displayed at $2.28/month in the monthly column (Namecheap) | Starter; live page masked the price when inspected. Its own comparison article reports $2.99/month first year, $8.99 renewal |
| Free SSL | 50 Standard SSL certificates for one year on every shared plan | Free DV SSL for one annual term, only on Essential or Premium |
| Free domain | Not stated on the pages reviewed | One eligible domain with an annual website plan; no premium domains; not on renewals |
| Migration | Free migration advertised for new hosting plans (overview) | Not stated on the pages reviewed |
| Support | 24/7 live chat advertised | Phone and ticket support, plus chatbot and knowledge base, per TechRadar’s domain review |
| Renewal | Check at checkout; later price changes possible | Automatic at the then-current rate unless canceled |
Which is cheaper, including renewal?
Namecheap’s displayed rates
Namecheap’s shared-hosting page shows Stellar at $2.28/month, Stellar Plus at $2.98/month and Stellar Business at $4.98/month in the monthly column. The yearly options display as $5.88, $7.88 and $11.88 per month. These are page-displayed rates, not guaranteed checkout totals, and taxes, region and later price changes apply.
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Network Solutions’ prices
The live Network Solutions hosting page showed plan features but masked the amounts when inspected, so there is no official current price to quote. Network Solutions’ own comparison article is a vendor-authored source and not neutral. It reports first-year/renewal monthly prices as follows:
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|---|---|---|
| Entry | Starter $2.99 / $8.99 | $1.98 / $4.88 |
| Middle | Essential $4.99 / $13.99 | Plus $2.98 / $7.48 |
| Top | Premium $6.99 / $18.99 | Business $4.98 / $12.88 |
Even in Network Solutions’ own framing, Namecheap is cheaper at every tier, both at signup and at renewal. Note that those Namecheap figures differ from the numbers on Namecheap’s own page, so treat all of them as indicative and confirm at checkout for the same billing term.
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The renewal wording matters. Network Solutions states: “All plans and products will automatically renew at the then current rate to the payment method on file unless canceled.” Cancellation is possible before renewal through the account manager, phone or chat.
What each shared plan includes
Network Solutions
| Plan | Sites | Disk | Visitors (as displayed) | FTP accounts | Email boxes | Offer badges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1 | 10 GB | 15K | 25 | 1 | None |
| Essential | 3 | 20 GB | 50K | 50 | 3 | Free domain and SSL |
| Premium | 10 | 40 GB | 200K | Unlimited | 10 | Free domain and SSL |
Bandwidth is shown as unmetered, and Starter includes a site builder. The visitor figures are displayed plan limits, not measured capacity. Network Solutions’ comparison article lists different email-box counts for some tiers, so rely on the official page and verify at checkout.
Namecheap
Namecheap sells three tiers (Stellar, Stellar Plus, Stellar Business) with storage, bandwidth and other limits in its plan comparison table. Its overview describes cPanel and one-click CMS installs. Every plan includes 50 Standard SSL certificates for one year; in Namecheap’s words, they are “automatically set up.” That is a provider claim, not an independent finding.
Does Network Solutions include a free domain and SSL?
Only conditionally. The free domain covers one eligible domain, requires an annual website plan, excludes premium domains and does not apply on renewal. The free DV SSL is one annual term and only on Essential or Premium, so Starter buyers pay for SSL. After year one, expect domain and certificate costs to enter your renewal math.
Is Namecheap good for WordPress?
Namecheap’s shared plans offer one-click CMS installs, which covers a standard WordPress site. Its separate managed product, EasyWP, is not the same as shared hosting. TechRadar’s 2026 review notes that EasyWP Starter supports one site and that its free SSL is limited to Namecheap domains. EasyWP prices change, so check them directly rather than assuming shared-hosting rates apply.
Can I move an existing site?
Namecheap advertises free migration for new hosting plans, which is a plus if you are leaving another host. I found no equivalent migration offer on the Network Solutions pages reviewed, so ask its support before buying if moving is your main need.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support and checkout experience
Namecheap advertises 24/7 live chat. TechRadar’s 2026 review of Network Solutions domain registration found phone and ticket support alongside a chatbot and knowledge base, and observed that checkout offered add-ons, with privacy and forwarding potentially costing extra. That is a reviewer’s snapshot, not a controlled test, and neither company has been compared here on uptime or support quality, so no claim is made either way.
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How to choose
- Choose Namecheap if you want the lowest advertised price, free SSL on every plan and help migrating an existing site.
- Choose Network Solutions if you prefer one account for domain and hosting, want phone support, and will buy Essential or Premium so the domain and SSL offers apply. Check the full-term and renewal price first.
- Before buying either: compare the same billing term, confirm renewal price, count included domains and SSL, check site and storage limits, and make sure you are comparing shared hosting with shared hosting, not with managed WordPress or VPS.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
