Namecheap vs Spaceship: Which Registrar Should You Use?
By Thomas Lovas Lokoy — researched and drafted with AI assistance, then fact-checked and approved by Thomas before publishing · Editorial policy
Namecheap and Spaceship are run by the same company: Namecheap launched Spaceship.com in August 2023 as a separate brand for domain registration and hosting. Choose Spaceship if you want a simple, modern dashboard for a few domains and email in the same account; choose Namecheap if you want a larger catalogue of add-ons and a long track record. Both include free WHOIS privacy according to our registrar data. Price is the part to check yourself: neither publishes a full price list we could read by script, so compare the renewal price for your exact name on both sites before you buy.
The two at a glance
| Namecheap | Spaceship | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | Long-established; its own domain was registered in 2000 | August 2023, as a Namecheap brand |
| Registrar IANA ID (from RDAP, 16 October 2026) | 1068 (NameCheap, Inc.) | 3862 (Spaceship, Inc.) |
| WHOIS privacy | Free, according to our registrar data | Free, according to our registrar data |
| .com renewal | USD 18.48 when we read Namecheap's page on 1 August 2026 | Shown only after a domain search; not captured |
| Interface | Fuller, more add-ons on the way to checkout | Simpler, fewer upsells |
| Mailbox plans sold alongside domains | Spacemail, in the same account as the domain |
The IANA ID is the registrar's accreditation number with ICANN; it appears in every WHOIS record for a domain registered there, which is how you can tell the two apart in a lookup even though they share an owner.
Price: how to compare honestly
The useful comparison is the renewal price for the exact name you want, not the first-year offer. Neither registrar gave us a full per-TLD list to read automatically: Namecheap's pages refused our scripted reads on 16 October 2026, and Spaceship shows a price only after a search. So do this:
- Search the same name on both sites.
- Note the first-year price, the renewal price and any ICANN fee line.
- Work out five years as the first year plus four renewals.
As a reference point from a registrar that does publish its list, Porkbun's .com was USD 11.08 to register and renew on 16 October 2026, or USD 55.40 over five years. At the USD 18.48 .com renewal we read on Namecheap's page on 1 August 2026, four renewals alone come to USD 73.92. Prices change, so treat both as dated snapshots and check on the day. Porkbun vs Namecheap and domain registration cost 2026 work through the method.
Interface and checkout
Spaceship's case is simplicity: buying a domain, pointing DNS and adding email take fewer screens, with fewer offers on the way. Namecheap's panel is busier but exposes more: a wider range of hosting, security and email products if you want them from one vendor. For a first domain, fewer decisions is usually better; how to register a domain name in five steps lists the checkout add-ons worth declining wherever you buy.
Both sell email for your domain. Spaceship's Spacemail sits in the same account as the domain, so the DNS records can be set for you; that removes the most common setup failure, a DKIM key that was generated but never published. If you prefer Google Workspace or another provider, either registrar works. Business email on your own domain compares the options, with prices read on 16 October 2026.
Security
Both registrars protect their own domains with registry lock: lookups of namecheap.com and spaceship.com on 16 October 2026 showed server delete, transfer and update prohibited on top of the client transfer lock. For your own names, the essentials at either are the same: two-factor authentication on the account, the transfer lock on, and auto-renew with a card that will not expire first. Domain renewal: how to never lose your domain covers the rest.
Moving between them
Transfers between the two follow ICANN's standard process: unlock, get the authorisation code, start the transfer at the receiving registrar and approve it. Because they are separate registrars with separate IANA IDs, it is a real inter-registrar transfer, so the 60-day rules apply; the 60-day lock explained has a worked example.
Verdict
Pick Spaceship for a clean, low-friction setup for a handful of domains with email in the same place. Pick Namecheap when you want the wider catalogue and are comfortable declining add-ons. Either way, compare the renewal price for your name on both before you pay. Related reading: best domain registrars 2026 and our Spaceship review.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spaceship owned by Namecheap?
Spaceship.com was launched by Namecheap in August 2023 as a separate brand for domain registration and hosting. In WHOIS records it appears as its own registrar, Spaceship, Inc., with IANA ID 3862; Namecheap is NameCheap, Inc., IANA ID 1068.
Is Spaceship cheaper than Namecheap?
It depends on the name and the day. Neither publishes a full price list we could read by script, so search your exact name on both and compare the renewal price, not the first-year offer.
Do Namecheap and Spaceship include free WHOIS privacy?
Both are listed with free privacy in our registrar data. Confirm it is on in the basket before you pay.
Can I transfer a domain from Namecheap to Spaceship?
Yes, through the normal inter-registrar transfer: unlock the domain, get the authorisation code and start the transfer at Spaceship. ICANN's 60-day rules apply after a recent registration, transfer or change of registrant.
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