Dreamhost vs NameCheap: Which Offers Better Value in 2023?

Do you want to skip the read and get right to my pick in this Dreamhost vs NameCheap comparison? The better web hosting provider for most people is NameCheap.

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Introduction:

Which web host works better for you – Dreamhost vs NameCheap?

With so many companies joining the digital marketplace, it isn’t enough to just have a website or an online store in place. Having that site or store hosted on a secure and reliable server matters a great deal, but companies and individual entrepreneurs need to invest a considerable amount of money to ensure that they get a hosting service that delivers exactly what they need.

In this review, we pit Dreamhost vs NameCheap, two popular hosting platforms that offer reasonable rates for their services. We will consider several factors when it comes to Dreamhost vs NameCheap in terms of features and functionality, service performance, technical support, and pricing.

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Overview:

Let's take a brief look at both Dreamhost Namecheap before we start our comparison proper.

Dreamhost:

The company has been around since 1996 and is currently headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. Along with its standard web hosting services, it also offers file and application hosting, cloud hosting, and even its own resources repository to aid application developers.

NameCheap:

Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, NameCheap first offered its web hosting services in 2000, but has since grown to its current total of over 11 million monthly subscribers and hosts over 10 million domains.

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Ease of Use:

Which between Dreamhost NameCheap is more user-friendly?

Dreamhost:

A relatively short learning curve and a very user-friendly control interface have long characterised Dreamhost’s UI and over all user experience. You can sign up for an account now, have it verified in minutes, and start working almost immediately. Also, the UI is laid out in a well-organised fashion: everything is properly displayed in the menus and they’re all at your fingertips.

NameCheap:

Like Dreamhost NameCheap has great ease of use. Getting onto NameCheap involves a simple three-step approach to setting up the service: just choose a hosting subscription, connect your domain name of choice, and then you can build your site (the platform has its own site builder), or set up your hosting. If you’re a complete novice when it comes to site building and hosting, the platform offers an audiovisual tutorial to get you started.

Winner – NameCheap! We’re giving this match in the Dreamhost vs NameCheap battle to NameCheap; a tutorial is always welcome, no matter how well-versed you are.

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Features:

Which among our contenders – Dreamhost NameCheap – boasts more features?

Domain Names:

Dreamhost:

Domains, domain names, as well as sub-domains are available on an unlimited basis across all subscription types.

NameCheap:

Like Dreamhost NameCheap lets you choose a domain name from the platform’s extensive domain registry, though you can have just one domain with your subscription. Keep in mind also that, unlike other hosting services, domain privacy protocols and/or measures are already included in the price of your subscription.

Email Rating:

Dreamhost:

If you’ve opted for Dreamhost’s most basic hosting package, you’ll be disappointed by the fact that you don’t get email with it. The option for creating email addresses within your domain is only available for those with premium subscriptions.

NameCheap:

NameCheap offers email across all subscription packages. Setting it up is quite easy, and you have the advantage of enjoying a reliable POP3 email service without having to deal with annoying ads either on the sidebar or as pop-ups. You also have the option of setting up multiple mailboxes if you need a different email address for each department or service center in your company.

Databases:

Dreamhost:

Subscribers to Dreamhost’s shared hosting plans may create an unlimited number of MySQL databases for their websites.

NameCheap:

NameCheap users may have between 30 to an unlimited number of databases for their sites. Note, however, that the number of databases available for one’s use is dependent on the number of apps you have running on your site, as well as how many sites were created on a single user account.

Applications:

Dreamhost:

Aside from its standard hosting products, Dreamhost also offers a cloud-hosting service called Dream Objects, as well as Dream Compute where developers are offered an extensive library of resources for software application development.

NameCheap:

Proprietary software solutions include the platform’s own building platform Site Maker; NameCheap VPN for optimised online security; Supersonic CDN to help boost loading speed and overall site performance; and Google Workspace for enhanced productivity and easy collaboration.

WordPress:

Dreamhost:

Standard Dreamhost hosting plans include a free installation of WordPress’s open-source edition which gives users access to the platform’s full range of plugins, including store builder WooCommerce and migration tool Jetpack.

NameCheap:

NameCheap has a secondary hosting platform called EasyWP for sites created with WordPress. This app-within-an-app takes over the server-side configurations for the site, making manual PHP configuration, file uploading, third-party app setup, and limits configuration unnecessary. Using EasyWP also means not having to use a secondary caching app, as it uses three levels of advanced caching to ensure that WordPress-built sites load quickly.

Site Staging:

Dreamhost:

Dreamhost’s staging feature is only offered for users who built their sites using WordPress

NameCheap:

Site staging isn’t just for WordPress users where NameCheap is concerned. The platform has a plugin called Duplicator which enables users to create a functional mirror image of their site which they can use to test out aesthetic impact, readability, user experience, widgets, and scripts. This may be used regardless of what building platform created the site.

Website Builder:

Dreamhost:

Along with the CMS-driven WordPress builder that comes with that particular app, Dreamhost offers its own hybrid website builder with more than 200 design templates to choose from depending on what industry your site belongs to as well as your own personal aesthetic. However, we need to make it clear here that this block-centric design platform isn’t very tractable or responsive, making it a challenge to work with.

NameCheap:

NameCheap has its own site-building application – but the challenge actually lies in finding out where it is in the UI! The website builder is located inside the main platform’s control panel but you need a different account with which to log into it other than your NameCheap user credentials. While it does have a diverse range of design templates and a drag-and-drop interface, it can be difficult to work with for novices. It’s also quite hard to work with as menus are not where you expect them to be and it’s hard to delete multiple blocks or elements.

eCommerce and SSL certificate:

Can either Dreamhost vs NameCheap help you run an online store seamlessly?

Dreamhost:

We feel that Dreamhost tends to depend a little too heavily on WordPress when it comes to functionality, but especially where ecommerce is concerned: it banks on the WooCommerce plugin to help users create functional online stores.

All of the platform’s managed hosting plans have a free SSL certificate.

NameCheap:

NameCheap offers a comprehensive guide for getting started on your own ecommerce site, and includes the best possible platforms users can consider when creating their online stores, including such big players as Shopify and BigCommerce.

Like Dreamhost offers an SSL certificate is included in all packages Shared Hosting users, in particular, can avail of 50 PositiveSSL certificates which are valid for one year.

Security and Backups:

It's not paranoid to worry about security and privacy online – which between Dreamhost vs NameCheap offers better security?

Dreamhost:

All subscriptions include a privacy protection feature along with Let’s Encrypt SSL

Automated backups are offered across all plans, while backups on demand are also offered for ecommerce-specific hosting packages.

NameCheap:

Primary security features include standard account security with periodic notifications, domain lock, protection against denial of service attacks, as well as two-factor TOTP authentication to ensure that online transactions are done in the safest manner. Additional services such as extra SSL certificates and the creation of VPNs for a particular site or entity are also available.

Compared to Dreamhost NameCheap's backups are dependent on one’s subscription package, but rest assured that these are already included in the package and are automated.

Winner – NameCheap! Again, NameCheap takes this round of the Dreamhost vs NameCheap battle.

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Performance:

Now, let's talk about how Dreamhost vs NameCheap performs as web hosting providers.

Server Locations:

Dreamhost:

Dreamhost only has two data centres and both of them are in the United States. One is in Ashburn, Virginia, and the other is in Hillsboro, Oregon.

NameCheap:

The service’s primary data centres are located within the US, UK, and Europe, while its key hosting servers for shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting are in Phoenix, AZ for North America and in Nottingham, England for Europe.

Speed Results:

Dreamhost's average loading speed is 2.27 seconds. Compared to Dreamhost NameCheap's speed results are slower – at four seconds.

Average Uptime, Bandwidth, and Webspace limits/Storage:

Dreamhost:

Dreamhost’s current uptime guarantee is at 100%.

Bandwidth is unlimited, while storage can run between 30GB and 120GB depending on your hosting plan.

NameCheap:

Compared to Dreamhost NameCheap doesn’t disappoint when it comes to uptime, with a 99.96% overall rating.

Depending on your subscription package, bandwidth is unmetered, while storage capacity can run between 20GB to an unlimited amount.

Winner – NameCheap! Dreamhost may take the lead in terms of loading speed and uptime, but this Dreamhost vs NameCheap throwdown is still NameCheap’s fight to win.

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Support and Resources:

Which offers better support in case you need help between Dreamhost NameCheap?

Dreamhost:

The platform offers 24/7 multi-channel service, but their live-chat widget needs work. The bot-driven service can take a while before service options load, and it’s only available between 8am and 4pm PST from Monday to Friday.

The best alternative is to research through their well-run knowledge base and check out various topics on the highly active discussion forums. Calling their phone service is also recommended.

NameCheap:

24/7 technical assistance via LiveChat is offered for users. But if your support request isn’t at all that urgent, NameCheap’s ticketing system is quite efficient and enables the earliest available customer support team member to get back to you ASAP.

The knowledge base is also fairly extensive, offering everything from insightful blog posts on developmental matters, as well as a number of audiovisual tutorials to make things a whole lot easier.

Winner – NameCheap! in this Dreamhost NameCheap ‘Support' comparison section.

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Pricing:

Let's talk about costs – which offers more affordable packages between Dreamhost NameCheap?

Plans:

Dreamhost:

Under basic shared and WordPress hosting, users can choose between two plans: Starter at $2.59 monthly and  Unlimited at $3.95 a month. While the packages share the bulk of the features, the former doesn’t have free email.

 

Managed WordPress hosting under the DreamPress umbrella will set users back by a reasonable $16.95 to a staggering $71.95 monthly.

 

For those who want a more secure option, the VPS WordPress hosting plans are reasonably priced. The range runs between $16.95 and $71.95.

Dedicated server hosting is also available with prices ranging from $149 to $279 per month.

>> Check for our latest Dreamhost discount code pricing plans <<

NameCheap:

NameCheap’s rates for its shared hosting plans are among the cheapest in the world as these run from $1.58 to $4.80 monthly.

While its EasyWP managed WordPress hosting service is free for the first month of use, users will be billed monthly afterwards. Standard rates are $3.88 for the EasyWP Starter; $7.88 for EasyWP Turbo; and $11.88 for EasyWP Supersonic. All EasyWP sites are hosted via cloud server for optimal uptime and faster loading time.

VPS hosting is also reasonably priced and you can choose to pay either $6.88 or $12.88 monthly.

>> Check for our latest NameCheap discount code pricing plans <<

Free trial, refund policy, and money-back guarantee:

Dreamhost:

Dreamhost doesn’t offer free trials, but it has one of the longest money-back guarantees in the industry: you can ask for a refund within 97 days of signing up. Note, however, that this only applies to basic and VPS hosting; the managed WordPress hosting plans only allow for the standard 30-day period.

NameCheap:

NameCheap offers a full 60-day free trial. For those who choose to cancel their subscriptions, the release of a refund is dependent on the filing of the said cancellation. Service fees may also be deducted from the full amount of the refund.

First-time Dedicated Server purchases may only be refunded if the service is cancelled within the first week of use. Also, no refunds are given to those cancelling Premium Domains.

Winner – Namecheap! in this Dreamhost NameCheap ‘Pricing' comparison. If you want serious bang for your buck, we suggest you go with NameCheap.

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Comparison Winner: Dreamhost vs NameCheap

Based on functionality, overall performance, and pricing, NameCheap dominates in our Dreamhost vs NameCheap matchup. Therefore, we declare NameCheap as Comparison Winner!

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Conclusion and Recommendations:

Now – wrapping up this Dreamhost NameCheap comparison;

What is Dreamhost best for?

Dreamhost works well if you’re just starting out because of its easier-to-use site building platform. It’s also a great choice if you’re already scaling up your site to meet the demands of a growing business.

What is NameCheap best for?

For the most part, NameCheap works well as a great hosting service to use with WordPress.org, though it also works for those working with popular ecommerce builders.

Alternatives:

Final word:

While NameCheap is the victor in our Dreamhost vs NameCheap review, we still recommend that you shop around online for a hosting service that suits your particular requirements.

Click for the best NameCheap pricing

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FAQs:

Can I use NameCheap with a site builder other than WordPress?

Yes, you can. In fact, the hosting service recommends a number of alternative site builders its customers can use, particularly those who are running online stores.

Does NameCheap offer cloud server storage?

Yes, but this is quite limited. The service is only offered for those availing of the EasyWP hosting packages for WordPress users.

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That’s all for now:

If you've read our Dreamhost vs NameCheap comparison review up to here, we are grateful. Remember always to keep abreast of the latest developments on reliable hosting providers, website builders, eCommerce, and other articles, such as the ones below;

• VPS Unlimited Bandwidth

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