Guide
Namecheap domains: what a .com really costs over three years
The short answer
Namecheap is a solid registrar with good free extras, but not the cheapest to keep. A .com is $11.28 the first year on sale, then $19.98 a year from November 1, 2026, so three years cost $51.84 with ICANN fees. Register three years up front before November 1 and it is $41.84.
Namecheap is a domain registrar: the company you rent your domain name from. Here is what a .com costs there, what comes free and how to leave.
The short version
- .com first year: $11.28 on sale (regular $14.98), plus ICANN’s $0.20 fee. New customers can get one .com for $6.48 with a promo code.
- Renewal: $18.48 a year today. From November 1, 2026 it is $19.98 a year, plus the $0.20 fee.
- 3-year total: $51.84 if you pay one year now and renew each year. $41.84 if you register three years up front before November 1.
- Right for: people who want privacy, forwarding and two-factor login free in one account, and accept a higher yearly bill than the cheapest registrars.
What a .com really costs over three years
Namecheap adds ICANN’s $0.20-a-year fee to .com at checkout, as its own line in the cart. The table includes it. Any renewal you pay after November 1, 2026 is at the new $19.98 price.
| How you pay | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One year now, renew yearly | $11.48 | $20.18 | $20.18 | $51.84 |
| Three years up front, before Nov 1 | $41.84 at once | Paid | Paid | $41.84 |
The arithmetic: $11.28 + $19.98 + $19.98 = $51.24, plus $0.60 in ICANN fees = $51.84. Up front: $41.24 (the $11.28 sale year plus two years at the regular $14.98) plus $0.60 = $41.84. After that, year 4 renews at $19.98 plus the fee.
Other popular endings
First-year prices are sales for new registrations. Renewals are what you pay every year after.
| Ending | First year | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| .net | $12.48 (sale; $11.68 with a promo code) | $18.58 |
| .org | Not published on the page we checked | Not published on the page we checked |
| .co | $2.98 (sale) | $31.98 |
| .io | $29.98 (sale, regular $65.98) | $75.98 |
ICANN’s $0.20 fee is added to .net and .org too, but .co and .io are not on Namecheap’s fee list. Note the jump on .co and .io: the cheap first year is not the real price. Our domain extensions guide explains which ending fits.
What is included free
- WHOIS privacy: free for life on eligible domains. It hides your name, address and phone from public lookups. A handful of endings cannot have it.
- DNS: free BasicDNS and DNSSEC, and it handles URL forwarding. DNS is what points your domain at your website and email.
- Email forwarding: up to 100 forwarding addresses when the domain uses Namecheap’s DNS. It only forwards. You cannot send mail from those addresses.
- SSL: the .com page lists a Standard SSL certificate offer for the first year only, on new purchases. It is not a free certificate every year.
- Two-factor login: free. You can use an authenticator app, a text message or a U2F security key such as a YubiKey. Turn it on the day you sign up.
- Registrar lock: Namecheap has a Registrar Lock you turn off before a transfer. Its pages we checked do not say whether it is on by default, so check it in your account.
- Support: the .com page lists 24/7 customer support.
Upsells to watch for
- PremiumDNS: $4.88 the first year, then $9.98 a year per domain. Namecheap promises 100% uptime for it, with a credit if it fails. Free BasicDNS already runs your DNS.
- Private Email: a free first month that turns into a yearly plan. The Launch plan has one mailbox with 5 GB and renews at $14.88 a year. Extra mailboxes are $8.88 a year each. Forwarding is free if you only need to receive. See email hosting.
- SSL after year one: the first-year offer ends, and the .com page does not state the price after that.
Moving your domain away
- Wait out 60 days. Namecheap says the domain must be more than 60 days old and not moved between registrars in the last 60 days. This is an ICANN rule.
- Turn off the lock. Go to Domain List, click Manage, then the Sharing & Transfer tab. In Transfer Out, turn off Registrar Lock and give a reason.
- Get the auth code. In the same place. Namecheap emails it to the domain’s registrant email, which can differ from your account email. Make sure that address works.
- Start the transfer at the new registrar. Namecheap has 5 days to release the domain. Its transfer page lists no fee to leave.
- Do not let it expire first. Namecheap says a domain in redemption cannot be transferred out.
Our guide to transferring a domain walks through the whole move.
Who it is right for, and who should look elsewhere
Right for:
- People who want free privacy, DNS, forwarding and two-factor login in one account.
- Anyone with many domains. We manage ours at Namecheap, and the dashboard lists every domain with its renewal date.
- Buyers ready to register for several years before November 1 to keep today’s price.
Look elsewhere if:
- The lowest yearly renewal is what matters most. Several registrars list lower .com renewals. Compare them in our best domain registrars guide.
- You want a full mailbox included with the domain. Namecheap sells email separately.
- You want a .co or .io and plan to keep it for years. Those renewals are far above the first-year sale.
Sources: Namecheap: .com pricing, .com price change, November 1, 2026, ICANN fee, .net, .co, .io, email forwarding, 2FA, PremiumDNS, Private Email, transfer out. Verisign: Q1 2026 results. Spaceship: ownership note.
Questions people ask
How much is a .com at Namecheap?
$11.28 the first year on sale (regular $14.98), plus ICANN's $0.20 fee. Renewal is $18.48 a year until November 1, 2026, then $19.98 a year. New customers can get one .com for $6.48 with a promo code.
Is Namecheap raising .com prices in 2026?
Yes. From November 1, 2026, Namecheap's .com is $15.98 a year to register or transfer and $19.98 a year to renew, before the $0.20 ICANN fee. This follows Verisign's wholesale increase from $10.26 to $10.97.
Does Namecheap include free WHOIS privacy?
Yes. Domain privacy is free for life on eligible domains. A handful of endings cannot have it because of registry rules.
Does Namecheap charge to transfer a domain out?
Its transfer-out guide lists no fee. The domain must be over 60 days old and not transferred in the last 60 days. Turn off the lock, get the auth code by email and start the transfer at the new registrar.
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