Namecheap is best known as an American domain name registrar and web hosting provider, who have been operating for 20 years since the early days of the internet. With over 11 million users and a highly trusted reputation, Namecheap has grown into one of the largest registrars in the world.
Namecheap has long been an advocate of private and free internet access, campaigning for net neutrality and open communications for all. They’ve proven their commitment to this cause through various fundraising efforts and shows of support for internet freedom causes – which should come as a great accolade for those users concerned with their privacy online.
More recently, Namecheap has begun offering other services, one of which is their VPN solution. Although Namecheap’s VPN started life as a relatively simple service, it’s been built upon and seriously upgraded over the last few years. It can now hold its own against other leading VPN services.
As a result, we don’t think that current reviews do Namecheap’s new-and-improved VPN justice. So, we’re going to explore what makes Namecheap’s VPN an excellent choice for 2020 and examine some of the leading features this VPN service has to offer.
Namecheap VPN Special Features
Namecheap’s VPN does all the things you would expect of a regular VPN service. Still, there are a few extra features that Namecheap offers, which make it stand out from the competition and rub shoulders with the most popular VPN providers like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, etc. These include:
- Over 1,000 servers – Unlike some smaller VPN operators, Namecheap uses over 1,000 server locations so its users can always enjoy uninterrupted access to VPN connections all over the world. This includes popular locations in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
- DNS leak protection – Domain name systems, or ‘DNS’ is described as the ‘phonebook’ of the internet, and it can reveal specific information about you when you connect to websites. Namecheap’s VPN service prevents this information from being leaked when you surf the web.
- Strong data encryption – Namecheap uses leading VPN protocols to ensure that user data is encrypted. These include OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, which provide military-grade traffic encryption.
- Unlimited device support – One of the best features of Namecheap’s VPN service is its unlimited amount of connected devices. This means customers can connect any device, regardless of the operating system, in their home, or even share their connection with friends and family.
- ISP throttling avoidance – Some ISPs use ‘packet sniffing’ to examine your data and restrict browsing while you’re using a VPN. With Namecheap, ISPs are prevented from restricting your internet access using these methods.
- Random IP addresses – Some VPN providers will simply use the IP address of the data center or server you connect to, which makes it obvious you’re connecting via a VPN. However, Namecheap assigns each user a random IP address while keeping your true IP and location hidden.
Useful Extra Features
In addition to its core features, Namecheap’s VPN service has a range of other features which make it even better value for money, including:
- Strict no-logs policy – Namecheap promises that it never keeps logs on its customers’ browsing history, nor does it track or store data from your VPN sessions.
- Round the clock live support – There’s 24/7 live support available from Namecheap, so if you’re having any problems with installation or connecting to your VPN, you can chat with a representative.
- Kill switch – If your VPN connection suddenly drops out for any reason, Namecheap will block all incoming and outgoing traffic to ensure none of your data leaves your device unencrypted.
How Fast Is Namecheap’s VPN?
If you’re a power user, or you regularly use VPNs to stream content, you’ll want to know how fast Namecheap performs – and you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
As Namecheap owns the servers they run their VPNs on, they can guarantee better speeds than some other leading providers, which is great for those who want uninterrupted connections when streaming video content or gaming.
There’s also unlimited bandwidth available through Namecheap’s VPN, which means that you’ll never have your streaming restricted to save on data.
As we’ll look at below, Namecheap also displays the ping of each server next to it within their desktop apps, which is great for seeing at a glance what the fastest server for your location is.
Which Operating Systems Does Namecheap’s VPN Work With?
All major operating systems can use Namecheap’s VPN service, with full clients for Windows, iOS, macOS, Android, Linux, and most brands of router.
These clients are easy to download – once you’ve started your membership, either with a paid plan or free trial, Namecheap will prompt you to download the client that’s right for you or show you how to manually set-up their VPN on your device or router.
Namecheap’s VPN was quick and easy to install on Windows, as you can see in the screenshot above. Their user interface is very simple to navigate, offering a huge range of server locations to choose from at the click of a button.
Beside each server location is a live and updated ‘ping time’ – the time it takes to communicate with each server. This is great for power users who want to connect to the fastest possible VPN server, and it’s a feature we haven’t seen elsewhere.
Clicking on the drop-down menu at the side of each server location will reveal additional options for selecting a specific city location within that country – for example, within the US, users can select multiple cities such as Boston, Las Vegas, Seattle, and more. Alternatively, you can simply click ‘connect VPN,’ and Namecheap will connect users to the fastest server available.
On all clients and devices, Namecheap’s VPN opens at startup, and there’s a handy option to auto-connect as soon as the app is launched – which means you’ll always be protected when you browse.
You can also use the client to change which VPN protocol you connect to, such as IKEv2 or OpenVPN.
How Much Does Namecheap’s VPN Service Cost?
Namecheap is one of the most affordable VPN services in the world, and it’s also one of the few that offers a completely free trial for a month to new users.
A one-year subscription costs just $1 per month for the first 12 months, billed at $12.00 for the first year and then $34.56 for each year after that.
Personally, we recommend taking advantage of Namecheap’s 3-year plan. At just $1.88 per month, users can save 68% on the normal monthly subscription price, billed in a single lump sum of $67.68.
Whichever plan you choose, Namecheap’s VPN works out as one of the most cost-effective VPN services on the market, rivaled only by the likes of SurfShark, which is very affordable too.
If you choose to start a free trial, you will need some payment information, but you won’t be billed until your first month is up. Most other VPN providers offer a couple of days free protection or restrict usage by data – but Namecheap’s free trial offers all of the features you’d get in the full version.
There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means even if you change your mind about Namecheap’s service, you won’t be out of pocket.
|
Subscription Length |
Cost Per Month |
|
Monthly |
Free month, then $5.88/Month |
| Yearly |
$1/month for the first year, then $2.88/month |
| 3 Years |
$1.88 |
Namecheap VPN – Our Verdict
Overall, Namecheap’s VPN offers amazing value for money and a very comprehensive VPN service, which is both easy to use and provides plenty of protection for any level of user.
One of our favorite features has to be Namecheap’s huge range of servers – over 1,000 in total based in over 75 locations – which not only contributes to a stable and secure VPN connection, but they also offer a good level of location variety for users.
Likewise, we think that Namecheap’s unlimited device support offers great value for money as it can essentially be used to cover a whole household of devices using just one subscription, or shared among friends.
Unlimited devices and a huge range of servers are also available from other providers, but only really the top few. As a result, Namecheap’s VPN service is above average. When comparing other budget VPN options, it’s incredibly difficult to find a provider that offers the same amount of servers as Namecheap does for the same price.
Although we only reviewed their Windows client, it was easy to use and incredibly fast to install. The user interface was easy to navigate even for beginners, while also providing plenty of advanced options for users who demand more from their VPN. We expect this is similar across all operating systems and clients.
Namecheap’s 24/7 live chat support, where you can speak to a real representative, is also a great feature that many other VPN providers at this price point don’t currently offer.
Most current reviews on Namecheap’s VPN service were written before many of these new features were added, and we really think that Namecheap deserves more attention – as it provides all-round performance for any level of user, and brings Namecheap’s long experience and trustworthiness to a VPN service.
