Namecheap VPN Review: An Easy-to-Use VPN Service for Beginners

Let’s be honest.

When we hear of Namecheap, tech fans would likely remember the web host and domain registrar, right?

But what if I tell you that the team released a new addition to its slate of services? I’m more than happy to introduce to you, the Namecheap VPN.

Now, if you’ve ever handled a website before, you’ll likely trust Namecheap’s ability to manage your hosting needs. However, how does it fare as a VPN service? Well, you’re in luck because this article will give you a quick rundown of Namecheap VPN and its services. Yay!

But…

What is Namecheap VPN?

Namecheap VPN basically is just like any other virtual private network that hides both your IP address and location. VPNs also makes your connection as secure and as private as possible.

But what makes Namecheap VPN so intriguing is, it is developed by a well-established company in the domain name industry. Also, Namecheap touts its VPN service as “secure and ultra-reliable”.

Honestly, it sounds like something clients and users will need especially if they’re accessing Wi-Fi on a public network.

But, what made me want to try out this VPN more is because Namecheap advocates internet freedom!

As a matter of fact, they have an entire page dedicated to it. But that’s not all. They also advocate equal treatment for all internet users – including freedom, security, and privacy. Pretty cool, huh?

Yeah, right. By now, we have already established that Namecheap as a domain-selling company is trustworthy. But will its VPN live up to its legacy?

Let’s put this bad boy to a test to find out!

Namecheap VPN: The App, Service, Privacy, and Performance

1. The Application

Namecheap VPN can be used in a wide variety of platforms, each updated constantly depending on user needs. It works with a variety of operating systems such as Windows, Android, and iOS.

This means you can use Namecheap VPN across your slate of devices because of its cross-compatibility. Now, for other OS such as Linux, they have a handy guide for other VPN setups which can be useful for installation.

Pros	Cons
The app is simple which is practical for first-time VPN users	The Android app, as it appears to be better-equipped than its desktop counterpart
The Android app has a world map you can zoom in, with each location highlighted	The lack of modification options in configuration may be a bit of a turn-off for more experienced VPN users, especially those who want more flexibility in their VPN use

2. The Service

The US-based VPN operates under the 14 Eyes Alliance, and Namecheap comes useful and handy features for people looking for a basic or starter VPN service. Their offerings also seem handy for those that want a quick and easy VPN solution for their needs.

Additionally, in terms of hard numbers, Namecheap VPN operates with more than 1,000 servers scattered in 50 countries. This makes for a sizable amount of countries available for your VPN preference. It’s not as high as other VPN providers in the market, but also sizeable enough to offer variety to users.

Pros	Cons
You can use it in as many devices as you want	There aren’t any advanced features you’d normally see in other VPNs such as ad-blocking, anti-malware, and split-tunneling.
In terms of media streaming support, Namecheap VPN does allow you to bypass or unblock Netflix in other countries	it doesn’t support unblocking other competitors like Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Kodi.
Namecheap doesn’t restrict how users deal with this VPN, meaning you have unlimited data, bandwidth, and server switches.
24/7 P2P and live chat support
The new kill-switch feature to expand control over the VPN. Coupled with the feature to auto-connect during startup, it can greatly make using this VPN more efficient

3. Your Privacy

A lot of people tend to lean away from VPNs because there’s no guarantee over the security of our data. We’re not always informed if our VPN services gather data on their users. Namecheap VPN makes it clear that while it doesn’t log sessions of its users, it does keep track of session counts and bandwidth use.

Pros	Cons
Namecheap utilizes DNS leak protection through its native IPv4 support to help avoid data leaks	Lacks IPv6 (this is me being picky because the app has IPv4 which is great too)
Namecheap VPN has AES-256 encryption, which is one of the most common kinds of encryption commonly-used by the US Military.

4. The Performance

Sure, we know Namecheap VPN appears beginner-friendly and has features we can consider standard-fare for VPN services. How does it fare based on performance, though?

It appears Namecheap VPN performs quite decently given its price-point. Granted, it’s not some “Miracle Service.” However, Namecheap VPN does impress considering it’s a new VPN service in the scene. Here are some statistics on our end, taken via Speed Test:

	Canada IP (VPN)These are statistics we’ve gotten after activating Namecheap VPN with a Canadian server (Toronto). Ping (244ms) is decent, and it has better download and upload speeds (6.75 and 4.83 Mbps respectively).
	UK IP (VPN)These are statistics we’ve gotten after activating Namecheap VPN with a UK server (London). It has okay ping (391ms), with decent download and upload speeds (6.85 and 4.54Mbps, respectively).
	Australia IP (VPN)These are stats after we’ve activated Namecheap VPN with an Australian server (Sydney). Ping (418ms) definitely needs work, but download and upload speed aren’t bad (5.82 and 4.26 Mbps, respectively).
	Philippines IP (VPN)These are the original statistics of our Test PC, which is based in the Philippines. It has 14ms for Ping, 13.94Mbps download speed and 6.30Mbps upload speed.
	Korea IP (VPN)These are statistics we’ve gotten after activating Namecheap VPN with a Korean server (Seoul). It has decent ping (293ms) with the best download speed (6.91Mbps) and decent upload speed (3.97Mbps).

The speed of the VPN, just like ay other VPNs, vary from country to country and your internet connection. I could say that for a VPN, it’s pretty fast. Of course, the app will tell you which server is the fastest so that you could have a seamless browsing experience.

5. The Pricing

It won’t cost you a fortune to avail Namecheap’s VPN services. In terms of pricing, Namecheap VPN is surprisingly both flexible and affordable. Users have a lot of price options to choose from, each with their own slate of available services for your needs. As per their website, you’ll get the following options:

• $5.88 for a monthly plan, which is pretty useful if you’re not always using a VPN or if you’re just using it for a short-term project.
• $2.88 monthly fee for a year subscription, which is a good deal if you’re planning on using a VPN for a longer duration of time.
• $1.88 monthly bill if you subscribed to a three-year plan, which in itself can be pretty helpful for long-time VPN users.

Related: Best Free VPN for Android

Now, app store purchases (both Google Play and iTunes) of yearly plans can grant you a 14-day free trial. Monthly plans for app stores are at $7.99 monthly, while yearly plans are at $46.99. Namecheap VPN is also planning to release a 3-day trial for monthly app store purchases.

The best part is…

There’s also a 30-Day money-back guarantee, ensuring you can try out Namecheap VPN and test all its features before you decide if it’s for you.

A Better Alternative in the Market

Namecheap may not have the most tech-savvy name for a VPN, but its service and features do appear worth the while given its price point. If you’re looking for a cheap alternative VPN that’s still reliable, this one is definitely the tool to use.

Namecheap VPN lives to its namesake, being extremely cheap for a VPN service. It’s adequately fast for tasks and activities you’d need a VPN for, and its ability to unblock Netflix in certain regions can be a very handy tool for entertainment enthusiasts.

Now, if you’re looking into something you can customize in-depth for your needs, it might not be the best option for you. Namecheap VPN has barely any configuration options, and it’s underpowered in terms of application use.

With that being said, using the app was as flawless as I imagined. I also don’t mind being not able to configure the app since I didn’t use it for that feature. It does a great job and I think I’m leaning towards using it much often.

What do you think about the Namecheap VPN? Please let us know in the comments section below!