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E-Commerce · head to head

Namecheap vs Shopkeep

Namecheap logo

Namecheap

E-Commerce

ICANN-accredited domain registrar that also sells shared hosting, SSL certificates and email

From
$0.88/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopkeep logo

Shopkeep

E-Commerce

Cloud-based POS for small businesses

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Namecheap domains are advertised at a promotional first year price and renew at the standard registry rate, which for many extensions is several times higher, so the visible cost of a portfolio understates what it costs to keep.; Shopkeep all plans require 24/7 phone and chat support; no tiered support options
  • They diverge on capability: Namecheap covers Domain registration, Shopkeep covers Point of sale.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Namecheap and Shopkeep actually diverge.

Attributes where Namecheap and Shopkeep differ
AttributeNamecheapShopkeep
Starting price$0.88/year$89/month
PlatformsWebiPad, Web
Founded20002008

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Namecheap

  • Domain registration
  • Free WHOIS privacy
  • DNS management
  • Shared and VPS hosting
  • SSL certificates
  • Private email
  • Domain transfers

Only in Shopkeep

  • Point of sale
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Customer profiles
  • Sales analytics
  • Employee management
  • Mobile POS
  • Reporting

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Namecheap

  • Registering and holding the domain for a store hosted on a separate platformnot Shopkeep
  • Consolidating a portfolio of defensive domain registrations under one accountnot Shopkeep
  • Managing DNS for a site whose hosting and mail live with different providersnot Shopkeep
  • Standing up a low traffic brochure site or landing page cheaply before a real buildnot Shopkeep

Shopkeep

No use cases recorded yet. See the Shopkeep review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Namecheap

  • Domains are advertised at a promotional first year price and renew at the standard registry rate, which for many extensions is several times higher, so the visible cost of a portfolio understates what it costs to keep.
  • ICANN rules impose a sixty day transfer lock after registration and after registrant detail changes, so a domain registered in the wrong account or under the wrong entity cannot be moved for two months regardless of urgency.
  • Shared hosting is oversubscribed by design, so a storefront on it degrades under traffic spikes, which is precisely when a promotion or a press mention makes traffic spike.
  • Support runs through chat and tickets with no telephone escalation, so an outage affecting DNS or mail is resolved at the pace of a support queue rather than at the pace of your revenue loss.
  • It is a registrar and host rather than a commerce platform, so anyone comparing it against a store platform is comparing two different purchases and will still need to buy the platform separately.

Shopkeep

  • All plans require 24/7 phone and chat support; no tiered support options
  • Prices vary by business type and industry with additional service fees possible
  • Extra locations and registers incur additional charges beyond base plan cost

Pricing, plan by plan

Namecheap

$0.88/year
  • Standard Domains$0.88/year
    • Domain registration
    • Free WhoisGuard
    • Dynamic DNS
  • Web Hosting$2.88/month
    • Unlimited bandwidth
    • Free SSL
    • Easy WordPress install

Shopkeep

$89/month
  • Basic$89/month
    • Retail POS platform
    • 1 register included
    • Integrated Payments 1.5%
  • Core$149/month
    • All Basic features
    • Advanced management tools
    • Business growth support
  • Plus$289/month
    • All Core features
    • Advanced customization
    • Established retail operations support

Which should you pick?

Choose Namecheap if

  • You need domain registration.
  • You also want free whois privacy.
Namecheap review

Choose Shopkeep if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You work on iPad, Web.
  • You also want payment processing.
Shopkeep review

Questions people ask

Is Namecheap or Shopkeep better?
Neither clearly leads. Namecheap starts at $0.88/year and Shopkeep at $89/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Namecheap or Shopkeep?
Namecheap starts at $0.88/year and Shopkeep at $89/month.
Does Namecheap or Shopkeep run on more platforms?
Namecheap runs on Web. Shopkeep runs on iPad, Web.
What is Namecheap best used for?
Namecheap is most often used for registering and holding the domain for a store hosted on a separate platform, consolidating a portfolio of defensive domain registrations under one account, managing dns for a site whose hosting and mail live with different providers, standing up a low traffic brochure site or landing page cheaply before a real build. Of those, registering and holding the domain for a store hosted on a separate platform and consolidating a portfolio of defensive domain registrations under one account are not what Shopkeep is typically brought in for.
What can Namecheap do that Shopkeep cannot?
Namecheap covers Domain registration, Free WHOIS privacy, DNS management, Shared and VPS hosting. Shopkeep covers Point of sale, Payment processing, Inventory management, Customer profiles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Namecheap: Can I run an online store on Namecheap?

You can host store software there, but shared hosting is not a sensible home for a transacting storefront. Use it for the domain and DNS and put the store on a platform built for it.

Shopkeep: What is included in the Lightspeed Retail Basic plan at $89 per month?

The Basic plan includes 1 register, retail POS platform, integrated payments at 1.5% card-present rate, inventory management, Lightspeed Wholesale access, NuORDER Catalog with 5 million+ products, built-in eCommerce, loyalty programs, and 24/7 support.

Source
Namecheap: Why is renewal more expensive than registration?

The first year is promotional. Renewal reflects the registry's standard wholesale price plus margin. Check the renewal rate, not the headline, before registering an extension.

Shopkeep: How much can I save by paying annually instead of monthly?

Shopkeep (Lightspeed Retail) offers up to 18% discount when paying annually instead of month-to-month. All three plans (Basic, Core, Plus) qualify for this annual discount.

Source
Namecheap: Can I move my domain away if I change my mind?

Yes, but not immediately. ICANN enforces a sixty day lock after registration or after changing registrant details, and the domain must be unlocked with an authorisation code to transfer.

Shopkeep: What additional costs should I budget beyond the monthly subscription?

Beyond the monthly plan cost, extra locations require additional charges, extra registers incur per-register fees, and hardware (terminals, scanners, iPad devices) have separate costs. Integrated payment processing charges 1.5% per transaction.

Source
Namecheap: Is WHOIS privacy extra?

Namecheap includes it rather than billing for it annually, which is a real difference from several larger registrars where it is a recurring line item per domain.

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