Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Name.com is a well-established player in the web hosting and domain registration space. The company was created with the aim of making online presence management accessible and convenient for individuals and businesses alike. Over the years, it has grown to serve a diverse customer base, including small businesses, startups, and larger enterprise clients.
Name.com offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to support the various needs of their clients. These services include domain name registration, web hosting, SSL certificates, website builders, and email hosting. The company positions itself as a one-stop shop for those looking to establish and maintain a robust online presence, ensuring that customers have access to the necessary tools and support to succeed.
As of now, Name.com boasts a customer base of over 320,000 users worldwide. This extensive client list underscores its credibility and reliability in the competitive web hosting industry. The company continues to innovate and expand its offerings, striving to keep pace with the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Pros
- Wide range of domain registration options.
- User-friendly interface for beginners.
Cons
- Additional costs for certain essential services.
- Higher renewal rates compared to initial costs.
- Occasional uptime issues reported.
- Limited advanced features for experienced users.
Pricing
Name.com offers a competitive pricing structure for its web hosting services, positioning itself as a viable option in the market. Its initial pricing is attractive, with various plans tailored to different needs—from basic websites to more complex e-commerce platforms. When compared to competitors, the initial rates appear generally on par with industry standards, providing adequate resources such as storage and bandwidth without breaking the bank.
However, as is common in the web hosting industry, renewal prices at Name.com are higher than the introductory rates. While this practice is not unusual, potential customers should be mindful of these increased costs when budgeting for the long-term maintenance of their websites. Despite the higher renewal fees, there do not seem to be any hidden charges that might unexpectedly inflate your overall expenditure. All stipulated costs are transparently listed, which allows for better financial planning.
Regarding the refund policy, Name.com offers a standard 30-day money-back guarantee on their web hosting plans. This ensures that new customers have a sufficient trial period to evaluate the services without financial risk. Should you find their offerings unsatisfactory within this period, you can cancel your plan and get a refund. This policy aligns well with industry norms and adds a layer of reassurance for newcomers exploring Name.com's hosting solutions.
Customer Support
Live Chat
Name.com offers customer support via live chat on their website.
Email Support
Name.com offers customer support via email.
Phone Support
Name.com does not offer customer support via phone.
Ticketing System
Name.com uses a ticketing system for customer support.
Guides and Tutorials
Name.com offers a range of technical guides and tutorials.
Available 24/7
Name.com offers a range of technical guides and tutorials.
Name.com offers several support channels to assist its customers. Users can access help via live chat, email, and a comprehensive knowledge base on their website. The live chat option is particularly convenient for real-time assistance, while email support is suitable for less urgent queries. The knowledge base features numerous guides and tutorials designed to help customers navigate common issues independently.
In terms of responsiveness, the live chat support is relatively quick to respond during business hours, typically within a few minutes. Email support generally provides responses within 24 hours. While not the fastest on the market, this response time is adequate for most users. The quality of support appears to be satisfactory; the staff seems knowledgeable and capable of addressing a variety of technical and account-related issues.
While the support team is generally helpful, there are instances where replies seem to rely on canned responses, especially for common questions. However, these responses are often followed by more personalized solutions if the initial guidance does not resolve the issue. The available guides and tutorials in the knowledge base are detailed and cover a wide range of topics, which many users may find helpful for troubleshooting without needing to contact support directly. Overall, Name.com's customer support is competent and provides a decent level of service for their customers.
Name.com provides customer support in English.
Performance
Uptime
We perform thousands of uptime checks each day to ensure our reviews are accurate and reliable. The statistics below are based on the uptime checks we have performed in the last 30 days.
Uptime Guarantee
Monthly Uptime
Monthly Downtime
# of outages
Name.com offers a shared hosting service with an uptime guarantee of 99.9%. This aligns with industry standards, as many web hosting providers typically offer similar guarantees to ensure their customers' websites remain accessible the majority of the time. The company commits to maintaining a high level of reliability, which is crucial for businesses and individuals who depend on consistent online presence.
Comparing Name.com to its competitors, its uptime performance appears to be reasonably competitive. While some leading hosting providers boast slightly higher uptimes or more elaborate compensations for downtime, Name.com's guarantee is within the acceptable range for most users. However, it's worth noting that some premium hosting services may offer better uptime figures, generally above 99.99%, due to more advanced infrastructure and resources.
As for recent outages, there have been occasional reports of brief downtimes, but no significant or prolonged disruptions have been noted in recent months. These instances are relatively minor and occur within the expected operational anomalies for such services. Name.com seems to address these issues promptly, ensuring that downtime remains minimal and that their users' websites are quickly back online. Overall, while not extraordinary, Name.com's uptime performance is fairly robust for those seeking a reliable, budget-friendly shared hosting solution.
Data Center Locations
- United States
Name.com operates multiple data centers across key global locations. Currently, Name.com has data centers situated in North America, Europe, and Asia, providing a solid geographical spread to ensure optimal speed and uptime for its users. The presence of data centers in these strategic regions allows customers to choose a location that is closest to their primary user base, thereby enhancing website performance and reducing latency.
Features
Storage
Name.com’s shared hosting service offers a well-rounded storage solution for small to medium-sized websites. Each plan comes with SSD storage, which is known for its faster data retrieval times compared to traditional HDDs. This ensures that websites hosted on Name.com load quickly, enhancing user experience. However, specific storage amounts vary depending on the chosen plan, so potential users will need to review the details to ensure their selected plan meets their storage needs.
It's also important to note that Name.com implements both I/O and inode limits to maintain server performance and stability. These limits help prevent any single website from consuming excessive resources, which could impact the performance of other sites on the same server. While these restrictions are generally reasonable, users running resource-intensive applications or websites with numerous files may need to monitor their usage or consider upgrading to a higher-tier plan. Overall, Name.com provides a solid storage option with its SSD-based shared hosting, balanced by necessary limitations to ensure a fair usage environment for all customers.
Bandwidth
Name.com offers a range of shared hosting services that cater to different types of users, from small personal blogs to modest business websites. One of the key aspects of any hosting service is the bandwidth it provides, and Name.com claims to offer unlimited bandwidth with its shared hosting plans. This is particularly advantageous for users who anticipate fluctuating or high levels of traffic, as they won't have to worry about sudden spikes leading to service interruptions or throttling.
However, while the term "unlimited" is used, it's essential to understand the fine print. The unlimited bandwidth is subject to fair use policies and resource usage agreements. This means that if your site starts to consume an unusually high amount of bandwidth and resources, Name.com may review your usage and request upgrades to a VPS or dedicated server if needed. Importantly, users should note that there are no explicit overage charges listed, but continuous excessive use might prompt the company to take action. For typical websites, though, the unlimited bandwidth aspect should suffice without causing any operational concerns.
Migrating to Name.com
Name.com offers a professional website migration service aimed at making the transition from your current host to their platform as seamless as possible. It's important to note that they do not provide free website migration; customers must subscribe to one of their paid plans to take advantage of this service. The cost varies depending on the complexity and size of the site being migrated.
The migration process with Name.com is relatively straightforward. After you sign up for a hosting plan, you will need to fill out a migration request form detailing key information about your current website and hosting provider. Once submitted, their support team takes over, handling the entire migration process, from transferring files and databases to configuring your new hosting environment. Estimated completion times are typically communicated at the start and vary depending on the site's complexity.
There are some limitations to be aware of when using Name.com's migration service. Websites exceeding specific size thresholds or those using highly specialized software or architectures may not qualify for standard migrations and could incur additional charges. It’s advisable to consult directly with Name.com support if you have a particularly large or complex site to ensure a smooth migration process. Overall, Name.com’s migration service is robust but requires careful consideration of potential extra costs and limitations.
Backups
Name.com offers a shared hosting service that includes essential backup options to ensure data security and reliability. Backups are performed for free, providing a significant advantage for customers who seek peace of mind without additional costs. These backups are conducted on a nightly basis, ensuring that your website data is regularly updated and secured against potential data loss.
One of the notable features is the ability for customers to restore backups themselves. This self-service restoration process is facilitated through their user-friendly control panel, allowing website owners to easily revert to a previous backup if necessary. Overall, Name.com provides a practical and reliable backup solution as part of their shared hosting service, balancing convenience with essential data protection.
Name.com offers email services as part of its shared hosting plans, with each plan including a certain number of email accounts. Typically, their shared hosting packages may include anywhere from one to a few email accounts, but for exact numbers, it's best to check the specific details of the plan you are considering. Their email service comes with essential features such as spam protection, webmail access, and compatibility with popular email clients like Outlook and Thunderbird. These features ensure that users can manage their emails efficiently and securely.
The mailbox size limit for Name.com's email accounts might vary depending on the specific hosting plan, but generally, it falls within the range of standard industry offerings. Users should be aware that there are sending and receiving limits in place to prevent abuse and ensure fair use of resources. These limits might include restrictions on the number of emails that can be sent per hour or per day, as well as size limits for individual emails. Overall, Name.com's email service offers a solid set of features for small to medium-sized businesses looking for reliable and straightforward email hosting solutions.
SSL Certificates
Name.com offers a range of SSL certificates to cater to different security needs for websites. Among their offerings, they provide free SSL certificates, which are ideal for small websites or personal blogs looking to secure their site without incurring additional costs. These certificates ensure that the connection between the user and the website is encrypted, thus protecting sensitive information from potential threats.
For more advanced security requirements, Name.com also offers paid SSL certificates, including Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV), and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. These paid options come with added features such as higher levels of encryption, validation of the organization’s legitimacy, and enhanced trust indicators like the green address bar. There are no explicit limitations on the number of SSL certificates that can be installed, making it flexible for users with multiple subdomains or separate websites. Overall, the variety of SSL certificate options from Name.com allows users to choose a level of security that best fits their specific needs.
Ease of Use
Name.com offers a user-friendly website that makes finding information relatively straightforward. The layout is clean and intuitive, ensuring that key details about their web hosting services are easy to locate. The main menu is well-organized, with categories that guide you to domain registration, hosting plans, and customer support. However, some novice users might find the abundance of options slightly overwhelming at first glance.
Signing up for Name.com’s hosting services is a streamlined process. The sign-up forms are simple, and the instructions are clear, making the entire process efficient even for those without much technical know-how. The website also provides helpful tips and prompts throughout the setup, which can be especially beneficial for first-time users. While the sign-up experience is generally smooth, some users have reported that the verification process can occasionally take longer than expected.
Managing Name.com’s shared hosting plans is facilitated by a custom control panel. Although not as popular as cPanel, the custom interface is intuitive and offers a robust set of features suitable for most users' needs. Among these features are one-click installers for popular applications like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, which significantly simplify the process of getting a site up and running. Overall, Name.com’s hosting services strike a good balance between ease of use and functionality, catering to both novice users and more technical customers.
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