Namecheap and Porkbun are two of the most popular domain registrars in 2026 — both known for competitive pricing, privacy protection, and developer-friendly features. But which one actually saves you more money? We pulled live pricing data across hundreds of TLDs to give you the definitive answer.
The Short Answer
For most common TLDs like .com, .net, .org, Porkbun is consistently cheaper on both registration and renewal. For premium or niche TLDs, the picture is more nuanced.
Registration Prices: Head-to-Head
- .com — Namecheap: $9.98/yr · Porkbun: $9.33/yr
- .net — Namecheap: $11.98/yr · Porkbun: $10.83/yr
- .org — Namecheap: $11.98/yr · Porkbun: $10.58/yr
- .io — Namecheap: $32.98/yr · Porkbun: $27.80/yr
- .ai — Namecheap: $69.98/yr · Porkbun: $66.96/yr
- .dev — Namecheap: $13.98/yr · Porkbun: $12.07/yr
Porkbun wins on almost every major TLD at registration.
Renewal Prices: Where It Really Matters
Most people focus on first-year registration prices, but the real cost is the renewal. Both Namecheap and Porkbun are more transparent than the industry average — their renewal prices are typically the same as their registration prices. Porkbun renewal prices remain slightly below Namecheap.
Free Features Compared
- WHOIS privacy — Free at both
- DNS hosting — Free at both
- URL and email forwarding — Free at both
- DNSSEC — Supported at both
- Two-factor authentication — Available at both
Which Should You Choose?
- Choose Porkbun if price is your primary concern — it wins on the majority of common TLDs
- Choose Namecheap if you want more features, better support documentation, and a more established platform
- Use EasyTLDs to check which is cheaper for your specific TLD — prices vary and the gap changes with promotions
The Bottom Line
For pure price comparison, Porkbun consistently edges out Namecheap. Both are dramatically cheaper than GoDaddy. Use EasyTLDs to instantly see live prices from both — and all other major registrars — side by side.