Getting started in the world of domain registrations and transfers can be a little intimidating, we know. But we at Maker’s Aid are here to help!
If you’re a Namecheap customer and you’re wondering whether or not they’ll charge you to transfer your domain in or out, this article will help you find the answer.
Domain Transfers, Explained
When you transfer a domain name, you change the registrar that you hold and renew it with.
In case you were wondering, your hosting package, your email addresses, and your FTP/SFTP accounts stay the same. The only thing that changes is the service provider that helps you manage your domain name.
Many years ago, ICANN—the organization that regulates the rules for domain registrars and domain name owners on the Internet—created a list of rules that made it easy to switch out your domain registrar.
This was a big and important step for all domain name owners because it meant that they could never get locked into working with one registrar forever.
Thanks to these rules, transferring a domain name is simple and straightforward. In fact, it’s not at all that different from changing your mobile carrier but keeping your number and phone as they are.
How Do You Transfer a Domain Name?
Here are the steps that you usually need to take to transfer a domain name:
Unlock your domain name with your current registrar:
By default, domain names are locked. To transfer a domain name, you need to go to the control panel of your registrar and explicitly unlock it.
This can help avoid honest mistakes from users who are not quite sure what they are doing, but it also protects you from domain name theft. (If someone gets hold of your account and password or tries to impersonate you, they could steal your domain.)
Copy the authorization code from your current registrar’s website and paste it into your future registrar’s website:
When you unlock your domain name, you will receive an authorization code from your current registrar. Think of this code as a one-time secret that you can’t complete the transfer without.
Your future registrar will ask you for it when you enter the domain name you want to transfer and proceed to the checkout page.
Wait for the transfer to take place. Once you’ve initiated the domain name transfer, you typically have to wait for 5 to 7 days for that transfer to complete.
Does Namecheap Charge for Domain Transfer?
It depends on whether you’re transferring in or out of Namecheap.
Namecheap doesn’t charge for outgoing domain transfers. If you own a domain name with Namecheap and you want to transfer it to another registrar, you can do it for free.
Like all other registrars, Namecheap charges for incoming domain name transfers.
The price of transferring a domain name to Namecheap, which doesn’t include taxes and fees, can range from $7 to $100 depending on the extension of the domain name.
Usually, the price for transferring a .com, .net, and .org domain is around $10. This includes one year of registration and a number of great perks, including domain privacy protection and a free SSL certificate for the first year of your website.
Keep in mind that ICANN does charge a mandatory annual fee of $0.18 on top of these prices for every transfer.
You can learn more about the price of Namecheap domain transfers here.
Why Transfer Your Domain Name to Namecheap
Well, as the name suggests, Namecheap holds some of the lowest prices for domain name registration and transfer on the Internet.
When you consider that as a Namecheap customer, you get free WHOIS protection for life and a free Comodo SSL certificate for the first year, it’s a pretty good deal to keep your domains with them.
Their customer support is also phenomenal. You can reach them via live chat and email, and they’re always super responsive and highly knowledgeable. So you talk to real humans—not bots—and you always get the help you need, even on the tough questions.
All in all, Namecheap is an excellent domain name registrar and a Maker’s Aid favorite.
Final Thoughts
Namecheap does charge yearly rates for its domain transfers as any other domain registrar. They are an excellent company to choose thanks to their low prices, fantastic service, and many perks.
