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By Alex Morgan | Last Updated: May 2026
Alex has been building and managing WordPress sites for UK businesses since 2018, testing hosting providers across 40+ client projects.
Key Takeaway: Fasthosts wins on UK data centres and UK phone support. Namecheap wins on price, international features, and free domain privacy. For a UK-only audience that values local support, Fasthosts is a legitimate choice. For everyone else — especially anyone managing multiple sites or needing domains — Namecheap wins.
Head-to-Head: Namecheap vs Fasthosts in GBP
| Feature | Namecheap Stellar | Fasthosts Start |
| Intro price | £1.99/mo | 50p/mo (6 months) |
| Renewal price | £5.98/mo | £5.00/mo |
| Websites hosted | Up to 3 | 1 |
| Storage | 20GB SSD | 100GB SSD |
| Free domain | Yes (1 year) | Yes (1 year) |
| Free SSL | Yes (AutoSSL) | Yes (Lifetime) |
| WhoisGuard privacy | Free forever | Not included |
| UK data centres | No (US/EU) | Yes (Gloucester) |
| Phone support | No | Yes (UK) |
| Email hosting | From £0.99/mo | Included (limited) |
| Domain registration | From £7/year | From £6.99/year |
Why This Comparison Barely Exists Online
Most hosting comparison sites are US-focused and ignore Fasthosts entirely. Fasthosts is a British company, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Gloucester, with data centres exclusively in the UK. If you have searched for “Namecheap vs Fasthosts” and found almost nothing, that is why — most comparison writers simply do not cover UK-specific providers.
That gap is this page purpose. We will give you an honest, UK-first comparison with real GBP prices, including renewal costs that both providers bury in their small print.
Pricing: Who is Cheaper Long-Term?
Fasthosts Start plan has a dramatic intro offer — 50p/month for the first 6 months. That is genuinely cheap. But once the intro period ends, you pay £5.00/mo. Namecheap Stellar intro is £1.99/mo, renewing at £5.98/mo — very close to Fasthosts at renewal.
Over 24 months, the costs look like this. Fasthosts: 6 months at £0.50 = £3.00, then 18 months at £5.00 = £90.00. Total: £93.00. Namecheap: 12 months at £1.99 = £23.88, then 12 months at £5.98 = £71.76. Total: £95.64. Remarkably similar over two years.
However, Namecheap Stellar hosts up to 3 websites on one plan. To host 3 websites on Fasthosts, you need 3 separate accounts — roughly £15/mo at renewal vs Namecheap £5.98/mo. For multi-site users, Namecheap is significantly cheaper.
Also see our breakdown of all Namecheap hosting plans and the latest Namecheap promo codes to reduce your intro cost further.
Fasthosts Advantages: Where It Genuinely Wins
UK Data Centres
Fasthosts runs all its hosting from data centres in Gloucester, England. For a website whose audience is entirely UK-based, this means lower latency. A UK-hosted server typically delivers pages 50–100ms faster to UK visitors than a US-based server. For most websites, this difference is imperceptible. For sites where load speed is commercially critical — e-commerce stores, booking systems — it can matter.
Note: Namecheap EasyWP managed WordPress does offer EU server selection, which partially closes this gap. But on Namecheap standard shared hosting, your server will likely be in the US.
UK Phone Support
Fasthosts provides UK-based telephone support during business hours. This is a genuine differentiator. Namecheap has no phone support at all — you are limited to live chat and tickets. For UK small business owners who want to pick up the phone when something breaks, Fasthosts wins this comparison outright.
100GB Storage on Entry Plan
Fasthosts Start plan includes 100GB SSD storage. Namecheap Stellar gives you 20GB. If you are hosting a site with large media files — photography portfolios, video thumbnails, large product catalogues — Fasthosts entry plan is more generous on storage.
Namecheap Advantages: Where It Wins
Free WhoisGuard Privacy — Forever
Namecheap includes WhoisGuard domain privacy free on all eligible domains. This hides your personal details (name, address, phone number) from public WHOIS lookups. Fasthosts does not include domain privacy — you pay extra to protect your details. GoDaddy charges £7.99/year for this. At Namecheap, it is included at no cost for life. See our full guide to Namecheap domains for more.
Multiple Websites on One Plan
Namecheap Stellar hosts up to 3 sites. Namecheap Stellar Plus hosts unlimited websites. Fasthosts entry plan hosts 1 site only. If you are managing 2 or more sites, Namecheap immediately becomes cheaper even at renewal pricing.
International Features and Ecosystem
Namecheap operates globally and integrates with a wide range of tools, APIs, and third-party services. Fasthosts is UK-centric — excellent if your world is UK-focused, limiting if you ever need international CDN options, non-UK domains, or advanced DNS management. Namecheap API access, for example, is a genuine advantage for developers. Our full Namecheap review covers this in depth.
The Honest Negatives
Fasthosts weaknesses: No multi-site plan at entry level. Domain privacy costs extra. Limited international presence. Renewal pricing on higher plans can jump significantly. Customer reviews on Trustpilot are mixed, with consistent complaints about renewal price increases.
Namecheap weaknesses: No UK data centres on shared plans. No phone support (live chat and tickets only). US-based servers mean slightly higher latency for UK visitors on standard shared hosting.
Who Should Choose Each?
| Choose Fasthosts if… | Choose Namecheap if… |
| You need UK phone support | You are managing 2+ websites |
| Your audience is 100% UK-based | You want free domain privacy |
| You need large storage on entry plan | You need advanced domain features |
| You prefer a UK company | You want the cheapest long-term renewal |
| You are happy with a single website | You need international server options |
Our Verdict
Namecheap wins overall — particularly for anyone managing more than one site, needing domain privacy, or wanting the broadest hosting ecosystem. Fasthosts is a legitimate choice if you specifically need UK phone support or UK data centres for latency-sensitive workloads. For most UK users, Namecheap delivers better value.
Also compare: Namecheap vs all major competitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fasthosts better than Namecheap for UK businesses?
For UK businesses that need UK-based phone support and UK data centres, Fasthosts has genuine advantages. For most UK businesses managing multiple sites or needing domain privacy, Namecheap offers better overall value.
Does Fasthosts have UK data centres?
Yes. Fasthosts runs all its hosting from data centres in Gloucester, England. This makes it a strong choice for sites whose audience is exclusively UK-based and where latency to UK visitors matters.
What is Fasthosts renewal price?
Fasthosts Start plan renews at £5.00/mo after the introductory 50p/mo period (6 months). This is competitive with Namecheap Stellar which renews at £5.98/mo.
Can I transfer my domain from Fasthosts to Namecheap?
Yes. Domain transfers to Namecheap are straightforward — you unlock the domain at Fasthosts, get the EPP code, and initiate the transfer at Namecheap. The transfer typically takes 5–7 days and often saves on renewal costs.
Does Fasthosts include domain privacy?
No. Fasthosts charges extra for domain privacy (WHOIS protection). Namecheap includes WhoisGuard privacy free of charge on eligible domains — a meaningful saving over time.
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