Kinsta's entry-level Single 20GB plan costs $35/mo on the monthly toggle, or $30/mo-equivalent ($350 total for the year) on the annual toggle -- with the first month free either way. Namecheap's entry-level Stellar plan costs $5.88/mo on the monthly toggle after a 30-day free trial, and the step-up Stellar Plus plan costs $7.88/mo on the same toggle. Kinsta's monthly rate runs roughly six times Namecheap Stellar's monthly rate, and that gap is not a rounding error -- these are two different categories of hosting product. This page breaks down exactly what each price buys before you decide which category your site actually needs.
Disclosure: HostingDive earns a commission when you buy Kinsta or Namecheap through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
Quick Verdict
| Criterion | Kinsta (Single 20GB) | Namecheap (Stellar) |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting type | Managed WordPress | Shared hosting (cPanel) |
| Starting price | $35/mo (monthly toggle) or $30/mo-equivalent, $350/yr (annual toggle); first month free | $5.88/mo (monthly toggle) after a 30-day free trial |
| WordPress installs / sites | 1 WP install | 3 websites |
| Storage | 10GB | 20GB SSD |
| Bandwidth | 20GB server + 125GB CDN | Unmetered |
| Backups | 14-day retention | Twice weekly |
| Migrations | Unlimited, free | Free (no stated count limit) |
| WAF / DDoS protection | Included on all plans | Not stated on this capture (NOT_FOUND) |
| Uptime guarantee | Not stated for this tier (99.99% figure applies to Enterprise/dedicated only) | 100% uptime guarantee |
| Free SSL | Not stated on this capture (NOT_FOUND) | Yes, up to 50 certs, 1 year |
| Free domain | Not stated on this capture (NOT_FOUND) | Yes, 1st year, non-premium domains only |
| Money-back guarantee | Referenced but no day-count stated (NOT_FOUND) | 30 days |
Pricing Table
| Plan | Toggle | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinsta Single 20GB | Monthly | $35/mo | First month free; no separate renewal figure -- this is the ongoing rate |
| Kinsta Single 20GB | Annual | $30/mo-equivalent ($350/yr) | Saves $70 vs. the $35 x 12 = $420 monthly-toggle baseline; first month free |
| Namecheap Stellar | Monthly | $5.88/mo | After a 30-day free trial |
| Namecheap Stellar | Yearly | $2.28/mo (61% off) | After a 30-day free trial |
| Namecheap Stellar | Bi-yearly | $1.88/mo (68% off) | After a 30-day free trial |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus | Monthly | $7.88/mo | After a 30-day free trial; next tier up from Stellar |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus | Yearly | $2.98/mo | After a 30-day free trial |
| Namecheap Stellar Plus | Bi-yearly | $2.28/mo | After a 30-day free trial |
Namecheap discloses no numeric renewal price for either Stellar or Stellar Plus. Namecheap's own pricing page states its discount "does not apply to renewals" but names no renewal figure anywhere on the captured page -- treat that as an open question to confirm directly with Namecheap, not as an omission on this page.
Kinsta: Full Spec Breakdown
Kinsta's entry point is the Single 20GB plan, priced at $35/mo on the monthly toggle or $30/mo-equivalent ($350 total for the year) on the annual toggle -- both toggles include a free first month. The annual toggle saves $70 against the $35 x 12 = $420 baseline you'd pay by staying on the monthly toggle for a full year.
The plan includes 1 WordPress install, 10GB of storage, 20GB of server bandwidth plus a separate 125GB of CDN bandwidth, 14-day backup retention, and unlimited free site migrations regardless of how many sites you move over. Kinsta bundles a web application firewall (WAF) and DDoS protection on every plan tier, including Single 20GB -- that protection isn't gated to a higher tier.
Kinsta's marketing pages do reference a 99.99% uptime figure, but that number is scoped to the Enterprise/dedicated tier. It does not apply to the Single 20GB entry plan, and this comparison does not attach it to Single 20GB. The captured pricing page for Single 20GB also does not state an SSL claim, a free-domain offer, or a specific day-count for its money-back guarantee -- the FAQ on Kinsta's own page references a guarantee but never gives a number, so this page treats those three points as unconfirmed rather than assuming industry-standard defaults.
Kinsta's model charges for managed WordPress infrastructure, not raw capacity -- 10GB of storage and a single WordPress install is a small allotment next to Namecheap's numbers, but the plan is priced around the WAF/DDoS protection, unlimited migrations, and a hands-off managed environment rather than around storage or site count.
Namecheap: Full Spec Breakdown
Namecheap ships two distinct entry-level shared hosting plans, Stellar and Stellar Plus. Conflating the two is the most common error in Namecheap coverage, so this page names which plan a price belongs to every time it appears.
Stellar, the base plan, includes a 30-day free trial, then costs $5.88/mo on the monthly toggle, $2.28/mo on the yearly toggle (61% off), or $1.88/mo on the bi-yearly toggle (68% off). Stellar includes 3 websites, 20GB of SSD storage, 30 mailboxes, unmetered bandwidth, a 100% uptime guarantee, free SSL (up to 50 certificates, 1 year), free migration, a free domain for the first year (non-premium domains only), backups twice a week, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and cPanel management.
Stellar Plus, the next tier up, also includes a 30-day free trial, then costs $7.88/mo on the monthly toggle, $2.98/mo on the yearly toggle, or $2.28/mo on the bi-yearly toggle -- roughly $2/mo more than Stellar across every toggle. This cohort's certified capture recorded Stellar Plus pricing only; site count, storage, and mailbox limits specific to Stellar Plus were not part of the capture, so this page does not state them for Stellar Plus.
One point applies to both Namecheap plans: Namecheap discloses no numeric renewal price for either Stellar or Stellar Plus. Its pricing page states that the discount "does not apply to renewals," but no renewal figure appears anywhere on the captured page. Budget for an increase after the discounted term, but do not treat any number in this comparison as Namecheap's stated renewal rate -- none exists on the record for either plan.
Head-to-Head: Pricing (Intro and Renewal)
Kinsta's Single 20GB plan has a simple structure: the first month is free, and after that you pay the same $35/mo (monthly toggle) or $30/mo-equivalent ($350/yr, annual toggle) for as long as you stay on the plan. This cohort's capture shows no separate, higher "renewal" rate the way promotional shared-hosting plans typically carry.
Namecheap's Stellar and Stellar Plus plans work differently. Both open with a 30-day free trial at $5.88/mo (Stellar) or $7.88/mo (Stellar Plus) on the monthly toggle, and Namecheap's own page confirms a renewal increase applies -- without stating the number. If you're budgeting past the first year, Kinsta's figures are the ones you can rely on today; Namecheap's year-one number is reliable, but you should confirm year-two pricing directly with Namecheap before committing to a multi-year plan.
Head-to-Head: Managed Infrastructure vs Raw Capacity
The bigger difference between these two hosts isn't the sticker price -- it's what's managed for you. Kinsta bundles a WAF and DDoS protection on every plan, including Single 20GB, and includes unlimited free migrations no matter how many sites you move. Namecheap's Stellar plan includes free migration too, but this cohort's capture does not document a WAF or DDoS feature on Stellar. If firewall-level protection matters for your site, Kinsta's Single 20GB plan states it as an all-plans feature and Namecheap's Stellar capture does not confirm it either way.
On the other side, Namecheap's Stellar plan supports 3 separate websites on one account for $5.88/mo, while Kinsta's Single 20GB plan supports exactly 1 WordPress install for $35/mo (monthly toggle). If you need to host several small sites rather than harden one WordPress install behind a managed firewall, Namecheap's per-site economics are difficult for Kinsta to match at this tier.
When to Choose Kinsta
- Agencies or freelancers running a single client WordPress site that needs firewall/DDoS protection built in, since Kinsta's Single 20GB plan includes WAF+DDoS on every tier and Namecheap's Stellar capture does not document that feature.
- Site owners planning to migrate an existing WordPress install who want it done without a migration-count limit, since Kinsta's unlimited free migrations remove that friction.
- Anyone who wants to budget confidently past the free-month period, since Kinsta's post-trial price ($35/mo monthly or $30/mo-equivalent annual) is the number you'll actually keep paying, with no undisclosed renewal jump documented in this capture.
When to Choose Namecheap
- Someone launching a first site on a tight budget who wants the lowest possible monthly outlay, since Stellar's $5.88/mo (monthly toggle) is a fraction of Kinsta's $35/mo (monthly toggle).
- A freelancer or small agency running 2-3 small client or personal sites on one account, since Stellar's 3-website allowance covers that case for one price -- Kinsta's Single 20GB is capped at 1 WordPress install.
- Anyone who wants generous storage and bandwidth headroom without watching a meter, since Stellar ships 20GB of SSD storage and unmetered bandwidth versus Kinsta's 10GB storage and 20GB server bandwidth allotment (before the separate 125GB CDN allowance).
- A buyer comfortable confirming year-two pricing directly with the vendor before committing, since neither Stellar nor Stellar Plus states a numeric renewal price on the captured page.
See the full review for Kinsta and Namecheap on HostingDive for additional plan detail and current pricing.
For a deeper look at Kinsta against another premium managed WordPress host, see our WP Engine vs Kinsta managed WordPress comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kinsta or Namecheap cheaper?
Namecheap is cheaper at every toggle. Namecheap's Stellar plan costs $5.88/mo (monthly toggle), well under Kinsta's Single 20GB plan at $35/mo (monthly toggle) or $30/mo-equivalent ($350/yr, annual toggle). The two aren't really priced against each other, though -- Namecheap is shared hosting and Kinsta is managed WordPress hosting with WAF and DDoS protection built in.
What is the difference between Namecheap Stellar and Stellar Plus?
Stellar costs $5.88/mo (monthly toggle) and Stellar Plus costs $7.88/mo (monthly toggle) -- both after a 30-day free trial. Stellar's certified feature list includes 3 websites, 20GB SSD storage, 30 mailboxes, unmetered bandwidth, and a 100% uptime guarantee. Stellar Plus's captured facts cover pricing only; this cohort's capture did not record separate site or storage limits for Stellar Plus.
Does Kinsta's price go up after the first month?
No increase is documented. Kinsta's Single 20GB plan gives a free first month, then charges $35/mo on the monthly toggle or $30/mo-equivalent ($350/yr total) on the annual toggle -- that is the ongoing rate, not a promotional rate that renews higher afterward.
What does Namecheap charge when Stellar or Stellar Plus renews?
Namecheap does not disclose a numeric renewal price for either plan. Its pricing page states that the discount "does not apply to renewals," but no renewal figure is shown anywhere on the captured page -- confirm the actual renewal rate directly with Namecheap before committing past the discounted term.
Can I run WordPress on Namecheap Stellar?
Yes -- Stellar is general-purpose cPanel shared hosting, which supports WordPress installs, but it is not a managed WordPress product. Kinsta's Single 20GB plan is purpose-built managed WordPress hosting with WAF and DDoS protection included; Namecheap's Stellar capture does not document that feature.
Does Kinsta offer a free trial?
Kinsta's Single 20GB plan gives a free first month rather than a trial period. Namecheap gives a 30-day free trial on both Stellar and Stellar Plus before either plan's paid rate begins.