123 Reg vs Name.com

What 123 Reg is

123 Reg is a UK domain and hosting provider; this record focuses on its shared cPanel Web Hosting. The Economy plan currently advertises £1.99 per month on a three-year term paid upfront, then renews at £251.64 for three years, equivalent to the displayed £6.99 monthly standard rate, excluding VAT. It includes one site, 25 GB storage, shared CPU/RAM, databases, email, a first-year domain, SSL and automated backups. Renewal occurs at then-current rates unless disabled. Backup services end with hosting, and customers must export content before cancellation because remaining server data is deleted.

What Name.com is

Name.com is an ICANN-accredited registrar, part of Identity Digital, offering domains, DNS, forwarding, Domain Safe privacy/security, a REST API and separately sold hosting, WordPress, email, SSL and site-builder services. Domain pricing varies by TLD and individual name; premium domains can carry different registration, transfer and renewal prices. Eligible new registrations include free Domain Safe with WHOIS privacy, SSL and security locks, but registry restrictions mean privacy is not available for every extension.

What 123 Reg is built to do

cPanel hosting

Manages websites, files, databases, domains, email and supported applications from one control panel.

Tiered resources

Publishes per-plan site, NVMe storage, database, CPU, RAM and FTP-user allocations.

Automated backups

Hosting terms describe weekly website-content and daily database backups, subject to plan storage and cancellation.

Bundled launch services

Selected plans include a first-year domain, professional mailbox and SSL under stated conditions.

What Name.com is built to do

Domain portfolio

Registers, renews, transfers and configures supported standard and premium domain names.

DNS and forwarding

Manages nameservers, record templates, URL forwarding and email routing.

Domain Safe

Bundles eligible WHOIS privacy, SSL and domain security locks with supported registrations.

CORE API

Provides versioned REST production and sandbox environments for automated domain operations.

Choose 123 Reg if

• Small sites that fit a published shared CPU, RAM, storage and database envelope
• Customers preferring cPanel plus domains and email in one provider account
• Buyers who compare the full three-year renewal total and retain independent backups

Skip 123 Reg if

• The business case depends only on the discounted first-term monthly equivalent
• The application needs root access, PCI or HIPAA hosting suitability, or isolated compute
• The exit plan does not export site, database, mailbox and domain settings before cancellation

Choose Name.com if

• Eligible domains where included privacy and basic security match requirements
• Developer workflows that need a sandboxed API for domain and DNS automation
• Incoming transfers after comparing exact TLD renewal and premium-name pricing

Skip Name.com if

• The required TLD or registrant type cannot use WHOIS privacy
• The purchase is based on a sale price without checking renewal, restore and premium fees
• Critical domains would lack two-step verification, lock governance, recovery owners and DNS exports

123 Reg: pros & cons

• Detailed plan resources: Site, storage, database, CPU, RAM, FTP and mailbox allowances are published by tier.
• Useful managed bundle: cPanel, daily backups, DDoS defence, SSL and one-click apps cover conventional small-site operations.
• Explicit renewal totals: The product page displays upfront commitment and subsequent three-year charge together.
• Short refund window: Eligible initial purchases can use the documented 14-day money-back guarantee.
• Large commitment discount: The headline monthly figure requires three years paid upfront and renewal is materially higher.
• Some inclusions expire: The domain is first-year only and Economy's included SSL is shown as one year.
• Unmetered is policy-bound: Heavy shared-resource use can require an upgrade or restriction.
• Cancellation deletes data: Included backup service is cancelled too, so independent archives and a pre-exit export are essential.

Name.com: pros & cons

• Domain-focused controls: Registration, renewal, nameservers, DNS records, forwarding and transfer workflows are centralized.
• Included eligible-domain protection: Domain Safe adds WHOIS privacy, SSL and essential locks to supported registrations.
• Automation: The current CORE REST API includes production and sandbox endpoints for domains, DNS and privacy.
• Transfer bundle: Incoming transfers generally include a renewal plus eligible privacy and SSL benefits.
• No single domain price: Standard lists vary by TLD and specific premium names can cost more across lifecycle events.
• Privacy exceptions: Some registries prohibit WHOIS privacy regardless of registrar packaging.
• Advanced protection is separate: Domain Safe Pro and stricter Domain Lock Plus controls require their own purchase/setup path.
• Transfer constraints: Age, recent transfer/contact changes, lock state, authorization code and TLD rules can delay movement.