Is Spaceship Legit? A Complete Trust Analysis
When a domain registrar offers prices that seem too good to be true, skepticism is healthy. Spaceship's $10.18 .com renewals raise eyebrows. Is this a legitimate company you can trust with your domains, or a fly-by-night operation that'll disappear with your digital assets?
We've been using Spaceship for over two years across 100+ domains. Here's our honest assessment.
Who Owns Spaceship?
Let's start with the most important trust factor: Spaceship is owned by Namecheap.
Namecheap is:
- The world's second-largest domain registrar
- Managing 26+ million domains
- Operating since 2000 (25+ year track record)
- A profitable, established company (not VC-funded and burning cash)
When you register a domain at Spaceship, it's sitting on the same infrastructure that powers Namecheap. This isn't a startup gambling with your domains—it's a subsidiary of an industry giant.
ICANN Accreditation
Spaceship is ICANN-accredited under IANA registrar ID #3862. This means:
- ✓ They've met ICANN's technical and financial requirements
- ✓ They're subject to ICANN's registrar policies and dispute resolution
- ✓ Your domains are protected by ICANN's transfer policies
- ✓ You can verify their status on ICANN's website
Growth & Market Position
Spaceship has grown remarkably fast:
Companies that are scams don't grow to manage 5 million domains. The scale itself is a trust indicator.
User Reviews & Reputation
Trustpilot
Spaceship has a 4.4/5 rating on Trustpilot from 3,800+ reviews. Most complaints center on:
- Support response times (common for budget registrars)
- Occasional promo code confusion
- Learning curve for the interface
Spaceship is consistently recommended on r/webdev, r/selfhosted, and r/Domains. The sentiment is generally positive, with users praising the pricing and clean interface.
NamePros (Domain Investor Forums)
Professional domain investors discuss Spaceship favorably, particularly for its low renewal costs and Sedo MLS integration. The Namecheap backing provides confidence.
Security Features
Spaceship takes security seriously:
| Feature | Available |
|---|---|
| Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) | ✓ |
| Passkey Support | ✓ |
| Registrar Lock | ✓ |
| Free WHOIS Privacy | ✓ |
| WHOIS Privacy Location | Iceland 🇮🇸 |
The Iceland-based WHOIS privacy is a nice touch—Iceland has strong privacy laws and isn't part of major surveillance-sharing agreements.
Potential Red Flags (Addressed)
Let's address common concerns:
Spaceship is subsidizing growth with Namecheap's resources. They're building market share now and will monetize through hosting, email, and premium services later. This is a common tech strategy, not a scam.
Spaceship launched in 2023, but it's backed by Namecheap's 25-year infrastructure. New brand, established company.
True—Spaceship only offers chat and email support. This is a trade-off for lower prices, not a scam indicator. Many legitimate budget services operate this way.
There are isolated reports of domains being cancelled for "abuse" when registered with promo codes. This appears to be anti-fraud measures, not arbitrary actions. Legitimate registrations aren't affected.
Our Verdict: Spaceship is Legit
After two years and 100+ domains, we're confident recommending Spaceship. Here's why:
- ✓ Namecheap backing = real infrastructure, not vaporware
- ✓ ICANN accreditation = regulatory oversight and protection
- ✓ 5M+ domains = proven at scale
- ✓ Strong reviews = real users with real positive experiences
- ✓ Sustainable business model = they make money on services, not scams
The only reason to hesitate is if you specifically need phone support or are uncomfortable with newer companies. For everyone else, Spaceship offers genuine value with real backing.
Join 5 million+ domains already on the platform. Free WHOIS privacy, low renewals, and Namecheap's infrastructure behind it all.
Get Started FreeWe earn a commission from Spaceship signups. We use Spaceship for our own domains and wrote this based on actual experience—not because they pay us (they pay less than GoDaddy's affiliate program, actually). Direct link: spaceship.sjv.io/QjVbn3