Write two invoices, not one card
A domain and a hosting plan are different jobs. A first-year sale is not the renewal. A 30-day $0 trial is not the hosting bill that starts when the trial ends. Record the name you need, whether you already hold it, the first charge, and the next renewal before adding either product to a cart.
This is a documentation-based bill guide recaptured September 15, 2026. We have not registered a domain or started a Stellar trial in a Namecheap account for this article. Cart totals, tax, and add-ons must be read at checkout.
Requirement, qualifying plan, due now, renewal, exclusion
Use this table with the worksheet. Example due-now figures are recaptured from Namecheap public pages on 2026-09-15. They are not your invoice.
| Requirement | Qualifying plan | Due now | Renewal | Exclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Register a .com you do not already hold | Namecheap .com first-year sale | $11.28 first-year sale; ICANN $0.20 and tax extra | $18.48 listed .com renewal | Promo and TLD vary; a current registrar may already hold the name |
| Shared hosting after the trial | Stellar 1-month or 1-year | $0 for 30 days, then $2.28/mo displayed (1st year, yearly toggle); 1-month $5.88 | 1-month $5.88; 1-year $55.88; 2-year $102.88 from May 19, 2026 | Trial is one per account; $2.28/mo is not the later yearly renewal |
| Current registrar or host already meets the job | Keep current tools | $0 additional | Existing vendor renewal only | Do not move a working name or site for a first-order publisher rate |
| Hosting chosen only because commission is 35% | Skip or pause Stellar | $0 if you do not start a trial | Trial then After Trial invoice if started | Published 35% hosting vs 20% domains is first-order publisher math, not your bill |
Domain and hosting are separate purchases
- A .com registration does not require Stellar. Stellar does not require buying the domain from Namecheap.
- The domains table lists register, renew, and transfer on different rows. Do not copy a sale price onto the renewal.
- Stellar monthly, yearly, and bi-yearly toggles change the displayed first-year figure. The May 2026 KB is the renewal table from May 19, 2026.
- Affiliate commissions are documented for the first order made by a new customer. That is not a discount on your renewal.
Our decision rule
Keep your current registrar and host while they meet the job. Evaluate a Namecheap .com when you need that name and can fund first-year sale plus listed renewal. Evaluate Stellar only after you write the post-trial invoice and the $55.88 1-year renewal. Use the worksheet before starting a trial.
Questions before you decide
Is the Stellar $2.28/mo the same as the 1-year bill?
No. The shared hosting page recaptured 2026-09-15 showed Stellar $0.00 for 30 days, then $2.28/mo on the yearly toggle. Namecheap's May 2026 KB lists Stellar renewals from May 19, 2026 at $5.88 for 1 month, $55.88 for 1 year, and $102.88 for 2 years. The After Trial first yearly payment stays at the After Trial price; later renewals use the KB table. Write both invoices before starting a trial.
Should I add Stellar because hosting pays 35% and domains pay 20%?
No. Those are published first-order publisher rates, not your bill. Keep your current host if it already serves the site. Skip or pause Stellar unless you need shared hosting and can pay after the trial.
Is $11.28 the lasting .com price?
No. The .com page recaptured 2026-09-15 listed first-year registration $11.28 (25% off $14.98) and renewal $18.48. Transfer was $11.48 on sale. Domain prices vary by TLD. ICANN $0.20 and tax are extra. Keep your current registrar if it already holds the name.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Namecheap shared hosting Accessed 2026-09-15
- Namecheap: Shared Hosting pricing changes – May 2026 Accessed 2026-09-15
- Namecheap .com registration prices Accessed 2026-09-15
- Namecheap commission rates Accessed 2026-09-15
- Namecheap affiliate program Accessed 2026-09-15
- Namecheap affiliate payout minimums Accessed 2026-09-15
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.