Namecheap Redirects vs RedirHub (2026): Domain Forwarding, HTTPS & Best Fit
Namecheap URL Redirect Records suit simple DNS-level forwarding; RedirHub is dedicated redirect infrastructure for HTTPS, migration mappings, bulk and API work.
We build RedirHub. We point out where Namecheap Redirects is the better buy, and how to check against your own setup.
The short answer
Choose RedirHub if
- Automatic HTTPS for source domains
- Hundreds or thousands of individual migration mappings
- Centralized redirect management across multiple providers
- Bulk, API and analytics workflows around the redirect estate
Choose Namecheap if
- You already manage the domain on Namecheap DNS
- You only need straightforward 301/302/masked forwarding
- Path-preserving domain moves or a simple wildcard redirect
- No separate redirect platform to add
Which jobs fit each product?#
Forward one or a few domains already using Namecheap DNS
URL Redirect Records live directly in BasicDNS, PremiumDNS and FreeDNS, so you can configure 301, 302 or masked forwarding without adopting another redirect product.
Preserve the same path and query string when moving a domain
Namecheap documents path and parameter forwarding when the destination is configured with the appropriate trailing slash / query pattern.
Map many old URLs to different new destinations
Namecheap says specific source-subfolder redirects must be handled on the hosting side; RedirHub Core includes 2,500 separately managed links for migration mappings.
Serve redirects over HTTPS without managing source certificates
Namecheap's URL Redirect workflow does not document automatic source-certificate provisioning; its documentation says HTTPS-to-HTTPS forwarding requires SSL certificates on both domains. RedirHub includes automatic HTTPS.
Catch unmatched subdomains with a wildcard redirect
Namecheap supports wildcard URL Redirect Records. RedirHub supports wildcard subdomain redirects on Pro when you want that behavior inside a larger managed redirect workspace.
Operate redirects through bulk import/export, analytics and API workflows
Those are documented RedirHub platform capabilities; Namecheap's reviewed URL Redirect documentation is centered on DNS-record configuration rather than a separate redirect-operations workspace.
The main difference: DNS forwarding vs redirect infrastructure#
Namecheap positions URL forwarding as a DNS/host-record feature. Its setup guide[1] lets users create URL Redirect Records on BasicDNS, PremiumDNS or FreeDNS, using the root domain, an individual subdomain, www, or a wildcard host. The available redirect types are 301 permanent, 302 unmasked and masked URL Frame.[2]
That is a strong fit when the redirect is part of normal registrar/DNS administration. If a domain already lives on Namecheap DNS and you just want old-domain.com to send visitors somewhere else, adding another SaaS platform can be unnecessary overhead.
RedirHub solves a broader operational job. Its approved product facts cover automatic HTTPS, 301/302/307/308 redirects, path and query forwarding, bulk import/export, REST API access, redirect analytics, branded links and managed migration mappings. Core starts at $49/month with 25 domains and 2,500 managed links.[3]
Our call
Use Namecheap when forwarding is a small DNS task.
Use RedirHub when redirects themselves become an operational asset that needs to be migrated, measured or managed independently of the registrar.
What Namecheap can actually do#
Namecheap's redirect feature is more capable than a single "forward this domain" switch.
Its current documentation confirms:
- 301 permanent redirects;
- 302 temporary/unmasked redirects;
- masked URL Frame forwarding;
- root, www, named-subdomain and wildcard host records;
- path and query-string forwarding behavior;
- URL Redirect Records within BasicDNS, PremiumDNS and FreeDNS;
- up to 800 total DNS host records per domain across supported record types, including URL Redirect Records.
The parameter-forwarding guide[4] is especially important. If the destination is configured with a trailing slash, Namecheap can append the incoming path. It can also combine query-string values from the source and destination.
That makes Namecheap perfectly reasonable for whole-domain moves where URL structure stays the same.
Where website migrations become different#
Path preservation and path mapping are not the same thing.
Suppose you move:
old.example/products/widget → new.example/products/widget
A whole-domain forward that preserves the path can handle that pattern.
But suppose the new information architecture is:
old.example/products/widget → new.example/catalog/widget-pro
Now you need a specific old-path-to-new-path mapping.
Namecheap's own parameter documentation says a redirect from a specific source subfolder to a chosen destination cannot be configured with URL Redirect on the Namecheap side and must be handled on the hosting end.
RedirHub's managed-link model is designed for that second job. A basic whole-domain redirect uses domain capacity, while separately configured migration mappings use managed-link capacity. Core includes 2,500 managed links at $49/month, and bulk CSV import/export is available across plans.
Our call
If paths are staying the same, Namecheap may already solve the migration.
If hundreds or thousands of old URLs need individual destinations, dedicated migration mappings are the stronger RedirHub use case.
HTTPS is the biggest operational boundary#
The redirect can only happen after the browser successfully reaches the source hostname.
Namecheap's URL Redirect setup guide[1] says HTTPS-to-HTTPS forwarding requires SSL certificates on both the source and destination domains. It also documents cases where same-domain HTTP/HTTPS redirects must be implemented through hosting-side configuration such as .htaccess or a hosting plugin.
In other words, a Namecheap URL Redirect Record is not an automatic certificate-management service for retired domains.
RedirHub's approved product facts include automatic HTTPS on all plans. For teams maintaining old brand domains, migration domains or typo domains, that removes the need to keep a separate source certificate workflow alive just so the redirect can answer over HTTPS.
Our call
If the source only receives HTTP and you already use Namecheap DNS, Namecheap forwarding can be enough.
If old links and search traffic arrive over HTTPS, automatic source-side certificate management is a meaningful reason to use RedirHub.
Root, www and wildcard behavior#
Namecheap treats the root host (@) and www as separate redirect records. Its setup guide explicitly tells users to add a www record separately when both should redirect. It also supports a wildcard * record for unmatched subdomains.
RedirHub's approved product facts use a different capacity model: one root domain automatically covers its www variant. Other hostnames count separately, and wildcard subdomain redirects are available on Pro.
This is less about which model is universally better and more about operational scale.
For a couple of domains, creating separate Namecheap records is simple. Across a growing portfolio, RedirHub's domain model gives teams one place to see and manage redirect behavior independently of registrar/DNS account structure.
Pricing: do not compare a DNS record to a SaaS subscription as if they are the same product#
Namecheap does not publish a standalone subscription price for URL Redirect Records. They are part of its BasicDNS, PremiumDNS and FreeDNS host-record system.
That means there is no honest "$X vs $49" redirect-only price comparison.
For an existing Namecheap DNS user with a few simple redirects, the Namecheap option can have the lower operational and purchasing overhead because there is no separate redirect platform to adopt.
RedirHub Core is $49/month and includes:
- 25 domains;
- 2,500 managed links;
- automatic HTTPS;
- unlimited redirect requests;
- three team members;
- redirect analytics;
- REST API access;
- bulk link import/export.
Domain capacity and managed-link capacity expand independently.
Our call
Do not buy RedirHub merely to replace a handful of Namecheap URL Redirect Records that already do the job.
The RedirHub subscription becomes easier to justify when HTTPS, individual migration mappings, centralized operations, analytics or API-driven management are requirements.
Masked forwarding#
Namecheap also offers URL Frame, which keeps the source domain visible while displaying the destination inside a frame.
Its own URL Frame documentation[5] warns about important trade-offs: frames can behave poorly on mobile, many major sites block being framed, and SEO metadata does not transfer cleanly to the outer framed page.
RedirHub also supports frame redirects, but for SEO-sensitive migrations a normal 301 is usually the more relevant comparison.
If the requirement is specifically masked forwarding, test the destination application's framing policy before choosing either implementation.
Operational scale and ownership#
Namecheap's DNS limits[6] allow up to 800 total host records per domain across supported DNS record types. That is a DNS-zone limit, not a dedicated migration-mapping allowance.
RedirHub separates domains from managed links so a site migration can keep domain count low while maintaining thousands of individual redirects. The same workspace can also hold branded links and dynamic QR destinations.
That difference matters organizationally:
- Registrar/DNS owner Namecheap keeps simple forwarding close to where DNS is already managed.
- SEO / web migration team RedirHub gives migration mappings and redirect analytics their own workflow.
- Marketing / IT portfolio owner RedirHub centralizes redirect domains and managed links in one workspace.
- Developer / automation team RedirHub provides REST API and bulk import/export workflows as product capabilities.
Choose RedirHub if you need automatic HTTPS for source domains, hundreds or thousands of individual migration mappings, or bulk/API/analytics workflows
RedirHub gives you centralized redirect management across multiple providers, with automatic HTTPS, bulk import/export, API access and redirect analytics around the redirect estate.
Start free trialFrequently asked questions
Yes. Namecheap documents permanent 301 redirects, temporary 302 redirects and masked URL Frame forwarding on BasicDNS, PremiumDNS and FreeDNS.
Yes, for documented forwarding patterns. Its parameter guide shows how incoming paths and query strings can be appended or combined. That is different from defining arbitrary old-path-to-new-path mappings for individual source URLs.
Namecheap documents HTTPS forwarding with an important condition: HTTPS-to-HTTPS redirects require SSL certificates on both domains. Its reviewed URL Redirect workflow does not document RedirHub-style automatic source-certificate provisioning.
No. Namecheap's setup guide treats the root and www as separate records. RedirHub's approved domain definition covers a root domain and its www variant together.
Yes. Namecheap supports wildcard URL Redirect Records for unmatched subdomains. RedirHub supports wildcard subdomain redirects on Pro.
If the domain changes but paths stay the same, Namecheap forwarding may be enough. If many old URLs need different new destinations, RedirHub's managed migration mappings, bulk import/export and redirect workspace are the more direct fit.
TC is the Operations Manager at RedirHub, leading the company’s operational strategy and execution to ensure reliable, scalable redirect infrastructure. He oversees internal processes, cross-team coordination, and platform readiness while supporting customers through complex redirect implementations. With a strong understanding of large-scale domain operations and real-world edge cases, TC plays a key role in aligning product and customer success to deliver stable, high-performance redirection solutions.