Quick verdict
IONOS is one of Europe’s largest hosting companies. It’s based in Germany, it’s part of United Internet, and many people still know it by its old name, 1&1. It runs its own data centers in Europe and the US, and its intro prices are among the lowest you’ll find from a major host.
That low entry price is the hook, and the renewal is the catch. The intro rate covers only the first term, after which the price jumps noticeably. IONOS is still a sensible choice for European sites and small businesses that want phone support, but budget for the renewal from day one.
Choose IONOS Plus if your audience is in Europe and you want a cheap, dependable start with phone support. Put a reminder in your calendar before the first term ends so the renewal doesn’t surprise you.
Pros & cons
What we liked
- Very low intro price for the first term
- Data centers in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, plus the US
- 24/7 phone support and a personal consultant
- Long-established company owned by United Internet
- Free SSL and domain options bundled with hosting
What we didn’t
- Big price jump when the intro term ends
- Lots of upsells during checkout and in the dashboard
- Custom control panel, no cPanel
- Speed is fine but not a standout
- Cancelling can involve more steps than at other hosts
Pricing & plans
We track two IONOS web hosting plans. Starter is a bare-bones option for a single small site. Plus adds more room and features for a modest step up, which makes it the better buy for most people. See the current prices in the table below.
| Plan | Intro price | Renews at | Websites | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $1/mo | $8/mo | 1 | One site |
| PlusOur pick | $1/mo | $12/mo | Unlimited | Several sites |
Intro prices are for a 12-month term. Prices checked Oct 4, 2026 — IONOS changes them often, so check the live price before you buy.
How the intro price works
IONOS sets a very low promotional price for the first term, then moves you to the regular rate. The gap between the two is larger than at most hosts, so the first-year price says little about what the site costs over three or four years. Compare the renewal column in the table, not just the intro price. Our guide to hosting renewal prices shows how to work out the real cost, and our IONOS coupons page lists current offers.
Speed test results
IONOS runs its hosting on its own hardware in its own data centers, with SSD storage and a choice of region. That matters more than any single setting: put your site in the data center nearest your visitors and pages start responding sooner. Our testing method explains how we measure time to first byte.
Average TTFB, 180 days
The chart shows how IONOS compares with the other hosts we follow. Expect its best results for visitors in Europe. For a WordPress site, add a caching plugin and keep images light; on shared hosting those two steps make more difference than anything else you control.
Uptime
IONOS operates its own network of data centers and offers an uptime guarantee on its hosting. The meter above shows what our monitor recorded. As with any host, read the guarantee terms for what’s covered and how compensation works before relying on it.
Ease of use
IONOS uses its own control panel rather than cPanel. It’s clean and organized around your contracts, domains and websites, though the frequent product offers can get in the way. Beginners will find the basics, from connecting a domain to installing WordPress, in obvious places.
- WordPress: one-click install, with the option of managed WordPress that handles updates for you.
- Domains: IONOS is a large domain registrar, so domains, DNS and email all live in one account.
- Region choice: pick a data center near your audience when you set up your site.
- Checkout: read each step carefully and untick add-ons you don’t need.
The account area is built around contracts, so each product you buy shows up as its own line with its own term and renewal date. That makes it easy to see what you’re paying for, but it also means a domain, a mailbox and a hosting plan may renew on different dates. Review the contract list once a year and cancel anything you no longer use.
Customer support
IONOS offers support by phone, chat and email around the clock, and it assigns customers a personal consultant as a named point of contact. Phone support is less common at this price level, which is a real plus for small-business owners. Reviews of its support are mixed, with billing and cancellation the most common complaints, so keep records of anything you change on your contract.
For technical problems, the help center covers most everyday tasks, from DNS records to email setup in common mail apps. If English isn’t your first language, IONOS also runs local sites and support for several European countries, which is part of why it’s popular with small businesses there.
Who IONOS is for
Choose IONOS if you…
- run a site for visitors in Germany or wider Europe
- want a very cheap first year to get started
- like having phone support and a named contact
- want domains, email and hosting from one company
Look elsewhere if you…
- want a stable price that barely changes at renewal
- dislike upsells and busy dashboards
- need cPanel
- want top-tier WordPress speed on shared hosting
IONOS alternatives
Best overall, from $2.69/mo.
Read review →Easiest for WordPress, from $1.99/mo.
Read review →Best budget pick, from $1.98/mo.
Read review →When you compare, look at what each host charges after the first term, and where its servers are. A slightly higher intro price elsewhere can work out cheaper over a few years once the IONOS renewal kicks in.
If you want strong European infrastructure with better WordPress tools, read our SiteGround review. For a low price with faster servers, see our Hostinger review.
Frequently asked questions
Is IONOS the same company as 1&1?
Yes. 1&1’s hosting business was renamed IONOS. It remains part of the German group United Internet.
Why is IONOS so cheap at first?
The low price is a promotional rate for the first term. After that, plans move to the regular rate, which is much higher. Check the renewal price in the table before you commit.
Is IONOS good for European websites?
Yes, that’s its strongest use case. IONOS is a German company with data centers in Europe, so sites for European visitors load from nearby servers. Compare it with other options in our best shared hosting list.
Does IONOS have phone support?
Yes. Phone support is available around the clock, along with chat and email, and customers get a personal consultant.
Can I get a refund from IONOS?
IONOS offers a money-back guarantee on many hosting contracts, but the rules differ by product and country. Read the terms for your plan before you buy, and note that domains usually aren’t refundable.