1&1 IONOS: Powerful Web Hosting, Free Domain, 24/7 Expert Support

When you're looking to get your website online, the hosting provider you choose can make or break your entire online presence. I've spent considerable time exploring 1&1 IONOS (now simply called IONOS), and I want to share what I've discovered about this European hosting giant that's been quietly serving millions of customers since 1988.

What Exactly Is IONOS?

IONOS is one of those hosting companies that's been around forever but doesn't always get the spotlight it deserves. Originally founded in Germany as 1&1 Internet, they've grown into one of the world's largest web hosting providers, managing over 8 million customer contracts and hosting more than 12 million domains.

The company went through a rebrand to IONOS by 1&1 a few years back, though many people still call them 1&1. They're part of United Internet AG, which gives them serious infrastructure muscle - we're talking data centers across the US and Europe.

The Hosting Options They Offer

IONOS isn't a one-trick pony. They've built out a pretty comprehensive suite of hosting products:

Shared Hosting: This is where most beginners start. You get your own slice of a server that you share with other websites. IONOS offers several tiers here, from basic plans for simple sites to more robust options for growing businesses.

WordPress Hosting: They've got specialized WordPress plans that come pre-optimized for the platform. These include automatic updates, enhanced security, and WordPress-specific support.

VPS Hosting: When shared hosting doesn't cut it anymore, Virtual Private Servers give you dedicated resources and more control. IONOS offers both Linux and Windows VPS options.

Dedicated Servers: For serious projects, you can rent an entire physical server. These range from entry-level machines to powerful enterprise-grade hardware.

Website Builder: For folks who don't want to mess with WordPress or coding, IONOS has a drag-and-drop builder with templates and AI assistance.

What You Actually Get

Let's talk specifics. IONOS structures their hosting differently than some competitors. Here's what typically comes with their plans:

Most hosting packages include at least one free domain for the first year. Storage varies from 10GB on budget plans to unlimited on higher tiers. They provide SSL certificates across all plans, which is non-negotiable for modern websites.

The email situation is interesting. Even basic plans come with professional email addresses using your domain name. You get webmail access plus the ability to connect through Outlook or other email clients.

Performance-wise, IONOS runs on SSD storage exclusively, which makes sites load faster than traditional hard drives. They also include a CDN (Content Delivery Network) on most plans to speed up your site globally.

👉 Check current IONOS hosting packages and pricing

The Money Talk: What Does It Cost?

IONOS follows the industry-standard pricing model: attractive introductory rates that renew at regular prices.

Their shared hosting typically starts around $4-8 per month for the first year, then renews at $8-16 monthly. WordPress hosting runs slightly higher, usually starting at $1 for the first month (yes, really), then jumping to $10-15 upon renewal.

VPS hosting begins around $2-8 monthly for intro periods, renewing at $10-50 depending on your chosen resources. Dedicated servers start at roughly $50-70 monthly and scale up to several hundred dollars for high-performance configurations.

The website builder is often bundled with hosting or available standalone starting at around $1 for the first month.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. IONOS frequently runs promotions that can significantly reduce these costs. We're talking about deals like 3 months free, discounted rates for multi-year commitments, or bundled services at reduced prices.

Current Promotional Opportunities

As of early 2026, IONOS has been running several noteworthy promotions. Their WordPress hosting occasionally drops to $1 for the first month, making it ridiculously affordable to test the waters. Shared hosting plans often come with 3-6 months at reduced rates.

For VPS customers, they sometimes offer extended trial periods or resource upgrades at no additional cost during promotional windows. Dedicated server customers might find setup fees waived or extra bandwidth included.

The website builder frequently gets bundled into hosting packages at no extra charge during sales periods, which is a nice value-add if you're still deciding between building your own site or using a builder.

👉 View the latest IONOS deals and offers

What People Are Actually Saying

I always look at what real users say, not just the marketing materials. Here's what the consensus seems to be:

The Good Stuff: People consistently praise IONOS's uptime reliability. The 24/7 customer support gets solid marks, particularly for European customers who appreciate multilingual assistance. The control panel, while different from the industry-standard cPanel, is generally considered intuitive once you get used to it.

Many users appreciate the straightforward approach to hosting without excessive upselling. The included domain and email features get mentioned frequently as valuable additions that competitors often charge extra for.

The Pain Points: The biggest complaint revolves around renewal pricing. That's not unique to IONOS, but the jump from promotional to standard rates can feel steep. Some users find the proprietary control panel confusing if they're coming from other hosts that use cPanel.

A handful of reviewers mention that migration from other hosts isn't always smooth, particularly for more complex sites. Customer support, while generally available and helpful, occasionally gets dinged for longer wait times during peak periods.

Performance reviews are mostly positive, though some users on the lowest-tier shared hosting plans report occasional slowdowns during traffic spikes - pretty standard for budget shared hosting anywhere.

Who Should Consider IONOS?

After digging through all this, here's my take on who'd benefit most:

Small Business Owners: If you need reliable hosting with professional email and don't want to cobble together services from multiple providers, IONOS offers a clean all-in-one solution. The included domain and SSL make getting started straightforward.

WordPress Users: The specialized WordPress hosting tiers provide solid performance without requiring you to become a server administrator. Automatic updates and backups mean less maintenance headache.

European Customers: With data centers in Europe and strong GDPR compliance, IONOS is particularly appealing if you're serving European audiences or need to comply with EU data regulations.

Budget-Conscious Starters: Those promotional rates make IONOS an affordable way to get online, especially if you're testing a business idea or starting a personal project. Just be aware of renewal pricing.

Scaling Businesses: The ability to start with shared hosting and grow into VPS or dedicated servers without switching providers has clear advantages. Your data stays put; you just upgrade your resources.

The Technical Bits Worth Knowing

For those who care about what's under the hood, IONOS runs data centers with Tier 3+ specifications, meaning redundant power, cooling, and network connections. They claim 99.9% uptime, which aligns with industry standards.

Server locations span the US (multiple facilities) and Europe (Germany, UK, Spain). You typically choose your data center location during signup, which matters for latency and sometimes for legal compliance.

They support current PHP versions, MySQL databases, and the usual suite of web technologies. SSH access is available on higher-tier plans. Git integration exists for developers who want version control.

The backup situation varies by plan. Some include automated daily backups, while others offer backups as an add-on. Always verify what's included with your specific package.

Making the Switch

If you're coming from another host, IONOS offers migration assistance, though the level of help depends on your plan tier. Higher-tier plans typically include hands-on migration support where their team handles the technical heavy lifting.

For DIY migrations, they provide documentation and tools, though you'll want to budget time for testing everything works correctly on the new server. Domain transfers are relatively straightforward if you're also moving your domain to IONOS.

The Bottom Line

IONOS isn't the flashiest hosting provider, and they're not trying to be. What they offer is solid, reliable web hosting with a comprehensive feature set at competitive prices. The promotional rates make them particularly attractive for getting started, though you should plan for higher renewal costs.

The all-in-one approach - hosting, domain, email, SSL - simplifies the setup process considerably compared to piecing together services from multiple vendors. For many users, that convenience alone justifies the choice.

Their European roots show in their approach: methodical, reliable, privacy-conscious, and less prone to aggressive upselling than some American competitors. The 24/7 support and multi-language assistance further distinguish them in the global hosting market.

Is IONOS perfect? No hosting provider is. But for small to medium websites, WordPress projects, and growing businesses that value reliability over cutting-edge features, they deliver solid value.

👉 Get started with IONOS hosting today

The web hosting market is crowded, and choosing the right provider ultimately depends on your specific needs. IONOS positions itself as the reliable, full-featured option for users who want comprehensive hosting without complexity. For many, that's exactly what they need.