| Overall Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) |
| Starting Price | $1.00/mo (first month promo) |
| Free Domain | ✅ Included (first year) |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% |
| Support | 24/7 Phone, Live Chat & Email |
| Money-Back | 30-day guarantee |
| Best For | Beginners wanting phone support, European sites |
IONOS (formerly 1&1) is one of Europe’s largest web hosting providers, with over 8 million customers across 18 countries. Founded in 1988 in Germany, it is one of the longest-running hosting companies still actively competing in the market. In 2026, IONOS positions itself as a beginner-friendly, affordable option with a notably strong support offering: it is one of the few budget hosts that provides 24/7 phone support as standard.
In this IONOS review, we’ll cover pricing, performance, features, and who it is best suited for – based on our hands-on testing.
IONOS Pricing & Plans 2026
| Plan | Intro Price | Renewal Price | Websites | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $1.00/mo | $8.00/mo | 1 | 10GB SSD |
| Plus | $5.00/mo | $14.00/mo | Unlimited | 50GB SSD |
| Business | $7.00/mo | $22.00/mo | Unlimited | 150GB SSD |
| Expert | $14.00/mo | $30.00/mo | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Important pricing note: IONOS’s promotional prices are very aggressive ($1/mo for the first month), but renewal rates are significantly higher. The Starter plan renews at $8/mo – 8x the intro price. Always factor in the renewal cost when comparing IONOS against competitors like Hostinger, which has a lower renewal rate differential.
IONOS Performance: Speed & Uptime
IONOS operates its own data centres in the US, UK, Germany, and Spain. Based on our 30-day uptime monitoring:
- Uptime: 99.94% (above their 99.9% guarantee)
- Average response time: 520ms from US data centres
- Server technology: Apache on SSD storage (not LiteSpeed or NVMe, unlike Hostinger)
- CDN: Available as an add-on, not included by default
Performance is solid but not class-leading. Hostinger and Verpex both deliver faster load times due to LiteSpeed servers and NVMe storage. For a simple blog or small business site that doesn’t rely heavily on page speed, IONOS is perfectly adequate. For high-traffic or performance-sensitive sites, we’d look elsewhere.
IONOS Features
| Feature | Included? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free SSL | ✅ | Wildcard SSL on Business+ plans |
| Free Domain | ✅ | First year free on all plans |
| Daily Backups | ✅ | Business plan and above |
| Email Accounts | ✅ | Included on all plans |
| WordPress 1-Click Install | ✅ | Via IONOS app marketplace |
| Phone Support | ✅ | 24/7 on all plans – rare at this price |
| Website Builder | ✅ | MyWebsite builder included |
| Free CDN | ❌ | Available as paid add-on |
| Free Migration | ❌ | No free migration service |
IONOS Customer Support
IONOS’s biggest differentiator at this price point is 24/7 phone support. Most budget hosts (including Hostinger, Verpex, and HostArmada) offer live chat only. If you prefer talking to a real person rather than chatting, IONOS is one of very few budget providers that accommodates this.
In our testing, phone hold times were typically under 5 minutes and the agents were knowledgeable about WordPress and general hosting issues. Live chat was equally responsive.
IONOS Pros and Cons
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Very low entry price ($1/mo) | High renewal rates vs competitors |
| 24/7 phone support (rare at budget price) | Slower than LiteSpeed-based competitors |
| Free domain included | No free CDN or free migration |
| European data centres (US, UK, DE, ES) | Standard Apache servers, not NVMe |
| 30-day money-back guarantee | Daily backups only on Business plan+ |
| Wildcard SSL on higher plans | Smaller community vs Bluehost/Hostinger |
Who is IONOS Best For?
- Beginners who want phone support – if you’re not comfortable with live chat and prefer to call, IONOS is the best budget option
- European websites – data centres in Germany, UK, and Spain mean fast load times for EU audiences
- Simple small business sites – the MyWebsite builder and included email accounts make it easy to get a professional presence online quickly
- Short-term projects – the $1/mo intro price is unbeatable for testing a concept
For performance-focused sites or users who need the best long-term value, we recommend Hostinger or Verpex instead. See our full best web hosting providers comparison for a side-by-side view of all options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is IONOS a good host?
IONOS is a legitimate, well-established hosting provider with 35+ years in business. It is a good option for beginners, small business sites, and anyone who wants phone support. However, renewal prices are higher than competitors and performance is not as strong as LiteSpeed-based hosts like Hostinger or Verpex.
What is IONOS renewal price?
IONOS renewal prices are significantly higher than the introductory rate. The Starter plan renews at $8/mo after the first month. The Plus plan renews at $14/mo, and Business at $22/mo. Always check the renewal price before purchasing.
Does IONOS offer WordPress hosting?
Yes. IONOS offers one-click WordPress installation on all shared hosting plans. They also have a dedicated WordPress hosting tier with managed updates and security features on higher plans.
IONOS Review – Score Card
| Category | Score | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Speed & Performance | ⭐⭐⭐½ | 520ms avg, Apache servers, no NVMe on base |
| Uptime Reliability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 99.94% over 30-day test period |
| Value for Money | ⭐⭐⭐ | $1/mo intro but renewal jumps to $8+/mo |
| Customer Support | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 24/7 phone support – rare at budget pricing |
| Features | ⭐⭐⭐½ | No free CDN, no free migration service |
Overall: 4 / 5 – Good for beginners needing phone support; watch the renewal pricing.
IONOS Review – FAQ
Is IONOS the same as 1&1 hosting?
Yes. IONOS was formerly known as 1&1 (1 and 1 Hosting). The company rebranded to IONOS in 2018 following the merger of 1&1 and Strato. It is owned by United Internet and operates the same hosting infrastructure under the new brand name.
Is IONOS good for WordPress in 2026?
IONOS supports WordPress on all plans with a one-click installer. However, it uses Apache servers without LiteSpeed caching, which means WordPress performance is slower than competitors like Hostinger or Verpex. For better WordPress speed, we recommend Hostinger’s LiteSpeed-powered plans instead.
What is IONOS renewal price?
IONOS renewal prices are significantly higher than the intro rate. The Starter plan renews at $8/mo after the first month. Plus renews at $14/mo, Business at $22/mo. This is an important consideration – IONOS has the most aggressive price jump on renewal of any provider on this list.
Does IONOS offer phone support?
Yes. IONOS offers 24/7 phone support on all plans – this is one of its key differentiators. Most budget hosts (Hostinger, Verpex, HostArmada) offer live chat only. If phone support is important to you, IONOS is the best budget option available.
Compare alternatives: Hostinger Review | Verpex Review | Cheapest Hosting with Free Domain
🚀 Try IONOS – From $1.00/mo
| Provider | Starting Price | Action |
|---|---|---|
| IONOS | From $1.00/mo | Visit IONOS → |
* Affiliate link. 30-day money-back guarantee. We may earn a commission.
Written by Wajid
Web Hosting Analyst & Founder, SmartHostFinder.com
Wajid has 5+ years of experience building and managing WordPress sites. He tests every hosting provider hands-on before recommending them.
