IONOS Web Hosting
Ultra-affordable shared web hosting with aggressive introductory pricing and 24/7 expert support
IONOS is a long-established hosting provider (founded 1988) offering shared hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS, and dedicated servers. Known for extremely low entry prices starting at $1/month, though renewal rates increase significantly. Features include 1-click app installation, free SSL certificates, daily backups, and 24/7 multilingual support.
How we scored it
Six-factor weighted score. Each dimension scored 0–10 by our editorial team across testing periods of 3–18 months. No vendor influence.
What it actually costs
Intro pricing shown — see the renewal note for what you'll pay after the introductory term. We don't hide the second-act price.
The real cost
What you'll actually pay across 4 years, including the renewal cliff. We blend the math so you see the true monthly cost.
When the bill actually arrives
Most hosts advertise intro pricing prominently and renewal pricing in the fine print. Here\'s the trajectory drawn to scale.
IONOS Web Hosting against the field
The highest-scoring alternatives in the same category, compared on the figures we hold for all of them.
| IONOS Web HostingThis page | SiteGround | DigitalOcean | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReviewCost score | 6.8/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 |
| Cheapest plan | Essential | — | — |
| From | $1.00/mo | $17.99/mo | — |
| Renews at | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Biggest strength | Exceptionally aggressive introductory pricing ($1/month entry points) makes getting started very affordable | Outstanding 24/7 customer support with average 15-minute response times and knowledgeable staff | Transparent, predictable pricing with per-second billing since January 2026 |
| Biggest drawback | Renewal rates jump dramatically after Year 1 (2-4x introductory prices), causing budget surprises and long-term cost concerns | Renewal prices increase 500%+ after promotional period ends (StartUp jumps from $2.99 to $17.99/month) | Limited support on free tier—ticket responses can be slow, no phone support at any tier |
Prices are the published figures at the time of writing and change often. Renewal pricing is shown where the vendor publishes it. See how we review.
What people ask about IONOS Web Hosting
Straight answers to what buyers actually ask, drawn from the documentation and published user reports.