1&1: Is This German Powerhouse A Winner Or An Expensive Mistake?

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by Katie Horne

Last updated: August 11, 2020

As Europe’s largest web host, 1&1 IONOS positions itself as a one-stop shop offering additional services like: email, website builders, e-commerce tools, domain names and marketing and advertising services.

Does this approach work? Who does it work for? 1&1 offers many hosting services. How can you figure out what you need?

I’ll simplify these things for you so you can get to the information you need quickly.

Our review will introduce you to 1&1 hosting plans and help you to decide if it is the right host for your website.

Is 1&1 the Perfect Host For Your Website?

Jump to:

• Expert review – read our thorough analysis.
• Best reviews – see what hundreds of 1&1 customers have to say.
• Hosting plans – compare 1&1 hosting plans and prices.
• FAQ – find the answers to the most asked questions about 1&1!

Hosting Types and Plans

You can choose from a variety of web hosting types and plans offered by 1&1 IONOS.

There’s a plan to suit the needs of almost anyone – from hobbyists to startups and enterprise clients.

Now, let’s start with hosting for beginners and work our way up.

Web (Shared) Hosting

1&1 IONOS uses the generic term “Web Hosting” to refer to its entry-level shared hosting plans.

1&1 IONOS offers budget-friendly shared hosting plans for those needing no-frills web hosting for their sites.

Despite being entry-level shared hosting, these plans are called:

• Business
• Pro
• Expert

Understanding Pricing

Like many web hosts, 1&1 offers a starting or promotional price. This price only lasts for a limited term. Then the prices will rise to the “regular” price.

Shared hosting plans come with a free domain name and wildcard SSL certificate to keep your site safe.

Your specific resource allocation varies based on the plan you choose.

Managed Cloud Hosting for WordPress, Drupal, Joomla

This option is recommended by 1&1 IONOS for those with websites built using content management systems (CMSs) like WordPress.

Cloud Hosting is a step up from Web Hosting (“shared hosting”).

Rather than sharing resources on servers located within a single data center, cloud hosting gives you dedicated resources on a cloud platform. This results in greater speed.

What Does “Managed” Mean?

The Cloud Hosting options are “managed.” This means that 1&1 IONOS is fully responsible for setting up, managing, and maintaining the servers that host your site.

They handle all the technical details for you.

Free Domain for First Year

1&1 IONOS will cover your domain name registration fee for just the first year.

Like 1&1 IONOS hosting plans?
But not quite ready to sign up? Check out GoDaddy. Readers can currently save up to 87% on their hosting plans. Use this special link to get the deal.

VPS (Virtual Private Server) Hosting

1&1 IONOS’ low-cost VPS hosting option, vServer, providers a server powerful enough to host large sites.

This option is for those who want to be in charge of their own server system administration.

You can select which datacenter hosts your website, and you can spin up (launch) a new vServer plan in as little as 55 seconds.

Standard Features of All vServer Plans

Included with all vServer packages are:

• Full root access (which means that you have quite a bit of control over your hosting environment in terms of software)
• Free SSL certificates to keep your site safe
• Plesk Onyx control panels so that you don’t have to work on the command line
• Your choice of Linux operating system (Windows hosting is available for an additional fee).

Dedicated Options

For those who need very powerful, highly-performant (read: expensive) web hosting, 1&1 IONOS offers two types of dedicated web hosting:

• Dedicated servers
• Dedicated hosting

Dedicated hosting

With 1&1 IONOS’ dedicated hosting plans, you get a whole server to yourself, and everything necessary to host your website.

There are eight different dedicated server configurations from which you can choose.

You don’t get any cloud-based features, but this option is the fastest, most secure one available to you when it comes to web hosting.

You’ll pay 1&1 IONOS a setup fee when signing up, and this is on top of your monthly hosting fees.

Dedicated Servers With Cloud Integration

1&1 IONOS’ dedicated server offerings are almost a hybrid between a cloud solution and traditional dedicated hosting.

You get the physical server itself, but it comes with cloud integration.

What does this mean for you?

Well, you get pay-per-use billing, full control over access to your server, load balancing so that no one server is overwhelmed by traffic, and fast deployment times.

1&1 IONOS claims 8-minute deployment times.

Cloud Solutions: Performance and Hourly Billing

1&1 IONOS offers three types of cloud solutions to meet the needs of startups, businesses, and enterprise clients – or anyone who needs robust scaling options and pay-per-hour hosting.

IONOS Cloud

The IONOS Cloud packages are similar to Managed Cloud Hosting, but there are three primary differences:

• You are billed based on hourly usage
• You have a bit more control over your web hosting environment
• These are not managed options

The IONOS Cloud option is good for someone who wants cloud-based hosting and is willing to handle server-related tasks by themselves to save some money.

Managed (PaaS) Cloud

If you want someone to help you with system administration, 1&1 IONOS’ Managed Cloud (which is a Platform-as-a-Service offering) might be right for you.

The Managed Cloud Hosting we covered above represents just a few offerings from the Managed (PaaS) Cloud platform.

Enterprise (IaaS) Cloud

For enterprise-grade hosting such as those running intensive e-commerce applications, 1&1 IONOS’ Enterprise Cloud is a cost-effective solution.

Furthermore, this option can be used to augment any infrastructure you might already have in place – you can use it to supplement your on-premise servers or as part of a multi-cloud hosting strategy.

Support for Cloud Customers

It can be difficult for some customers to determine which cloud solution(s) is best for their needs just because there are so many options available.

To help, 1&1 IONOS offers 24/7 “SysAdmin support” to prospects and customers with cloud projects.

You can get assistance with clarifying your project requirements, ask questions about your virtual infrastructure before you begin your project, and get help with your proofs of concept.

1&1 IONOS offers a useful tool called the Data Center Designer that you might find helpful.

The Data Center Designer has a drag-and-drop, uncluttered interface.

It’s easy-to-use and has convenient drop-down menus and suggested fields to fill out that make planning easier

Domain Names

1&1 IONOS offers a wide variety of domain-name related services. In addition to helping you register a new domain, the company can:

• Help you set up domain-based email services
• Offer you a (free!) wildcard SSL certificate to protect your visitors and (slightly) improve your website’s ranking on Google
• Lock your domain so that it cannot be transferred by unauthorized third parties to another domain registrar

Setup and Variety

1&1 IONOS boasts that their domains are easy to activate and set up. They are. it just takes one click to activate your domain.

You can have up to 10,000 subdomains (i.e., if your domain name is example.com, a subdomain would be about.example.com).

If you own a domain name already, but you aren’t happy with your registrar, you can transfer it to 1&1 IONOS at any time.

Marketing and Advertising Services

It’s not enough to have a website; you’ll want to create a marketing and advertising plan to help drive visitors to your site.

After all, what good is a brilliant website if no one sees it?

To that end, 1&1 IONOS offers several types of marketing and advertising services that you may be interested in:

Email Marketing

1&1 IONOS offers email marketing services so that you can collect email addresses and send targeted emails that reach a large number of people.

Google Ads Management Service

To maximize your success with Google Ads, 1&1 IONOS can handle keyword research, ad writing, and location-specific targeting.

It’ll also monitor and optimize your campaign to make sure that your ads never grow stale.

Local Business Listings

You provide all of your business-related details in one easy-to-use tool, and the tool offers your up-to-date data to the relevant directories.

These directories are critical – but often overlooked – factor in a local business’s search engine rankings.

DIY Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tool

1&1 IONOS offers you in-depth guidance via rankingCoach. This software tool uses how-to videos and prompts to lead you step-by-step through SEO improvements.

Jump to rest of review.

1&1 IONOS Reviews by Our Community

Overall Rating from 326 Reviews by 1&1 IONOS Customers

Support
Quality
Features
Value

Filter reviews by: Most HelpfulMost RecentNegativePositive

Most Helpful Reviews

Colton Colcleasure zoeyb.com

May 08, 2014

Setup was very easy with 1&1. The price was right, as well. Furthermore; 1&1 has every feature that you could possibly need in a simple web hosting provider.

Unfortunately, after choosing to sign up with 1&1 instead of GoDaddy (my first time ever leaving GoDaddy), I found out that it will take days for me to be able to use my service because the domain isn’t instant. I called support and although the representative was very fluent in English and nice, all he could tell me was that the domain setup is in progress… exactly what it says in my control panel.

It only took a couple minutes to get connected to support, so that was positive. But this whole domain name waiting game turns me off of 1&1 already, within my first couple hours of being a customer. I always had instant domains and access to everything with GoDaddy.

This will most likely be the only domain I ever buy from 1&1. When I need a domain and decide to buy it, I’m ready to put it to work right then, not days later.

Visit Host Now →

Allan Revich blogsmeanbusiness.com

Jun 16, 2016

I have used 1&1 for web hosting for many years. They host 20 Domains for me, and are the registrar for about 14 of them. About half of my sites are WordPress, and of those most were installed using 1&1’s Web Apps installer, the others were uploaded and configured manually.

Uptime and reliability has been outstanding. Their pricing is very competitive, and when new pricing models were introduced, they always moved my package to new plans with no hassle and no extra charges. When support was needed it was always provided quickly.

Like many companies today, the first-line support people are not always able to deal with complicated technical issues, but when this was the case, my issue was always escalated and dealt with perfectly. I’m writing this review mostly because I find all the negative reviews of this company hard to believe. Over the years I have actually accomplished all of the so-called problem tasks, with zero problems.

I have cancelled domain. Cancelled entire packages (full refund). Moved domains from one package to another.

I suspect that because 1&1 advertises heavily to people new to hosting their own websites, many people are writing reviews, before they have any understanding whatsoever of the technical aspects of hosting a website. If you are complete noob, and you are reading my review, do yourself a huge favor, and read up on how to manage a website Before you sign up with Anyone! It isn’t that hard, but it definitely requires a basic understanding of how hosting works.

The only negative in my own experience has been the very limited customization options for Managed WordPress Hosting. The limited number of themes and plugins available make Managed WordPress almost useless. On the other hand, their unmanaged WordPress hosting is fantastic. Of course, an unmanaged WordPress installation means you need to log in to your blog often enough to make sure your theme and plug-ins are up to date.

Visit Host Now →

Ani Ahmetaj inai.eu

Jun 03, 2014

I have hosted a lot of websites with different web hosting companies, the last one was with 1and1 where I also got one domain from them (for another website hosted in one of my VPSs). It is a good service but not the best you can find. Compared to HostGator 1and1 support is no good.

I called their toll free number and they hang up on me after I made the question (only the first time, when I called later everything went ok) but after the second call I had another opinion on their support, their phone support was not the best, but better than most (I have experience with hosting providers that made me wait 30minutes to answer my call). The hosting plans are good since they offer 100GB web hosting for only 0.99$ the first year and 5.99$ after the first year. They also provide "Unlimited" web hosting but I have the 100GB plan and even the "Unlimited" plan will not offer me 100GB.

It is impossible to get unlimited disk space so be sure to read the TOS when ordering. They had a 90days money back guarantee but it doesn’t cover everything. When you want to change plans they have a messy procedure (that’s why I stayed with the 100GB plan and didn’t get another – I wanted another plan to get more features) and if you mess things up you will end up paying more than the webhosting cost for 1 year just because of some mistake.

When you send them an email you get this :"Thank you for your recent e-mail. We expect to answer your email within the next 12 to 24 hours." And trust me, they do take that much time. That’s why I would recommend phone support (use Skype if you are in an area with no toll free support) over email support when you get in trouble and need help.

I would recommend you to get hosting from 1and1 if you are making a small or medium website and I would also recommend the 100GB package over the others. Also note that they don’t use cpanel. So if you want to take all your stats from, let’s say awstats, and transfert them to them, you can’t (orif you are a hostgator customer and want to transfer your website thought backups) . They have their own panel that is good if you start a new website but that is not cPanel.

Visit Host Now →

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Sound Options for Small Business

Of these, the ad management service and local business listings will be good options for small businesses.

WordPress and DIY SEO

If you have WordPress you can use the free Yoast SEO plugin as your DIY SEO option (instead of rankingCoach).

If you don’t have WordPress, then check out rankingCoach. (Note: Since rankingCoach is a third-party tool, you can use it regardless of whether a web host offers it.)

Website and E-Commerce Builders

If you don’t have a website, you may want to check out 1&1 IONOS DIY “site builders.”

1&1 IONOS’ MyWebsite website builder is a turnkey solution offering you the tools you need to build a professional website.

Choose a Template

Rather than having you start with scratch, MyWebsite comes with hundreds of templates, which are professionally designed websites, ready to go.

You simply add your text and images. The templates come with text placeholders and stock images.

All templates are responsive, which means they’ll look good no matter what device your visitors use.

Customize Your Site With Widgets

To customize your website, you can use the drag-and-drop editing interface.

You can expand the functionality of your website by adding widgets. Available widgets include:

• Multi-language widget (enables visitors to choose to see your site’s text in their language)
• A map and route planner
• An online appointment scheduler
• Photo gallery
• Customer reviews

Included: SSL Certificate, SEO, and Backup Function

All websites come with a wildcard SSL certificate for site security, SEO features, and robust backup and restore functions in case something ever happens to your site.

E-Commerce Website Builder

If, however, you want to build a website with the ability to sell only, consider the E-Commerce Website Builder.

The E-Commerce Website Builder is very similar to MySite, but it comes with the features you need to create an online store, including:

• Integration with marketplaces and shopping tools like Amazon, eBay, and Google Shopping
• Product galleries and inventory management features
• Payment processing integration

Want to Build a WordPress E-Commerce Store?

If you’re a WordPress user (or want to launch a WordPress site) look into WooCommerce.

It’s a free plugin that adds a store – and everything else you need for selling online – to your WordPress site.

Email Hosting and Business Applications

In addition to its website-related products, 1&1 IONOS offers:

• Microsoft Office 365: If you need cloud-based productivity tools, 1&1 IONOS is an authorized reseller of Microsoft products. In addition to the software itself, you’ll get cloud-storage for your items, as well as premium support and simple email hosting.
• HiDrive Cloud Storage: If you need cloud-based storage, you can purchase digital storage space from 1&1 IONOS that comes with automatic backups.
• Email Hosting: If email hosting is all you need, 1&1 IONOS offers inexpensive options you might consider. All come with a free domain name, as well as spam mitigation functionality.

Cloud Services

1&1 IONOS offers several cloud services that are typically purchased as add-ons to web hosting services (though they can certainly be purchased separately).

• S3 Object Storage: complex storage options ideal for enterprise backups and archival purposes
• Kubernetes as a Service: if you need to run your applications in cloud-based containers, consider Kubernetes as a Service. Kubernetes automates deployment, scaling, and management of such applications.
• Cloud Apps: Choose your app, and 1&1 IONOS spins up the hosting environment that best fits the app. App categories include blogs, content management systems, and more. Do note that you’ll need a different environment for each app that you choose.

Uptime and Performance

We’ve done long-term testing of 1&1 servers over many months via a website we deployed on their shared hosting services.

• Monthly uptime ranged between 100% and 99.98%
• Typical response times were good, ranging between 333 milliseconds to 358 milliseconds. This puts 1&1 in the upper tier of bargain-priced hosting.

Our test data is for North America and selected countries in Europe:

Customer Service

All 1&1 IONOS customers receive 24/7 support, and the customer service representatives can be reached via:

• Online support portal
• Telephone
• Live Chat

This is a plus. Some web hosts rely only on live chat.

If you prefer self-help resources, 1&1 IONOS provides a searchable knowledgebase. This covers how-to topics, troubleshooting tips, and so on.

Is There a Money-Back Guarantee?

Yes, 1&1 IONOS offers a 30-day money-back guarantee – on some products. This guarantee excludes Premium products.

You can cancel online or by phone via their 24-hour customer service.

Alternatives to 1&1 IONOS

If you’re interested in the products that 1&1 IONOS offers, but the company isn’t the one for you, you might want to consider the following companies:

Simple Hosting: Bluehost, GoDaddy, or HostGator

For those seeking a traditional web hosting company: Bluehost and GoDaddy both offer a variety of web hosting options, as well as ancillary services like domain name registration at budget-friendly price points, backed by well-regarded customer service teams.

• Visit Bluehost to view plan prices and domain and marketing services.
• Visit GoDaddy to compare plan prices and assess their domain and marketing services.

Bluehost vs. GoDaddy on Marketing Services

Bluehost and GoDaddy both offer marketing services.

Of the two, GoDaddy offers the greatest variety of marketing services.

HostGator: Bargain Web Hosting Services

HostGator is another budget option. They offer domains as well, along with a website builder and 24/7 service.

WordPress users will benefit from HostGator’s free site migrations. HostGator also offers 45-day money-back guarantee, giving you plenty of time to assess their services.

Pros and Cons

Now that we’ve covered the ins-and-outs of 1&1 IONOS, what are the main pros and cons of this host?

Pros

• The company offers good hosting plans at all price points, so everyone can find something that works for them.
• Quality and variety in support materials.
• “One-stop shopping” with websites, domains, and other services offered
• One-on-one customer rep assigned to you who can advise you on website details, e-commerce, and marketing

Cons

• The company offers a lot of different products, many of which have very similar names. This can make it difficult to identify the option that is best for your situation.
• 1&1 IONOS offers a shorter promotional period than its competitors,(e.g., the price jumps occur after six months, and in some cases, only three months, rather than a year). So their plans are a bit more expensive than usual.

Looking for quality hosting at discount prices?
Get our latest recommendations for Best Web Hosts. These hosts were hand-picked by our web hosting experts.

Conclusion

1&1 IONOS is Europe’s largest web hosting provider, so the company is capable of offering a variety of quality products at fair price points to its users.

Some of the business class product offerings aren’t the most intuitive, but the company more than makes up for it with its robust consulting and support services (which are provided free of charge to all customers).

Contributing Editor: Sherrie Gossett

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About Katie Horne

Katie is a C# developer who became a technical writer. She is a lifelong bookworm and all-around nerd with a soft spot for gimmicks and packaging. She judges books by the cover, and she’s not sorry about it. In her spare time, she likes to swim, knit, and do the New York Times Crossword Puzzle.

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