What we liked
Pros
- Aggressive $1/month first-year pricing
- Personal assistant contact on every plan
- Solid European and US data centers
Keep in mind
- Renewal pricing jumps sharply after year one, and the dashboard feels more utilitarian than hPanel or SiteGround's tools.
Score breakdown
IONOS pricing in 2026
IONOS starts at $1/mo first year. Free option: 30-day guarantee. As with most services in this category, the advertised rate typically assumes annual billing — check the renewal price and current promotions before committing.
Who is IONOS for?
IONOS is our pick for cheapest first year for small sites. IONOS's $1-per-month first year is the cheapest real hosting deal from a major provider, and every plan includes a personal assistant contact — unusual hand-holding at this price.
How IONOS compares
Our top-rated web hosting pick overall is Hostinger (9.8/10). Also consider SiteGround (9.4/10). See the full web hosting comparison for all 6 ranked services side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — IONOS scores 8.8/10 (Very Good) in our independent testing and ranks #4 of 6 in our web hosting comparison. It stands out as the pick for cheapest first year for small sites.
IONOS pricing starts at $1/mo first year. Free option: 30-day guarantee. Check current promotions on their site, as introductory rates change frequently.
The strongest alternatives are Hostinger (9.8/10) and SiteGround (9.4/10). See our full web hosting comparison for all 6 ranked options.