I’ve been using IONOS (formerly 1&1) for well over a decade, and it’s the hosting that I am using for this website too. That’s not a tagline. That’s just the truth. When you’re writing a web hosting comparison and one of the hosts on your list is the one you’ve trusted with your own sites for ten-plus years, you’re either going to embarrass yourself or give people something genuinely useful.
This is part of my Best Web Hosting UK – I Actually Tested These comparison, where I’ve personally bought and used every host on the list. No marketing BS, no sponsored content. That’s the No BS Reviews promise.
Who Are IONOS?
IONOS started life as 1&1 – one of the original big names in UK web hosting. They’ve been around long enough that if you’ve ever looked at hosting before, you’ve probably seen them. The rebrand to IONOS brought a refreshed look and an AI-powered website builder, but the core offering (reliable shared hosting at a competitive price) has stayed consistent throughout.
Click here to see the current IONOS offers <- If you use this affiliate link, you get money back too!
My Overall Score: 8.5/10
| Category | Score | My Thoughts |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 9/10 | Competitive, transparent, no nasty renewal surprises |
| Performance & Reliability | 8/10 | Solid uptime over a decade of use |
| Ease of Setup | 8/10 | AI builder suits beginners; fine for WordPress users |
| Security | 9/10 | Proactively handled a PHP vulnerability in October 2026 |
| Features | 8/10 | Free domain, free email included |
| Customer Service | 9/10 | Good experience across the board |
Price – 9/10
IONOS currently offers hosting from £3 per month for the first 6 months, then £5 per month, so £48 total for the first year. When renewal comes around, it’s £5 per month. They’re upfront about that. No bait-and-switch pricing where year one is suspiciously cheap and year two costs three times as much. That transparency matters, and it’s rarer than it should be in this industry.
All prices exclude VAT, which is worth factoring in, but that’s standard across the board.
Click here to see the current IONOS offers <- If you use this affiliate link, you get money back too!
Performance & Reliability – 8/10
Over a decade of use, IONOS has been reliable. I haven’t had the kind of nightmare downtime stories you’ll see in some hosting horror threads. For personal sites, review blogs and small business pages, it does the job consistently.
Ease of Setup – 8/10
IONOS has leaned into AI for their website builder – you describe what you want, it builds a starting point for you. For anyone who’s new to building websites, that’s a decent onramp. If you’re an experienced WordPress user, you might find the AI builder gets in the way a bit before you route around it, but it’s not a dealbreaker. Once you’re past setup, it’s the standard hosting experience.
Security – 9/10
This is where IONOS earned a lot of goodwill recently. In October 2026, a PHP vulnerability came to light that affected a lot of hosting providers. IONOS proactively sent a message to customers saying they’d already handled the update – no action required on our end. That’s exactly what you want from a host. Peace of mind without having to panic, patch and hope for the best yourself.
Features – 8/10
A free domain and a free email address are included, which keeps the first-year total cost down and means you’re not cobbling together accounts across different providers from day one. Nothing revolutionary, but sensible inclusions that make it easy to get started without immediately hitting extra costs.
Customer Service – 9/10
Good across the board in my experience. I’ve contacted IONOS support over the years and not had the runaround that some hosts put you through. Responsive, helpful, gets things sorted. Exactly what it should be.
IONOS Pros and Cons
What I liked:
- Transparent, predictable pricing with no shocking renewal hikes
- A decade-plus of reliable service
- Proactively managed a PHP security vulnerability in October 2026 with no action needed from me
- Free domain and email included
- Good customer service
- Well-established brand
What I didn’t like:
- Prices exclude VAT (standard in the industry, though)
Is IONOS Worth It?
Yes – and I say that as someone who’s put their own sites on it for over ten years.
It won’t be the cheapest option you can find if you’re hunting for the absolute floor price (a lot of those end up sneakily renewing stupidly high), but for the vast majority of people starting a blog, a review site or a small business page, IONOS gives you everything you need at a price that doesn’t sting, with pricing you can actually trust and security you don’t have to manage yourself.
It’s my go-to, and that’s not an affiliate line – it’s just where my sites live.
If you want to see how IONOS stacks up against everything else I tested, head to the full UK web hosting comparison.
Click here to see the current IONOS offers <- If you use this affiliate link, you get money back too!
IONOS FAQs
What was 1&1 called before IONOS?
1&1. IONOS rebranded from 1&1 and is the same company — one of the longest-established names in UK web hosting.
How much does IONOS hosting cost?
Currently £3 per month for the first 6 months, then £5 per month — £48 for the first year. Renewal is £5 per month. All prices exclude VAT.
Does IONOS include a free domain?
Yes — a free domain and a free email address are included.
Is IONOS good for WordPress?
Yes, though the AI website builder may get in the way slightly for experienced WordPress users during setup. Once past that, it’s standard hosting and WordPress runs fine.
How is IONOS for security?
Good. In October 2026 they proactively handled a PHP vulnerability and notified customers that no action was needed — the update was already done.
How is IONOS customer service?
Good in my experience. Responsive and helpful over more than a decade of use.
Is IONOS reliable?
In my experience, yes. I’ve used them for well over ten years without serious downtime issues.
