IONOS for your website: pros, cons and my alternative (2026)

IONOS (formerly 1&1) is one of the best-known ways to buy a domain and build a website in Spain and Germany. If you are considering it, here is the good, the not-so-good and how I solve it, so you can decide with a clear head.

What is good about IONOS

• It is cheap to start: domains and plans with a low entry price.
• It is a big, well-known company with support and reliable servers.
• You get domain, hosting and email in one place.
• Its builder (MyWebsite) lets you put something together yourself without coding.

What is not so good

• You do the work: pick a template, write the text, upload the photos and keep it updated.
• Templates look generic and many businesses end up with similar-looking sites.
• The low price is for the first year; renewals usually go up a fair bit.
• Extras are paid separately (SEO, email, features) and are constantly upsold.
• If something breaks or you want a change, it is on you or you wait for support.

How I solve it

Instead of giving you tools to build it yourself, I build it for you. A custom site (not a repeated template), with your own domain, optimised for Google and mobile, and I handle maintenance and changes whenever you need them. No teaser pricing or renewal surprises: a flat €25/month with everything included.

When might IONOS suit you?

To be fair: if you only want a domain and email, or you enjoy building things yourself and have the time, IONOS does the job. But if you want a professional site without spending hours or fighting templates, that is where I come in. And if you are already on IONOS, I can help you bring your domain over with no hassle.