Recently updated on September 10th, 2024

Hostinger vs IONOS

In the world of web hosting, somebody say you can’t have it all: good, fast, and cheap. But Hostinger and IONOS claim they can. We decided to test this out.We put these two top providers head-to-head. Surprisingly, one came out clearly on top.

So, what did we find? And why did Hostinger win for being the fastest, cheapest, and best quality host? Let’s break it down.

That’s why in this Hostinger vs IONOS article we will compare both hosting by every aspects like pricing, website loading speed, uptime, customer support and features.

Let’s dive into it….

Plan and Pricing

IONOS Web Hosting Plans:

1. Essential: Initially $4/month for 6 months, then $6/month. Suitable for a single project, includes 1 website, 10GB space, 10 databases, free domain for a year, SSL, and email.
2. Starter: Initially $6/month for 6 months, then $8/month. Offers 512MB RAM, 100GB space, 50 databases, free domain for a year, SSL, and email.
3. Plus: Initially $1/month for 12 months, then $12/month. Ideal for larger projects, with unlimited websites, storage, databases, free domain for a year, and email.
4. Ultimate: Initially $10/month for 6 months, then $16/month. Suited for multiple large projects, includes Plus features, 19GB RAM, CDN, and SiteAnalytics.

Hostinger Pricing Plans:

1. Single: Starts at $1.99 initially, renews at $2.99. For hosting one website, includes 30GB SSD storage, 100GB bandwidth, weekly backups, and free SSL.
2. Premium: Starts at $2.49, renews at $7.99. Hosting for up to 100 websites, 100GB SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, weekly backups, free SSL, and a free domain for one year.
3. Business: Starts from $3.69, renews at $8.99. Supports 100 websites, 200GB SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, daily backups, free SSL, free domain for one year, and access to a CDN.

Winner – it’s a tie because if you looking for a long term hosting provider which perform well for your site then you can go with Hostinger, or if you are opt for a short term hosting provider then you can also go with IONOS.

Winner –

Features

When looking at the cheapest plans, IONOS’ Essential plan falls short compared to Hostinger’s Premium. Essentially, with IONOS, you’re paying more for less compared to Hostinger. IONOS offers some good features like a free domain for a year and a Wildcard SSL certificate, similar to Hostinger. But Hostinger goes the extra mile with perks like a free website builder and 100 email accounts, things you’d have to pay extra for with IONOS.

Hostinger’s Premium plan also gives you a lot more storage (100 GB SSD) compared to IONOS’ Essential plan (just 10 GB HDD). IONOS has the edge with daily backups and a free Cloudflare CDN, but Hostinger only offers weekly backups and doesn’t include a CDN.

Overall, Hostinger is the better choice for features.

Winner – Hostinger provide you the same features as IONOS but you have to pay more for the same features you will get with hostinger than here winner is Hostinger.

Winner –

 Speed test

When we compare Hostinger and IONOS hosting services using GTmetrix for website speed and Uptime Robot for server uptime, both seem good. But if we look closer, Hostinger comes out on top.

Hostinger’s websites load super fast, which is great for users. Plus, it stays up reliably, meaning your site is always available. IONOS is good too, but Hostinger wins in speed and uptime.

So, when it comes down to it, Hostinger is the better choice for hosting your website because it’s fast and dependable, making your online experience smooth and worry-free.

 Uptime

IONOS

Even though our IONOS-hosted website scored a perfect 100% on GTmetrix, it’s essential to dig deeper. While it loads just as quickly as a Hostinger-hosted site, the Time to First Byte (TTFB) is almost double at 0.26 seconds. This means it takes IONOS’ servers twice as long to start sending data to the user’s browser compared to Hostinger. This delay can impact site performance, especially for users far from the data center or with slow internet speeds. Hostinger’s faster start ensures better speed and performance overall, making it the superior choice in such scenarios.

Hostinger

Our website on Hostinger got an A grade, scoring 99% for performance, with an outstanding Time to First Byte (TTFB) of just 0.1 second. It fully loads in just 0.79 seconds. This is all thanks to Hostinger’s LiteSpeed servers and the optimizations they’ve put in place for WordPress. Compared to other shared hosting providers, Hostinger’s TTFB of 0.1 second beats the typical 0.5-second mark by a long shot. So, Hostinger’s speed and efficiency really shine through, making it a standout choice for hosting your website.

When it comes to website hosting, speed is important, but reliability is crucial too. That’s why we use UptimeRobot to check how often the server is up and running. Surprisingly, both Hostinger and IONOS scored a perfect 100% uptime, even better than their promised 99.9%.

While both hosts performed well, Hostinger edges ahead with its super-fast Time to First Byte (TTFB) score, which is half the time of IONOS. This lightning-fast response time makes Hostinger the top choice for speed and reliability.

Winner – Hostinger

Winner –

Security

When it comes to affordable hosting, security is often sacrificed for the sake of budget. But Hostinger stands out by providing top-notch security features, even with its basic plan.

Hostinger

Hostinger offers a custom firewall exclusively designed for its servers, along with the Immunify360 security suite for shared hosting users. This suite includes a web application firewall, antivirus, anti-malware protection, and WebShield software to ward off online attackers. Additionally, Hostinger employs advanced PHP security modules for an extra layer of protection, and they throw in free SSL with all plans.

IONOS

On the other hand, IONOS offers standard security features like DDoS protection, daily backups, and site scanning. While it does operate on the more secure HTTP/2 network protocol and offers SSL certificates with 256-bit encryption, the free security measures provided by IONOS don’t quite match up to Hostinger’s robust offerings.

In summary, Hostinger’s comprehensive security measures surpass those of IONOS, making it the better choice for safeguarding your website.

Winner –

 Ease of use

IONOS

IONOS hosting provides an account management dashboard and control panel that are functional but may require some familiarity with web hosting interfaces. Experienced users will find navigating these tools relatively easy, but beginners may need some time to get used to them.

Transferring an existing website to IONOS is supported by their tools and customer support, although it involves a few steps that may require basic technical skills. While certain tasks like creating backups and setting up email accounts are automated, users who are not familiar with the system may still find them challenging.

Hostinger

Hostinger’s main goal is to simplify website creation, and it excels in delivering on this promise. The account dashboard is exceptionally user-friendly and intuitive, thanks to the custom control panel. With just a few clicks, you can effortlessly manage your website.

However, certain tasks like transferring a website may require some time and could be a bit confusing. But fret not, Hostinger’s customer support team is readily available to assist you with any questions you may have.

Aside from these minor challenges and creating backups, using Hostinger is likely to be a smooth and straightforward experience.

Winner –

 Customer support

When it comes to customer support, both Hostinger and IONOS offer 24/7 assistance, but their approaches differ significantly.

IONOS

IONOS introduced a “personal consultant” service after its merger, aiming to provide tailored, one-on-one support. However, in practice, the quality of customer support remains largely unchanged, and live chat support is frequently unavailable. Emails to IONOS support often yield unhelpful responses, and while phone support is an option, it may not always resolve issues satisfactorily.

Hostinger

On the other hand, Hostinger provides support via live chat and email. However, reaching support can be a bit cumbersome through their hPanel interface. Users are prompted to navigate through a series of knowledge base articles before being given the option to contact support. While email responses from Hostinger are prompt, they often contain links to knowledge base articles, with only minimal additional assistance.

In terms of knowledge base resources, both Hostinger and IONOS offer comprehensive articles, but Hostinger excels with a wider range of tutorials covering various technical topics. Interestingly, Hostinger’s support team relies heavily on these articles themselves.

Overall, Hostinger edges ahead in customer support due to its support agents’ willingness to actively engage with and attempt to resolve user issues. While both hosts could improve their support teams, Hostinger’s efforts and additional assistance in email responses earn them credit in this round.

Winner –

 Server Locations Comparison

Web hosts typically have multiple servers or data centers strategically located to serve their clients effectively. Having servers nearby ensures faster loading times and the ability to handle high website traffic.

IONOS Server Locations:

IONOS operates 6 data centers across the United States and Europe. These locations include Las Vegas and Newark in the United States, and London, Frankfurt, Berlin, and Logroño in Europe.

Hostinger Server Locations:

Hostinger’s servers are distributed across the United States, South America, Europe, and Asia. In Europe, they have data centers in Lithuania, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In Asia, Hostinger has data centers in Singapore, Indonesia, and India. Additionally, there are data centers in Brazil and the United States to serve clients in the Americas.

In summary, both IONOS and Hostinger have a network of data centers strategically positioned to provide efficient service to their clients around the world. But Hostinger has there server all around the world which allow Hostinger to make your site more fast then IONOS

Winner –

Backup feature

Hostinger vs IONOS: Conclusion

In almost every aspect except pricing, Hostinger emerges as the clear winner. Even on the price front, Hostinger remains competitive, unless you manage to snag one of IONOS’ attractive discounts. Hostinger surpasses IONOS with better features, faster performance, enhanced security, and even its somewhat average support team outperforms IONOS.

What surprised us most was the significant gap between our top two hosts. We expected IONOS to put up a stronger fight against Hostinger, but the reality didn’t match our expectations. However, it’s important to note that IONOS is still a solid hosting choice, earning our second-place spot. While it may not dethrone Hostinger, it offers excellent options for website owners willing to invest a bit more in their hosting service.

Why Choose Hostinger:

– If you’re seeking an intuitive platform for easily publishing multiple sites.

– If you prioritize fast website loading speeds and reliable uptime.

– If you prefer transparent, all-inclusive pricing plans.

– If you’re planning to use a hosting provider for the long term (around 48 months).

– If you want robust features without breaking the bank.

Hostinger offers ultra-fast hosting solutions at unbeatable prices, including Shared, Managed WordPress, Managed WooCommerce, Cloud, VPS, and Game Server Hosting. With Hostinger, you can expect maximum uptime and premium security.

When to Consider IONOS:

– If you’re experienced in complex website building.

– If you’re willing to pay extra for additional features not included in standard pricing plans.

– If you prioritize security features and want to ensure your site is well-protected.

– If you require customer support, particularly via email and phone.

IONOS may be the right choice if you’re comfortable with advanced website development, value added security features, and need reliable customer support channels like email and phone.

Hostinger vs IONOS

1. Does IONOS or Hostinger have cheaper renewal rates?

Ans. – While IONOS may offer attractive discounts for your first year, it’s essential to consider the long-term costs. Hostinger’s renewal fees are notably lower compared to IONOS. So, even though you might enjoy a sweet discount initially with IONOS, you could end up paying considerably more to maintain your site with them once that first year is over.

1. Q. Which is better for beginners: Hostinger or IONOS?

Ans. – For new website owners seeking reliable support, neither Hostinger nor IONOS fully meet the mark. However, Hostinger’s support team did perform better than IONOS’s, and it offers the beginner-friendly hPanel control panel. So, if we’re looking at it from the perspective of raw newbies, Hostinger would be the better choice.

1. is Hostinger the best host?

Ans. – While Hostinger ranked at the top of our list for shared hosting providers, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. If you run a high-traffic e-commerce site, Hostinger may not be suitable due to its limitations in handling heavy loads. Similarly, it may not be the most developer-friendly platform as it lacks flexibility.

However, if you have a relatively simple website with moderate traffic, Hostinger could be an excellent choice for you.

1. What are some cons of Hostinger?

Ans. – Hostinger’s primary focus lies in shared hosting, which is where it excels. While it does offer VPS and cloud hosting options, they are not its main emphasis. You may find better features and prices for VPS and cloud hosting from other providers who specialize in these types of upgraded hosting services.

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