IONOS SE (United Internet AG)
Montabaur, Germany · Est. 1988 · 10+ locations in US, Europe, and UK
Major European hosting provider backed by United Internet AG, offering enterprise-grade VPS with a dedicated personal consultant for every customer.
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Key Features
- Dedicated personal consultant for every account
- Lowest starting price in the VPS market
- Georedundant data center architecture
- Pay-per-minute billing flexibility
- Enterprise-grade Tier III+ data centers
Overview
IONOS (formerly 1&1) is one of the largest hosting and cloud companies in the world, backed by the United Internet AG group. With roots dating back to 1988, the company has decades of experience in hosting infrastructure and serves over 8.5 million customer contracts across multiple brands.
IONOS differentiates itself with its dedicated personal consultant model, where every customer is assigned a named support contact who is familiar with their account. This approach bridges the gap between budget hosting and enterprise-managed services. Their VPS offerings include both standard Linux and Windows VPS as well as cloud server options with pay-per-minute billing.
The company operates georedundant data centers across Europe and the United States, with all facilities meeting or exceeding Tier III standards. IONOS is also one of the few major providers to offer VPS plans starting below $3 per month while still including a dedicated IPv4 address and enterprise-grade infrastructure.
Performance
IONOS VPS runs on enterprise-grade hardware in their own Tier III+ data centers, offering consistent performance with options for both shared and dedicated resources.
- CPU: Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processors
- Storage: NVMe SSD storage with high IOPS
- Network: Up to 1 Gbps port speed
- Uptime: 99.99% SLA-backed availability
- Georedundancy: Automatic failover between data center sites
Networking
IONOS maintains a robust network with strong European and US connectivity, leveraging the broader United Internet AG network infrastructure.
- Bandwidth: Unlimited traffic included on VPS plans
- IPv4/IPv6: Dedicated addresses included
- Firewall: Cloud-based firewall with API management
- Load balancing: Available as add-on service
- Private networks: VLAN support for isolated communication
Security
IONOS provides enterprise-grade security leveraging their decades of experience and certified data center infrastructure.
- DDoS protection: Included DDoS shield on all servers
- Backups: Automated backup and recovery options
- SSL: Free wildcard SSL certificates
- Monitoring: Server monitoring with alerting
- ISO 27001: All data centers are ISO 27001 certified
Support
Plans & Pricing
VPS Linux XS
$2/mo1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM, 10 GB NVMe, Unlimited Transfer
Ultra-affordable entry point for simple applications and testing.
VPS Linux S
$4/mo2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 40 GB NVMe, Unlimited Transfer
Suitable for personal websites, blogs, and lightweight business applications.
VPS Linux M
$8/mo2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 80 GB NVMe, Unlimited Transfer
Great for CMS platforms, small databases, and growing web applications.
VPS Linux L
$15/mo4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM, 160 GB NVMe, Unlimited Transfer
Powerful plan for production applications, e-commerce sites, and team projects.
* Prices are estimates based on market research. Visit the provider or contact us for recommendations for current pricing.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Lowest starting price in the VPS market at $2/mo
- Dedicated personal consultant assigned to every customer
- Unlimited transfer included on all plans
- Enterprise-grade georedundant data centers
- Both Linux and Windows VPS options available
Cons
- Interface can be complex and overwhelming for new users
- Upselling of additional services can be aggressive
- Limited API and developer tooling compared to cloud-native providers
- Data center locations concentrated in Europe and US only
Best For
Small businesses and individuals wanting enterprise-grade infrastructure with personal support at an entry-level price point.