Hostinger vs IONOS
The budget king against the provider with a personal assistant. Self-service or guidance?
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Hostinger
The most popular starter hosting, dirt cheap when you commit long term.
IONOS
European-grade hosting with a personal assistant.
Prices last checked on
| Feature | Hostinger | IONOS |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 4.4 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Price | From $2.99/mo | From $1/mo |
| Renews at | $10.99/mo | $8/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Best for | First website | First-year value |
| Category | Starter hosting | Starter hosting |
| Provider | Hostinger International | IONOS SE |
| Visit Hostinger | Visit IONOS |
Our verdict
IONOS differentiates with something unique in this segment, a personal assistant with every plan, plus the lowest entry price ($1 the first year) and a fair $8 renewal. Hostinger wins on the platform itself. It is faster, with a more modern panel and more room per plan.
If you like having someone to call who knows your setup, IONOS is surprisingly good. If you prefer doing everything yourself, take Hostinger.
“Fast hosting and a clean control panel for a few dollars a month. The low price does require paying four years up front. Renewal is higher but reasonable. For a first website, the obvious place to start.”Editorial team, on Hostinger
“A dollar a month for the first year is hard to argue with, and the EU-grade infrastructure is solid. The dashboard feels corporate, but the personal assistant on every plan is a genuinely nice touch.”Editorial team, on IONOS
Frequently asked questions
Hostinger or IONOS: which should I pick?
Hostinger if you prefer doing everything yourself, IONOS if you want someone to call. Hostinger has the faster platform, the more modern panel, and 100 websites per plan, scoring 4.4 against 4.0. IONOS answers with a named personal assistant on every plan instead of a ticket queue, which is unusual at this price.
Which is cheaper, Hostinger or IONOS?
IONOS in the first year, and it is not close: $1 a month, $12 for the year, against $2.99 at Hostinger. After that IONOS renews at $8 a month and Hostinger at $10.99. Prices checked August 2026. Hostinger's promo also asks for 48 months up front, where the IONOS rate covers a single year.
What is the IONOS personal assistant?
One named contact who knows your setup, included with every plan instead of a general ticket queue. For a first website that is genuinely useful, because you are not re-explaining your situation to a new agent every time. Hostinger has no equivalent. Its answer is a panel clear enough that you need to ask less often.
How many websites do the entry plans allow?
Hostinger Premium allows 100, the IONOS Essential plan one. If you only ever want a single site, that gap costs you nothing and the IONOS route, $1 in the first year and $8 after, is the cheaper one. If you expect a second project, Hostinger's allowance is the difference between one bill and an upgrade.