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This IONOS review examines one of the most budget-friendly website builders available in 2025. IONOS prides itself on offering a complete suite of solutions for professionals looking to establish an online presence, including shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, and their MyWebsite builder platform. You can also check out our guide to the best website builders for more options.
Techradar reviewers have spent thousands of hours testing 140+ website builders to bring you expert insights. Based on our tests, IONOS stands out with its AI-assisted design process and some of the lowest introductory prices in the industry, starting at just $1 per month. However, Wix remains our top pick for the best overall website building experience in 2025.
IONOS MyWebsite targets beginners without programming experience, especially with its “MyWebsite Now” builder launched in 2023. We found IONOS delivers on its promise of simplicity, though it won’t satisfy users seeking extensive design control or advanced features.
IONOS MyWebsite: 2-minute review
IONOS MyWebsite represents a solid entry-level website builder that prioritizes ease of use over advanced functionality. The platform excels at helping complete beginners create functional websites quickly through its AI-assisted design process. Users simply answer a few questions about their business, and IONOS generates a website draft that can be manually adjusted.
The German internet service provider has built a reputation for affordable web services, and their website builder continues this tradition with introductory pricing as low as $1 per month. However, IONOS faces stiff competition from more feature-rich platforms like Wix and Hostinger. While it offers good value for simple business websites, its limited template selection and rigid design structure may frustrate users seeking creative freedom.
What is IONOS?
IONOS is a German internet service provider that offers a comprehensive suite of online services, including web hosting, domain registration, email hosting, and website building tools. Their MyWebsite builder is specifically designed for UX beginners who want to create professional-looking websites without any coding knowledge or design experience.
The platform uses artificial intelligence to simplify website creation. When you sign up, IONOS asks you questions about your business type, goals, and preferences, then automatically generates a website draft based on your responses. You can then customize this draft using their drag-and-drop editor, which features pre-built sections and layouts that you can modify to suit your needs.
Features
Better known for its affordable web hosting, IONOS extends its expertise into site building, offering a user-friendly platform that can support everything from simple personal pages to ecommerce stores.
Though IONOS doesn’t compete with higher-end builders like Wix or Webflow on customization, it shines in simplicity and efficiency, making it an ideal choice for users seeking functionality with minimal hassle.
It’s primary offering is an AI-assisted website generation experience, which comes with additional features like a template library, drag-and-drop customization, multichannel ecommerce, and a number of marketing and analytics tools.
Tools
As we just discussed, IONOS is a beginner-friendly website builder with AI guidance for new users being its most important website building feature. But that said, there are other tools in its repository that add to the existing value.
AI tools
With the AI-powered experience, you answer a few questions about your brand and preferences so IONOS generates up to four layout options. If you don’t like any of them, it can take another shot and rework the choices. Once you find a layout that fits, you get to personalize it by playing with colors, fonts, and shape themes. As expected, the editing options are a bit basic, so if you’re looking for intricate typography or color schemes, they’re not quite there.
IONOS’s AI also helps with content creation, from filling in text to generating images. You can tweak the tone of the text to feel more friendly, professional, or trustworthy, just by selecting the vibe you want. And the image generator is also pretty handy, even if the results can be hit-and-miss.
Templates
ONOS’s website template range is surprisingly modest, with around 30 options, but it leans toward professionalism and ease of use, keeping design decisions straightforward. These templates cater to all sorts of business, portfolio, and personal projects alike, giving you a polished and professional springboard for your site.
Once you pick a template in IONOS’s editor, customizing your site is simple, though it does lean toward structure over total freedom. Rather than full drag-and-drop flexibility, you’ll add pre-designed sections — like “About,” “Galleries,” or “Contact” – with only a few style choices for each. You can tweak colors, spacing, and fonts, though the font choices are quite limited.
Ecommerce toolkit
Ready to kickstart your online store? IONOS provides a solid set of ecommerce tools that make it easy to manage your inventory, set up tax and shipping options, and customize product variations – all the essentials you need to hit the ground running.
While it might not have the ultra-advanced features of bigger ecommerce platforms, IONOS has the essentials small-to-midsize businesses need to set up shop, handle orders, and keep customers engaged. Features like discount codes, abandoned cart emails, and social media integration are also part of the package.
Free domain and SSL
With IONOS, each plan comes with a free domain for the first year, which helps keep startup costs down. Plus, they include an SSL certificate right from the get-go, ensuring your site is secure and helping boost your search engine rankins. This built-in SSL support is a big plus for ecommerce sites, as it makes online transactions safer.
Email hosting
IONOS keeps things straightforward by bundling a professional email address that matches your domain — so, no need to set up with another provider. This built-in email feature makes it easy to stay connected with customers. If you need more storage as your business expands, IONOS offers scalable email plans to keep up with your growth.
SEO tools and rankingCoach
With IONOS, you can make your site pop in search results thanks to customizable SEO settings available for every page, giving you the tools to optimize your content and boost your visibility. For a more beginner-friendly SEO boost, you can integrate rankingCoach, a tool that walks users through visibility improvements step-by-step.
IONOS also includes a tool that checks for SEO improvements, making it simple to stay on top of rankings.
Localization features
If your business has global ambitions, IONOS has you covered with translation support for over 60 languages, making it easy to cater to different regions. You can customize content based on location, tailoring messages or promotions to resonate with specific audiences.
This mix of multilingual options and targeted content helps you engage with a whole variety of customers.
Site analytics
After your site goes live, you can dive into visitor stats that answer key questions about your audience: Who are they, and how can you reach them? This info lays the groundwork for successful marketing strategies tailored to your potential customers.
These tools make it easy to track key metrics like visitor counts, session lengths, and page impressions. You’ll also get a good look at your bounce rate, showing where you might want to make some tweaks.
Ease of use
With the IONOS AI site builder, all it takes is a few details about your business, and you’ll have a customizable site complete with tailored images and text. This hands-off method is a lifesaver for busy entrepreneurs who want to channel their energy into more meaningful tasks instead of stressing over design elements.
While IONOS makes getting started super simple, there are a few limitations when it comes to advanced customization. If you’re after a more intricate design, you might hit a few bumps in the road.
Still, if you’re looking for a fast and efficient way to establish your online presence, IONOS is a superb option that helps you get started without the steep learning curve.
Pricing
Plan | Starting rate (paid annually) | Renewal rate (paid annually) |
|---|---|---|
Starter | $6/month | $12/month |
Plus | $1/month | $18/month |
Pro | $17/month | $30/month |
Starter (+ Store) | $6/month | $24/month |
Plus (+ Store) | $1/month | $30/month |
Pro (+ Store) | $34/month | $62/month |
Expert (Store Only) | $44/month | $92/month |
IONOS offers some of the most competitive introductory pricing in the website builder market, with plans starting as low as $1 per month for the first year. The Plus plan represents exceptional value during the promotional period, offering 50GB storage and up to 200 pages for just $1 monthly. All plans include a free domain name for the first year, free SSL certificates, and business email hosting.
However, you should be aware that prices increase significantly upon renewal, with the Plus plan jumping from $1 to $18 per month. Despite this, IONOS remains more affordable than many competitors even at renewal rates. The platform also offers specialized e-commerce plans for users wanting to build online stores, though these come at higher price points.
Security
IONOS provides solid security foundations with wildcard SSL certificates included on all plans, protecting both your main website and any subdomains you create. This comprehensive SSL coverage makes setting up multiple site sections much easier compared to platforms that require separate certificates for each subdomain.
The platform implements automatic cookie notices to ensure GDPR compliance, which is particularly important for European users. However, IONOS lacks some advanced security features like DDoS protection and automatic backups that you’ll find with premium website builders. While this isn’t problematic for small websites, it could become a concern as your site grows and requires more robust protection.
Support
IONOS is built to handle high traffic and keep your site running smoothly, even when visitors are pouring in from across the globe. For businesses looking to keep their audience engaged without slowdowns, IONOS’s infrastructure should deliver dependable speed and stability.
As for support, you’ve got plenty of resources to lean on. Their knowledge base is packed with how-tos on everything from tech tips to marketing advice. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to open it in a separate tab since it’s not right in the dashboard. Still, it’s a solid spot for quick guidance.
For those times when you need immediate help, IONOS is one of the few that offer 24/7 phone support – something beginners will appreciate. The team is known for being kind and knowledgeable, too. There’s also live chat from 8 AM to 8 PM if you prefer a quick message over a phone call.
Alternatives
If you’re thinking about IONOS but curious about what else is out there, here’s a quick rundown on how it stacks up against Weebly, Squarespace, and Wix, its top competitors.
Weebly is a perfect choice for ecommerce newbies – it’s packed with tools to make selling easy, all for $12 per month. While Weebly’s free plan gives a nice starting point, its paid plans are a better fit for anyone who wants a polished, professional look.
Read our full Weebly review to learn more.
Squarespace brings a lot of style to the table, with stunning templates that appeal to creatives. Starting at $16, it’s a bit pricier, but the 14-day free trial lets you explore everything it offers before diving in.
Read our full Squarespace review to learn more.
Wix is an awesome alternative if you’re all about creative freedom. With true drag-and-drop customization, you can place elements anywhere on the page. It offers tons of templates, but for total beginners, IONOS will still feel a little easier.
Read our full Wix review to learn more.
IONOS MyWebsite: Summary
If you’re a newcomer to site building, IONOS is a superb option. With its budget-friendly starting prices, swift AI setup, and useful SEO tools, getting your site up and running it has never been easier.
That said, its limited customization options and absence of a free trial might leave some aspiring designers wanting more. Still, if you’re after a user-friendly platform that won’t break the bank, IONOS is a great pick – just be prepared to work within its constraints.
FAQs
Is IONOS good for beginners?
Yes, IONOS excels as a beginner-friendly platform with its AI-assisted website creation process. The platform requires no coding knowledge and guides you through each step of building your site. However, beginners should be aware that customization options are limited compared to other builders.
Does IONOS offer e-commerce capabilities?
IONOS provides e-commerce functionality through dedicated store plans that support hundreds to thousands of products depending on your chosen tier. The platform includes basic features like payment processing through Mollie and social buy buttons, but lacks the advanced e-commerce tools found in specialized platforms like Shopify.
What happens to pricing after the first year?
IONOS uses promotional pricing for the first year, after which rates increase significantly. For example, the Plus plan jumps from $1 to $18 per month upon renewal. While still competitive, this price increase is substantial and should factor into your long-term budgeting.
Can I migrate my existing website to IONOS?
Yes, IONOS offers migration assistance to help transfer your existing website and content to their platform. They provide 24/7 support during the migration process and can help with domain transfers as well.
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