IONOS vs Hostinger: which is better value?

By The Web Hosting Depot team · Updated Oct 8, 2026 · How we research

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Quick verdict

Hostinger is cheaper over three years ($108 vs $240 on the entry plans). On our overall rating, Hostinger scores higher (4.4 vs 3.6).

Pick IONOS if

budget buyers who want the smallest renewal jump.

Visit IONOS

Pick Hostinger if

beginners and small sites that want the lowest upfront cost and an easy panel.

Visit Hostinger

Side by side

	IONOS 3 wins	Hostinger 5 wins
Cheapest plan	Essential · $4/mo	Premium · $2.99/mo
Prepay for intro price	1-year term	4-year term
Renews at	$8/mo	$10.99/mo
Renewal jump	+100%	+268%
3-year cost	$240	$108
Money-back	30 days	30 days
Backups	Daily (files and databases)	Weekly on Premium; daily on Business/Cloud
Free domain	1 for the first year	1 year on Premium and up
Control panel	IONOS panel (custom)	hPanel (custom)
Data centers	US and Europe	Multiple regions (US, Europe, Asia, South America); choose at setup
Performance (our rating)	3/5	4/5
Support (our rating)	3/5	4/5
Ease of use (our rating)	3/5	5/5
Value (our rating)	5/5	5/5

Green = better on that row. Entry plans compared: IONOS Essential and Hostinger Premium (Shared hosting). Prices checked Oct 8, 2026.

IONOS: real cost

Intro$4/mo1-year term

Renews at$8/mo+100%

3-year cost$240intro + renewals

Hostinger: real cost

Intro$2.99/mo4-year term

Renews at$10.99/mo+268%

3-year cost$108intro + renewals

Why IONOS

Renewals only about double the intro price
Unlimited sites and big storage
Daily backups; 1-year term for the intro price

Downsides: Custom panel, not cPanel; Few email accounts per plan.

Why Hostinger

Lowest entry price among the big shared hosts
Free migration and a free domain on most plans
Simple custom control panel (hPanel)
Upgrade path from shared to cloud and VPS

Downsides: Headline price needs a 48-month prepay; Renewal is roughly 3-4× the intro price; Entry plan has only weekly backups and 3 sites.

The bottom line

IONOS has one of the smallest renewal jumps we track: Essential is $4 a month for the first year and renews at $8, with unlimited sites, 100 GB storage and daily backups.

Hostinger is the budget favorite: the Premium plan starts around $3 a month and includes a free domain, free migration and a clean custom panel. The catch is the 48-month prepay for that price and renewals near $11 a month.

Frequently asked questions

Is IONOS cheaper than Hostinger?

Over three years, Hostinger costs less on the cheapest comparable plans: about $108 versus $240, counting the intro price for its required term and then the renewal price. Month one is misleading: compare the 3-year totals.

Which has the better money-back guarantee?

IONOS: 30 days. Hostinger: 30 days. Domain fees are usually not refundable.

Can I move from IONOS to Hostinger later?

Yes. Moving a site means copying its files and database, then pointing your domain at the new host. Hostinger advertises free migration: Free, unlimited. See our guide to switching hosts.