IONOS vs ScalaHosting: Complete 2026 Comparison
IONOS and ScalaHosting are both shared hosting providers, but they suit different priorities. Across our 7-category breakdown, ScalaHosting comes out ahead, winning 4 of them — including Value, WordPress and Developers.
Data last updated June 2026
Overall Winner
ScalaHosting
- Wins in 4 of 7 categories
- Top in: Best Value, Best for WordPress, Best for Developers
- 4.3/5 overall rating
IONOS vs ScalaHosting: Overview
On entry pricing, IONOS is the cheaper option at $1.00/mo versus $2.95/mo for ScalaHosting. Renewal tells the real story: ScalaHosting marks prices up about 305% at renewal versus roughly 1100% for IONOS, making it the better long-term value.
IONOS's standout is europe's largest host with 99 — a natural fit for european business needing 24/7 phone support, compliance certifications, and geo-redundancy. ScalaHosting, by contrast, leans on free SPanel control panel eliminating cPanel licensing costs plus SShield AI security, ideal for user wanting managed VPS performance without cPanel licensing costs and strong security.
Category Winners
IONOS
$1.00/mo vs $2.95/mo
ScalaHosting
Lower renewal markup (305% vs 1100%)
IONOS
99.99% uptime, 4.0/5 rating
IONOS
Live chat, Phone, 24/7
ScalaHosting
Optimized, Staging, WooCommerce, LiteSpeed
ScalaHosting
SSH, Git, Staging, Node.js
ScalaHosting
Higher ease of use score (8.0/10)
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Essential Info | ||
| Hosting Type | Shared Hosting | Shared Hosting |
| Monthly Price | $1.00/mo | $2.95/mo |
| Renewal Price | $12.00 | $11.95 |
| Renewal Markup | 1100% | 305% |
| Overall Rating | 4.0/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Uptime Guarantee | 99.99% | 99.9% |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.9/5 |
| Trustpilot Reviews | 37,965 | 2,137 |
| Free SSL | ||
| Free Domain | ||
| Free Migration | ||
| Pricing Details | ||
| First Year Cost | $12.00 | $35.40 |
| Second Year Cost | $144.00 | $143.40 |
| Money Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
| Setup Fee | Free | Free |
| Monthly Billing | — | |
| Minimum Contract | — | 1 months |
| Technical Specs | ||
| Storage | 10 GB | 10 GB |
| Storage Type | NVME SSD | NVME SSD |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unmetered GB |
| Max Websites | 1 | 1 |
| Max Databases | — | Unlimited |
| PHP Versions | 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4 | 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 |
| SSH Access | ||
| Git Deployment | ||
| Staging Environment | ||
| Cron Jobs | ||
| Redis Available | — | |
| Programming Languages | ||
| Node.js Support | ||
| Python Support | ||
| Ruby Support | ||
| WordPress Features | ||
| WordPress Optimized | ||
| WordPress Auto-Install | ||
| WordPress Auto-Updates | ||
| WordPress Staging | ||
| WooCommerce Optimized | ||
| LiteSpeed Cache | ||
| Object Caching | ||
| WP Multisite | — | |
| WP-CLI Access | ||
| Security | ||
| DDoS Protection | ||
| DDoS Protection Level | Advanced (SIEM, IDS/IPS) | Advanced DDoS protection on all plans |
| Malware Scanning | ||
| Malware Removal | ||
| Firewall Included | ||
| Backup Frequency | Daily | Daily (7-day retention on shared; 30-day on VPS) |
| Backup Retention | 6 days | 7 days |
| Backup Restore Fee | Free | Free |
| On-Demand Backup | ||
| Two-Factor Auth | ||
| Wildcard SSL | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Support | ||
| Support Channels | Phone, Live Chat, Email (Personal Consultant), Knowledge Base | Live Chat, Ticket, Phone, Knowledge Base |
| Live Chat | ||
| Live Chat Hours | 24/7 | 24/7/365 |
| Phone Support | ||
| Phone Support Hours | 24/7 | 24/7/365 |
| Ticket Support | ||
| Priority Support | ||
| Support Languages | English, German, Spanish, French, Italian | English |
| Knowledge Base Quality | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Avg Support Wait | — | — |
| Email Accounts | ||
| Email Account Limit | 1 | Unlimited |
| Mailbox Size | 2 GB | — |
| Webmail Access | ||
| Spam Filter | ||
| Email Forwarding | ||
| Performance | ||
| CDN Included | ||
| CDN Provider | IONOS CDN | Free CDN included |
| Server Locations | Frankfurt (Germany), Berlin (Germany), Paris (France), London (UK), Worcester (UK), Logrono (Spain), Las Vegas, NV (US), Newark, NJ (US), Lenexa, KS (US) | Dallas, TX (US), New York, NY (US), Sofia (Bulgaria), Bangalore (India), London (UK), Frankfurt (Germany), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Tokyo (Japan), Toronto (Canada), Sao Paulo (Brazil) |
| Server Location Count | 9 | 16 |
| Choose Server Location | ||
| HTTP/2 Support | — | |
| Brotli Compression | — | |
| Uptime SLA Credit | ||
| Platform Support | ||
| Drupal Support | ||
| Joomla Support | ||
| Magento Support | ||
| Laravel Support | ||
| Django Support | ||
| Next.js Support | ||
| Rails Support | ||
| Static Site Support | ||
| Control Panel | ||
| cPanel Included | ||
| Control Panel | IONOS Control Panel | SPanel |
| Softaculous | ||
| Website Builder | ||
| Builder Name | IONOS MyWebsite | SiteBuilder |
| Migration | ||
| Migration Websites Limit | — | Unlimited |
| Migration Turnaround | — | 2 days |
| Paid Migration Cost | — | Free |
| Migration Quality | 4.0/10 | 5.0/10 |
| Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliant | ||
| PCI Compliant | ||
| HIPAA Compliant | ||
| Data Center Certs | ISO 27001 | SOC 2 (via AWS) |
| Ratings | ||
| Value for Money | 4.0/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Performance Rating | 4.5/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Support Quality | 4.5/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Security Rating | 4.5/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Features Rating | 3.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Ease of Use | 3.5/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Transparency Rating | 3.0/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Suitability Scores | ||
| For Bloggers | 3.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For E-commerce | 4.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Agencies | 3.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Developers | 2.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Beginners | 3.0/10 | 4.0/10 |
| For Enterprise | 4.0/10 | 3.0/10 |
| Policies | ||
| Bandwidth Overage | Unlimited bandwidth; no throttling or overage charges | Unmetered within fair use; excessive use may require upgrade |
| Storage Overage | Must upgrade plan; file limits apply per contract | Must upgrade plan |
| Adult Content Allowed | ||
| Gambling Sites Allowed | ||
| Crypto Sites Allowed | — | |
| Reseller Hosting | ||
| White Label | ||
| API Access | ||
| Company Info | ||
| Year Founded | 1988 | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Germany | United States |
| Parent Company | United Internet AG | Independent (privately held; founded in Bulgaria, HQ moved to Dallas, TX) |
| Green Hosting | — | — |
| Instant Activation | — | |
| Managed WordPress | ||
| Managed WP Available | ||
| Pricing Model | — | — |
| Monthly Visit Limit | — | — |
| Visit Overage Cost | — | — |
| PHP Workers | — | — |
| Plugin Restrictions | — | — |
| Dev Environment | — | — |
| Dev Env Name | — | — |
| Regional Info | ||
| Best Countries | Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, United States, Canada, Mexico, Austria | United States, United Kingdom, Germany, India, Bulgaria |
| Local Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, MXN | USD, EUR, GBP |
| Support Languages | English, German, Spanish, French, Italian | English |
| Data Sovereignty | GDPR, ISO 27001 | GDPR |
| External Ratings | ||
| G2 Rating | 3.8/5 | 4.8/5 |
| BBB Rating | A+ | NR (A+ claimed on third-party sites) |
| Advanced Technical | ||
| Inode Limit | — | — |
| Max DB Size | — | — |
| Max Upload Size | — | — |
| Database Type | — | MySQL/MariaDB |
| Elasticsearch | — | |
| Image Optimization | — | |
| PHP Switching | ||
| Subdomains | — | Unlimited |
| FTP Accounts | — | Unlimited |
| Additional Pricing | ||
| Free Domain Duration | 12 months | 12 months |
| Money Back Exclusions | Setup fees non-refundable; Additional domains non-refundable; Items paid in advance non-refundable; Package switchers not eligible; TOS violators not eligible | 30-day full refund; Domain fees non-refundable; VPS/cloud services eligible for prorated refund |
| Payment Methods | Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal, Direct Debit | Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal |
| Auto Renewal Default | ||
| Domain Privacy Included | — | |
| Domain Privacy Cost | — | — |
| SSL Provider | DigiCert Wildcard SSL | Let's Encrypt (auto-renewed) |
| Dedicated IP Cost | — | $3/mo |
| Additional Support | ||
| Phone Support Countries | United States, Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Mexico, Australia, United Kingdom | United States |
| Priority Support Cost | $0.00 | — |
| Community Forum | ||
| Support Outsourced | — | |
| Object Cache Type | IONOS Caching Plugin | Memcached/OPcache |
| Business & Affiliate | ||
| Affiliate Program | ||
| Commission Type | Percentage | Per sale (tiered) |
| Commission Amount | Commission varies by product; 8 international markets available; free to join | $50-$500 per sale based on performance; 60-day cookie; Monthly PayPal payments |
| Additional Policies | ||
| File Hosting Allowed | — | |
| Proxy/VPN Allowed | — | |
| Bandwidth Overage Cost | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Account Suspension Policy | TOS violations lead to suspension; unpaid balances referred to collection (no credit impact) | Violation of ToS; non-payment; resource abuse |
| Malware Removal Cost | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Downloadable Backups | ||
| Additional Platforms | ||
| PrestaShop | ||
| Ghost | ||
| Shopify Migration | ||
| Wix Migration | ||
| Squarespace Migration | ||
| Webflow Export | ||
| Editorial Info | ||
| Best For | European businesses (largest EU host); Users wanting 24/7 phone support; Short 12-month contracts (vs 36-48 month competitors); Free Wildcard SSL included; VPS users ($2/mo entry); Users preferring established BBB A+ company; Geo-redundant infrastructure needs | Users wanting cPanel alternative without license fees; Managed VPS hosting at affordable prices; WordPress users needing staging and optimization; Small businesses wanting reliable support; Users who value security features (SShield) |
| Avoid If | Need cPanel; Developers needing Node.js/Python; Adult or gambling content; Prefer transparent renewal pricing; Dislike proprietary control panels; Need caching/LiteSpeed performance | Need dedicated server hosting; Prefer traditional cPanel interface; Need HIPAA/PCI compliance; Want largest provider brand recognition; Need extensive data center choices |
| Known Issues | 2026 price adjustment announced (increases); No cPanel (proprietary panel only); PHP CLI version differs from hosting environment via SSH; Difficult cancellation process reported; Auto-renewal complaints; Control panel feels outdated; No Node.js/Python on shared hosting; Limited developer flexibility compared to cPanel hosts | Smaller company compared to major hosts; SPanel learning curve for cPanel users; No dedicated servers offered; Some advanced features only on higher tiers; Limited phone support availability reported by some users |
| Unique Selling Point | Europe's largest host with 99.99% uptime, free Wildcard SSL, and $2/mo VPS entry | Free SPanel control panel eliminating cPanel licensing costs plus SShield AI security |
| Ideal Customer | European business needing 24/7 phone support, compliance certifications, and geo-redundancy | User wanting managed VPS performance without cPanel licensing costs and strong security |
| Best Alternative To | GoDaddy | SiteGround |
| Primary Competitors | GoDaddy, OVH, Hetzner | SiteGround, A2 Hosting, InMotion Hosting |
We strive for accuracy, but pricing and features change frequently. Some data may be outdated. Report an error and we'll update it promptly.
Our Verdict
Choose IONOS if you...
- Want to save money ($1.00/mo vs $2.95/mo)
- Require 24/7 live chat support
- Need enterprise-grade features
Choose ScalaHosting if you...
- Prefer more predictable renewal pricing
- Want higher-rated hosting (4.3/5)
- Want LiteSpeed caching for WordPress
- Want to run Node.js applications
- Need staging environments
IONOS vs ScalaHosting: Frequently Asked Questions
Is IONOS cheaper than ScalaHosting?
Yes — IONOS is cheaper, starting at $1.00/mo compared with $2.95/mo for ScalaHosting. Factor in renewals too: IONOS marks up about 1100% after the first term.
Which is better for WordPress, IONOS or ScalaHosting?
ScalaHosting is the stronger WordPress host thanks to WordPress-optimized servers, LiteSpeed caching, staging and WooCommerce tuning. If WordPress or WooCommerce is your main workload, it's the safer pick.
Does IONOS or ScalaHosting have better uptime?
IONOS edges out ScalaHosting on performance with a 99.99% uptime guarantee and a 4.0/5 overall rating. For uptime-sensitive sites, it's the more dependable choice.
Which has better customer support, IONOS or ScalaHosting?
IONOS has the edge on support offering 24/7 live chat and phone support.
Is IONOS or ScalaHosting better for beginners?
ScalaHosting is friendlier for beginners, scoring higher on ease of use in our assessment. New users will generally find it quicker to get started.
Should I choose IONOS or ScalaHosting?
For most users, ScalaHosting is the better overall choice, winning 4 of our 7 categories (notably Value, WordPress and Developers). That said, the right host depends on your specific needs — check the category breakdown above for the factors that matter to you.