Web hosting

Whether a large or small business, an institution or as individual user, anyone planning on creating an online presence will require the appropriate storage space for their future website. This is where web hosting services come into play, i.e. for the provision of storage space for a website by a hosting provider (also known as a provider).

This storage space is referred to as disk space. The provision of disk space on a server (a computer designed for this purpose), as well as providing the necessary network connections, is usually done at a cost. In other words, you'd rent disk space on a server.In order to be able to offer customers the highest technical standards at low prices, IONOS provides web hosting in the form of shared hosting. This kind of hosting is the ideal form of web hosting for entry-level businesses. Shared web hosting servers are home to several different websites. This means that your site would share server CPU resources with other websites. 

This depends on your requirements. If you are planning a simple website, consisting mostly of static HTML pages and minimal multimedia content with manageable data traffic, then our starter package is the ideal option for you. We also offer more advanced packages that are suitable for dynamic web projects and high traffic.

With our most powerful web hosting packages, you can comfortably manage resource-intensive, multimedia-based websites as well as extensive online stores and shops. Compare the respective product details to find the right web hosting packages. You will also find comprehensive instructions and detailed information on all aspects of web hosting in the IONOS Help Center.

A domain is an internet address that leads to a web server. This server stores the respective content, services and offers that you publish on your domain, i.e., the content that makes up your entire website. If you enter an internet address in the search bar of your web browser, you can retrieve the data that has been provided on the respective server. Providing adequate storage space on a web server is called hosting. Your domain is your business card on the web. It should be as simple and as distinctive as possible, so that interested parties can easily find your content on the internet. An internet address ideally consists of a short and memorable domain name and a distinctive top-level domain (also known as an extension), like .com or .org. A domain is structured like this: www.yourdomainname.com.

No, other very popular types of web hosting include:

VPS

VPS stands for virtual private server, where a server is divided into individual virtual servers. The advantage of VPS is that each website can technically be hosted on its own server, and even though hardware is still shared with other websites, the computing resources are your own.

Dedicated

With a dedicated server, you are 100% in control of your resources. This makes the website particularly stable and reliable, and you avoid issues that arise when there are traffic spikes from other websites.

Cloud

The resources needed to run your website are split across a multitude of different servers. Assembled together, they comprise the cloud.**

Enterprise

Enterprise hosting comprises of custom-made offers that are tailored to suit the needs of your business. Not all providers offer this, but the ones that do are worth checking out if you think a ready-made plan isn't a good fit for your business.

Choosing the right web hosting provider comes down to your goals, your budget, and how much flexibility you need.

Start with experience and reliability. Look for a provider with a proven track record and infrastructure you can count on. You want a solution that fits your specific web project, not a one-size-fits-all package. Flexible plans are also important, so you can scale resources up or down as your needs change.

Security should be a top priority. Your data should be hosted in secure data centers with strong data protection standards. A reliable provider continuously invests in infrastructure, performance, and security to keep your website and customer information protected.

Finally, look for transparent pricing and flexible contract terms. Clear costs, scalable packages, and fair conditions make it easier to plan long term and avoid surprises. The best web hosting provider supports your growth, protects your data, and gives you the flexibility to adapt as your online presence evolves.

Powerful IT resources and advanced security measures come at a cost. To keep your website secure and performing at its best, infrastructure, hardware, and software must stay up to date. Continuous investment is essential to reliably protect your data and technical environment.

If you’re considering “free” web hosting, it’s important to look closely. Check for hidden fees and limitations. Many free providers display ads on customer websites or restrict important features. While the basic offer may seem attractive at first, essential functions or additional resources often need to be purchased later. In the end, the “free” option can quickly become expensive.

You can also operate your own server, but then you’re responsible for infrastructure, maintenance, updates, and security. That requires both technical expertise and ongoing investment.

As an experienced provider serving millions of customers, IONOS offers professional web hosting at an affordable price, along with scalable plans that grow with your needs. Many applications, including WordPress and Magento, are included and ready for 1-Click Installation. We take care of the technology and security so you can focus on building your online presence.

• If you wish, we can provide you with web hosting without a minimum term, i.e. with monthly billing and a cancellation period in the corresponding packages of only one month.

• IONOS web hosting is ideal for running WordPress; there is a complete package available especially for this.

• The package includes a certain amount of data storage.

• If you have any questions: Our support is available 24/7. In addition, your personal consultant will also be at your side – completely free of charge.

• All our web hosting packages include an SSL certificate.

• Discover these special features and many more with our web hosting plans.

Yes, our shared hosting plan includes over 70 applications that can be installed with just a few clicks. Thanks to the quick and easy installation process, you can enjoy this wide variety of apps instantly and without any hassle. The IONOS web hosting plan provides 100% compatibility with apps such as the following, plus a whole lot more.

MediaWiki

The Wiki hosting app MediaWiki is one of the many applications included in the hosting plan. The software is open source, written in PHP, and allows users to create and edit webpages in the classic Wiki style – just like Wikipedia or Wiktionary. Wiki hosting is one of the most popular open source software options and works perfectly with IONOS web hosting.

phpBB

Another app installed with just a few clicks via the IONOS wiki hosting package, is the popular phpBB open source forum or bulletin board system. Users can enjoy advanced administrative control panel services and extensive moderation tools.

Mantis Bug Tracker

This popular bug tracking system keeps users up-to-date on any project or software issues with email notifications.

Form Tools

Also available is the Form Tools app, which is ideal for anyone using forms on their website. The PHP/MySQL script allows users to manage all forms and their data in one centralised place.

Zen Cart

Zen Cart is an online store management solution for eCommerce companies. The open source shopping cart add-on transforms any blog into an e-commerce platform.

Here are the essentials you'll need for your site

• Traffic: Traffic means how much data is used on a website. If you have lots of visitors, you are getting a lot of traffic.

• Web space: Web space is the storage available on the web server. It is also called storage or disk space.

• Domain: The domain is the name of your website. If you need to run more than one website under different names, then you may need more than one.

• Subdomains: Some websites will have lots of different parts and sections. A subdomain helps organize these.

• Email accounts: Perhaps you'll need different email accounts for people to contact you.

• Databases: Most hosting providers will allow you to create MySQL or MS SQL databases. Depending on your package, you will be able to have a certain number of them.

When you look at other hosting providers you may have noticed that there are three words in particular which are used to describe the features included in their hosting plans:

• Unlimited: This is a tricky label, because certain things, such as data transfer speed, are not unlimited. Unlimited traffic might mean levels of traffic that cannot be exceeded.

• Unmetered: This means that the provider is offering a set amount of web space which can be used as you see fit.

• Scalable: This means that the amount can be adjusted to meet demand.

A server, or web server, is part of the web hosting infrastructure. They are powerful computers on which both configuration files and the data of the hosted websites are stored, i.e., websites and all website content. A root-access server is a server with root access to the configuration data of a server.

The IONOS web hosting service does not offer root access as we take care of all the necessary configurations for you. If you choose a dedicated server, a virtual private server or a cloud server, you will have root access and can configure the server yourself.