1&1 is among the largest brands online services industry, and that i get lots of readers questions regarding what their hosting method is like. I’ve labored with 1&1 web hosting several occasions for clients, and lately purchased a hosting package for any separate project I’m running. Here’s my first 1&1 website hosting review inside a series that appears in their hosting product overall & in comparison to some of the best hosts.
Take a look at 1&1’s current plans & prices here.
This review was initially printed at the begining of 2014. It’s been revised throughout by May 2016.
1&1 offers an array of products from domains to hosting to website packages. 1&1 is really among the earliest website hosting companies – founded in 1988. And they’re also one of the most aggressive advertisers with full-page ads in gossip columns and television spots. Anecdotally, I believe only GoDaddy rivals them when it comes to mass-market advertising and brand awareness.
But big brand doesn’t mean a great product – which’s one factor I needed to consider having a full 1&1 website hosting review.
3 quick asides before getting started. First, There are plenty of just one&1 hosting online reviews – usually with user-generated reviews according to anecdotes and private experience. That’s fine however i have a different approach. My method of reviews is that there’s no such factor like a “best” or “top” anything. There’s only better fits for various people based on your objectives. If you’re just searching for 1&1 promotions on super-cheap hosting, you’ll find them here.
Second, a disclosure which i receive customer referral charges from companies pointed out on this website. All data & opinion comes from my experience like a having to pay customer or consultant to some having to pay customer.
Third, after i discuss “hosting” – I’m particularly talking about Linux shared website hosting setups (like individuals employed for a typical Drupal, Joomla or WordPress setup). Unless of course you’ve got a specific reason to utilize a Home windows-powered server, you ought to be utilizing a Linux powered server. It’s the standard and provides you a lot more versatility than the usual Home windows server. I’m also particularly searching at shared website hosting, since unless of course you realize of the specific reason (like getting a regular +10,000 visits/day) not to have shared web hosting – it’s the most likely the very best fit for you personally (it’s also the most cost effective).
Pros of just one&1 Website Hosting
Last aside – the tldr is the fact that 1&1 doesn’t have any strong “pros” for me. The truly simply have places that they’re just kind of fine. Their primary pro is the logo and the name they’ve developed over 26 years. That stated, for that purpose of single&1 website hosting review, listed here are the professionals of the hosting service (or skip towards the conclusion & recommendations here).
Prices
1&1 Hosting is around the less expensive finish of website hosting. They sometimes provide a inexpensive one year opening offer (view their plans here), after which boost the cost following a year, which even so take presctiption the greater affordable finish.
 
Overall, they’re right consistent with many of their competitors following the one year intro deal. If this review was initially printed, 1&1 capped the amount of websites and quantity of domains. They’ve since removed a lot of individuals caps except for databases around the Limitless Plan.
Their prices tiers are nearly just like other big brand hosts like HostGator & GoDaddy whenever you bust out the main stuff you are having to pay for (space, performance and databases). Their cheapest tier plan’s really a rather better deal than a lot of GoDaddy and HostGator’s least expensive plans given that they don’t cap the amount of websites you could have.
So far as prices goes, 1&1 will get points for space & options for anybody on the super-tight budget.
Relative Options
1&1 began like a host company however provide everything underneath the digital sun. They are among the largest domain registrars (and frequently include 12 months of the new domain free with hosting purchase). All of their goods are integrated, that is a pro for most people. They offer daily server backups, together with an array of available apps to set up inside their backend (for example WordPress and Joomla).
That stated, their set of features is otherwise not particularly notable. Nothing sticks out or separates them of all the other hosting company. For that purpose of a pros & cons type 1&1 website hosting review – their features and options get put into the professionals column, as it is fairly competitive – particularly if you really value server located email, ad credits, or any kind of website builder tool.
Relative Performance
The main one true job an internet site hosting server would be to deliver your site files as rapidly so that as reliably as you possibly can each time someone requests them (by keying in your website name).
Neither I nor my clients have ever endured significant downtime with 1&1. They’re saying to possess individually verified 99.9% uptime. That’s industry standard, so without monitoring tools, I’ll provide them with the advantage of the doubt.
The main one factor I’m able to is through how rapidly 1&1 delivers my files to some browser. There are plenty of variables which go into how quickly an internet site loads, but probably the most important variables is when fast the server responds following the initial request – also known as Time For You To First Byte (TTFB). Listed here are outcomes of a speed test which i ran in December 2015.
Here’s the exam I ran in May 2016 where they improved some.
Individuals exams are not amazing (edit: they’re pretty bad). But – they are superior to another major website hosting brands (ie, GoDaddy).
1&1 is still acceptable for small site which are have less graphics or overhead. The like performance, like prices and options, 1&1’s primary pro is they are actually all right around the basics. Absolutely nothing to wow or really stick out in almost any 1&1 hosting review. However, the main one last positive of just one&1’s performance is they do provide lots of memory to operate your site. Here is a snapshot from the memory presented to WordPress.
Only for reference – WordPress recommends getting 64M of memory to operate. Frequently cheaper web hosting companies are well known for skimping on memory provided, since customers rarely really make sure that setting. 1&1 does come through with that. Which means that when your server responds…your website files are made and sent fairly rapidly.
Customer Support
The final “pro” which i desired to mention was their customer support, according to my own experience. 1&1 has truly well known customer support should you go by internet forum threads (and that i include customer support like a disadvantage afterwards). That stated, my customer encounters with 1&1 will always be positive.
Unlike many web hosting companies, there is a 24/7 phone they really answer. Within my newest experience, it had been clarified by someone having a South Asian accent (might or might not indicate outsourced customer support) in under one minute hold time.
The problem couldn’t be resolved right now on the telephone, but once i stuck, she immediately adopted track of me via email to supply increase.
Again, like 1&1’s other “pros” that one managed to get out there simply from the strength of low expectations. The knowledge didn’t particularly wow me aside from the rate of response (I had been disappointed the issue wasn’t resolved more rapidly thought), however it was cordial enough (and available) to place customer support like a potential pro for 1&1.
Cons of just one&1 Website Hosting
Consumer Experience
The main disadvantage of just one&1 Hosting is mainly consumer experience. Owning your individual or business hosting take into account an internet site or email shouldn’t be difficult. Despite the fact that servers require more technical setup than the usual Facebook profile – we’re well beyond the 1990s. Even when a website hosting service isn’t super-polished and also the pinnacle of design, it ought to a minimum of be fairly intuitive, and really should in the very least work.
These encounters with client websites on 1&1 were frustrating, but my very own website knowledge about 1&1 bordered on maddening. Here’s a summary of specific issues that I’d that don’t exist on other providers.
First, pointing my domains to at least one&1 wasn’t intuitive whatsoever. Actually, the entire process felt as an upsell to obtain me to transfer my domains to at least one&1. I have not labored having a hosting company which makes it this difficult to utilize a hosting account which i purchased and your own domain name which i own elsewhere.
Every hosting company, including GoDaddy, makes their DNS address easily known to be able to just copy paste it at your domain registrar (confused? browse the first portion of my website setup guide). For instance, HostGator informs the DNS settings in your welcome email.
1&1 details the 8 step process within their help section, which you’ll have to read after searching everywhere for any simple DNS settings of the hosting account. Obviously, it’s really a 2-step tactic to transfer your domain registration for them though.
Second, fundamental things that will work don’t. I frequently stored getting Form Submission Unsuccessful errors because of the way they handle sessions.
I attempted 3 occasions to set up a database for WordPress simply to receive “Error” messages (note – this is exactly what triggered my newest customer support interaction).
Third, 1&1 includes a practice of making super-technical features simple to find and also the best choices for non-tech users difficult to get. This is fine if their target audience was high-finish developers, however their target audience may be the everyday small business operator or individual that uses a site. I’ll cover their backend setup individually, but here’s a good example of the way they handle a computerized WordPress install.
Bear in mind that anybody that has done lots of use WordPress and wishes to perform a custom installation won’t be utilizing a Quick Install. Quick Installs are suitable for newcomers, and anybody just attempting to save your time and obtain a fundamental installation. Quite simply, it ought to be the simple, simple and easy , non-technical.
To begin, WordPress is within a piece known as the Application Center where 1&1 makes pointless distinctions between options that don’t need distinctions.
Once you discover WordPress (within the click and make, though it’s known as an “app”), you need to choose your kind of installation.
They’ve different installation “modes.” Safe mode keeps individuals from installing bad plugins also it keeps WordPress current. Free mode is really a normal installation, while Evaluation mode is for those who don’t understand what WordPress is. I’ve just seen this setting presented in a far greater way.
And the rest of the setup process is identical way. It’s fundamental, and fine. But there is nothing in context or seamless. The 𔄙-click install” is much more just like a manual installation process, without helpful tips for help. For instance, certainly one of from the 5 step WordPress installation process is selecting a directory.
Selecting a directory matters for WordPress – not for that immediate installation, however for getting well setup other websites later on. Here’s how 1&1 presents it…
It’s not necessarily a bad (aside from the default directory wouldn’t be fun to utilize) setup. It’s simply not neither useful, nor intuitive, nor quick.
Lastly, even just in the “free mode” installation where 1&1 hosting claims that you’re in charge – they instantly install 15 plugins to your WordPress installation.
That isn’t awesome, and incredibly frustrating. It’s similar to computer manufacturers bundling crapware in your nice, new laptop. And worse, most of the pre-installed plugins are merely not too good, which sets newcomers up to fail.
Overall, dealing with 1&1 is just frustrating. And the remainder of my 1&1 hosting review cons all come under this theme.
Backend Setup
Greatly associated with consumer experience is 1&1 hosting’s backend setup. Should you’re an initial-timer with hosting, you’ll have to know that the hosting account is essentially server space and also the bandwidth to connect with that server. The server is like you computer for the reason that it’s really difficult to communicate with it unless of course you possess an “operating system” for example Home windows on your computer or OSX on the Mac.
The standard “operating system” is known as cPanel. It’s open-source, and therefore it’s not of anybody, but it may be modified by particular company because of its own uses (kind of like Android). The bottom install of cPanel isn’t polished and pretty, however it’s fairly intuitive. It’s the backend that the majority of the hosts which i recommend use – for example HostGator, Website Hosting Hub or InMotion. (By The month of january 2014, even GoDaddy has switched to cPanel for brand new accounts).
1&1 Hosting doesn’t use cPanel – they will use their very own custom backend setup. That might be fine – even preferred – when they tried on the extender to really make it more attractive and simpler for fist-timers to navigate. But alas, they don’t. It’s really quite horrible for me. Here’s what it appears as though.
On their behalf, it might make a lot more sense to feature the required options (like Quick Install, Add Domain, or File Directory) rather of very technical features that newcomers will not use.
It’s heavily biased towards individuals who make use of a 1&1 website name having a 1&1 hosting account and also the 1&1 website builder. In the event that’s what you’re attempting to use, it’ll be very straightforward. However, for those who have your domain registered elsewhere (like NameCheap or GoDaddy) or you need to perform a WordPress or Joomla install, it is extremely hard to use, especially for brand spanking new customers.
Again, website hosts which use cPanel don’t make hosting accounts as simple as establishing a Facebook profile, consider a lot of website hosts utilize it, you’ll probably find easy guides regarding how to utilize it to setup your site (or solve every other problem you are able to consider). Since 1&1 includes a proprietary setup, you need to depend on either their understanding-base or their customer support to assist you, that will frequently pave the way for failure or frustration.
Performance
When I described within the pros of just one&1, they perform a lot much better than many web hosting companies. Plus they fare better than many major web hosting companies, for example GoDaddy. However, when compared with a few of the web hosting companies which i recommend (for example HostGator, Website Hosting Hub and InMotion), 1&1 just can’t quite work. Here’s 1&1’s speed figures again…
I perform a much deeper comparison with GoDaddy within the 1&1 Hosting versus. GoDaddy publish, but to go forward and provide you with a concept, here’s how 1&1’s performance appears like versus. GoDaddy.
Here’s how a site on Website Hosting Hub shared hosting performs –
 
And to provide you with a concept of precisely how good hosting could be – here’s my website with an InMotion VPS server –
Customer Support
Like I pointed out within the pros section, 1&1 has phone support, and they’re quick to reply to, so that they get points for those who have low expectations. Plus they prosper on the relative scale versus. many web hosting companies. However they still don’t do customer support well. The web is full of awful complaints about 1&1, however, that’s likely to a diploma because they are that big of the corporation – with this many purchasers.
According to my experience, I believe the reality might be more mundane. They just view customer support like a cost to become cut instead of like a marketing funnel. Like I stated, within the pros section, my most experience was fine. However it might have been horribly bad basically didn’t know precisely that which was wrong and understood what to ask.
My representative would be a front-line basic level operator who had been clearly running off a script. She was friendly and useful, but nowhere close to properly trained as frontline reps which i’ve labored with at InMotion Hosting or HostGator. She essentially attempted to complete precisely what I’d completed to recreate the very same error (database creation unsuccessful) – only to try and call her “technical supervisor” – who’s, I suppose, the tech guy the reps can ask when there’s a real problem.
He was busy (another symbol of cost-cutting), and that i was requested to become placed on hold. At that time, I suggested that they email the reply to the issue. She did in a few minutes. So again, it had been fine. But I know a scenario with somebody new to website hosting with a problem and winds up having a horrible experience. For your, I put 1&1’s customer support like a disadvantage within the interests of the full 1&1 website hosting review.
Conclusion
I’ll be staying away from 1&1 website hosting later on in my projects. I believe their main fit is customers who curently have products with 1&1 (for example domains, email, etc) and wish to get a website hosting service for any website.
Or those who are with an very tight budget and therefore are focusing on several small projects. On their behalf, the cost reason for the fir&1 Unlimited Package is solid (view it having a further discount here). Otherwise, I’d look elsewhere.
If you’re searching to have an all-around great hosting company for any lengthy-term project, I’d recommend InMotion (this website is located together) or Website Hosting Hub (review).
If you would like fundamental hosting with a choice of every month, take a look at HostGator. They provide an excellent cost point and good features. Check out their plans w/ 45% off discount here.
Lastly, if you’re more confused than ever before, try my Buzzfeed-style hosting quiz here that will sort your objectives with
The publish 1Ž Website Hosting Review: 4 Pros & 4 Cons of just oneŽ Hosting made an appearance first on ShivarWeb.
“”
