# IONOS

Source: https://lemon.domains/domain-registrars/ionos (also as .json)

IONOS is a German web host and domain registrar based in Montabaur. It started in 1988 as 1&1 Internet, is part of United Internet, and has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2023. It sells domains alongside hosting, email, website builders and cloud servers.

- Website: https://www.ionos.com
- Headquarters: Montabaur, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
- Founded: 1988
- Ownership: Public, Frankfurt Stock Exchange: IOS; majority owned by United Internet
- Type: Web host that registers domains
- Part of: IONOS (United Internet)
- ICANN accreditation: IANA ID 83
- Other names: IONOS SE
- Country-code extensions: .at .de .es .fr .it .uk
- Site languages: German, English, Spanish, French, Italian
- API: Integrated. Integrated with Lemon Domains (https://developer.hosting.ionos.com/docs/domains)

## Services and extensions (checked October 2026)

- Domain registration, DNS hosting, Email hosting, Web hosting, SSL certificates, Website builder
- Sells, among others: .com .net .org .info .me .tv .co.uk
- WHOIS privacy: Included at no extra cost

## Support

- Channels: Live chat, Phone, Email or tickets, Help center
- Hours: 24/7
- Contact: https://www.ionos.com/help/domains/

## Reviews

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5 from about 45,000 reviews on Trustpilot, checked October 2026: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/ionos.com

## Sources

- https://www.ionos.com/domains/private-domain-registration
- https://www.ionos.com/help/domains/

## IONOS history

- 1988: Founded in Germany as 1&1 Internet.
- 2000: The parent becomes United Internet, with the web business in 1&1 Internet AG.
- 2016: Warburg Pincus takes a stake in the hosting business.
- 2018: 1&1 merges with ProfitBricks and rebrands as 1&1 IONOS.
- 2023: Lists on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

## Domain management features (confirmed)

- DNSSEC
- Two-factor sign-in
- URL forwarding
- Email forwarding
- Move domains to another account

## Payments and programs

- Payment methods: Credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay

## Company sources (checked October 2026)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionos
- https://www.ionos.com/help/my-account/payments/selecting-a-payment-method/
- https://www.ionos.com/help/domains/forwarding-a-domain/forwarding-a-domain-to-a-different-domain/
- https://www.ionos.com/help/email/setting-up-mail-basic/creating-a-forwarding-email-address/
- https://www.ionos.com/help/domains/transferring-your-domain-within-ionos/transfer-a-domain-to-another-11-ionos-account/

## Transferring a domain away from IONOS

In Domains, open Renewal & Transfer, select the domain and click Show Authorization Code. Turn off the transfer lock first.

Part of the list of domain registrars at https://lemon.domains/domain-registrars, kept by Lemon Domains, the domain portfolio manager with a domain MCP server.