whichdevtool?
Menu
StacksDirectory Pricing changes Glossary
VPS and cloud servers App hosting and PaaS Managed databases Transactional email APIs Email marketing and newsletters Domain registrars CDN, DNS and edge security Monitoring, uptime and error tracking Auth and identity Frontend and full-stack frameworks Backend frameworks UI component libraries AI model APIs File and object storage Payments and billing Background jobs, queues and workflows ORMs and database toolkits

Domain registrar · by IONOS

IONOS Domains

German hosting company's registrar with a $1 first-year .com for new customers and a free wildcard SSL, but a $20 renewal and paid DNSSEC.

Visit ionos.com ↗ Alternatives Paid EU region
IONOS Domains homepage
§1

Overview

IONOS, the German hosting group formerly known as 1&1, sells domains as the entry point to its hosting, website builder, email and cloud products. Its US price table lists a .com at $10 for the first year, $1 for new customers under the welcome offer (and in hosting bundles), $20 a year to renew and $9.50 to transfer in, with the ICANN fee included.

Each domain includes a free wildcard SSL certificate, DNS management and up to 10,000 subdomains, and IONOS offers 24/7 support by phone, chat and email plus a personal consultant. DNSSEC is not part of the free package: it is bundled into Domain Guard, a paid add-on that also adds a second factor for sensitive domain changes.

The math favours short-term use. Over five years a .com bought at $1 costs $81 at IONOS, compared with roughly $55 at flat-priced registrars. Restoring an expired domain costs $90, so keep auto-renew on or note the expiry date.

§2

Pricing and plans

Plan Price What you get
.com special offer $10 first year ICANN fee included
.com welcome offer $1 first year New customers; also the bundle price with hosting
.com renewal $20/yr Regular renewal fee
.com transfer $9.50 Transfer in
Restore $90 After expiry

Prices are from IONOS's US price table, which includes the ICANN fee. DNSSEC is part of the paid Domain Guard add-on; reviews put it at $1 for the first year and about $15 a year after, but that price was not confirmed on IONOS's own pages, so it is not listed as a plan. IONOS's own pages read did not state whether WHOIS privacy is free for .com in the US, so the privacy fact is left empty.

Source: www.ionos.com/domains/domain-name-prices · prices as published, excluding tax.

§3

What it does

Free wildcard SSL
A wildcard certificate is included with each domain.
Subdomains
Up to 10,000 subdomains per domain.
Domain Guard
Paid add-on that adds DNSSEC and two-factor confirmation for domain changes.
24/7 support and consultant
Phone, chat and email support around the clock, plus a personal consultant.
Hosting bundles
Domains can be bundled with IONOS hosting, email and website builder plans.
§4

Strengths and limitations

Strengths

  • Very cheap first year for new customers
  • Free wildcard SSL
  • ICANN fee included in listed prices
  • Round-the-clock support

Limitations

  • .com renews at $20, double the standard first-year price
  • DNSSEC is only available through the paid Domain Guard add-on
  • Restoring an expired domain costs $90
§5

Who it suits

Good for

  • Customers already hosting with IONOS
  • Short-lived projects that benefit from a $1 first year

Look elsewhere if

  • Domains you plan to keep for many years
  • Developers who want free DNSSEC
§6

Alternatives to IONOS Domains

Tool From Free option Stages
Cloudflare Registrar At-cost domain registrar
$10.46/yr Paid
OVHcloud Domains Domain registrar
$9.20/yr Paid
Dynadot Domain registrar and aftermarket
$10.88/yr Paid
Sav Domain registrar and marketplace
$10.87/yr Paid
Namecheap Domain registrar
$10.98/yr Paid
Porkbun Domain registrar
$11.08/yr Paid

All domain registrars →

§7

Questions

How much does a .com cost at IONOS after the first year?

$20 per year in September 2026.

Who gets the $1 .com at IONOS?

New customers under the welcome offer, and buyers bundling the domain with a hosting plan.

Does IONOS support DNSSEC?

Yes, through its paid Domain Guard add-on.

What does it cost to restore an expired IONOS domain?

$90 plus renewal, per IONOS's price table.

Sources read for this page