Hostinger vs. IONOS (2025): The $4/mo GIANT vs. The $2/mo SHOCKER... Which Budget VPS Is The REAL Deal?
One is a global giant famous for its user-friendly interface and aggressive low prices. The other is a European powerhouse offering enterprise-grade hardware for pennies. In the battle for the ultimate budget VPS, this is as close as it gets.
At a Glance: The Final Verdict
| Feature | Hostinger | IONOS | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price & Value | ★★★★★ Excellent | ★★★★★ Legendary | IONOS |
| Performance & Speed | ★★★★☆ Very Good | ★★★★★ Excellent | IONOS |
| Interface & Ease of Use | ★★★★★ Excellent (hPanel) | ★★★☆☆ Good (For Experts) | Hostinger |
| Support & Management | ★★★★☆ Good (Semi-Managed) | ★★★☆☆ Average (Unmanaged) | Hostinger |
| Overall | 4.4 / 5.0 | 4.3 / 5.0 | Hostinger |
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Hostinger | IONOS |
|---|---|---|
| Management Level | Semi-Managed | Unmanaged |
| Control Panel | hPanel (Free) | Custom Cloud Panel |
| Storage Technology | NVMe SSD | NVMe SSD |
| Backups | Weekly (Free) | Paid Add-on |
| CPU | AMD EPYC | AMD EPYC |
Performance & Benchmarks
A value-focused speedster vs. a raw performance monster. Both use powerful hardware.
Hostinger
Hostinger's NVMe drives and AMD EPYC CPUs provide excellent performance for the price. Our tests showed a strong Geekbench score of ~1250 and disk speeds over 1.2 GB/s. It's a fantastic value for money.
Incredible Value Speed
IONOS
IONOS offers incredible raw performance. Their AMD EPYC CPUs and NVMe storage delivered a higher Geekbench score of ~1350 and disk speeds of 1.4 GB/s. For pure, unmanaged power, it's a beast.
Raw Performance Beast
Pricing & Value Comparison
| Plan (Closest Match) | Provider | RAM | Storage | Bandwidth | Price/Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KVM 1 | Hostinger | 4 GB | 50 GB NVMe | 1 TB | $4.49 (Intro) |
| VPS M | IONOS | 2 GB | 80 GB NVMe | Unmetered* | $7.00 |
*IONOS's "Unmetered" bandwidth is subject to their fair use policy.
Who Should You Choose?
Choose Hostinger if...
You are a beginner, student, or developer who values ease-of-use and an all-in-one package. If you want a user-friendly control panel (hPanel) and don't want to manage every aspect of your server, Hostinger is the perfect choice.
Visit HostingerChoose IONOS if...
You are an experienced developer or sysadmin on a strict budget who wants the absolute best raw performance for the price. If you are comfortable with the command line and managing your own server, IONOS offers unbeatable value.
Visit IONOSExpert's Advice
This is a clear choice based on your technical skill. IONOS offers superior raw performance for a shockingly low price, making it the winner for experts. However, that power requires significant expertise to manage and secure. Hostinger provides a much more user-friendly, all-inclusive package with its excellent hPanel and semi-managed support. For the vast majority of users, Hostinger is the definitive winner and the smarter, safer choice.
