1&1 is a veteran hosting provider with a large amount of affordable plans and options.
They start with a really cheap shared hosting plan, and prices go up depending on the plan.
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1&1 (also known as 1and1) isn’t as popular as it was back in 2013.
Here is how they’ve trended over the years:
Features
1&1 offers some unique features that separate them from their competition.
1) eCommerce Website Builder: Most hosting providers offer a website builder to help you get your content online. These are typically standard with all plans, but some charge. 1&1 provides not only a basic site builder but also a premium eCommerce store builder as well. This is a great feature for someone who wants to get an online shop set up quickly but doesn’t have a lot of technical ability.
You can come up with a custom design or use one of the 100 premade templates that are made for a broad range of industries. The design will be fully responsive (able to fit on smartphones and tablets), integrated with a payment processor, and fully integrated with social shopping, like Facebook. To help you get started, there are several video tutorials about editing and adding products to your new store as well as plenty of answered questions. 1&1 also promises to help you after your initial set up with things like an eNewsletter program to send emails to your regular customers that contain discounts, new products and other offers. If you are new to eCommerce 1&1 gives you an easy way to get your products ready to sell.
2) Game/Minecraft Server: With the popularity of computer gaming and the level of data that they create increasing, some gamers even need dedicated hosting. Such as games like Minecraft, that can require massive amounts of storage to maintain. It can be difficult to find hosting specifically for gaming, let alone at an affordable rate. 1&1 has hosting plans, not only for gaming but specifically for Minecraft as well.
To add to this particular level of service for game lovers, it is also very reasonably priced. There are dedicated server plans for gaming and Minecraft that you can try for free for a few months to see how you like it. This pricing is an excellent way to see if you can host a private online gaming community or build a sprawling Minecraft landscape without reaching data limits. You can also utilize the capabilities of the support team to maintain your gaming. This is a unique offering that can benefit the most hardcore gamers and Minecraft builders today.
3) Versatility/Affordability: 1&1 has been in this industry since 1988, making them one of the longest known providers in the world. They boast over 15 million active clients and more plans and capabilities than almost any other hosting company. Their longevity and massive customer base have given them the unique advantage of being able to offer just about anything to anyone for a better price than the competition. To showcase versatility, the company offers many different shared, VPS and dedicated plans.
There are also specialty hosting options for those who are looking for something specific. All of their options are great for someone who wants to try out a hosting option and have the ability to change and grow as their website does. 1&1 also has some of the most affordable prices online. They are one of the only providers that offer free trials for many of their plans to go along with many other inexpensive products. In addition to the free trials, you can get $1 hosting anytime, and they even offer .99 domains in a lot of cases for the first year of ownership. If you are looking for a lot of options with the lowest price tag, you’ll be satisfied with what 1&1 can do.
Customer Support
1&1 offers a few different options when it comes to customer support.
Their US and UK divisions have their own phone numbers for 24/7 support, along with an interactive support ticketing system.
They also run an active Twitter account, so it shouldn’t be hard to get their attention with your issue.
Reviews
We have checked several online sources and found positive reviews from customers most satisfied with pricing.
One customer states: “Setup was very easy with 1&1. The price was right, as well. Furthermore; 1&1 has every feature that you could possibly need in a simple web hosting provider.”
Another reviewer agrees by saying: ” The cost is reasonable. The customer service has been very good for me but I don’t use it more than once a month if that much.”
While the majority of users are satisfied with 1&1; we found most negative reviews center around tech support.
One customer expresses frustration by saying: “many of their help files or tutorials are incorrect or outdated. Some of the picture diagrams show you the account control panel from years ago while some will simply give you the wrong information.”
Another customer warns: “If you have a serious problem, like a failed disk, they will not take you seriously. However, their customer support system seems disjointed (you do not receive notices of any raised tickets), or even broken: requests for help are ignored (or lost?!) and you are made to feel like a trouble-maker, instead of a serious customer.”
Pros
1) Uptime Guarantee: 1&1 offers an uptime guarantee, but doesn’t actively list server performance on their website.
2) 99 Cent Domains: There is a page that allows you to check for availability and purchase certain domains for less than a buck.
3) Daily Backups: Your data will be saved at least once per day, but it is recommended that you perform your own backups for added redundancy.
4) Windows Hosting: Many hosts only offer Linux hosting, but 1&1 has Windows based servers as well.
5) Data Double Stored: The data for your website is on two different servers. If one goes down the other kicks on and your site keeps running.
6) Money Back Guarantee: This hosting company offers a standard money back guarantee.
Cons
1) Confusing Support: With such a large company, 1&1’s support team is split up into multiple facilities and departments, which can be confusing.
2) Older Host: Being in business for so long means that there can be outdated equipment.
3) Downtime: According to reviews, there is a concern with the amount of downtime on shared hosting accounts.
Summary
1&1 is a large and versatile host that uses their size to offer more services at a lower price than their competitors. Webmasters who are looking for a great deal with a provider that has a lot of options to grow into will find this a great option for their site(s).
If you are looking for a smaller company with specialized service and easy to understand support options, you will want to look to other companies.