Tom's Guide Verdict
The 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite website builder is quite simplistic, but it’s an affordable option with a range of beginner-friendly tools for those with little tech experience.
Pros
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Beginner-friendly editing interface
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Very competitive prices
Cons
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Overly simplistic editor
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No live chat or email support
Why you can trust Tom's Guide
We’ve been searching for the best web hosting services and the best website builders, and as part of our search, we completed a full 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite review. In the past, creating a website was a long and sometimes complicated process.
However, the rise of modern website builders like 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite has made things easier than ever. In fact, even absolute beginners with no tech experience can create their own sites with tools like this. Below, we’ve analyzed every aspect of this business’s website builder, including its prices, main features, and useability.
1&1 IONOS MyWebsite: Plans and pricing
There are a number of pricing options available, with various plans aimed at people with different needs. For starters, there are three plans allowing you to create your own custom site. The Now plan costs $5 a month, and is designed for those with limited tech experience. It includes a very beginner-friendly editing interface.
Those with more tech and web development knowledge will love the Creator plan ($5 a month), which supports advanced design and coding. And finally, the Online Store plan costs $20 a month, and includes a selection of advanced ecommerce tools to help you create an online store.
Both the Now and the Creator plans come with a one-month free trial, and you can try the online store plan for three months before you pay a cent. And, all three plans come with a free lifetime domain and a free SSL certificate.
There are also options to get your initial site built for you from $30 a month (with a one-time setup fee of $199), as well as website and marketing packages from $15 a month.
1&1 IONOS MyWebsite: Features
The 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite builder is backed by numerous exciting features. It uses a block-based editor that’s designed for those with limited time and tech skills. You don’t need any coding knowledge whatsoever, and you will have access to a range of pre-designed templates.
On top of this, all sites built with the MyWebsite builder are fully responsive and optimized for mobile devices. You will benefit from a range of ecommerce and SEO tools, and all new plans even come with a free domain and SSL certificate.
1&1 IONOS MyWebsite: Interface and in use
Getting started with 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite is very easy. To access your free trial, simply select the plan you want and follow the prompts. Note, though, that you will have to enter payment information, and your plan will automatically renew after the trial period unless you cancel it.
Once the checkout process is complete, you will be able to get into your account within minutes. From your user dashboard, you can access the website builder, along with any other services you’ve signed up for.
The website builder itself is very beginner-friendly and intuitive. It uses a block-based editor, which allows you to create a new site with a minimal amount of fuss. However, basic customization options are limited, and you will only be able to place pre-coded elements in pre-coded positions. Unless, of course, you use the Creator plan.
The bottom line: 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite is very easy to use, but it certainly isn’t the most powerful website builder on the market.
1&1 IONOS MyWebsite: Support
Phone support is available 24/7 for all existing customers. This is great, but the lack of live chat or email support options is a little concerning.
Fortunately, there are numerous self-help resources. The IONOS Help Center comes with tutorials and how-to guides covering a range of website building and related topics. Although there aren’t a huge number of articles, the core concepts are covered very well.
Alternatives to 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite
1&1 IONOS MyWebsite is a perfectly functional website builder with a very competitive price tag, but there are some obvious alternatives that are worth mentioning.
For example, Wix, the most popular website builder in the world, comes with significantly more powerful editing tools, as well as over 500 attractive templates and code access. Paid plans start from $14 a month, but there is also a free-forever option—something that 1&1 IONOS notably doesn’t do.
Weebly is another widely used alternative. It comes with an impressive range of ecommerce tools, and its professionally designed templates are among the most attractive in the industry. It also comes with a free forever plan, with premium solutions starting from $6 a month.
1&1 IONOS MyWebsite: Final verdict
Overall, 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite is a perfectly functional website builder without anything to make it really stand out. It is very competitively priced compared to popular alternatives, but the lack of a free forever plan will be an issue for some.
The site editor itself is overly basic, but it certainly has everything you need to create a simple site in a matter of hours. Ultimately, we’d recommend signing up for a free trial, testing the builder, and continuing with a paid plan if it meets your needs.
Further reading on website builders
You may want to take a look at our buying guides for the best easy website builders, the best ecommerce website builders, the best small business website builders, and the best website builder for WordPress.
Daniel is a freelance copywriter with over six years experience writing for publications such as TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, and Hosting Review. He specializes in tech and finance, with a particular focus on website building, web hosting, and related fields.