{
  "slug": "ionos",
  "category": "domain-registrars",
  "name": "IONOS",
  "description": "Web hosting company and domain registrar, part of the German IONOS Group, offering domains, website builders, hosting, email and cloud servers. The ionos.com site is run by IONOS Inc. in the US.",
  "website": "https://www.ionos.com",
  "license": null,
  "platforms": [],
  "jurisdiction": {
    "code": "US",
    "name": "United States",
    "eyes": "Five Eyes",
    "eu": false,
    "gdpr": false,
    "cloud_act": "provider"
  },
  "pick": false,
  "pick_reason": null,
  "disclosure": null,
  "grade": "F",
  "score": 30,
  "coverage": 100,
  "summary": "IONOS scores 30 out of 100 (grade F) on the domain registrars criteria. It meets 1 of 12 criteria: two-factor login. It partly meets transparency report, tells users about requests, TLS configuration, security headers, Free WHOIS privacy and transfer and registry lock. It does not meet open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales, independent audit and honest renewal pricing. It is based in the United States: Five Eyes member; subject to the US CLOUD Act. Automated tests: SSL Labs grade A- and Mozilla HTTP Observatory grade B.",
  "url": "https://privacyratings.com/domain-registrars/ionos/",
  "markdown": "https://privacyratings.com/domain-registrars/ionos/index.md",
  "answers": {
    "open_source": {
      "title": "Open source",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Closed source."
    },
    "no_trackers": {
      "title": "No trackers or telemetry",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": "https://www.ionos.com/terms-gtc/privacy-policy/",
      "note": "The privacy policy lists Google Analytics, Mouseflow and HubSpot on the website."
    },
    "no_ads": {
      "title": "No ads or data sales",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": "https://www.ionos.com/terms-gtc/privacy-policy/",
      "note": "Hashed customer data is shared with Meta, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn and Reddit for targeted advertising."
    },
    "independent_audit": {
      "title": "Independent audit",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "No independent audit is published."
    },
    "transparency_report": {
      "title": "Transparency report",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": "https://www.ionos.com/terms-gtc/subpoena-policy/",
      "note": "A subpoena policy explains how legal requests are handled. No request counts are published."
    },
    "user_notice": {
      "title": "Tells users about requests",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": "https://www.ionos.com/terms-gtc/subpoena-policy/",
      "note": "IONOS reserves the right to notify customers before answering civil subpoenas, with no firm promise."
    },
    "tls": {
      "title": "TLS configuration",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": "https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html?d=www.ionos.com&hideResults=on",
      "note": "Grade A-"
    },
    "security_headers": {
      "title": "Security headers",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": "https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/observatory/analyze?host=www.ionos.com",
      "note": "Grade B (75/100+)"
    },
    "web_standards": {
      "title": "Modern web standards",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "pending",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Not tested yet."
    },
    "free_whois_privacy": {
      "title": "Free WHOIS privacy",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": "https://www.ionos.com/help/domains/domain-rights-and-ownership/changes-to-domain-privacy-whois-privacy-through-nis2/",
      "note": "The private registration service was discontinued. Data of individual registrants is withheld from public WHOIS, but company contacts are published."
    },
    "at_cost_renewals": {
      "title": "Honest renewal pricing",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": "https://www.ionos.com/domains/domain-names",
      "note": "A .com is offered at 1 dollar for the first year against a regular price of about 20 dollars."
    },
    "two_factor": {
      "title": "Two-factor login",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://www.ionos.com/help/my-account/access-passwords/logging-into-ionos-how-to-sign-in-correctly/",
      "note": "Two-factor authentication can be activated for the IONOS account."
    },
    "registry_lock": {
      "title": "Transfer and registry lock",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": "https://www.ionos.com/help/domains/glossary-important-terms-and-topics-explained/domain-transfer-locks/",
      "note": "Generic domains have a transfer lock by default. No registry lock service is documented."
    }
  },
  "tests": {
    "ssllabs": "A-",
    "observatory": "B",
    "internetnl_web": null,
    "internetnl_mail": null,
    "trackers": [],
    "tested_at": "2026-10-01T06:38:52.983Z"
  },
  "last_modified": "2026-10-01T06:56:31Z"
}