Guide
IONOS domains review: what a .com really costs after the $1 first year
The short answer
IONOS is a cheap way to start a .com, at $1 for the first year for new customers, but it renews at $20 a year. Three years cost $41.00 ($1 + $20 + $20), with ICANN's fee included. It suits people who want their domain and email or website in one IONOS account.
The short version
- .com first year: $1 for new customers. IONOS calls it an intro or welcome offer. Its price list also shows a $10 “special offer” price, without saying who gets which.
- Renewal: $20 a year, with ICANN’s fee already included.
- 3-year total: $41.00 for a new customer ($1 + $20 + $20).
- Right for: people who want their domain, email or site in one IONOS account. If you only need a domain, the $20 renewal is the number to weigh.
IONOS is a domain registrar and web host. It rents you a domain name by the year. Everything below comes from IONOS’s own US pricing and help pages, in US dollars before tax.
What a .com really costs over three years
| Price you start at | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New customer ($1 offer) | $1.00 | $20.00 | $20.00 | $41.00 |
| “Special offer” price | $10.00 | $20.00 | $20.00 | $50.00 |
The arithmetic: $1 + $20 + $20 = $41.00, or $10 + $20 + $20 = $50.00. IONOS’s price list marks ICANN’s fee as “included,” so nothing is added at checkout for it. State and local sales tax may apply.
The first-year offers are for one year. After that, IONOS says domains renew automatically every year unless you turn that off, so plan on $20 a year from year two.
To see how $41.00 compares with other registrars, see our best domain registrars guide.
Other popular endings
| Ending | First year | Renewal | Transfer in |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com | $1 (new customers) | $20 | $9.50 |
| .net | $1 or $5 (pages differ) | $20 | $17 |
| .org | $1 | $20 | $17 |
| .co | $36 | $48 | $48 |
| .io | $40.99 | $90 | $63.75 |
For .net, IONOS’s domains page shows $1 for the first year, but its price list shows $5 as the welcome offer and $12 as the special offer. Check the cart total before you pay. The .co and .io renewals are much higher than .com, so look at year two before you pick one. Our domain extensions guide explains the choice.
What is included free
- Privacy (WHOIS): IONOS’s help center says private registration “is available for most domains and is free of charge.” It is not offered for some endings, including .us and .ca.
- DNS: you manage DNS in your account. IONOS includes Domain Connect, which makes setup with outside apps easier, and up to 10,000 subdomains.
- SSL: a free Wildcard SSL certificate (the padlock that turns on HTTPS), “included with your initial domain contract.” The pages do not say whether it stays free after that.
- Two-factor login: available with an authenticator app or the IONOS mobile app. Turn it on when you sign up.
- Registrar lock: generic endings such as .com are locked against transfers by default.
- Email forwarding: not mentioned on the pages we checked.
Upsells to watch for
- Email: IONOS Email is $1.10 a month for one 2 GB account on a 3-year term, then $2 a month. The 25-account plan is $2 a month on a 3-year term, then $4. A mailbox is a separate service from the domain; see email hosting.
- Microsoft 365 email: $4.50 a month for 6 months on a 1-year term. The price after that is not published on the page we checked.
- Domain Guard: a security add-on, $1 the first year, then $15 a year. It adds DNSSEC and a second-step check before domain changes, and covers every domain in your plan.
- Hosting and website builders: the domain pages link to WordPress hosting, web hosting and an AI website builder. We did not price them for this page.
- Letting a domain lapse: restoring an expired domain costs $90 on the price list. Keep auto-renew on and your card up to date.
Moving your domain away
- Wait until your .com, .net or .org has been in your name for at least 60 days. IONOS notes this rule applies at every provider; it comes from ICANN policy.
- In your IONOS account, open Renewal & Transfer and turn off “Domain transfer lock.”
- On the same page, click “Show Authorization Code.” IONOS says it can take several minutes to appear.
- Start the transfer at your new registrar and enter the code.
- The help page does not mention a transfer-out fee, and it does not say what happens to the rest of your IONOS contract. Ask support before you cancel anything.
Our guide to transferring a domain covers the full process at any registrar.
Who it is right for, and who should look elsewhere
Right for:
- New customers who want a $1 first year and plan to keep email or a website at IONOS too.
- People who want free privacy and a free SSL certificate with the first domain contract.
Look elsewhere if:
- You plan to keep a domain for years and care most about the yearly bill. The $20 renewal is higher than the low-renewal registrars in our registrar comparison.
- You want a .co or .io. Renewals are $48 and $90.
- You need free email forwarding confirmed in writing before you buy.
Sources
IONOS: domain price list, .com page, domain names page, private registration, transferring a domain away, two-factor login, email plans, Domain Guard. Verisign: Q1 2026 results (.com price change). We manage our own domains at Namecheap and Spaceship, not IONOS, and have no affiliate deal with IONOS.
Questions people ask
How much does a .com cost at IONOS?
New customers pay $1 for the first year, then $20 a year to renew, with ICANN's fee included. Three years cost $41.00. IONOS's price list also shows a $10 special offer price, which makes three years $50.00.
Is domain privacy free at IONOS?
For most domains, yes. IONOS's help center says private registration is free of charge, but it is not available for some endings, including .us and .ca.
Will IONOS raise its .com price on November 1, 2026?
Verisign raises the wholesale .com fee from $10.26 to $10.97 a year on that date. IONOS has not published a new .com price on the pages we checked, and its price list still shows a $20 renewal.
How do I transfer a domain away from IONOS?
Wait until the domain has been in your name for at least 60 days, turn off the domain transfer lock on the Renewal & Transfer page, click Show Authorization Code, and give that code to your new registrar.
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