A leading web host across the board, 1&1 offers hosting solutions to meet the needs of all customers, from novices to experts. They're constantly seeking out ways to improve upon their existing web services. We sat down with Javier Salcedo, 1&1's Head of Product Owner Server, to discuss their latest offerings, including the new 1&1 Cloud Server.

Feb 1, 2018

Category Ratings

Best Overall Rating

“Since the early 2000s, 1&1 has grown to become a trusted host for millions of website-owning customers. A reputable leader in web hosting, they offer shared, dedicated, and virtual servers, as well as resources for website building and eCommerce.

Interview with Javier Salcedo, Head of Product Owner Server

The latest news, however, surrounds the release of the new 1&1 Cloud Server, which we got to discuss with 1&1's Head of Product Owner Server, Javier Salcedo.

Introducing the New, Dynamic 1&1 Cloud Server

1&1 recently launched their dynamic 1&1 Cloud Server, to add to their breadth of offerings. Javier debriefed us on the need for this product, and 1&1's ambitions in designing it.

Only Pay for What You Need with Custom Configurations

"We want to deliver all the capabilities you would expect, then make it very easy to use," Javier said. "Trying to combine the two is a real challenge, but that's where we want to be." With custom configurations, 1&1 allows cloud users to select settings for CPU, RAM, and disk independently of one another, and customers only pay for what they can control.

All-SSD SAN Storage for Power, Speed, & Performance

Combining forces with Solidfire, 1&1 opted to only offer SSD storage for their cloud solution. Their SSD hosting for cloud features 11x compression ratios and a price-for-performance rate that's left customers very satisfied, according to Javier. "The results of an external benchmark executed by Cloud Spectator with an external company have been extremely good," he said, "and there have been wonderful reactions from customers regarding no limits on storage."

1&1 Offers All the Hosting Essentials to Get You Going

All 1&1 hosting plans come with a free domain name registration and all the setup options you need to launch a site quickly and easily. In addition to their shared, dedicated, and VPS hosting, they have free site building tools available, both for mobile and desktop.

Unlimited Domains, Databases, Emails, & Apps

1&1 users can get up to unlimited storage, domains, and email accounts, and 1&1 offers a broad variety of packages to meet your hosting needs within your financial means. Their 1&1 App Center features over 140 Click-and-Build Apps to help you customize the perfect web experience for you.

Preinstalled App Templates & WordPress-Friendly Hosting

1&1 streamlines your site launch by offering easy installations of popular web applications. At checkout, you can include preinstalled app templates for WordPress, Drupal, or Magento, and they even offer WordPress-specific hosting packages.

1&1 MyWebsite: Build a Customizable Site from Scratch

In addition to the free site building tools for desktop and mobile, 1&1 offers plans specific to website building: 1&1 MyWebsite. These packages feature drag-and-drop site building, with professional-looking templates and mobile optimization available.

Get Your Brand Out There: SEO, Marketing, & eCommerce

When it comes to marketing your site — gaining visibility in search results and exposure to your target audience — 1&1 pulls out all the stops.

Custom Tools for Gaining Exposure & Tracking Site Statistics

To start your site's marketing, 1&1 offers $50-worth of credits towards paid advertising with Bing and Yahoo! Then, their SEO Assistant tool helps you boost search engine rankings and their SiteAnalytics tool is there to help you track your site's success.

Resources for eCommerce & Building an Online Store

Building an online store with 1&1's eCommerce website builder is just as easy as building a website or blog with 1&1. Four plans are available for online retailers to build websites equipped to present up to thousands of products. Stores can be available on desktop, mobile, and tablet.

Customers should take advantage of 1&1's cross-selling opportunities, options to translate stores into multiple languages, and optimization tools. With 1&1, you can use major online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay to broaden your customer base, or make your store available on Facebook. Then, using 1&1's SEO Dashboard, you can improve your online store's positioning in search results, ensuring that buyers find your online shop easily.

Finally, Rest Easy with 1&1 Security, Reliability, & Support

DDoS Protection, SiteLock Scanning, & New CDN

1&1 offers proactive protection against DDoS threats, with SiteLock malware scanning available for added security as well. Their new CDN ensures the latest protection features for your site, and you can upgrade to 1&1 CDN Plus, with HTTPS support and mobile browsing optimization.

Geo-Redundant Datacenters & 24/7 Support

With the most advanced technology supporting their seven datacenters, 1&1 prides itself on its leading-edge, geo-redundant servers. They offer 24/7 customer support and a Webspace Recovery feature, so help is always available, should catastrophe strike.

Last Words on 1&1 Cloud Server & 1&1's Hosting Solutions

It's no secret that 1&1 is a leading name in web hosting, but after speaking with Javier and getting to know the new 1&1 Cloud Server, we can see how they rose to fame.

1&1 has built their business putting the needs and expectations of customers first. Whether it's a click-and-build online store or a powerful cloud solution with tons of customizable configuration and payment options, 1&1 anticipates customer desires and strives to meet and exceed expectations.”

Free domain, with up to unlimited domains, emails, and storage

Drag-and-drop site builder and 1&1 Click-and-Build Apps available

Easily create an online store and gain exposure with $50-worth of ad credits

Wide variety of packages catering to businesses, personal use, and more

Cheap Rating

“If the budget factor is on your mind when searching for a web host, rest easy. 1&1 has a range of packages, including reduced rates for the first few months (or year) and "Starter" plans, for all of their web hosting and website building services.

Affordable Hosting Options with 1&1

All 1&1 plans come with a free domain name registration, or existing site transfer, with permissions to use (essentially) as much webspace and database storage as you need. Packages include unlimited domains and email accounts as well.

Drag and Drop to Build a Site

Starting a 1&1 website from scratch is simple. With the 1&1 Website Builder and 1&1 Mobile Website Builder, you can drag and drop elements of your site, customizing it to your brand or personal preference.

Over 140 Click-and-Build Apps

1&1 has over 140 Click-and-Build Apps available within their App Center. Their web application experts have curated and recommended the top apps out there, and their support team is available 24/7 to help you get started and continue building your personalized web presence.

WordPress-Specific Options with Expert Support

They offer WordPress-specific plans, which include all the benefits of their shared hosting services. Their experts offer guided installations and recommended plugins and themes for WordPress. You even get 20% off Premium WordPress Themes from TemplateMonster.

Build an Online Store in a Few Clicks

In just a few clicks with their Setup Wizard, you can have an online store up and running. They offer guided installations, with popular payment methods, like PayPal, automatically integrated into your eMarketplace.

With four packages for eCommerce options: Online Store Starter, Online Store Basic, Online Store Plus, and Online Store Unlimited, online retailers of all sizes can find a plan that meets their needs and their price expectations. If you choose to upgrade, you can have access to SEO stats, online marketing tools, product download functionality, cross-selling opportunities, and more.

Final Words on the Affordability of 1&1

For cost-conscious customers, whether you're looking for a website builder, WordPress host, or a place to launch your online store, you can't go wrong with one of 1&1's budget-friendly plans. They include all of the web hosting essentials and make it simple to upgrade at any time, with expert support available to help at every step along the way.”

Dedicated Rating

“If you need blazing-fast speed, optimum uptime, top-notch flexibility, and full control over the fate of your website, and you prefer a dedicated server to host it on, 1&1 has you covered.

1&1's Dedicated Servers Offer Resources for Every Need

They offer an assortment of entry-level, performance-focused, and business-class dedicated server options. For those looking for dedicated resources within a more modest budget, you can check out the discounted benefits housed in the 1&1 Server Outlet.

Datacenters: Top-of-the-Line Technology & Reliability

1&1 currently houses 70,000 servers within their seven datacenters, and they feature the most modern and safest hardware available in the US. Each datacenter features server rooms equipped to protect, power, and temperature-control up to 40,000 servers.

Their redundant technology ensures high uptime and supremely reliable server networks. External connection speeds of 300 gigabits per second help ensure that you have swift access to your applications at all times.

Choices for System Administration & Server Monitoring

1&1 gives you your choice of operating system, with the web developer's dream of full root access control for Linux or administrator access for Windows. Alternatively, you can opt for 1&1's managed dedicated hosting services, with Parallels® Plesk control panel included for essential site management and user control.

Bonus: Monitor your Server from ANYWHERE

Users can monitor their dedicated server services via the browser, but 1&1 also offers mobile monitoring, so you can check in from anywhere, featuring downloadable apps for Apple iPhone and Android.

Optional Extras: Backups, FTP Storage, & SSL Security

For a modest premium, 1&1 offers several additional benefits to their dedicated server customers. For example, opt to include professional backups, securing your data with up to 1,000 gigabytes of FTP storage for individual backups.

For online retailers, you can get up to 256-bit encryption with a GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium Dedicated SSL Certificate (a $249/year value — yours for $49/year). By adding this SSL certificate to your 1&1 package — easily configurable within the 1&1 Control Panel — you can conduct transactions online with confidence.

Concluding Thoughts on 1&1 Dedicated Server Hosting

1&1 offers a wealth of dedicated server options to meet any budget or performance needs. Customers benefit from unlimited traffic, easy system management, and top-notch security — basically everything you can hope to get from a dedicated server provider.”

Full root access and Parallels® Plesk 12 management software included

Server services monitoring within the browser or from your mobile device

Recovery tool and server access available even during network downtime

VPS Rating

“For an all-star player in the flexibility game, look no further than the cloud, where many find an excellent alternative to VPS options. Javier debriefed us on 1&1's newest hosting solution: the dynamic 1&1 Cloud Server, which was built to serve as a hybrid of simple cloud providers' solutions and major cloud computing platforms.

Interview with Javier Salcedo to Discuss a VPS Alternative

Javier told us about a key milestone in 1&1's hosting history. In 2013, 1&1 bought Arsys, the leading hosting company in Spain, with an impressive cloud technology. At the time, 1&1 had garnered a lot of financial backing and clout with customers, but had no standing in the cloud whatsoever.

"The partnership was the ideal combination of a super powerful company with this nice cloud technology," Javier told us. "We spent about a year and a half adapting, improving, and preparing for this." By "this," he was, of course, referring to the launch of the dynamic and flexible 1&1 Cloud Server.

Simple vs Mega Cloud Providers

"The simple cloud providers — they're very easy to use, very low-cost, but they're not so capable; they don't have as many features," Javier explained. "Then on the other side, you have the mega cloud systems." A prime example here would be Amazon. "You can do everything you want, but the complexity is increasingly high, and it's no longer something that you can start using in a few minutes or a few hours."

How 1&1 Aims for a Balance

Just like that, Javier set the tone for the promise 1&1 aims to fulfill for customers. "We want to deliver all the capabilities that you would expect," he said, "then make it very easy to use and very affordable." We imagined implementing such a balance would be challenging, but it's a challenge that 1&1 accepts with pride and determination.

Introducing the New 1&1 Cloud Server

Javier set the stage for us, painting a picture of the arena that 1&1 aims to dominate with the 1&1 Cloud Server. Deploying in 55 seconds or less, this server line offers incredible power and performance, and we were excited to test it out.

Independent Settings for CPU, RAM, & Disk

A common hardship faced by developers in the cloud is the matter of hardware. Scaling up is easy, but scaling down is an entirely different story. 1&1 tackles this issue with not only custom configurations, but independent settings for package features, such as CPU, RAM, and storage options.

"Predictability is key for us," Javier said. For example, data transfer, IOPS, and media requests are difficult to control or predict. "We only charge you for what you can control," he explained.

The independent settings of the cloud configuration do not, however, extend to CPU types, processor types, and more specific elements of the package. Javier explained that this would complicate the hosting solution, and therefore would not meet 1&1's agenda for creating a flexible, affordable, and easy-to-use cloud service. He also assured us that the lion's share of customer's don't mind not getting to select processor types and intricate details of their configuration.

Adjust Configurations as Projects Evolve

"Providers typically offer bundles for CPU memory, RAM, et cetera," Javier said, "but that's not really flexible, because you're stuck with it." Not only does 1&1 offer the ability to choose your CPU, RAM, and disk settings independently of one another, but you can make alterations to your configurations at any time. As your needs change and resource demands fluctuate, configuration adjustments can be made in as little as one click.

The 1&1 Cloud Server features an intuitive control panel. Users can activate and manage their servers, while controlling and overseeing servers, storage, and connectivity solutions, including firewalls, load balancers, and site data backups.

The Payoff: Performance vs. Price

With a continual commitment to the customer, the company opted to offer exclusively SSD hosting to 1&1 Cloud Server customers, for added speed, performance, and value.

SSD SAN Storage with Solidfire

Javier told us that 1&1 originally used traditional storage spenders, so they were faced with the expected challenges. When setting out to provide this flexible and fast cloud solution, they decided to offer SSD storage by default.

Backed by Solidfire, 1&1 offers SSDs through a Storage Area Network (SAN), ensuring extreme reliability and customer satisfaction. "The results of an external benchmark with an external company have been surprisingly good," Javier said.

Pay By The Minute

1&1's cloud hosting options allow for payment by the minute, which offers total transparency in monitoring both the technical security and financial security of your website. They also offer four pre-configured packages for those seeking fixed resources, rather than the 1&1 Cloud Server FLEX package offerings.

The Dynamic 1&1 Cloud Server & VPS Alternative in Review

Based on our conversation with Javier, the new 1&1 Cloud Server is a wonderful virtual resource for SMBs. They've struck the balance between price and performance, combining flexibility with usability. Javier said, "it's conceptually simple, compared to some of the other players out there."

Simple and affordable, yet flexible and powerful, 1&1's dynamic 1&1 Cloud Server is definitely a cloud solution to consider. The makers of this platform have taken the typical challenges faced by most cloud users and aimed to simplify the user experience and improve upon existing options.”

An easy-to-use and affordable, yet powerful and flexible, cloud solution

Unlimited traffic, with SAN storage for security and SSDs for amazing speed

Independently configure CPU, RAM, and disk, and alter at any time

Prepared templates for popular CMSs and web apps with easy installations

WordPress Rating

“If you know you're strictly interested in hosting a WordPress website, then it makes sense that you be on the lookout for hosts that offer WordPress-specific hosting services. 1&1 offers all of the essentials you would expect from a shared web host, with packages especially catering to WordPress users.

1&1 Makes WP Setup Simple with Expert-Guided Installs

The 1&1 WP Wizard gets you started with just a few clicks, offering countless options to customize and grow your WordPress site.

1&1 offers a broad selection of free and affordable themes for WordPress. Plus, you can get 20% off Premium Themes from TemplateMonster. 1&1's WordPress experts have assembled the best plugins and themes for WordPress, and their support team is always available to help guide you through setup and any troubleshooting matters.

Daily Backups & Webspace Recovery Inspire Confidence

Security patches and WordPress updates are taken care of for you, while always operating in Safe Mode. Their support team is available, via phone and email, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

With options to implement malware scanning with SiteLock, your website is offered constant monitoring for protection against hackers and external threats.1&1 also conducts daily backups to ensure they're taking a proactive approach to protecting your site. Their Webspace Recovery feature maintains six-days-worth of restore points, so your site remains safe, should the worst happen.

Last Words on WordPress Hosting with 1&1

Starting and sustaining a WordPress blog with 1&1 couldn't be easier. From a free domain and simple startup to their easy-to-use Click-and-Build Platform, 1&1 offers everything you need to launch a WordPress website with ease.”

Website Builder Rating

“If you're in need of a one-stop shop for building and hosting a website, you should be pleased to hear that 1&1 offers their own custom website building tools for desktop and mobile. In addition to a free domain and email address, and unlimited webspace and database storage, 1&1's MyWebsite option includes all the essentials for starting a site from scratch.

MyWebsite: 1&1's Free Website Builder

With 1&1's MyWebsite packages, you can quickly and easily create a custom website, without any coding or programming knowledge. Best of all, 1&1 MyWebsite packages each come with a free 30-day trial period, so you can be certain that this easy-to-use solution is the right one for you.

Their drag-and-drop site editor features tons of high-quality, customizable templates. Your site will automatically be optimized for smartphones and tablets, and 1&1 offers hundreds of web apps to integrate with your site, such as Google Maps, Facebook, and other social media platforms.

Excellent Options for Online Marketing & Online Retail

Whether you're looking to sell online or just market your blog, 1&1 has you covered. Their more popular MyWebsite packages come equipped with features to help you build and grow your brand and/or online marketplace.

SEO Assistant & SiteAnalytics

1&1 offers $50-worth of PPC credits to be used with Bing and Yahoo!, and their SEO Assistant to boost positioning in search engine rankings. They'll also help you build a professional-looking Facebook page and eNewsletter to inspire a following and build customer loyalty. Then, you can track your site's success with 1&1 SiteAnalytics.

Start Selling Online

MyWebsite Premium users can build their own online store equipped to offer up to 1,000 products, with numerous payment and delivery options. 1&1 also gives the opportunity to cross-sell with other online retail portals, such as Amazon and eBay, and they include a free SSL certificate as well.

The Final Word on 1&1 as a Website Builder

1&1 not only offers over 140 Click-and-Build Apps within their App Center, but they feature packages exclusive to customers shopping for website builders. They make it easy to get online and start blogging or start selling quickly, with no coding skill required. If you're seeking easy entry into the website building world, 1&1 MyWebsite has you covered.”

Features

(5.0 / 5.0)

Free Domain and 1&1 Site Builder

All plans come with a free domain name registration and up to unlimited storage, domains, and email accounts. 1&1 websites are completely customizable, featuring NetObjects Fusion® software for creating, managing, and designing your site.

Alternatively, you can build a site without installing software, using their drag-and-drop site builder, featuring several packages available with the 1&1 MyWebsite option.

Easily install popular web applications or choose from over 140 1&1 Click-and-Build Apps within the 1&1 App Center. Their app experts have selected the most popular plugins and extensions and they've provided guided installations for WordPress, as well as plugins and design features.

New Dynamic 1&1 Cloud Server

Choose a pre-defined starting configuration, with available sizes ranging from "S" to "5XL," for affordable and easy entry into the cloud, or create your own "FLEX" package. CPUs, RAM, and disk space can be configured independently, making cloud setup simple, yet flexible.

This new server option uses only SSDs, so your site's page loads are ultra-fast, with 11x compression ratios done in real time. With unlimited storage, the dynamic 1&1 Cloud Server offers a price-for-performance payoff that's three times that of the average, and customers love it.

Custom SEO and Marketing Tools

1&1's SEO Spotlight suite features a professional set of tools to ensure your site is optimized for success while gaining visibility to search engines. Then, for just dollars per day, you can further enhance your exposure with Google AdWords advertising campaigns.

1&1's datacenters feature the most advanced hardware, and your data is processed, in parallel, in two separate US-based locations. With external connectivity speeds exceeding 300 gigabits per second, you're sure to have quick and easy access to applications.

With proactive protection against DDoS attacks, malware scanning with SiteLock, and file recovery for Linux web hosting, 1&1 offers you all the options for defending your site against catastrophe. Their new CDN provides optimum security for your site, with options to upgrade to 1&1 CDN Plus with HTTPS support and automatic optimizations for mobile browsing.

Ease of Use

(4.7 / 5.0)

Adjust Cloud Settings Anytime

1&1 Cloud Server Monitoring

Manage Servers in Cloud Panel

1&1 created their own custom control panel that's intuitive and easy to navigate. We tested out the 1&1 Cloud Server and were impressed by the level of detail that went into the custom configurations. Cloud users can select independent settings for CPU, RAM, and disk, and they can adjust said settings at any time, quickly and easily. From their Cloud Panel, site owners can oversee server statuses, and manage security features. For example, they can easily control load balancers, firewall policies, and backup settings.

Pricing

(4.8 / 5.0)

"Unlimited" Plan

"Unlimited Plus" Plan

"Unlimited Pro" Plan

1&1's plans for shared hosting, website building, dedicated servers, and VPS options come in a variety of price ranges with assorted feature sets to choose from in order to meet your web hosting needs. Their packages catering to hosting newcomers, including those looking for a website builder, shared hosting, or WordPress-specific hosting, all feature discounted rates for the first year of service.

Their more advanced options, including dedicated, virtual, cloud-based, and performance-optimized servers, can be had at discounted rates for the first three or six months, depending on the contract. 1&1 Cloud Server users enjoy exclusively SSD storage at no additional cost; customers interested in one of 1&1's other server solutions can benefit from their promotional deal: add SSD hard drives to your package, for free.

The Rundown

Alexandra Leslie

Hosting Expert:

Recap on 1&1: Our Chat with Head of Product Owner Server Javier Salcedo

As a leading hosting provider, 1&1 never shies away from putting in the time and resources they deem necessary in order to improve upon their already outstanding web services. If you're seeking a reliable and well-known hosting provider to help you build, design, and host a website, they offer expert-supported options for shared web hosting and website building.

If you're in need of a more advanced server solution, their dedicated and virtual server options offer fully managed and self-managed plans, with optional performance enhancements, such as SSDs. Last, but most certainly not least, their new, dynamic 1&1 Cloud Server offers the ultimate flexibility at a price you can afford. "We want to deliver all the capabilities you would expect," Javier said, "then make it very easy to use and very affordable."

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