Hetzner vs IONOS

Vergelijk Hetzner en IONOS op mogelijkheden, rechtsgebied, waarborgen en geschiktheid voor Europese kopers.

Beide vermeld als alternatief voor: Amazon Web Services (AWS), DigitalOcean, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure

Logo: Hetzner

Hetzner

Germany· Cloud Computing

Needs review

Shortlist for German-owned IaaS/bare metal in DE/FI parks, API cloud VMs, inclusive-traffic EU economics, ISO 27001 + BSI C5 Type 2. Skip for hyperscaler PaaS depth, SOC 2-first audits, or zero US-group footprint (optional US Ashburn/Hillsboro + Singapore via subsidiaries/colocation). Prefer OVHcloud/Scaleway for broader EU portfolios; STACKIT for DE public-sector framing.

EU-operated (DE HQ)Owned DE/FI parksISO 27001:2022BSI C5 Type 2Bare metal + auctionOptional US/SG cloud
Hetzner vs IONOS: Overzicht
KenmerkLogo: HetznerHetznerLogo: IONOSIONOS
Land van herkomstGermanyGermany
CategorieCloud ComputingCloud Computing
Open sourceNeeNee
Self-hostedNeeNee
HoofdkantoorGermanyNiet vermeld
Juridische entiteitHetzner Online GmbH, Industriestr. 25, 91710 Gunzenhausen (HRB 6089 Ansbach)Niet vermeld
VS-moeder / zeggenschapGeen bekende VS-moederNiet vermeld
CLOUD Act-blootstelling (indicatief)MiddelNiet vermeld
Hosting / residentieOwned parks: Nuremberg, Falkenstein (DE), Helsinki (FI). Non-cloud EU-only. Cloud optional US (Ashburn, Hillsboro) and Singapore on 3rd-party colocation. AV subprocessors: Hetzner Finland Oy; US: Hetzner US LLC, NTT Americas, QTS Hillsboro; SG: Hetzner Singapore, NTT SG1. Master data stays EU.Niet vermeld
Samenvatting

German data center operator (Gunzenhausen): dedicated servers, Hetzner Cloud VPS, storage, and owned parks in Germany and Finland, with optional US and Singapore cloud locations.

German hosting and cloud provider (IONOS SE): domains and SMB web hosting plus IONOS Cloud IaaS/PaaS with EU and US locations, managed Kubernetes, object storage, and DBaaS.

Tags
In één oogopslag: Hetzner vs IONOS
In één oogopslagLogo: HetznerHetznerLogo: IONOSIONOS
HQGunzenhausen, GermanyNiet vermeld
Legal entityHetzner Online GmbH (HRB 6089 Ansbach)Niet vermeld
EU parksNuremberg, Falkenstein (DE); Helsinki (FI)Niet vermeld
Optional cloud regionsAshburn and Hillsboro (US); SingaporeNiet vermeld
ModelIaaS / dedicated / hosting (unmanaged cloud and root)Niet vermeld
Open sourceNo (commercial infrastructure)Niet vermeld
Key capabilities: Hetzner vs IONOS
Key capabilitiesLogo: HetznerHetznerLogo: IONOSIONOS
EU-operated (DE HQ)JaNiet vermeld
Owned DE/FI parksJaNiet vermeld
ISO 27001:2022JaNiet vermeld
BSI C5 Type 2JaNiet vermeld
Bare metal + auctionJaNiet vermeld
Optional US/SG cloudJaNiet vermeld

Hetzner

  • Dedicated root servers and Server Auction

    Bare-metal root servers with full hardware isolation for predictable I/O and custom OS installs. The Server Auction lists surplus or end-of-primary-use machines at declining prices for labs, secondary environments, and cost-sensitive dedicated capacity.

  • Hetzner Cloud with API, networks, and apps

    VMs with shared or dedicated vCPU classes, managed via Console, REST API, and CLI. Private networks, stateful firewalls, load balancers, Linux images, Terraform/Ansible/Kubernetes integrations, and one-click apps (Docker, Nextcloud, GitLab CE, WireGuard, and more) for self-hosted stacks.

  • Owned EU data center parks plus optional US/Singapore cloud

    Company-operated parks in Nuremberg, Falkenstein (Germany), and Helsinki (Finland). Cloud also in Ashburn, Hillsboro (USA), and Singapore on third-party colocation. Non-cloud products and EU-selected cloud locations keep server data in the EU per Hetzner docs; master data stays in the EU.

  • ISO 27001, BSI C5 Type 2, and console DPA

    Public ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certificate for DE/FI park scope; BSI C5 Type 2 for cloud; Art. 28 DPA accept-in-console with published TOMs and annual external TOM review available to DPA customers. Not a SOC 2-first vendor.

  • Inclusive traffic-oriented European cloud pricing model

    Pay-as-you-go cloud (hourly or monthly) and list-based dedicated servers, with marketing emphasis on high inclusive traffic on European plans versus hyperscaler egress bills. Confirm current allowances and rates only on the official calculator—figures change by region and over time.

IONOS

  • Diverse Hosting and Domain Services

    IONOS provides shared, VPS, dedicated, and cloud hosting options scalable for any need. It registers over 22 million domains and includes a free domain for the first year on many plans. Website builders incorporate AI for quick setups, while eCommerce tools handle online stores. Email integrates with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, ensuring reliable communication without third-party dependencies.

  • Advanced Cloud Infrastructure

    The platform offers managed Kubernetes clusters, databases like MongoDB and PostgreSQL, object storage, GPU servers, and an AI Model Hub for machine learning workloads. Data centers achieve Tier IV certification for redundancy. Customers access 99.99% uptime, with options for high-performance computing suited to enterprises running complex applications.

  • Security, Support, and Sustainability

    DDoS protection safeguards sites, complemented by free SSL certificates. Support runs 24/7 via phone, chat, and email, with personal consultants assigned to accounts. All data centers use 100% renewable energy, aligning with IONOS's 2030 Climate Strategy that targets emission cuts through biofuels and supplier partnerships.

Assurance & compliance: Hetzner vs IONOS
Assurance & complianceLogo: HetznerHetznerLogo: IONOSIONOS
Independent security / no-logs audit
Not applicable

Hosting/IaaS, not a no-logs VPN. Public ISO 27001, BSI C5 Type 2, and annual TOM review (TUV Rheinland) instead.

Niet vermeld
ISO 27001
Verified

ISO/IEC 27001:2022; public SOCOTEC certificate. Scope: infrastructure, operation, support of Nuremberg, Falkenstein, Helsinki parks.

Niet vermeld
SOC 2 / SOC 3
Not found

Hetzner states focus on ISO 27001 rather than SOC 2 for international market.

Niet vermeld
GDPR / EU data protection
Vendor claimed

German entity; public privacy policy, Art. 28 DPA, TOMs, subprocessor list. Customer remains controller for data on rented systems.

Niet vermeld
US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)
Partial

EU entity / no known US parent, but optional US cloud uses Hetzner US LLC and US colocation (NTT, QTS); Singapore similarly. EU placements keep server data in EU per docs. Not legal advice.

Niet vermeld
Data processing agreement (B2B)
Vendor claimed

Standard DPA accept-in-console; sample PDF published; no custom wet-ink DPAs per vendor docs.

Niet vermeld
EU AI Act
Not applicable

Infrastructure hosting, not an AI system product.

Niet vermeld
BSI C5 (cloud)
Verified

Vendor publishes BSI C5 Type 2 attestation PDF for cloud services (German BSI catalogue).

Niet vermeld
KRITIS / section 8a BSIG
Vendor claimed

Hetzner states BSI classification as operator of critical services and certification under section 8a BSIG.

Niet vermeld
Considerations & known limitations: Hetzner vs IONOS
Considerations & known limitationsLogo: HetznerHetznerLogo: IONOSIONOS
Optional US and Singapore cloud regions
Medium

Ashburn, Hillsboro, and Singapore use third-party colocation and local subsidiaries; server content placed there leaves the EU. Zero-US-footprint policies may still reject the vendor even for EU-only workloads.

Niet vermeld
Unmanaged cloud and dedicated servers
Medium

You own OS patching, app security, and backups. Platform firewalls help but do not replace customer ops. Poor fit if you need managed DBaaS and full-stack ops.

Niet vermeld
Narrower managed-service catalog vs hyperscalers
Low

Strong IaaS and bare metal; weak match if procurement assumes AWS-parity managed services. Plan hybrid architecture early.

Niet vermeld
ISO scope is DE/FI parks
Low

Published ISO 27001 scope centers on German and Finnish parks. Do not assume identical coverage for every US/Singapore deployment without reading current certificates.

Niet vermeld

Geschiktheid

Hetzner

Best fit when

  • Teams that want German-jurisdiction hosting with owned parks in Germany and Finland
  • Workloads that need bare-metal root servers or cost-effective dedicated via Server Auction
  • Ops-heavy orgs comfortable with unmanaged IaaS (Console/API/CLI, Terraform, apps)
  • Buyers optimizing for EU residency plus inclusive traffic economics versus hyperscaler egress
  • German/EU checklists asking for ISO 27001, BSI C5, and an Art. 28 DPA in-console

Poor fit when

  • Orgs that need a full AWS/Azure-style managed services catalog (PaaS, serverless, AI)
  • Policies that forbid any US subsidiary, US colocation, or optional US region at group level
  • Buyers requiring SOC 2 as the primary assurance artifact (Hetzner focuses on ISO/C5)
  • Teams expecting fully managed OS patching, databases, and DR without operating the stack

Consider instead when

  • When: You need a broader European cloud portfolio or more managed service surface

    Consider: OVHcloud or Scaleway

    Still European operators; compare regions, bare-metal depth, and support models.

  • When: German public-sector sovereign cloud framing is the primary procurement driver

    Consider: STACKIT

    Different product and governance story; verify current certifications and residency.

  • When: You need hyperscaler managed depth more than EU-owned IaaS

    Consider: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud (accept US-group CLOUD Act posture)

    Trade EU operator control for catalog breadth.

  • When: You want a smaller EU regional cloud with a different feature/region mix

    Consider: Exoscale or UpCloud

    Compare locations, SLAs, and managed options against Hetzner's park scale.

IONOS

Best fit when

Niet vermeld

Poor fit when

Niet vermeld

Open questions for due diligence

Hetzner

  • Does your policy allow a German provider that also offers US/Singapore regions if you only deploy in DE/FI?
  • Is BSI C5 Type 2 + ISO 27001 sufficient, or is SOC 2 mandatory for your auditors?
  • Which SKUs (cloud vs dedicated vs managed web hosting) match your backup and support needs?
  • Will you need regions or managed services Hetzner does not offer natively (CDN, managed DB, AI APIs)?

IONOS

Niet vermeld