Summary
1&1 claim to be the world’s number 1 web host and the fastest growing web hosting company. According to their “About 1&1″ page, 1&1′s global community is 7.46 million people strong with 2,500 new customers signing up every day.
Website: Click here to go to the official 1&1 Internet Inc. website
Quick Facts
- Number of domains: 9.82 million registered domains, and over 2.7 million websites
- Services: Domain registration, Email hosting, Linux hosting, Microsoft hosting, VPS hosting, Managed Server hosting, Root Server hosting, Windows Server hosting, “eShop hosting,” Microsoft Sharepoint hosting
- Location: Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, USA
- Guarantees: 60-day money back guarantee, 99.99% uptime, no hidden charges
- Contact information: Call 1-877-GO-1AND1 (1-877-461-2631). Or visit the contact page on their website.
Products & Services
Domain registration, Email hosting, Linux hosting, Microsoft hosting, VPS hosting, Managed Server hosting, Root Server hosting, Windows Server hosting, “eShop hosting,” Microsoft Sharepoint hosting
Hostorian’s Review
Performance
1&1 Internet’s performance, according to customer reports found all over the web, is not too impressive. Several people report long downtimes, some even up to five days!
While they do have impressive hardware and connectivity, they host SO many websites, it’s apparently taking a toll on performance.
Well, that might be the reason, or it could be something else, but a prospective customer would be better advised to look for another web host with better performance records.
Features
They do offer an impressive array of features, but then, so do most web hosts these days.
Oh wait! Actually, there are quite a few web hosts that offer MORE features than 1&1 Internet does. For example, these days, several web hosts offer unlimited domains on a single shared hosting account. But the marketing angels at 1&1 only offer from 1-5 domains on a single shared hosting account, depending on your account type.
With the exception of a couple of features, most features can be classified as either something that everyone offers, or something that no one needs. Methinks someone at 1&1 Internet Inc is just trying to bloat the feature list.
We don’t want features we don’t need. We want more value, better hosting, better performance, and better service.
Support and Customer Care
One word: Crooks!
Several people complain about 1&1 Internet Inc. continuing to charge their credit cards long after they cancel their accounts with them. Getting a refund may not be impossible, but it’s close. Be prepared to file a complaint with your credit card company AND change your credit card if you want to avoid getting rebilled.
I have also read accounts of 1&1 Internet Inc’s customer service people yelling at customers, calling them names, and hanging up on them.
In case a customer’s credit card fails to authorize for some reason, they send it to a collection agency before even contacting the customer to remedy the situation. This is very strange, considering it would be a lot cheaper and quicker for them to just inform the customer that there is a problem, and ask them to update their billing information. Not to mention the PR suicide they are committing.
Cons
- Horrible customer service and rude customer service people.
- A big portion of the customer support is outsourced to a non-English speaking country, which makes understanding them difficult.
- Performance is very bad, and customers frequently experience downtime, despite their 99.99% uptime guarantee.
Actual Customer Feedback
If you are thinking of purchasing from 1&1 don’t do it! – Louis Lang
Filed complaint with Better Business Bureau. They already have and Unsatisfactory rating there. – Owner ( customerservice at clean-fill-wanted(dot)com )
My site has been down for 3 days with no support from 1and1 at all. Nobody will tell me what is going on. This company should be avoided at all costs. My site was intermittently down for 2 weeks prior to that. Please Please someone start a class action lawsuit. Google 1and1 and see millions of negative messages regarding 1and1. – Steve Tarnowski
1 and 1 is horrendous in every way! After transferring a domain to them and receiving confirmation from them that the transaction was completed, they sold the name to someone else without letting us know. They continued to bill us of course, and didn’t even give the promised and advertised promotional discount. This national campaign for the site lost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and they have still not corrected their mistake. The Better Business Bureau and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office are investigating them, and so is the media. As an investigative journalist myself, I have been sharing my story with the print and broadcast community and my colleagues who are realizing how poorly this company conducts business. Hundreds of emails gone unanswered, phone calls dropped with no resolution, no support at all, and ethical issues are just the tip of the 1 and 1 iceburg. Caveat emptor! – Kelly
Verdict of This Review
Not impressive at all. Stay away from this company at all costs. In fact, if you don’t like someone, send them over to 1&1 for hosting their websites. Not recommended, if you are thinking of hosting your own sites with them.
Rating: 
[...] Vote 1&1 Internet Inc. – Consumer complaints and comments, facts, and company profile [...]
My web site has been down since the day before Thanksgiving, now over 1 month repeated phone calls and emails to billing, vcustomer support have done no good. The billed my account 8 months after I ncancelled services and now refuse to point name servers to my current web hosting company and I continue to lose business every day. If you want my advice RUN go to ANY web hosting company other than 1and1.com
Many of us have had issues with 1&1 Internet. It’s time we got together to do something about it. They usually get away with the small charges because most people pay to make it go away (and 1&1 is extremely persisent over a couple dollars).
I’ve started a facebook group to start gathering people together to share stories and tactics to resolve any alleged wrongdoings:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=104649439567617
Hi
I have had a similar problem. An ex business partner bought a web address from them but it was never used. Our parntership since finished and the bank account closed. I then recieved a bill out of the blue for the renewal of the web address even though it had never been used. I contacted 1and1 and explained this to them but because it was not me who initially placed the order I did not have the relevent password to cancel the renewal.
I was requested to put it in writing again to cancel the account and provide them with a copy of my passport as ID. I did this and still they did not cancel the bill, I am now getting letters/emails from debt collectors. All for the massive amount of £7. I am not going to pay it out of prinicpal but it still is very annoying.
Their service is terrible. They publish my personal information on a domain that I don’t own nor did I give them my information. They copied my personal information from my website and paste it into another customer domain name and I ask them to remove it and they said they couldn’t and I need to fax my complaint to their legal department.
They have my contents on someone else domain and that customer called me and ask how did my information get on their website. I have no clue what type of business they are running.
After many phone calls and emails, your company has decided not to take the moral, ethical and professional conduct necessary to comply with the Fair Trade Commission and Consumer Affairs strict laws concerning, “consumer deception and unfair fair practices!”
I have already contacted the Pa. Attorney General’s Office and Consumer Affairs, plus the BBB and including State Senators and House Members in protest of your unfair and deceptive practices.
If you go to http://www.ripoffreport.com I was not surprised to find hundreds of complaints about your company concerning mostly cancellation practices and billing procedures.
I am now pursuing the possibility of a “Class Action Suit” against your company.
I want your NCO Collection Agency to stop harassing me each day for a bill that I should not be billed for.
It appears to me…after almost 6 months since my original cancellation…that someone has made the wrong decision to collect money illegally by charging accounts wrongfully.
Please contact me asap to remedy this situation.
Ronald Gross
Facts: Cancelled many months ago, although 1and1 disputes.
Facts: Did not hear from them for many months although they state they contacted me.
Facts: Now getting daily harassing collection calls from NCO.
Facts: Even after my complaints they again tried to bill me this morning.
Facts: Their website has no obvious cancellation button? Why?
Facts: Told to go to FAQ to Cancel. Did that..guess what..still no obvious cancellation button.
Facts: Finally got email with link to another site to cancel. What? Another site????
Facts: Went to that site to cancel and it stated my account was locked and still could not cancel.
Facts: Ridiculous and the owner of 1and1.com needs to explain this to the many people who have filed a complaint, and hopefully to a judge who will oversee the potential Class Action Suit.
REMOVE MY FILE FROM NCO COLLECTIONS WITHOUT ANY HARM TO MY CREDIT IMMEDIATELY!!!