Final verdict
Siter.io and IONOS offer distinct advantages for different user needs, with IONOS emerging as the more comprehensive choice for most users.
-
Siter.io (Overall Grade: 5.1/10)
excels in design flexibility and ease of use, particularly for users who value creative control and the ability to import designs from Figma. Its unique design tools and real-time collaboration features make it a strong candidate for designers and teams focused on custom website creation. However, its limitations in ecommerce, hosting quality, and website speed optimization may restrict its appeal to users with more advanced needs. -
IONOS (Overall Grade: 6.9/10)
stands out for its robust hosting services, comprehensive ecommerce features, and superior website speed optimization. It offers a wide range of templates, reliable customer support, and innovative AI capabilities, making it a versatile choice for businesses of all sizes. While it may not offer the same level of design flexibility as Siter.io, its overall performance and feature set provide a solid foundation for creating and managing a professional online presence.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Design functionalities & templates |
7.5 |
7.2 |
Ease of use |
8.3 |
7.8 |
Ecommerce |
3.4 |
7.1 |
Website Editors |
7.8 |
7.8 |
Product testing options |
8.2 |
6.5 |
Price |
8.1 |
7.8 |
Hosting quality |
3.9 |
8.8 |
Website speed optimization |
1.5 |
7.2 |
Plugins and integrations |
5.5 |
6.5 |
Marketing features |
2.6 |
7.5 |
Customer support |
4.1 |
7.3 |
Security |
6.8 |
7.5 |
AI capabilities |
0.0 |
7.2 |
User Management |
7.1 |
3.1 |
Overall |
5.1 |
6.9 |
Best for ecommerce
Verdict
: For those looking to build a robust online store, IONOS emerges as the clear winner over Siter.io, offering a more comprehensive set of ecommerce features.
-
Siter.io
: While Siter.io provides basic ecommerce functionalities and excels in design flexibility, it falls short in delivering the depth of ecommerce features needed for a fully operational online store. It’s best suited for users prioritizing website design over complex ecommerce capabilities. -
IONOS
: With a strong focus on ecommerce, IONOS offers a wide range of features including advanced store management, marketing tools, and a variety of payment and shipping options. It’s designed to cater to the needs of growing online businesses, making it the better choice for ecommerce.
Best for informational & business websites
Verdict
: With closely matched scores and capabilities, IONOS slightly edges out Siter.io for informational and business websites, thanks to its slightly higher score and comprehensive features.
-
Siter.io
: Siter.io offers a unique approach with its drag-and-drop interface and freehand design tool, making it a strong contender for users seeking creative control without needing coding knowledge. Its integration with design tools like Figma enhances its appeal for design-focused users. However, its slightly lower score and the focus on design over other functionalities might limit its appeal for some business websites. -
IONOS
: IONOS provides a slightly better package for informational and business websites, with a marginally higher score and a broader range of templates and features. Its emphasis on customizable templates, reliable hosting, and optimization for search engines makes it a versatile choice for businesses looking to establish a strong online presence without delving deep into custom design.
Detailed comparison
Design functionalities & templates
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆
Winner: Siter.io.
If you’re looking for a platform that offers more creative control and a unique design tool, Siter.io is the preferred choice.
Siter.io includes a handful of customizable templates for various website types, such as landing pages, portfolios, and e-commerce sites, ensuring users can start with a solid foundation and tailor each site to their needs. However, the limited number of templates is compensated with a UI which is very similar to design tools like Figma and AdobeXD. Additionally Siter.io has built in Figma plugin, which helps to export Figma designs directly to Siter.io platform, and make changes and tweaks right on Siter.io.
Compared to Siter.io, IONOS offers a wide variety of templates and designs for their website builder. With over 200 templates to choose from, users can find a design that suits their needs and preferences. The templates are categorized into different industries and styles, making it easy for users to find the perfect design for their website. Additionally, IONOS regularly updates their template library, ensuring that users have access to the latest design trends. Whether you’re creating a personal blog or an ecommerce website, IONOS has a template for every type of website.
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Ease of use
Ease of useReflects the platform’s overall user-friendliness.Score
Components:
- Learning curve (40%): Quickness and ease of getting started.
- Interface design (30%): Simplicity and intuitiveness of layout.
- User guidance (20%): Quality of tutorials and support.
- Flexibility (10%): Adaptability to various user skills.
🏆 Winner: Siter.io
. With a score of 8.3, Siter.io edges out IONOS, which scored 7.8. Siter.io’s unique features, such as the ability to import designs from Figma, make it a user-friendly choice for both beginners and experienced designers. IONOS, while offering a straightforward and intuitive interface, lacks some of the extensive functionalities offered by Siter.io.
Learning Resources
🏆 Winner: Draw
. Both Siter.io and IONOS offer a range of learning resources and tutorials designed to help users create and manage their websites. While Siter.io provides guides on creating responsive websites and exporting designs from Figma, IONOS offers guidance on setting up websites, utilizing custom layouts, and incorporating web apps.
For ecommerce
EcommerceMeasures the platform’s effectiveness in supporting online business activities.Score Components:
- Ecommerce themes and templates (20%): Variety and design of templates.
- Product management (25%): Ease of managing and organizing products.
- Payment options (25%): Variety and convenience of payment methods.
- Ecommerce features (20%): Features for managing an ecommerce store.
- Integration (10%): Compatibility with external e-commerce tools and services.
When it comes to ecommerce, IONOS clearly outperforms Siter.io. While Siter.io does offer basic ecommerce features, it is primarily a website design tool and its ecommerce functionality is quite limited. On the other hand, IONOS is a comprehensive website builder and hosting platform that includes robust ecommerce features designed to help users build and manage an online store.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Ecommerce themes and templates |
4.5 |
6.5 |
Product page customization |
6.5 |
6.8 |
Payment processing and commissions |
3.0 |
7.0 |
POS capabilities |
2.0 |
5.5 |
Payment gateways |
3.5 |
7.2 |
Product numbers |
2.5 |
6.0 |
Additional ecommerce features |
3.0 |
6.3 |
Siter.io ecommerce features:
- Shopping cart
- Checkout
- Purchase button
IONOS ecommerce features:
- Store Management
- Marketing Tools
- Payment and Shipping options
- Products and Inventory management
Ecommerce themes & templates
Siter.io has only a few ecommerce specific templates, however its built-in Figma integration enables the use of a variety of third-party website templates designed in Figma to create a fully functional website directly on the platform. In contrast, IONOS offers a variety of ecommerce themes and templates designed to help businesses set up their online stores efficiently and effectively. Their online store builder is tailored to support a range of ecommerce needs, from selling on social media platforms to managing a scalable ecommerce website without any coding or design skills required.
Product page customization
Siter.io prioritizes its design capabilities, offering a wide range of customization options that are only limited by the user’s skill level. IONOS, however, provides users with the ability to extensively customize product pages. This includes the flexibility to adjust the design and layout, ensuring that product images, descriptions, and specifications are displayed according to individual preferences. Additionally, IONOS allows for the setup and management of product options and variations, such as size and color, enabling customers to select their preferred version of a product.
Payment processing
Siter.io primarily serves as a website design tool rather than a dedicated ecommerce platform. While it does allow for the creation of ecommerce websites, its functionality for integrating payment gateways is quite limited. However, it’s important to note that the platform does support custom code injection, enabling users to integrate third-party payment widgets like PayPal or Stripe.
IONOS supports a wide variety of third-party payment processors for its website builder, including PayPal, Stripe, and Square, without charging direct fees for payment processing. Users can choose from an extensive list of payment options to suit their business needs and customer preferences, enhancing the flexibility and security of online transactions. The platform offers detailed guidance on integrating these payment methods into online stores, allowing for customization in terms of fees, order value thresholds, and geographical availability.
Website Editors
Website EditorsEvaluates the platforms’ website building and editing capabilities.Score Components:
- Customization tools (40%): Range and power of editing features.
- Editor usability (30%): User experience within the editor.
- Design flexibility (20%): Freedom in layout and design changes.
- Update and maintenance ease (10%): Simplicity of updating and maintaining the site.
Winner: Tie
. Both Siter.io and IONOS scored 7.8 for their website editors, indicating a similar level of quality and user satisfaction.
Siter.io’s editor is designed to empower users with the ability to create websites seamlessly without any coding skills. It features an intuitive interface, real-time collaboration, and Figma integration, enhancing productivity and creativity for designers and teams. The editor supports inserting custom code for additional functionality, accessing thousands of free icons, and integrating with Unsplash for high-quality, royalty-free photos.
IONOS provides an intuitive website builder equipped with AI assistance, designed for users to quickly create professional-looking websites without needing coding skills. This platform offers customizable templates, AI-generated content, and is optimized for mobile use, ensuring a responsive design across all devices. With features that cater to both basic and advanced website needs, including eCommerce capabilities, IONOS aims to simplify the web creation process.
Mobile editor/app
🏆
Winner: IONOS
. Neither Siter.io nor IONOS offer a dedicated mobile editor app. However, IONOS provides limited editing abilities on a mobile browser, which gives it an edge over Siter.io, which does not offer any mobile editing capabilities. Therefore, for users who need to make quick changes on the go, IONOS would be a more suitable choice.
Product testing options
Product Testing OptionsAssesses the options for trying out platform features before commitment.Score Components:
- Trial quality (40%): Extent and usefulness of the trial or free version.
- Feature accessibility (30%): How many features are available to test.
- Trial duration (20%): Length of the trial period.
- Ease of transition (10%): Smoothness of moving from trial to paid plans.
Overall Result
:
Siter.io wins
. Siter.io scores 8.2, offering a free version with the possibility to test all premium features. IONOS, scoring 6.5, does not offer a free or trial version, but allows testing of premium features during a 30-day refundable period.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Free Plan |
Yes |
No |
Trial Duration |
No | No (30-day money-back guarantee) |
Testing Premium Features |
All features with free plan |
During 30-day refundable period |
Price
PriceLooks at the cost-effectiveness and value for money of each platform.Score Components:
- Plan value (40%): What each pricing tier offers.
- Transparency and clarity (30%): Clearness of pricing structures.
- Flexibility of plans (20%): Range of options to suit different budgets.
- Hidden costs (10%): Additional expenses not included in the plan.
Siter.io and IONOS offer competitive pricing, with Siter.io scoring slightly higher in terms of price. Both platforms offer a range of plans to suit different needs, with IONOS offering more comprehensive features at a higher price point. Neither platform offers an enterprise plan.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Free |
Start (Free/month): Includes unlimited teammates, up to 10 pages, 3 forms, Figma plugin, and SSL certificate. Additional websites are free, and SEO and page speed features are not included. Additionally, it’s not possible to publish any of the websites with the free plan. |
No offering at this amount. |
$0-$10 |
Solo ($8/month): For 1 website and includes 2 editors, up to 10 pages, 3 forms, Figma plugin, and SSL certificate. Additional editors cost $4 each. Value for price: 6.0 |
No offering at this amount. |
$10-$15 |
Plus ($14/month): Offers 3 websites with 4 editors, up to 50 pages, 5 forms, Figma plugin, and SSL certificate. Additional editors cost $6 each. Value for price: 7.5 |
Starter ($12/month): Basic for newcomers with 10GB space, 10 pages, 2GB email, free domain first year. Value for price: 5.0 |
$15-$20 |
No offering at this amount. |
Plus ($18/month): Enhanced with 50GB space, 200 pages, custom HTML, SiteAnalytics, online booking, AI Text Generator & AI Text Improver, AI SEO Text Generator Value for price: 7.5 |
$20+ |
Pro ($29/month): Provides 5 websites, 6 editors, unlimited pages, unlimited forms, Figma plugin, and SSL certificate. Additional websites cost $8 each. Value for price: 8.5 |
Pro ($30/month): Advanced for scaling, unlimited space/pages, 50GB email, SEO tools, comprehensive marketing tools. Value for Price: 9.0 |
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.
Hosting quality
Hosting
qualityExamines the reliability and performance of the hosting solutions.Score Components:
- Uptime (40%): Consistency and reliability of website availability.
- Speed (30%): Loading times and performance.
- Bandwidth and storage (20%): Sufficiency of resources provided.
- Data centers (10%): Quality and distribution of hosting infrastructure.
Winner: IONOS
. IONOS outperforms Siter.io in hosting quality, offering a diverse range of hosting services including shared, VPS, dedicated, and WordPress hosting, with features like daily backups, and unlimited traffic. It also boasts a 99.99% uptime guarantee and 7 data centers in the EU and USA. Siter.io, on the other hand, provides cloud-based hosting but lacks transparency about its uptime statistics, data centers, and bandwidth and storage limitations.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Do they offer hosting? |
Yes, but lacks information on bandwidth, storage limitations, and built-in backup option. | Yes, offers a diverse range of hosting services including shared, VPS, dedicated, and WordPress hosting, with features like daily backups, and unlimited traffic. |
Data Centers: |
Does not disclose any information about its data centers. | Total of 7 data centers in EU(Frankfurt, Berlin, Paris, Logroño) and USA(Las Vegas, NV; Newark, NJ; Lenexa, KS) |
Type of hosting: |
Cloud-based hosting | Shared, Dedicated, VPS, WordPress Hosting |
Uptime: |
Does not disclose uptime statistics. | 99.99% |
Uptime Guarantee: |
No uptime guarantee. | Yes, 99.99% |
Website Speed Optimization
Website Speed OptimizationEvaluates optimization of website loading timesScore Components:
- PageSpeed Score (30%): Google’s score indicating performance optimization.
- Loading Time (30%): The average time until a website is fully interactive.
- Mobile Optimization (15%): Optimization effectiveness for mobile devices.
- Resource Optimization (15%): Optimizing images, scripts, and other heavy resources.
- CDN Usage (10%): Use of CDN to enhance speed across geolocations.
🏆 Winner: IONOS
Both Siter.io and IONOS prioritize website performance and speed, but IONOS outperforms Siter.io in this category with a score of 7.2 compared to Siter.io’s 1.5.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Focus |
Mobile Responsiveness, SEO optimization |
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Optimization, Image and Multimedia Optimization, Caching, WordPress Optimization, CDN |
Performance Tools |
Not disclosed |
Not disclosed |
Key Strategies |
Mobile Responsiveness, SEO optimization |
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Optimization, Image and Multimedia Optimization, Caching, WordPress Optimization, CDN |
Load Times |
Not disclosed |
Varies widely, depending on the optimization and user’s location |
Page Speed Scores Range |
Not disclosed |
Varies widely, depending on the optimization and user’s location |
Core Web Vitals Improvement |
Not disclosed |
Emphasis on LCP, FID, CLS improvements |
IONOS has a comprehensive approach to website speed optimization, focusing on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript optimization, image and multimedia optimization, caching, WordPress optimization, and CDN. This approach ensures that websites built with IONOS load quickly and perform well, regardless of the user’s location. IONOS also places a strong emphasis on improving Core Web Vitals, including Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
On the other hand, Siter.io focuses on mobile responsiveness and SEO optimization to enhance website speed. However, Siter.io does not disclose any specific information about its load times, PageSpeed score ranges, or Core Web Vital improvements, making it difficult to assess its performance in these areas.
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Plugins and integrations
Plugins and integrationsMeasures the range and effectiveness of additional plugins and integrations.Score Components:
- Variety of options (40%): Range of available add-ons.
- Integration smoothness (30%): Ease of integrating plugins into the site.
- Quality of plugins (20%): Functionality and reliability of the options.
- Custom integration capabilities (10%): Support for custom or third-party integrations.
🏆 Winner: IONOS.
IONOS scores 6.5, offering a wider range of plugins and extensions to enhance the functionality of your website. With over 100 plugins available, users can easily add features such as contact forms, social media integration, and ecommerce capabilities. On the other hand, Siter.io, with a score of 5.5, offers limited integrations, primarily prioritizing its design capabilities. However, it does support custom code injection, allowing users to incorporate third-party plugins as needed.
Marketing Features
Marketing featuresAssesses tools and options available for marketing.Score Components:
- SEO tools (40%): Effectiveness of SEO features.
- Marketing automation (30%): Availability and quality of marketing tools.
- Social Media integration (20%): Ease and depth of social media connectivity.
- Email marketing (10%): Quality and usability of email marketing tools.
🏆
Overall Winner: IONOS
. IONOS stands out for its comprehensive marketing tools, including SEO, email marketing, blogging, social media integration, analytics and reporting, and ads and promotions. Siter.io, while offering some of these features, lacks in email marketing and social media integration.
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|
---|---|---|
SEO Tools |
|
|
Email Marketing |
|
|
Blogging |
|
|
Social Media Integration |
|
|
Analytics and Reporting |
|
|
Ads and Promotions |
|
|
Customer Support
Customer supportEvaluates the quality and availability of support options.Score Components:
- Response time (40%): Speed of support responses.
- Support quality (30%): Effectiveness and helpfulness of the support.
- Availability (20%): Range of support channels (phone, chat, email).
- Resource richness (10%): Quality of self-help and educational materials.
🏆 Winner: IONOS
. IONOS takes the lead in this category with a customer support score of 7.3, compared to Siter.io’s score of 4.1. IONOS provides 24/7 customer support, ensuring that users can reach out for help whenever needed. They offer assistance with the user interface of the website builder and have contact numbers provided for immediate assistance.
On the other hand, Siter.io primarily assists customers through its extensive help center and articles. While email support is available, the platform doesn’t specify the days or hours of operation for customer support. Furthermore, Siter.io does not offer any additional support for enterprises.
Security
SecurityLooks at the platforms’ security measures and data protection.Score Components:
- Data protection (40%): Safeguards for user and customer data.
- SSL and encryption (30%): Implementation of secure connections.
- Compliance (20%): Adherence to industry security standards.
- Regular updates (10%): Frequency of security updates and patches.
🏆
Winner: IONOS
. IONOS has a higher security score and offers more comprehensive security measures compared to Siter.io. IONOS provides robust data storage and protection measures across its various services, including HiDrive Cloud Storage and secure email solutions. It also integrates various security measures to safeguard websites created on its platform, focusing on preventing malware spread, spamming, and data breaches.
On the other hand, Siter.io prioritizes user privacy by employing a zero-knowledge storage system and utilizes multi-factor authentication. However, it does not disclose any specific information regarding its website security measures, apart from offering free SSL certificates.
AI Capabilities
AI capabilitiesMeasures the effectiveness of AI-driven features and tools.Score Components:
- Automation efficiency (40%): Impact of AI on streamlining processes.
- Personalization (30%): AI-driven customization for users or customers.
- AI-Assisted design (20%): Role of AI in website design and functionality.
- Data analysis (10%): Use of AI in interpreting user data and analytics.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Personalized Design |
|
IONOS AI offers tailored design suggestions based on user inputs |
SEO Optimization |
|
AI-driven recommendations for better search engine visibility |
Content Generation |
|
AI assistance in creating and optimizing site content |
Additional AI Features |
|
AI Section Generator and AI Color Palette Generator |
🏆 Winner: IONOS
. IONOS’s AI capabilities, particularly through its AI website builder, are highly user-friendly and innovative. It excels in offering personalized website design suggestions, content optimization, and streamlined site setup processes. IONOS’s AI also assists in providing SEO recommendations and layout adjustments based on user behavior.
Siter.io, with a score of 0.0, does not have any AI capabilities. While Siter.io offers a range of features for website building, it lacks the AI capabilities that can enhance the user experience and streamline the website creation process.
User Management
User ManagementAssesses the platforms’ capabilities in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility.Score Components:
- Role Customization (40%): Flexibility in creating and defining user roles and
permissions. - Ease of Management (30%): User interface and tools for managing users.
- Access Control (20%): Effectiveness of access control measures for different user
levels. - Scalability (10%): Ability to manage a growing number of users efficiently.
🏆 Winner: Siter.io
. Both Siter.io and IONOS allow multiple users to edit websites, but Siter.io provides more detailed information about its user management features.
- Siter.io focuses on its real-time collaborative features, offering varying numbers of editors depending on the plan. Each plan provides access for 2 to 6 editors who can edit and design websites, with the option to include additional editors for an extra fee.
- IONOS permits multiple users for website editing. However, there is no mention of user roles and permissions, nor is there information about limitations on the number of users allowed to edit a website.
Additional Features
|
|
|
---|---|---|
SSL Certificate |
|
|
Custom Domain |
|
|
Free Custom Domain Included |
|
|
International Domains |
|
|
Mobile Responsive |
|
|
Page Speed |
|
|
Website Builder Mobile App |
|
|
Convert a Website To An App |
|
|
Website Analytics |
|
|
Multilingual Sites |
|
|
Multiple Users |
|
|
User Feedback
Users of Siter.io generally appreciate its user-friendly interface and robust features, such as the drag-and-drop editor and customizable templates, which make website building accessible to teams without coding expertise. However, there’s a consensus that the platform could improve its integration options to enhance workflow efficiency further. Despite this, Siter.io effectively addresses the challenge of website creation without coding skills, benefiting designers, small business owners, and individuals seeking to establish an online presence or portfolio quickly and efficiently.
IONOS, on the other hand, receives mixed reviews from its users. While it is praised for its great packages, personalized support, and streamlined interface for IT professionals, some users encounter issues with backend functionality and find customer service representatives too pushy. Despite occasional short outages, the overall reliability and responsiveness of the service are appreciated by users. However, it’s worth noting that most of the reviews are related to hosting rather than the website builder, as IONOS is primarily a hosting provider.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
FAQ
Which platform is better for ecommerce, Siter.io or IONOS?
Can I use Siter.io and IONOS for creating a blog or informational website?
How do Siter.io and IONOS compare in terms of design flexibility and templates?
Which platform is easier to use for beginners?
How do the website editors of Siter.io and IONOS compare?
Which platform offers better hosting quality?
Are there any differences in the pricing plans of Siter.io and IONOS?
Which platform has better customer support?
How do Siter.io and IONOS compare in terms of security features?
Which platform is better for users looking for AI capabilities?