Ionos has told its virtual private server (VPS) customers that monthly prices will increase next month, citing a sharp rise in Plesk licensing costs. The company informed users by email that from October 30, each server instance running Plesk will attract an extra £5 charge per license, excluding VAT.
For many smaller customers, the amount may look minor. But for businesses running several servers, the change quickly compounds into a significant monthly expense. Customers now face a choice: accept the automatic price rise or remove Plesk entirely to avoid the charge.
Plesk remains a central tool for managing hosting environments, and while alternatives exist, migrating to another control panel—or even another provider—within a month’s notice is no small task. That has left some customers frustrated, particularly as the increase comes mid-contract.
One customer told reporters they were surprised by how little notice was given: “If you have dozens of servers, moving in just over a month isn’t realistic. They must have known this was coming for longer.” Another person questioned whether Ionos should charge for Plesk at all, since the company advertised it as part of the service package.
The hosting provider has pointed to its terms and conditions, which state that service prices and structures can change with 30 days’ notice. Critics claim that increasing fees in the middle of legally existing contracts raises questions of fairness.
There is no public Ionos reaction expressing their stance about the variances, which leaves many customers in a lurch not knowing if there company will receive more increases. At present, the users have to make a decision on what to do with the raised price, whether they are going to continue to use their servers but without Plesk or move to another provider. This is not just a question of prices but one that may impact their future hosting policies.
