PISCES vs IONOS: Which Should Build Your Website in 2026?
One is an AI that builds the whole site for you. The other is a teaser-rate builder with renewal whiplash.
Short version: IONOS lures with $1/mo first-year teasers and collects on renewals several times higher. With IONOS, the first year is nearly free, then renewals land at many multiples of the teaser while the editor stays dated and the upsells keep coming. PISCES flips that: you paste your current site's URL (or describe your business) and the AI builds the entire site in about 90 seconds, then you edit it by typing plain English. It hosts your site, handles blog, e-commerce with Stripe checkout and booking, and on Pro you can export the whole thing as a Next.js project you own. Try the free preview first and compare the result with your IONOS plan before spending anything.
| Feature | PISCES | IONOS |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free preview; paid from $99/mo | $1 to $10/mo first year; renews ~$18 to $30/mo |
| Who does the work | The AI builds the whole site; you approve and edit in plain English | You edit templates |
| Time to a finished site | About 90 seconds to a full preview | Days |
| Blog / CMS | Yes (Pro) | Basic |
| E-commerce | Yes, Stripe checkout (Pro) | Basic |
| Booking / scheduling | Yes, built in | Embeds |
| AI edits in plain English | Yes, core feature | Decent AI tools |
| Own your code (export) | Yes, full Next.js project zip on Pro | None |
| Best for | Business owners who want the site done for them, with code they own | Cheapest possible first year |
What IONOS gets right
This is an honest comparison, so credit where due. IONOS bundles domain and email into genuinely cheap first-year pricing, and the personal-assistant support model is a nice touch for beginners.
- Nearly free first year with domain and email included
- Personal support assistant for beginners
Where PISCES wins
The core difference is labor. IONOS sells you an editor; PISCES sells you a finished website. You do not arrange sections, hunt templates or learn an interface. The AI does the design, the copywriting and the structure, and you steer it in plain English.
- Speed: a complete, styled, written site in about 90 seconds from your URL or a prompt, not days of dragging blocks.
- The rebuild demo: paste your current IONOS site's URL into the free preview and see the AI's version side by side before you decide anything.
- Real business features: blog and CMS, e-commerce with Stripe checkout, booking, lead forms. One platform, no plugin hunting.
- No lock-in: Pro exports your entire site as a Next.js project zip. IONOS has no export.
- A team behind it: PISCES is built by Marketing By Magnet, an agency that runs growth for real businesses, so the sites are built to convert, not just to look pretty.
Where IONOS still makes sense
Pick IONOS if you want the cheapest possible first year and will genuinely reevaluate before renewal hits.
Common complaints from IONOS users
- Renewals land at many multiples of the teaser
- Dated editor, limited customization
- Upsell-heavy account experience
Pricing reality: As of July 2026 IONOS advertises $1/mo (Starter) to about $10/mo (Pro) for year one, with real renewal prices commonly in the $18 to $30/mo range, the definitive teaser-to-renewal gap in the category.
See your site rebuilt by AI, free
Paste your current website's URL and PISCES rebuilds it, 10x better, in about 90 seconds. Keep it only if you love it.
Get my free rebuild →Frequently asked questions
Why is IONOS so cheap?
Year one is a customer-acquisition teaser. The business model is the renewal. Calendar your renewal date the day you sign up, or the $1 site quietly becomes a $25/mo site.
Can I move my site from IONOS to PISCES?
Yes, and you do not have to export anything. PISCES rebuilds directly from your live URL: paste your current IONOS site's address into the free preview at marketingbymagnet.com/design and the AI rebuilds the whole site in about 90 seconds. You review it, edit it in plain English, and connect your domain when you are ready.
Is PISCES really free to try?
Yes. The free preview rebuilds your site (or builds one from scratch) with no credit card. You only pay if you keep it: Starter is $99/mo for a 5 page site with a custom domain, Pro is $399/mo with blog, CMS, lead forms with Stripe checkout and full code export.
Am I locked into PISCES the way I would be with a site builder?
No. On Pro and up you can download your entire site as a Next.js project zip and host it anywhere. Most website builders, including IONOS, never let you take working code with you. PISCES treats your site as code you own.