Scaleway vs IONOS
Both Scaleway and IONOS are European-built, GDPR-compliant solutions in the cloud hosting & iaas space. This comparison breaks down their features, pricing, compliance posture, and data residency so you can make an informed choice for your team.
Quick Overview
Scaleway
EU- Headquarters
- Paris, FR
- Pricing
- From €7/mo (usage-based)
- Open Source
- No
IONOS
EU- Headquarters
- Montabaur, DE
- Pricing
- From €1/mo
- Open Source
- No
Key Differences
- Scaleway uses usage-based pricing starting at €7/month, while iONOS starts at €1/month. The different pricing models mean you should evaluate which approach better fits your usage pattern.
- Data residency differs: Scaleway hosts data in France, Netherlands, Poland, while IONOS hosts in Germany, GB, Spain, US. If your organisation requires data to stay in a specific EU country, this distinction matters for compliance.
- Scaleway holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications, providing third-party assurance of its security practices. IONOS does not currently hold these certifications, which may matter if your organisation requires them for vendor approval.
- IONOS was founded in 1988, giving it a 11-year head start over Scaleway (founded 1999). More time in market often means a larger user community and more mature integrations, though newer entrants may offer more modern architectures.
- Each product has unique strengths: Scaleway offers Virtual instances and Bare metal servers, while IONOS provides Cloud servers (VPS) and Dedicated servers. Your choice depends on which capabilities matter most for your workflow.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Scaleway | IONOS |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Scaleway | IONOS |
| Pricing | From €7/mo (usage-based) | From €1/mo |
| Free Tier | ||
| GDPR | ||
| ISO 27001 | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Headquarters | Paris, FR | Montabaur, DE |
| Data Centers | FR, NL, PL | DE, GB, ES, US |
| Virtual instances | ||
| Bare metal servers | ||
| GPU instances | ||
| Managed Kubernetes | ||
| Serverless functions | ||
| Object storage | ||
| Managed databases | ||
| Transactional email | ||
| IoT Hub | ||
| AI inference endpoints | ||
| Cloud servers (VPS) | ||
| Dedicated servers | ||
| S3-compatible object storage | ||
| Web hosting | ||
| Domain registration | ||
| Website builder | ||
| Managed WordPress | ||
| Email hosting | ||
| API and CLI tools |
Pricing Comparison
Scaleway
From €7/mo (usage-based)pay-as-you-go
IONOS
From €1/mosubscription
Compliance Comparison
Scaleway
GDPRISO 27001SOC 2DPA
IONOS
GDPRISO 27001DPA
Get Started
Categories
How to Choose
You need enterprise-grade support and stability
Choose Scaleway
You prefer a nimble provider with personalised support
Choose IONOS
Scaleway vs IONOS — FAQ
What is the main difference between Scaleway and IONOS?
Both Scaleway and IONOS are European cloud hosting & iaas solutions with full GDPR compliance. The key differences lie in their approach: Scaleway uses pay-as-you-go pricing while IONOS uses subscription. Scaleway is headquartered in Paris, France, while IONOS is based in Montabaur, Germany. Your choice should depend on your specific requirements for features, pricing, and data residency.
Which is more affordable, Scaleway or IONOS?
Scaleway uses usage-based pricing starting at €7/month, while iONOS starts at €1/month. Pricing models differ (pay-as-you-go vs. subscription), so compare based on your usage pattern rather than just the starting price.
Are both Scaleway and IONOS GDPR compliant?
Yes. Both Scaleway and IONOS are European companies that store data within the EU/EEA and offer Data Processing Agreements. Neither is subject to the US CLOUD Act or FISA surveillance. Additionally, Scaleway and IONOS hold ISO 27001 certification. For GDPR purposes, either option eliminates the legal risks associated with using US-based services.