1blu Hosting Faces Renewed Customer Backlash Over Dramatic Price Hikes
Table of Contents
Berlin-based web hosting provider 1blu is once again facing scrutiny as customers report a new round of meaningful price increases,sparking concerns about contract fairness and service value.
The latest surge in costs, reported in late December 2025, follows a pattern of increases throughout 2024, leaving many users questioning the long-term viability of remaining with the German host. Established in 2005, 1blu serves over 300,000 customer contracts, positioning itself as a leading provider in the German market. However, recent experiences suggest a growing disconnect between the company’s stated commitment to quality and the financial realities for its customer base.
A History of Price Adjustments
The current situation builds upon a series of price adjustments that began to raise eyebrows in early 2024. in March 2024, users on the ComputerBase forum noted a modest increase, with monthly prices rising from €1.25 to €1.50. While seemingly minor, this initial adjustment signaled a shift in 1blu’s pricing strategy.
The situation escalated dramatically in September 2024, with reports emerging on the mydealz forum of a “significant” price increase. One user reported their package cost jumping from €2.28 to €9.99 per month. In a customer message, 1blu justified the increase by citing rising costs for qualified personnel, software, hardware, domains, and licenses, stating the adjustments were necessary to “continue to ensure the high quality and stability of our services.”
Though, this explanation did little to quell customer frustration. As one user pointed out on mydealz, “From 2.28 to 9.99 euros is crazy.” The company reportedly allowed customers to cancel their contracts at the time, and even offered the option to continue with the original terms, a practice that appears to have ended with the latest price hike.Discussions on the Synology forum in October 2024 further highlighted the extent of the increases, with some users reporting a quadrupling of their monthly fees.
Concerns Over Contractual fairness
The latest price increase, reported by a blog reader on December 21, 2025, has ignited a new wave of concern, particularly regarding the legality of the adjustments. The reader, who had previously experienced a fourfold increase on a long-standing “cheap tariff” approximately one year prior, noted that the option to object to the new increase appears to have been removed.
This raises critical questions about the provider’s adherence to German contract law. According to the reader, 1blu is not referencing any special right of termination, and a price increase of this magnitude may require explicit customer consent or a contract termination and renewal offer. A legal website referenced in the original report provides further data on this topic.
The reader also questioned the justification for the price increases, suggesting that the long-term profitability of the previously low-cost tariffs had not been adequately considered. “For many years the contract, even though it was very cheap, seemed to have obviously made money,” they wrote.
Reputation and Alternatives
1blu’s reputation has also taken a hit in recent years.A 2018 review by Netzwelt described the host as offering “fair prices” but cautioned that users needed to be technically proficient. More recently, the company received a 2.2 “poor” rating on TrustPilot, based on 240 reviews. While the relatively small sample size warrants caution, the negative sentiment is consistent with the growing dissatisfaction expressed in online forums.
Alternatives to 1blu exist, though some have faced their own challenges. hostinger, mentioned by Netzwelt in 2018, experienced a significant data breach affecting 14 million customers in 2019. The acquisition of Manitu by 1blu also drew criticism, with some users reporting issues with DNS entries following the integration.
As customers grapple with the latest price increases, the question remains: is the value offered by 1blu still commensurate with the cost? The growing chorus of complaints suggests that for many, the answer is increasingly becoming “no.”
.
