How to cancel Hostinger (and keep your domain and files)
Turn off auto-renewal, cancel a plan immediately, or close the whole account, step by step in hPanel. Plus what happens to your domain, email and website files, and what to back up first.
Pick the right kind of cancellation
"Cancel" covers three different things at Hostinger, and choosing the wrong one is how people lose a website they meant to keep for a few more months.
| What you do | What happens | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Turn off auto-renewal | The plan runs until the paid term ends, then expires | You've paid for the term and just don't want to renew |
| Cancel immediately | The plan stops now and its data is deleted; a refund applies within 30 days | You're inside the 30-day guarantee and want your money back |
| Close the account | Everything on the account is removed | You've moved everything elsewhere, domains included |
Before you cancel: back up three things
Immediate cancellation deletes the plan's data. Even when you only turn off auto-renewal, the data goes when the plan expires. Save these first:
- Website files and databases. In hPanel, open the website, go to Files → Backups and download the latest file and database backup. On WordPress, a plugin export works too.
- Email. Mailboxes on the plan are deleted with it. Export them through an email client (IMAP), or move them to the new provider first.
- VPS data. Take a snapshot for safety, but snapshots live on Hostinger and go with the server. Copy anything you need off the machine with rsync or scp.
Option 1 — Turn off auto-renewal
The safest choice if you've already paid for the term:
- Log in to hPanel and open Billing → Subscriptions.
- Find the plan and switch auto-renewal off (in the plan's settings or the auto-renewal toggle).
- Confirm. The plan stays fully working until its expiry date, and you won't be charged again.
Option 2 — Cancel immediately (and get a refund)
In Billing → Subscriptions, open the plan's settings and choose the option to cancel the subscription now. Inside the first 30 days this includes a refund for the hosting. hPanel shows the amount before you confirm.
If the option isn't there, ask support in live chat to cancel the plan and process the refund. Chat is in hPanel, available 24/7.
Option 3 — Close the whole account
There's no self-service "delete account" button for every case. Cancel or expire every subscription first, move your domains out, then ask support in chat to close the account and delete your personal data.
What happens to your domain
Cancelling hosting doesn't cancel a domain registration. The domain stays yours until its expiry date, including the free domain that came with your plan, and it keeps whatever DNS records it has.
To keep the domain long term, either renew it at Hostinger or transfer it to another registrar. Get the transfer (EPP) code from the domain's settings in hPanel and unlock the domain. New registrations and recent transfers have a 60-day lock, so you may need to wait before transferring.
Cancelling because of the renewal price?
That's the most common reason, and there's often a cheaper fix than moving hosts. Buying a new long-term plan on a promotional price can cost less than renewing, and moving the site across takes minutes with Hostinger's migration tool.
If you go that way, WEBHOST2026 applies to the new plan through the links on this site.
Frequently asked questions
Does Hostinger charge a cancellation fee?
No. Turning off auto-renewal or cancelling a plan is free. Within 30 days you get the hosting refunded; after that you simply aren't charged again.
If I cancel, does my website go offline right away?
Only with immediate cancellation. If you just turn off auto-renewal, the site keeps running until the end of the term you paid for.
Can I cancel Hostinger and keep my domain?
Yes. The domain is a separate subscription and stays yours until it expires. Renew it or transfer it to another registrar when you're ready.
How do I stop Hostinger charging my card?
Turn off auto-renewal for every subscription (hosting, domain, email) in Billing → Subscriptions. You can also remove the saved card in the payment methods section.
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