Refund terms side by side
| Host | Window | Who qualifies | Not refunded | How to request |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SiteGround | 30 days (shared hosting); 14 days (Cloud), from activation | Shared and Cloud hosting accounts, counted from activation | Domain name fees (may be charged even if a promotion waived them); paid support and third-party services | Cancel the service in the Client Area; the knowledge base says refund requests are made that way, with support helping only if cancellation runs into problems |
| Kinsta | 30 days after activating the plan | First-time customers only; switching plans does not restart the window | Dedicated server fees, one-time fees, overages; fees incurred in the first 30 days are deducted | Company Owner cancels in Company settings > My Plan |
| KnownHost | First 30 days of service | New customers only; additional packages after a first purchase do not qualify | Dedicated servers, domain registrations, SSL certificates; exceeding bandwidth or breaking the ToS or AUP voids it | Cancellation request to billing from the primary email, with main IP and hostname |
| WP Engine | None stated in the current terms, plans page or FAQ | Not applicable | Fees not refundable except as expressly stated in the terms | Cancellation needs 30 days notice through WP Engine cancellation form, per its FAQ |
| Liquid Web | None published | Not applicable | All services non-cancellable and all fees non-refundable under the terms | Not applicable |
| DigitalOcean | None published | Not applicable | Fees paid are non-refundable unless otherwise agreed | Not applicable |
Renewals and cancelling after the window
SiteGround is the only one of the six that publishes a renewal refund. If you cancel within 30 days of a renewal payment and the renewal term has not started, you get a full refund; if it has started, you get the renewal fees minus the first month.
Kinsta: after the first 30 days, cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period, so an annual plan cancelled in May with a renewal date in August runs to August. Cancelled add-ons earn a prorated account credit that has no cash value and is non-refundable.
KnownHost: all payments are non-refundable after the first 30 days. Switching from a multi-month cycle to monthly within 30 days may produce a refund or credit; after 30 days, credit only. Domains can be cancelled within three days of purchase for a full refund minus transaction fees.
Liquid Web: the terms allow ending an order early with 30 days' written notice, but early termination charges apply and unused service and referral credits are forfeited. DigitalOcean: committed usage or reserved capacity is non-cancellable and any unpaid remainder becomes due on cancellation.
Worked example: what a refund actually returns
These are illustrative figures, not quotes. Suppose a first-time Kinsta customer pays $350 for an annual plan, runs up $40 of visit overages during a launch, and cancels on day 25. Under Kinsta's terms, fees incurred during the first 30 days are deducted, so the refund is $310; if the incurred fees were larger than the refund, the customer would owe the difference.
Now suppose a SiteGround shared customer took a free domain with the plan and cancels on day 20. The hosting fee is refunded, but SiteGround says domain fees are non-refundable and may be charged on cancellation even when a promotion waived them; the domain stays in the account until it expires.
On Kinsta's plans with a free first month (Single 35k visits, Single 20GB bandwidth, WP 2 and Launch), the 30-day guarantee starts on the renewal date, so the refund window covers the first paid month rather than the free one.
Using a refund window to test a course site
- Note the activation date and the last refund day in your calendar, allowing for time zones
- Move a staging copy first, not the live site, so cancelling does not need a second migration
- Test logged-in lesson pages, checkout and renewal emails under realistic load
- Open one support ticket with a real technical question and judge the answer
- Download a full backup to confirm you can leave with your data
- Avoid add-ons, overages and domain purchases during the trial, since several hosts exclude them
- Cancel through the documented channel: SiteGround says refund requests are made by cancelling in the Client Area, not through a chat or email request
Who should rely on a guarantee, and who should not
A guarantee is useful for a first-time buyer moving a small course site who wants to test performance and support. It is not a substitute for checking renewal prices and contract terms: two of the largest managed hosts here, WP Engine and Liquid Web, state no refund window in the terms checked, and DigitalOcean bills usage with no guarantee. If you need the option to leave, choose monthly billing at those hosts and treat the first month as the trial.
Questions before you decide
Does WP Engine have a money-back guarantee?
None is stated in the pages checked. WP Engine's terms of service say fees are not refundable except as expressly stated, its plans page and FAQ do not state a money-back period, and the FAQ says cancellation needs 30 days notice through its cancellation form. If sales offers a refund, get it in writing before paying annually.
Is the domain refunded if I cancel SiteGround within 30 days?
No. SiteGround's refund policy says domain name fees are non-refundable and may be charged on cancellation even if a promotion waived them. The domain stays active in your account until it expires.
Can I get Kinsta's refund twice by opening a new account?
Kinsta's money-back guarantee is only available to first-time customers, and switching plans during the first 30 days does not restart the period.
Does KnownHost refund a second VPS I add later?
No. KnownHost's terms say the 30-day guarantee is for new customers only, and additional packages purchased after a first purchase are not eligible.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- SiteGround KB: Refund policy Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Kinsta docs: Money-back guarantee Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Kinsta docs: Cancel a WordPress plan Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- KnownHost: Terms of service Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- KnownHost: WordPress hosting Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Terms of service Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Plans Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Hosting and migration FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Liquid Web: Terms of service Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- DigitalOcean: Terms of service Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.