Do not cancel on cutover day
The old host is your rollback. Until the new site has handled real member traffic, scheduled jobs and at least one batch of renewals, a working copy on the old server is the fastest way back if something was missed. It is also where any stray writes from the DNS transition landed, which you may need to reconcile.
A practical rule: keep the old account until three things are true. The new site has run through a normal billing cycle check for your memberships, the last old-host backup has been downloaded and restored somewhere as a test, and an inventory shows nothing else depends on the old account. The backup restore rehearsal guide covers how to prove a backup is usable.
Find what still depends on the old account
Hosting accounts often hold more than the website. Before cancelling, check each item below. Mailboxes at the host are the most common surprise: if your MX records point there, cancelling deletes the mailboxes, and the email DNS records guide explains how to move them first.
| Dependency | How to check | Action before cancelling |
|---|---|---|
| Website files and database | Old host file manager or SSH | Download a final full backup and test-restore it |
| Email mailboxes | MX records point to the old host | Migrate mailboxes and update MX first |
| DNS zone | Domain's nameservers are the old host's | Move the zone to the new DNS provider and wait for the change |
| Domain registration | Registrar is the old host | Transfer the domain out, or keep it there with renewal on |
| Other sites or staging copies | Account site list | Confirm nothing else is still live |
| Cron jobs, scripts, SFTP users | Control panel | Recreate what is needed on the new host; delete credentials |
Refund and money-back windows
SiteGround documents a 30-day money back guarantee for all of its shared hosting plans and 14 days for cloud hosting plans. For renewals of refundable services, it says it can issue a full refund if cancellation is requested within 30 days and before the renewal term begins, and a partial refund, minus the first month's fees, if the renewal term has already started; the 30 days run from when SiteGround receives the renewal payment. Domain name fees are not refundable and may be due upon cancellation, and paid support or third-party services are not covered. Refunds are requested by cancelling the service in the Client Area.
Kinsta says that if you cancel within 30 days after activating a plan, it will refund the fees of any Managed WordPress Hosting plan, but the guarantee is only available to first-time customers. One-time fees, overages and dedicated server fees are excluded. Where Kinsta's first month was free, the money-back guarantee applies from the renewal date. The company owner cancels the plan from within MyKinsta.
In practice most people leaving a host are long past any initial guarantee. The window that matters is the renewal date: a renewal that has just been charged may be partly or fully refundable under the host's terms, and one that has not yet been charged can be stopped.
Auto-renewal and domains held at the host
SiteGround says all of its shared and cloud hosting plans are set on automatic recurring billing, and that plans with 12+ months renewal period are auto-renewed 15 days prior to their expiration. It provides an Autorenewal toggle in the plan's renewal settings. Turn that off as soon as you have decided to leave, even if you plan to keep the account for a few more weeks.
Domains need separate attention. SiteGround says it is not directly possible to cancel a domain name; you stop the automatic renewal and it will remain active until its expiration date. If you want to keep the domain, either keep renewal on at the old host or transfer it to another registrar. ICANN's registrant guidance says an Auth-Code is required to transfer a domain between registrars, that your registrar must provide it within five calendar days of your request, and that a registrar may deny a transfer within 60 days of initial registration or a previous transfer. Start a domain transfer well before any hosting cancellation that could lock you out of the account.
Cancellation checklist
- New site stable through member logins, renewals and scheduled jobs; old-host traffic has stopped.
- Final full backup downloaded, stored off both hosts, and test-restored.
- Mailboxes migrated and MX updated; DNS zone moved if the old host ran it.
- Domain transferred out or renewal confirmed; Auth-Code requested early.
- Auto-renewal turned off on the hosting plan and any add-ons.
- Check the host's refund terms against your last charge date, then cancel through the control panel and keep the confirmation.
Questions before you decide
Can I get a refund on a hosting renewal I forgot to cancel?
It depends on the host. SiteGround documents a full refund for renewals of refundable services if cancellation is requested within 30 days of the renewal payment and before the term starts, and a partial refund minus the first month if the term has started; domain fees are not refundable. Check your host's current refund page.
Does cancelling hosting cancel my domain?
Not necessarily. At SiteGround, a domain cannot be cancelled directly; you stop its auto-renewal and it stays active until expiration. Decide whether to transfer it out or keep renewing it before you cancel hosting.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- SiteGround KB: What is your refund policy? Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- SiteGround KB: How to stop the automatic billing for my hosting plan? Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- SiteGround KB: How to cancel my domain? Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Kinsta Docs: Money-Back Guarantee Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- ICANN: Registrant FAQs on domain transfers Accessed 13 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.