Is there a minimum contract or commitment?

No, UnderHost does not require long-term contracts for most hosting services. You can choose month-to-month billing and cancel anytime. Hosting stays active until the end of your paid period, and there are no early termination fees on standard monthly plans.

Monthly billing

Month-to-month hosting is the most flexible option. You pay once per month (or your chosen billing cycle), and the service auto-renews each month unless you cancel.

How monthly billing works:

• You pay for 1 month of service upfront
• Service renews on the same day each month (e.g., June 5 → July 5 → August 5)
• You can cancel anytime, and service stays active through the current paid month
• No penalty for cancelling; no minimum billing period required
• No "setup fee" on monthly plans (some annual plans have setup discounts instead)

Example monthly cancellation scenario:

• You buy shared hosting on June 5, 2026 for $9.99/month
• On July 4, you decide to cancel
• Service stays active until July 5 (end of paid month)
• No refund issued (you paid for a full month of service)
• On July 6, your account is suspended

Annual billing

Annual billing commits you to a full year, but often includes a discount (e.g., 2-3 months free compared to monthly).

How annual billing works:

• You pay a lump sum for 12 months of service upfront
• Service renews after 12 months (you can cancel before renewal)
• Early cancellation: Refund eligibility depends on UnderHost's refund policy and service type
• Eligible first-time shared hosting and reseller hosting plans may include a 14-day money-back guarantee where expressly advertised
• VPS, cloud servers, dedicated servers, domains, licenses, addons, setup fees, management work, migrations, IP addresses, SSL certificates, CDN services, and third-party costs are non-refundable once ordered, provisioned, issued, allocated, or delivered

Example annual scenario:

• You buy annual shared hosting for $99.99 (usually $9.99 × 12 = $119.88 monthly equivalent)
• After 2 weeks, you're unsatisfied
• Within the 14-day refund window, you can cancel and request a refund if the plan is eligible and the guarantee was advertised
• Refunds are reviewed by billing and are not automatic
• If you cancel after 14 days, the service is non-refundable but stays active until the annual period ends

Important exceptions: Services with contracts

Most hosting is contract-free, but some services have special terms:

• Domain registrations: Non-refundable once registered by the registry (typical industry-wide policy). You can usually avoid auto-renewal by disabling it before expiry.
• SSL certificates (paid): Non-refundable after issuance; however, Let's Encrypt free SSL is fully cancellable with hosting
• VPS and cloud servers: Non-refundable after order, provisioning, allocation, or delivery.
• Dedicated servers & custom quotes: May include minimum contract periods (e.g., 12 months) or setup fees. Always check the quote before ordering.
• Licensed software (cPanel, Plesk, control panels, and third-party software): Non-refundable after order, issuance, allocation, or delivery.
• Setup fees, management fees, administration work, migrations, addons, IP addresses, CDN services, and third-party costs: Non-refundable once provisioned, delivered, or consumed.
• Reseller packages with guarantees: Eligible first-time reseller hosting plans may be refundable within 14 days only where the guarantee is expressly advertised.

Early cancellation policy

If you cancel an annual plan early, here's what happens:

• Within the 14-day money-back guarantee: Eligible first-time shared hosting or reseller hosting plans may be refundable where the guarantee is expressly advertised
• After 14 days (before annual expiry): The service is non-refundable but stays active until the paid period ends if cancelled for end-of-term
• No early termination fees: Unlike traditional ISPs or contracts, UnderHost does not charge penalties for early cancellation

For example, if you paid $99.99 for annual hosting and cancel after 4 months:

• You used 4 months at $8.33/month equivalent = $33.32
• The remaining term is normally not refunded after the 14-day eligible first-order guarantee has passed
• Open a billing ticket if you believe there was a billing error or special advertised guarantee on your order

How to cancel a service

1. Log in to CustomerPanel
2. Click the service you want to cancel (e.g., shared hosting, VPS, dedicated server)
3. Look for Cancel Service or Terminate Account button
4. Select the cancellation reason (optional feedback)
5. Confirm the cancellation
6. You'll receive a confirmation email with refund information (if applicable)
7. Service remains active until the end of your paid period

Important: Before cancelling, download all website files, databases, and backups. Once cancelled, you have limited time to recover data.

Refund eligibility and timeline

Refund eligibility depends on service type and time elapsed:

Refunds are typically issued to the original payment method within 5-10 business days of approval.

Manage renewals and prevent surprises

To avoid unexpected charges:

1. Check renewal dates: Log in to CustomerPanel and review renewal dates for all services
2. Disable auto-renewal: If you want to cancel a service, disable auto-renewal before the renewal date arrives
3. Set billing alerts: Enable email reminders from CustomerPanel for upcoming renewals
4. Review charges monthly: Check your billing statement regularly for unexpected charges or price changes
5. Plan ahead for domains: Set calendar reminders 30 days before domain expiry (domains cannot be renewed after 42 days of expiration)

Related: How to cancel | Refund policy | Billing overview | Service renewal

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