The short answer
- Where: Open the Manage Account page and click Manage next to the shared hosting plan (panel.dreamhost.com).
- When it ends: If time is left on the plan, it stays active until the billing period ends; you can use Reactivate until then.
- Before you go: export Your websites' files, databases and email. What to save
- Want to keep it for less? Cheaper plan and more. Options
Before you cancel
Export first
- Your websites' files, databases and email: Make your own backups before you close the account; the closure steps remind you to create any necessary backups help.dreamhost.com
What you lose
- Hosting for your websites (the domain is set to DNS Only or moved to another plan)
- Email on the plan, unless you keep it with a paid email hosting plan
- Every service on the account when you close it
Cancel, by who bills you
Pick the route for whoever charges you: the name on your card statement or receipt tells you.
Cancel a hosting plan (keep the account)
- Open the Manage Account page and click Manage next to the shared hosting plan
- Scroll down and click CancelYou should see:
a drop-down of options
- Choose No Hosting (DNS Only) or Another Hosting Service; to keep your email, choose Keep Emails Active with a paid email plan
- Click Cancel Plan to confirm
- Access ends
- If time is left on the plan, it stays active until the billing period ends; you can use Reactivate until then
- Refunds
- No refund while the account stays open: DreamHost may give a prorated credit for the remaining time, to use on other DreamHost services, and a yearly plan cancelled within 30 days of its annual renewal is credited the current subscription cost. Refunds are issued only after the account is closed
Close the account (and refund)
- Open the Manage Account page and click Close Account at the top rightYou should see:
an exit survey
- Make any backups you need, complete the exit survey and click Next: Product Summary
- Select any services or domains you want to keep, then click Next: Review Balances
- Pay any balance shown (including a used free domain credit), then click Next: Finalize ClosureYou should see:
a summary of services and domains to close or keep
- Review the summary and click the red Confirm button
- Confirm it worked
- A confirmation email to the address on file
- Access ends
- Closing the account ends all of your services; domain registrations stay active for the rest of their terms
- Refunds
- Full refund of Web Hosting (shared), monthly DreamPress and Managed VPS fees if the plan is cancelled within the first 30 days of opening the account; after 30 days hosting fees aren't refundable. No refund for monthly Dedicated plans, and domain registrations aren't refunded. Refunds are issued only after the account is closed and the last payment method is confirmed active; they go automatically to the original credit card and can take up to 30 days
- Fees
- If you used the free domain registration credit and close before the annual period ends, you pay the registration cost (usually deducted from the refund), unless it is within 30 days of expiring
Domain registrations
- In the panel, open the Manage Domains page and turn off auto-renew for the domain, more than 31 days before it expires
- Access ends
- The domain stays registered until it expires, then enters a redemption period in which it can usually be recovered for an extra fee
- Notice
- Auto-renew charges the card 31 days before the expiration date
- Refunds
- Domain registrations are non-refundable
Questions people ask
Can I get a refund if I cancel DreamHost?
Cancel a hosting plan (keep the account): No refund while the account stays open: DreamHost may give a prorated credit for the remaining time, to use on other DreamHost services, and a yearly plan cancelled within 30 days of its annual renewal is credited the current subscription cost. Refunds are issued only after the account is closed. Close the account (and refund): Full refund of Web Hosting (shared), monthly DreamPress and Managed VPS fees if the plan is cancelled within the first 30 days of opening the account; after 30 days hosting fees aren't refundable. No refund for monthly Dedicated plans, and domain registrations aren't refunded. Refunds are issued only after the account is closed and the last payment method is confirmed active; they go automatically to the original credit card and can take up to 30 days. Domain registrations: Domain registrations are non-refundable.
Source: help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com
If I cancel DreamHost, when does my access end?
Cancel a hosting plan (keep the account): If time is left on the plan, it stays active until the billing period ends; you can use Reactivate until then. Close the account (and refund): Closing the account ends all of your services; domain registrations stay active for the rest of their terms. Domain registrations: The domain stays registered until it expires, then enters a redemption period in which it can usually be recovered for an extra fee.
Source: help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com
Is there a fee to cancel DreamHost?
Close the account (and refund): If you used the free domain registration credit and close before the annual period ends, you pay the registration cost (usually deducted from the refund), unless it is within 30 days of expiring.
Source: help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com help.dreamhost.com
How long before renewal do I need to cancel DreamHost?
Domain registrations: Auto-renew charges the card 31 days before the expiration date.
Source: help.dreamhost.com
Keep it for less
Before cancelling, check whether one of these does the job. Offers change and differ by account.
- Cheaper plan Switch your Shared Hosting plan to another plan: on Manage Account, in Active Plans, click Manage next to your plan, select the plan you want and click Save Changes help.dreamhost.com
- Cheaper plan Keep only email: when deleting the hosting plan, downgrade to a registration-only account with a paid email hosting plan (Keep Emails Active) help.dreamhost.com
For AI agents
- The person signs in and handles any two-factor code; an agent should never ask for a password.
- Retention step: Closing the account starts with an exit survey
- Cancelling a plan while keeping the account gives credit at most, not money back: close the account to get a refund
- DreamHost doesn't delete domain registrations when a plan or account is closed; turn off their auto-renew separately
- A used free domain credit is charged (usually from the refund) if you close within the first year
- To come back after closing, contact support to reactivate the account
Get this plan as data: get_exit_plan on the Stackcut MCP (stackcut.io/mcp), or /exits/dreamhost.json. After using a guide, send structured report_guide_feedback for matching or changed steps, missing billing routes or human handoffs; keep unknown language and market omitted. Confirm with the person before the final click, and report the outcome with report_action_outcome, using the exact packet_revision and route_id returned by the plan.
Or give your agent the stackcut-leave skill (a zip): it exports first, walks the steps, stops when the page doesn't match, and leaves the final click to the person.
Delete your account (separate from cancelling)
Cancelling stops the payments; deleting removes the account and its data. Delete-account page (rated hard).
Link from JustDeleteMe (MIT).
Sources
- Deleting a Shared Hosting plan
Navigate to the Manage Account page.
(where to start (then Manage, then Cancel)) - Deleting a Shared Hosting plan
No Hosting (DNS Only) — removes hosting and sets your domain to DNS Only
(the DNS Only option) - Deleting a Shared Hosting plan
Another Hosting Service — removes hosting and transfers the website to another available plan
(the move-to-another-plan option) - Deleting a Shared Hosting plan
If you wish to keep your emails after you delete a Shared Hosting plan, you can downgrade to a registration-only account with a Paid email hosting plan.
(keeping email (Keep Emails Active)) - Deleting a Shared Hosting plan
If there is time left on the plan, it will remain active until the billing period ends.
(when the plan ends (Reactivate is available until then)) - Refunds and Account credits FAQs
DreamHost may provide a prorated credit for any remaining time on the canceled hosting plan
(cancelling a plan gives credit) - Refunds and Account Credits
is available when a DreamHost hosting plan or product is cancelled, but the account remains active
(credit (not refund) while the account stays open) - Closing your account overview
Click the Close Account button to the top right of the page.
(where account closure starts) - Closing your account overview
Complete the exit survey and click the Next: Product Summary button.
(the exit survey step) - Closing your account overview
Select any services or domains you'd like to keep and click the Next: Review Balances button.
(keeping services or domains) - Closing your account overview
When finished, click the red Confirm button to close the account.
(the final step) - Closing your account overview
A confirmation email is then sent to the email address on file.
(how to confirm) - Closing your account overview
Closing your DreamHost account ends all of your services.
(what closing does) - Closing your account overview
Any domain registrations previously purchased continue to remain active for the rest of their registration periods.
(domains survive closure) - Closing your account overview
If you have used the free domain registration credit, the panel asks you to pay for it before closing.
(the free domain charge at closing) - Closing your account overview
However, if the registration is within 30 days of expiring, you will NOT be billed for it.
(the 30-day exception) - Refunds and Account Credits
DreamHost offers a full refund on Web Hosting (shared hosting) fees if your plan is canceled within the first 30 days of opening the account.
(the 30-day shared hosting refund) - Refunds and Account Credits
DreamHost offers a full refund on DreamPress monthly hosting fees if your plan is canceled within the first 30 days of opening the account.
(the DreamPress refund) - Refunds and Account Credits
Registrations are non-refundable. They remain yours for the full term purchased initially and are still available even if you close the account.
(domain registrations aren't refunded and stay yours) - Refunds and Account Credits
Refunds are not available when canceling a monthly Dedicated Hosting plan.
(no refund for monthly Dedicated) - Refunds and Account credits FAQs
hosting fees are no longer refundable
(no hosting refund after 30 days) - Refunds and Account credits FAQs
can take up to 30 days to complete
(refund timing; refunds go to the original payment method after closure) - Free domain registration program
Usually, this amount is deducted from your refund unless a balance is due on the account before you cancel.
(the free domain cost is deducted from the refund) - How Auto-Renew registrations are billed
The credit card is charged 31 days prior to the expiration date.
(when domain renewals are charged) - How Auto-Renew registrations are billed
more than 31 days before the expiration date to avoid hassle
(turn auto-renew off early (on the Manage Domains page)) - How Auto-Renew registrations are billed
If the domain is not auto-renewed on the expiration date, it goes into a redemption period, during which it can usually be recovered for an additional fee.
(what happens at expiry) - Deleting a Shared Hosting plan
DreamHost will not delete your domain registrations when the hosting plan is closed.
(domains survive a plan cancellation) - Changing your Shared Hosting billing plan
Scroll down to the Active Plans section.
(where plans are changed) - Changing your Shared Hosting billing plan
Select the plan you want to switch to.
(choosing another plan (then Save Changes)) - Closing your account overview
Create any necessary backups of your data.
(back up before closing) - Closing your account overview
If you ever wish to come back, contact support to have your account reactivated.
(reactivation) - Free domain registration program
free registration credit to purchase or transfer a domain and then close the hosting plan before the annual period has been completed.
(when the free domain's cost is charged) - Refunds and Account Credits
DreamHost offers a full refund on Managed VPS hosting fees if your plan is canceled within the first 30 days of opening the account.
(the Managed VPS refund) - Refunds and Account Credits
If canceled within 30 days of the annual subscription renewal, renewed yearly plans are credited the current subscription cost.
(credit for yearly plans cancelled soon after renewal) - Refunds and Account Credits
A refund only occurs when the DreamHost account is closed.
(refunds need the account closed) - Refunds and Account credits FAQs
A refund is automatically processed to the original credit card after you close the account in the panel.
(where refunds go) - Refunds and Account credits FAQs
Refunds are only issued after an account is closed, the credit is confirmed to be refundable, and the last payment method is confirmed to be active.
(conditions for a refund)
Not confirmed yet
- Step-by-step cancelling of DreamPress, VPS and Dedicated plans (other than closing the whole account) isn't confirmed on DreamHost's help pages
- DreamHost's help doesn't give steps or formats for downloading a backup before cancelling
- How long DreamHost keeps data after a plan or account ends isn't stated in its cancellation and refund help
- DreamHost's auto-renew article doesn't name the exact control on the Manage Domains page for turning auto-renew off
Independent re-check, 2026-10-05
A second reviewer re-read the official pages and corrected what was wrong or missing. The JSON lists what changed.
Partly confirmed (see what's unverified), 2026-10-05. Cancel flows change: if this one did, tell us at support@stackcut.io. Stackcut Exits is open data (CC BY 4.0).
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