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How to cancel Hetzner Cloud

Hetzner Cloud bills each server hourly, up to a monthly cap, for as long as it exists, even powered off. Delete servers, Primary and Floating IPs, Snapshots and Backups to stop charges. Ending the contract needs 30 days' notice to the end of a month, by letter, fax, email or your account.

By Stackcut · Partly confirmed (see what's unverified) on 2026-10-08, then re-checked independently · JSON · Open data, CC BY 4.0

Open Hetzner Cloud's cancel page

The short answer

  • Where: Delete each cloud server you no longer need. Powering it off doesn't stop billing: Hetzner bills a server for as long as it exists (console.hetzner.com).
  • When it ends: Billing for a server stops when you delete it. If you delete a server before the end of the billing month, you pay only the hourly rate for that time. Invoices cover full calendar months and may be created up to 28 days after the month ends, so a final invoice can arrive after you delete everything.
  • Before you go: export Your personal data held by Hetzner. What to save
  • Want to keep it for less? Cheaper plan and more. Options

Before you cancel

Export first

  • Your personal data held by Hetzner: Ask Hetzner's data protection officer at data-protection@hetzner.com (A structured, commonly used, machine-readable format) hetzner.com

What happens to your data

After a customer account is deactivated, data is kept for 3 years without product usage, or 14 years with product usage (invoicing), then deleted.

What you lose

  • Cloud servers, Primary IPs, Floating IPs, Backups and Snapshots you delete. Anything not deleted keeps billing
  • Data on a server once it is deleted. The billing docs don't describe recovery

Cancel, by who bills you

Pick the route for whoever charges you: the name on your card statement or receipt tells you.

Delete servers and resources

Online, self-serve Cloud servers, Primary IPs, Floating IPs, Backups and Snapshots in a Cloud project. Who can cancel: Whoever runs the project. The billing docs don't name a role.

  1. Delete each cloud server you no longer need. Powering it off doesn't stop billing: Hetzner bills a server for as long as it exists
  2. If a resource has deletion protection, turn the protection off first, then delete it
  3. Delete any Primary IPs and Floating IPs you no longer need, since they are billed separately until deleted
  4. Delete Snapshots you no longer need. They are billed per gigabyte per month and are never deleted automatically
  5. Check the Backups you have turned on. Each one is billed at a flat 20% of its server's price
Access ends
Billing for a server stops when you delete it. If you delete a server before the end of the billing month, you pay only the hourly rate for that time. Invoices cover full calendar months and may be created up to 28 days after the month ends, so a final invoice can arrive after you delete everything
Open the page
Source: docs.hetzner.com docs.hetzner.com docs.hetzner.com

Terminate the contract

By email The customer contract with Hetzner, which covers the Cloud account. Notice periods can differ by service. Who can cancel: The customer. Either party may terminate.

  1. Delete the servers and other resources you no longer need first, since billing continues until you delete them
  2. Send notice of termination in text form: by letter, fax, email, or through your Customer account
  3. Give 30 days' notice, which runs to the end of a month
Access ends
At the end of the month, after 30 days' notice
Notice
30 days' notice, to the end of the month. For US customers, the contracts renew automatically until terminated
Refunds
The Terms describe refunds only for a cancellation within fourteen days after the contract is concluded: Hetzner then refunds payments within fourteen days, by the original means of payment, at no fee. No refund is stated for ending the contract later
Fees
No termination fee is stated. Within the fourteen-day cancellation window, a service that has already begun is invoiced pro rata
Source: hetzner.com

Questions people ask

Can I get a refund if I cancel Hetzner Cloud?

Terminate the contract: The Terms describe refunds only for a cancellation within fourteen days after the contract is concluded: Hetzner then refunds payments within fourteen days, by the original means of payment, at no fee. No refund is stated for ending the contract later.

Source: hetzner.com

If I cancel Hetzner Cloud, when does my access end?

Delete servers and resources: Billing for a server stops when you delete it. If you delete a server before the end of the billing month, you pay only the hourly rate for that time. Invoices cover full calendar months and may be created up to 28 days after the month ends, so a final invoice can arrive after you delete everything. Terminate the contract: At the end of the month, after 30 days' notice.

Source: docs.hetzner.com hetzner.com

Is there a fee to cancel Hetzner Cloud?

Terminate the contract: No termination fee is stated. Within the fourteen-day cancellation window, a service that has already begun is invoiced pro rata.

Source: hetzner.com

How long before renewal do I need to cancel Hetzner Cloud?

Terminate the contract: 30 days' notice, to the end of the month. For US customers, the contracts renew automatically until terminated.

Source: hetzner.com

What happens to my data when I cancel Hetzner Cloud?

After a customer account is deactivated, data is kept for 3 years without product usage, or 14 years with product usage (invoicing), then deleted.

Source: hetzner.com docs.hetzner.com

Keep it for less

Before cancelling, check whether one of these does the job. Offers change and differ by account.

  • Cheaper plan Rescale a server to a cheaper plan. You can't rescale to a plan with a smaller disk docs.hetzner.com

For AI agents

  • The person signs in and handles any two-factor code; an agent should never ask for a password.
  • A powered-off server is still billed: delete it to stop charges
  • Primary IPs, Floating IPs and Snapshots are billed separately and stop only when you delete them
  • Traffic and cost notifications don't cap or stop usage
  • Within fourteen days after the contract is concluded, you can cancel without giving reasons
  • US customers' contracts renew automatically until either party terminates

Get this plan as data: get_exit_plan on the Stackcut MCP (stackcut.io/mcp), or /exits/hetzner.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 easy).

Link from JustDeleteMe (MIT).

Sources

  1. Cloud billing FAQ Servers have both a monthly price cap and a price per hour. (hourly billing with a monthly cap)
  2. Cloud billing FAQ Your server's bill will never exceed its monthly price cap. (the monthly cap)
  3. Cloud billing FAQ We will bill you for each cloud server until you choose to delete them. (servers are billed until deleted)
  4. Cloud billing FAQ If you delete your cloud server before the end of the billing month, we will only bill you for the hourly rate. (early deletion within a month)
  5. Cloud billing FAQ If you want to stop paying for a Primary IP, you need to delete it. (deleting Primary IPs stops billing)
  6. Cloud billing FAQ We bill Primary IPs (IPv4, IPv6) and cloud servers separately, and we list both resources separately in invoices. (separate billing and invoice lines)
  7. Cloud billing FAQ We will bill you for Backups with a monthly flat price, which is 20% of the price of the server you activate them for. (Backups cost 20% of the server price)
  8. Terms and conditions The contract may be terminated by either party with 30 days' notice to the end of the month (the notice period)
  9. Terms and conditions Notice of termination may be given in text form by letter, fax, email or via the Customer's account. (how notice is sent)
  10. Terms and conditions Differing periods of notice may apply to the Customers depending on the description of relevant services. (notice differs by service)
  11. Terms and conditions Contracts are concluded for an unlimited time period unless otherwise agreed. (contracts run without an end date)
  12. Terms and conditions The Customer has the right to cancel this contract within fourteen days after the conclusion of the contract (the 14-day right to cancel)
  13. Terms and conditions The contracts will continue and automatically renew themselves until terminated by either party. (automatic renewal for US customers)
  14. Terms and conditions we will immediately or at the latest fourteen days from the date of our receiving the notice of cancellation of this contract, refund all payments (refund timing after cancellation)
  15. Terms and conditions If the cancelled item is a service that has already begun at the time of cancellation (pro rata invoice for services already begun)
  16. Terms and conditions we will invoice the Customer for the corresponding pro rata amount. (the pro rata amount)
  17. Privacy policy After a customer account is deactivated, the following retention periods apply: (retention after deactivation)
  18. Privacy policy Without product usage: 3 years (3 years without usage)
  19. Privacy policy With product usage (invoicing): 14 years (14 years with usage)
  20. Privacy policy Once these periods have expired, your data will be deleted. (deletion after the periods)
  21. Terms and conditions This refund will use the same means of payment that the Customer used in the original transaction, (refund uses the original means of payment)
  22. Terms and conditions Under no circumstances is the Customer charged any fees for this refund. (no fee for the refund)
  23. Cloud billing FAQ you pay for a server that has completed the creation process for as long as it exists. (servers bill while they exist)
  24. Cloud billing FAQ Even if you aren't actively using your server, we will bill you for it. (unused servers are billed)
  25. Cloud billing FAQ We will bill you for Snapshots per gigabyte per month. (snapshot billing)
  26. Backups and Snapshots overview Snapshots are never deleted or updated automatically. (snapshots stay until deleted)
  27. Cloud billing FAQ We will bill you for Floating IPs on a monthly basis. (Floating IP billing)
  28. Cloud servers FAQ Before you can delete a protected resource, you have to deactivate the deletion protection. (deletion protection)
  29. Cloud billing FAQ To space out invoices, we may create them up to 28 days after the last month was completed. (invoice timing)
  30. Cloud servers FAQ rescale to and from a plan with shared resources or up- and downgrade to another plan (downgrading a plan)
  31. Cloud servers FAQ Rescaling to a plan with a smaller disk is not possible, regardless of how much storage you are actually using. (no disk downgrade)
  32. Privacy policy You have the right to receive your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. (data portability)
  33. Privacy policy If you would like to make use of any of these rights, please contact our data protection officer directly. (how to request your data)
  34. Cloud billing FAQ These notifications are a convenience to help you keep track of your usage; they do not cap or stop it. (notifications don't cap usage)

Not confirmed yet

  • Hetzner's public docs don't give the console steps for closing a customer account
  • How to remove a payment method or credit card isn't in Hetzner's public billing docs
  • How to turn off Backups isn't in Hetzner's billing FAQ or Backups overview
  • Volumes, Load Balancers and Object Storage billing aren't covered in the Cloud billing FAQ, so whether each must be deleted separately isn't confirmed there
  • Whether server Backups or Snapshots can be downloaded before deletion isn't documented
  • Refunds of unused prepaid amounts outside the fourteen-day cancellation window aren't covered in the Terms

Independent re-check, 2026-10-08

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), 2026-10-08. Cancel flows change: if this one did, tell us at support@stackcut.io. Stackcut Exits is open data (CC BY 4.0).