How Do I Cancel Bluehost And Get A Refund?

How do i cancel Bluehost and get a refund?

If you’ve tried Bluehost and decided it’s not the right fit, you’re not alone. Whether you’re switching hosts or simply ending your project, canceling your Bluehost account and getting a refund can be done easily — if you follow the right steps. 

In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to cancel Bluehost, how the refund policy works, and how to make sure you actually get your money back.

Understanding Bluehost’s Refund Policy

Before you cancel, it’s crucial to know what Bluehost actually refunds. Bluehost offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, but it’s not as simple as “cancel anytime and get a refund.”

Bluehost’s refund window covers:

• Hosting plans only — Shared, VPS, and Dedicated hosting.
• First 30 days only — Cancel after that, and you won’t be refunded for the hosting period.
• Exclusions — Domain names, add-ons, and third-party services (like SEO tools or site builders) are non-refundable.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s refundable:

Pro tip: If you registered a domain through Bluehost, you can still keep it after canceling. You just won’t get the domain fee back. You can point it to a new hosting provider later.

Step-By-Step: How To Cancel Bluehost

Canceling your Bluehost plan takes only a few minutes, but it’s not done through a simple button — you need to contact support. Let’s go step-by-step.

Step 1: Log In to Your Bluehost Account

1. Go to Bluehost.com and click Login.
2. Enter your credentials and access the Dashboard.

You should now see your account’s main control panel — known as the Bluehost Portal.

Step 2: Navigate to “Account Settings”

From the left-hand menu, go to: Account > Billing > Manage Account.

Here, you’ll see details about your plan, renewal date, and payment history.

Step 3: Contact Bluehost Support

Unlike some hosts, Bluehost doesn’t have an instant “Cancel Account” button. You’ll need to contact their support team directly.

You can reach Bluehost support in two ways:

• Live Chat (fastest): Go to Help > Chat Now from your dashboard.
• Phone Support: Call 888-401-4678 (U.S.)

When you connect with an agent, use a direct and polite message like:

“Hi, I’d like to cancel my hosting account and request a refund under the 30-day money-back guarantee.”

The agent may confirm your identity and ask for a reason (you can simply say you’re moving to another provider).

Step 4: Confirm Cancellation and Refund

Once your cancellation is processed, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Refunds are typically issued within 5–10 business days to the original payment method.

Important: If you paid via PayPal, your refund may take slightly longer due to PayPal’s own processing time.

What Happens After You Cancel Bluehost

After canceling, here’s what you can expect:

• Your website goes offline immediately or at the end of your billing cycle (depending on your request).
• Your files and emails will be permanently deleted — so back up your data first before canceling.
• Your domain remains active for the duration you paid for. You can transfer it to another registrar anytime.

To back up your site: From your cPanel, go to Files > Backup > Download a Full Account Backup. Save the .tar.gz file to your computer.

Tips To Ensure You Get Your Refund Smoothly

I’ve seen people lose refunds simply because of small mistakes. Here are key tips to make sure that doesn’t happen:

1. Cancel within 30 days. Bluehost’s refund guarantee is strict — even one day late means no refund.
2. Avoid domain confusion. If you got a free domain with your hosting plan, Bluehost may deduct $15.99 from your refund to cover that registration.
3. Request confirmation in writing. Always ask the agent for an email confirmation of both the cancellation and refund.
4. Check your payment source. Refunds go back to the original payment method (credit card or PayPal).
5. Avoid reactivation. If you re-enable your account after canceling, you might forfeit your refund.

How To Transfer Your Domain or Site After Canceling

If you’re moving away from Bluehost, you probably want to keep your domain or migrate your website elsewhere.

To transfer your domain:

1. From your Bluehost Dashboard, go to Domains > My Domains.
2. Select your domain and click Transfer.
3. Unlock your domain and get the EPP/Authorization Code.
4. Use that code at your new registrar (e.g., Namecheap, Cloudflare).

To migrate your website: If you’ve backed up your files and database, you can easily upload them to your new host using File Manager or FTP.

If you’re switching to SiteGround or Hostinger, they both have free migration tools that import your Bluehost files automatically.

Common Refund Mistakes To Avoid

Here’s what often goes wrong when users try to cancel Bluehost:

• Waiting too long. Refunds after 30 days are rejected automatically.
• Not specifying a refund. Some users only say “cancel” — always say “cancel and request refund.”
• Forgetting to back up. Once canceled, Bluehost deletes everything, even your emails.
• Skipping confirmation. Without written proof, refund disputes can take weeks.

I suggest writing down your cancellation date, refund request ID, and agent name just in case you need follow-up support.

What If You’re Past the 30-Day Refund Period?

If you missed the refund window, all is not lost — but you’ll need a bit of persistence.

Here’s what you can try:

• Contact support and politely explain your situation.
• Mention any technical or service issues you faced — sometimes they’ll offer partial refunds or credits.
• If you were charged for renewal recently, ask for a prorated refund — they occasionally approve it if your renewal was within 3–5 days.

It’s worth trying; human agents can make exceptions that automated systems won’t.

Expert Tip: Secure Your Refund Faster

If you want to speed up your refund, here’s a trick that often works:

1. Use Live Chat instead of email — it’s faster and gets processed immediately.
2. Ask the agent to expedite the refund by marking it “urgent” in your ticket.
3. After 3–5 business days, follow up through the same chat thread.

In my experience, refunds processed through chat get approved up to 2 days faster than email requests.

Final Thoughts

Canceling Bluehost and getting a refund isn’t complicated — it just requires careful timing and communication. If you’re within the 30-day window, reach out to support right away, request both the cancellation and refund explicitly, and confirm it in writing.

If you plan to switch providers, back up your files, transfer your domain, and set up hosting elsewhere before canceling.

Expert takeaway: Bluehost’s refund system works well if you follow the rules exactly. Be proactive, keep records, and you’ll get your money back without any trouble.