How to Cancel DreamHost (and Actually Get the 97-Day Refund) — 2026

The path: Panel → Billing → Manage Account → Close Account (or support ticket). The refund reality: 97 days on shared hosting with credit card payments — longest in the industry — but only within that window, and the "free domain" gets clawed back. The order that matters: migrate first, cancel second.

Step 1: Migrate Before You Cancel

Do not cancel first — cancelling can take your site offline before you've moved it. The sequence:

1. Export your site — files via FTP/File Manager + database via phpMyAdmin, or use a migration plugin
2. Set up new hosting — get the destination account live first
3. Migrate and verify — test on a temp URL before touching DNS
4. Then cancel DreamHost — once the site runs elsewhere

If you're moving to a host with free migration (Bluehost migrates sites free), their team handles the technical work — you just initiate, verify, then cancel.

Step 2: The Actual Cancellation

In the DreamHost panel: Billing → Manage Account → Close Account / End Hosting. If the UI route is unclear, open a support ticket stating you want to cancel hosting and request the refund — put it in writing so there's a record of the date and the refund request.

The 97-Day Refund: What It Actually Covers

• Shared hosting — 97 days, credit card payments. The industry's longest window.
• Domain registration — non-refundable. Always.
• "Free" domain — clawed back at ~$15-17 from your refund.
• VPS / dedicated / DreamPress — different, shorter windows — check your plan's terms.
• After 97 days — no refund for unused months on most plans.

The Free-Domain Clawback

The "free domain for year one" isn't free if you cancel inside the window — DreamHost deducts the registration cost (~$15-17) from your refund. You keep the domain for the year and it stays registered to you; you just paid for it. Factor this into the refund math: a $100 plan with a "free domain" refunds ~$83-85, not $100.

Credit vs Refund — Get It In Writing

Shared hosting within 97 days refunds to the original payment method — not just account credit. But other products and edge cases may issue credit. When you open the cancellation ticket, ask explicitly: "refund to original payment method or account credit?" — and keep the answer. If you wanted cash back and got credit, that answer is your leverage.

If You're Leaving DreamHost, Where Next?

Most DreamHost leavers cite support limits (no phone) or wanting stronger managed features. The natural upgrade: Bluehost — phone + chat support, WP Cloud managed WordPress, free domain + SSL, free site migration to handle the move for you. See DreamHost vs GoDaddy or DreamHost alternatives for the full landscape.

Related: DreamHost review, how to cancel Bluehost, how to cancel HostGator.