If you no longer need your Cloudways server or paid add-ons and want to stop further billing, it’s important to follow the correct steps to avoid unexpected charges.
Cloudways billing is based on active servers and enabled paid add-ons, even if a server is stopped or not in use.
Simply leaving a server inactive does not stop billing. To fully stop charges, you must:
Download your data
Delete unused servers
Deactivate any paid add-ons.
Table of Contents:
How to Stop Cloudways Billing?
If you no longer need your server or paid services on Cloudways, you must take specific actions to fully stop billing. Simply stopping or leaving a server inactive does not prevent charges.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
How Cloudways billing works
What actions are required to stop billing completely
Why inactive or stopped resources may still be billed
Important billing timelines to be aware of
How Cloudways Billing Works (Important to Know)
Cloudways follows a post-billing model, meaning you are billed after resources are used.
Billing applies to:
Active servers
Inactive or stopped servers (for most providers)
Enabled paid add-ons
To completely stop billing, you must remove all billable resources from your account.
How to Stop Cloudways Billing
To stop Cloudways billing safely and correctly, follow the steps below in order.
Step #1 - Download a Full Backup of Your Data:
Before deleting anything, make sure you download a complete backup of your application or website.
This ensures you can:
Restore your website later
Migrate to another server or platform
Avoid permanent data loss
Click here to read the dedicated Knowledge Base article for this step.
Recommendation: Always verify your backup before proceeding to the next step.
Step #2 - Delete the Server(s):
Cloudways charges for allocated hardware resources, even if a server is stopped.
To stop server-related charges:
Log in your Cloudways Platform.
Go to the Servers section in the Cloudways Platform Flexible option in the side bar.
Choose the server you no longer need and click the three dots on the right side.
Choose Delete, and proceed with all the steps to delete the server.
Follow the following navigation steps:
Once a server is deleted, billing for that server stops.
Note:
Stopping, pausing, or leaving a server inactive does not stop billing.
Step #3 - Deactivate Paid Add-ons (If Any):
Some add-ons are billed separately and continue to incur charges unless manually disabled.
To avoid add-on charges:
Open the Add-ons section in the platform by clicking Integrations in the left menu bar.
Review all active add-ons.
Deactivate/unsubscribe any paid add-ons you no longer require.
This step is essential if you are keeping your account active but want to avoid add-on fees.
Charges Against Inactive or Stopped Resources
Many users are surprised to see charges even when a server appears inactive. This happens because infrastructure resources remain allocated until the server is deleted.
Infrastructure-Based Providers
For the following providers, billing continues regardless of server status:
This includes charges for:
CPU
RAM
Disk space
IP address
AWS and Google Cloud (GCE)
A stopped server incurs minimal charges
Charges apply mainly for disk storage and IP address
To stop all charges, the server must still be deleted.
Important Billing Notes
Please review the following points carefully:
If you delete a server or deactivate a paid add-on during a billing month, you will receive one final invoice in the next month
This is due to Cloudways’ post-billing cycle
Billing stops only after all billable resources are removed
Summary: How to Fully Stop Cloudways Billing
To ensure no further charges:
Download a full backup
Delete all unused servers
Deactivate any paid add-ons
Expect one final invoice due to post-billing
Following these steps guarantees that your account will not incur charges for unused resources.
That’s it! We hope this article was useful.
Need Help?
If you need assistance, feel free to:
Visit the Cloudways Support Center.
Chat with us: Need a Hand > Send us a Message.
Or create a support ticket anytime.
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