Dedicated Server billing and lifecycle
A Dedicated Server is billed per billing cycle from the Billing tab on its page in Dash. An unpaid renewal suspends it at the due date, and a suspended server is terminated 3 days later.
Lifecycle: Active → invoice issued (10 days before renewal) → due date → Suspended → Terminated (3 days later)
Renewal
Your server's first billing cycle starts on the day it's activated, not the day you pay, so the time it takes to set up your server doesn't come out of it.
- 10 days before the renewal date, a renewal invoice is issued. It's due on the renewal date.
- You pay it, or automatic payment does.
- The next cycle starts on the renewal date, even if you paid late.
To pay earlier, select Generate next invoice on the Billing cycle card, then Issue invoice.
Change the billing cycle
Cycles are monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually, as offered for the server and location.
- On the Billing cycle card, choose a cycle and select Update cycle.
- If the current renewal invoice is unpaid, confirm Change cycle. That invoice is cancelled.
A new invoice is issued straight away; if none appears, select Generate next invoice. The new price applies from the next renewal, and the current cycle isn't prorated or refunded.
The cycle can't be changed while part of the renewal invoice is paid, or while the server is waiting for setup, suspended, set to stop at the end of its cycle, or being cancelled.
Automatic payment
On the Renewal card, turn on Automatic payment and confirm with Turn On. Each renewal invoice is paid from your wallet balance as soon as it's issued.
- Wallet only.
- If the balance is short, the invoice stays unpaid and payment is retried every hour.
- Turning it off applies immediately.
If the renewal invoice isn't paid
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Due date passes | The server is suspended, and its Management tab, including IPMI, disappears. With automatic payment on, this waits about an hour for a last wallet payment. |
| Suspended | The page shows Scheduled for termination on a date, and the Overview tab links to the invoice. |
| 3 days after suspension | The server is terminated. See Reactivate a recently terminated server. |
Paying the invoice before termination restores the server straight away. Turning on automatic payment while suspended does the same if your wallet covers it.
A server suspended by our team for another reason is terminated 5 days after suspension, and payment doesn't restore it. Contact Customer Care.
Reactivate a recently terminated server
If your server was terminated recently because its renewal wasn't paid, open a ticket and ask us to reactivate it. We check each request by hand. Reactivation is possible only for a short time after termination, so it isn't guaranteed.
If we can reactivate it:
- We issue a reactivation invoice for the renewal amount plus a one-time late fee. It's valid for 24 hours.
- The server shows Waiting for payment, and its Overview tab shows a Reactivation card with the deadline and a Pay invoice button.
- Pay the invoice before the deadline. The server is Active again, and its billing cycle continues from its original renewal date.
If the invoice isn't paid in time, the server stays terminated.
Cancel the server
Cancelling doesn't refund the current cycle. For refunds, see Request a refund. Copy off the data you need first.
- On the Danger zone card, select Cancel server.
- Choose a reason under Why are you cancelling?.
- Choose one:
- Cancel at end of cycle: the server runs until the paid cycle ends, then is terminated. Its unpaid renewal invoice is cancelled.
- Cancel now: the server is terminated 6 hours later, and its data is deleted permanently.
If the server is already set not to renew, only Cancel now is offered.
Until termination the server stays Active, and the Danger zone shows:
- Cancelling: stops at the end of the cycle. This can't be undone.
- Termination scheduled: select Keep the server within the 6 hours to undo.