Cancel Hetzner: The Right Way

How to cancel Hetzner and recover your money: the complete new zealand guide

What is Hetzner and why you might cancel

Hetzner is a German infrastructure provider that supplies cloud servers, dedicated machines, colocation services, and shared web hosting to customers worldwide, including New Zealand. They operate data centres across Europe and provide you with self-service control panels to manage your services in real time.

You may have chosen Hetzner for their competitive pricing and flexible infrastructure options. However, if your project ends, your needs shift, or you find a better provider, you need to cancel cleanly without losing money or data. This guide walks you through your cancellation rights and the exact steps to take. At Tocancel, we've helped thousands of New Zealand consumers navigate complex overseas cancellation processes and recover refunds they thought were lost.

How hetzner's billing and automatic renewal work

Hetzner operates automatic renewal for most services, which means your account will renew unless you actively cancel. They charge hourly for cloud servers (which stop immediately when you delete them) and monthly or annual billing for dedicated servers, colocation, and shared hosting (which typically end at your billing cycle end).

Each service type requires cancellation through a different management interface: Cloud Console for cloud servers, Robot for dedicated servers and colocation, and Konsole H for other products. This fragmented approach is why many customers struggle to cancel correctly and miss refund deadlines.

Main Hetzner services and why you might cancel them

Hetzner's core offerings include cloud virtual machines (hourly billing), dedicated servers (monthly contracts), colocation rack space, and shared web hosting plans. Understanding which service you're cancelling matters because each has different cancellation timelines, refund rules, and notice periods.

Your consumer rights when cancelling in new zealand

New Zealand consumer law protects you even when dealing with overseas companies like Hetzner. You have statutory rights to cancel and claim refunds in specific circumstances, regardless of where Hetzner is based.

The 14-day consumer withdrawal right

Under Hetzner's own terms and conditions and EU consumer protection standards that Hetzner honours for all customers globally, you have a 14-day right to cancel and receive a full refund if you're a consumer (not a business). This period runs from the date you receive your order confirmation or the service becomes active, whichever is later.

Your legal position is clear: if you cancel within 14 days and use the correct cancellation method in Hetzner's control panel, they must refund you in full. Simply deleting a server or stopping its use does not count as formal withdrawal. At Tocancel, we emphasise this distinction because using the wrong cancellation button can cost you your refund and result in continued billing.

Consumer guarantees act 1993 protection

New Zealand's Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 also applies to services purchased from Hetzner, even though they are overseas-based. If the service fails to match the description, is not fit for purpose, lacks reasonable durability, or comes without adequate support, you can claim cancellation and refund even outside the 14-day window.

Document any service failures, support delays, downtime, or misrepresentations in writing and keep copies. If Hetzner refuses your refund claim, the Commerce Commission of New Zealand is your escalation point and can investigate on your behalf.

Hetzner pricing in new zealand dollars

Understanding what you're paying helps you decide whether cancellation is worth it, especially if you're mid-contract. Here's what Hetzner's main plans cost in NZD (exchange rates fluctuate, so confirm current pricing on their website).

Shared web hosting plans

Cloud server and dedicated machine pricing

Cloud servers are charged hourly and start from around NZ$0.50 per hour for basic virtual machines. Dedicated servers begin at approximately NZ$45 per month for entry-level hardware. Colocation services and bespoke infrastructure carry higher prices depending on your specifications. Tocancel recommends requesting a detailed quote from Hetzner directly for these premium services so you know exactly what you're paying before you commit.

How to cancel Hetzner: step-by-step guide

Your cancellation method depends on which Hetzner service you're using. Follow the correct steps below to ensure your cancellation is formal, documented, and eligible for a refund.

Cancel cloud servers via cloud console

1. Log in to your Cloud Console account at console.hetzner.cloud with your email and password
2. Navigate to the project containing the server you wish to cancel
   • If you have multiple projects, select the correct one from the dropdown menu
3. Click on the server name to open its details page
4. Scroll to the bottom and click "Delete server" or the trash icon
   • Hetzner will ask you to confirm the deletion and may warn you that data will be lost permanently
5. Type the server name in the confirmation box to verify you mean to delete it
6. Click "Delete" to confirm
   • The server will be terminated immediately and hourly billing will stop
7. Take a screenshot of the confirmation message for your records

Cancel dedicated servers and colocation via robot

1. Log in to the Robot control panel at robot.hetzner.com using your username and password
2. Under "Server" in the left menu, select "Server list"
3. Find the dedicated server or colocation service you wish to cancel and click on it
4. Scroll to "Contract termination" section near the bottom of the page
5. Click the "Terminate contract" button or link
   • You will be taken to a termination form asking you to confirm the date and reason
6. Select your termination date (usually you can terminate to the end of the current billing period or immediate, depending on your contract)
   • Check the notice period required; if you're within your 14-day withdrawal window, immediate termination is usually available
7. Provide a cancellation reason if requested (optional but helpful for your records)
8. Click "Submit termination" or "Confirm cancellation"
9. Save or screenshot the confirmation page showing the termination date and reference number

Cancel shared hosting and other services via konsole h

1. Log in to Konsole H at https://konsole.hetzner.com with your email and password
2. Click on "Manage contracts" or "My services"
3. Locate the web hosting or other service you wish to cancel
4. Click the "Terminate" or "Cancel" button next to that service
   • A form will appear asking you to confirm the termination date
5. Select your preferred termination date (usually end of current billing period unless you're within 14 days, in which case immediate termination may be available)
   • If you're claiming the 14-day withdrawal right, select the earliest available date
6. Check any boxes confirming you understand the data will be deleted
7. Click "Confirm termination"
8. Save the confirmation email and reference number sent to your registered email address

Cancel by email or formal notice if online cancellation fails

If you cannot access your control panels or the cancellation buttons do not work, you can send formal written cancellation notice to Hetzner's registered office in Germany. This method is slower but creates an official record of your cancellation attempt.

1. Compose an email or letter in English containing:
   • Your full name and account email address
   • Your account number (found in your control panel or invoice)
   • The names or IDs of the services you wish to cancel
   • Your preferred cancellation date (immediate, or end of current billing period)
   • The reason for cancellation (optional but helpful)
   • A clear statement that you are invoking your 14-day withdrawal right if applicable
2. Send this email to [email protected] or the cancellation address listed in the "Cancellation address and contact details" section below
3. Request a confirmation email acknowledging receipt and confirming the cancellation date
4. Keep a copy of your sent email and all replies in a folder for your records

Refunds: timeline and what to expect

Hetzner's refund timeline depends on your service type and whether you're within your 14-day withdrawal window. Understanding what happens after you cancel protects you from unexpected charges.

Refund eligibility and timelines

If you cancel within 14 days and use the correct cancellation method, Hetzner is legally required to refund you in full minus any services already consumed. For hourly-billed cloud servers, you pay only for the hours used; for monthly or annual plans, you receive a pro-rata refund for the unused portion of your billing period.

Refunds are typically processed within 5 to 14 business days after your cancellation is confirmed. Hetzner will return the funds to the original payment method (credit card, PayPal, or bank transfer, depending on what you used). Check your bank or payment account carefully during this window; sometimes refunds are labelled with a transaction reference rather than "Hetzner" in full, making them easy to miss.

At Tocancel, we recommend contacting Hetzner's support team within 3 days of cancellation to confirm that your refund has been initiated and to obtain a reference number. This written confirmation becomes vital if a refund fails to arrive and you need to escalate to the Commerce Commission.

What if Hetzner refuses to refund you?

If Hetzner refuses your refund claim or fails to process it within 14 days, your next step is to lodge a formal complaint with the Commerce Commission of New Zealand. The Commission can investigate whether Hetzner has breached the Consumer Guarantees Act or any other New Zealand consumer law, and can order them to pay you compensation and costs.

To lodge a complaint, visit www.consumerprotection.govt.nz or contact the Commission directly. Provide them with copies of your original order, cancellation confirmation, and all correspondence with Hetzner. The Commission has the power to levy financial penalties on businesses that ignore consumer rights.

Common mistakes that lose you your refund

Many New Zealand consumers cancel incorrectly and forfeit refunds they were entitled to. Cancelling the right way is straightforward, but one wrong move can cost you real money.

Mistake 1: deleting your server instead of formally cancelling

Deleting or stopping a server in the control panel is not the same as formally cancelling your account or contract. Hetzner interprets server deletion as a user action, not a cancellation request. Your account remains open and will be re-billed for the next billing cycle or incur charges if you've left any other services active.

Always use the "Cancel contract", "Terminate", or "Withdraw" button in your control panel, not the "Delete" button. If in doubt, contact Hetzner's support team and ask explicitly: "I want to invoke my 14-day withdrawal right and cancel this service completely, including my account."

Mistake 2: cancelling after the 14-day window closes

Once you are past 14 days from your order confirmation, the automatic withdrawal right expires. After that date, you can still cancel, but you're not guaranteed a full refund unless you can prove the service failed to meet the Consumer Guarantees Act.

Mark your 14-day deadline on your calendar the moment you activate a service. If you're unsure of your activation date, check your oldest invoice or confirmation email for the date. Tocancel recommends cancelling within 13 days if you're certain you don't want the service; don't wait until day 14.

Mistake 3: not requesting a confirmation email or reference number

Hetzner's control panels usually show a confirmation message when you cancel, but this message disappears if you refresh the page. If you later need to prove you cancelled, you'll have no evidence.

Always take a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation page, request a confirmation email to your registered account address, and save the reference number. If Hetzner's system doesn't generate a confirmation email, send them an email asking for written confirmation of your cancellation within 24 hours of using the control panel.

Mistake 4: cancelling the wrong service or in the wrong control panel

Hetzner operates three separate control panels (Cloud Console, Robot, Konsole H), and cancelling in the wrong one has no effect. Many customers think they've cancelled because they've deleted something in one panel, only to be re-billed because their contract is managed in a different panel.

Before you cancel, log in to all three panels and verify which one contains the service you want to cancel. Take a note of the service ID or name. Then navigate to the correct panel and follow the cancellation steps for that specific panel. Tocancel recommends contacting Hetzner's support team a day before you cancel to confirm you're cancelling the right thing in the right place.

What happens after you cancel

Cancelling is not the end of your relationship with Hetzner; you'll still need to export your data, close your account, and verify your refund has been received. Managing this final phase correctly protects you legally and prevents surprise charges.

Export and back up your data

Once you've formally cancelled, your services will be terminated and deleted after your cancellation date. Before that date arrives, log in and download any data, backups, or files you need. For cloud servers, create a snapshot or use SFTP to download files. For web hosting, use FTP or your hosting control panel to export databases and uploaded files.

Hetzner will typically delete your data immediately after your termination date; you cannot recover deleted data after that point. Save all your data to a local hard drive or cloud storage outside Hetzner's systems within 48 hours of your cancellation date.

Verify your refund

Check your bank account or payment account (PayPal, credit card, etc.) approximately 5 to 14 days after your cancellation. Refunds from overseas companies may take longer and may appear with a generic transaction description. Contact your bank if you're unsure whether a transaction is your Hetzner refund.

If no refund appears after 15 business days, contact Hetzner's support team with your cancellation reference number and request an urgent refund status update. Keep copies of all emails you send.

Close your account completely

If you've cancelled all your services but your account still exists in Hetzner's system, contact their support team and request account closure. This step prevents Hetzner from creating new services on your account or sending you unwanted marketing emails.

Comparison: should you cancel Hetzner or stay?

Deciding whether to cancel depends on your specific situation, budget, and alternative providers. Here's a quick comparison to help you decide.

Cancellation address and contact details

Hetzner has no physical office or postal address in New Zealand. For formal cancellation by mail or official correspondence, use their registered office in Germany:

Hetzner Online GmbH, Industriestrasse 25, 91710 Gunzenhausen, Germany

For faster cancellation, use the online control panels (Cloud Console, Robot, or Konsole H) or email [email protected] with your cancellation request. Include your account email and service IDs so Hetzner can identify your services immediately.

At Tocancel, we've helped thousands of New Zealand consumers cancel overseas services, claim refunds, and switch to providers that better meet their needs. If Hetzner is causing you frustration or expense, you have legal rights to cancel and recover your money. Follow the steps outlined above, keep your evidence, and escalate to the Commerce Commission if Hetzner refuses to comply. You have the power to take control of your subscriptions and protect your wallet.