Do not cancel your old hosting before the new website is live. You should also avoid cancelling it immediately after a DNS or nameserver change.
Checks before cancellation
Before the old hosting is cancelled, confirm that:
- the new website is live on the correct domain;
- the launch and any DNS changes have settled sufficiently for the transition to be checked;
- the old account is not still required for business email;
- important files, databases, redirects or other services are no longer needed there;
- Toolbelt Websites has confirmed it is safe to cancel where the hosting is being replaced as part of your project.
Check email separately
Email hosting can be separate from the website, but it can also be bundled into the old hosting account. Cancelling the wrong service can stop mailboxes from working even when the new website itself is fine.
Read Does moving my website affect email hosting? before cancelling an account that has ever been used for business email.
Is there a fixed number of days to wait?
No single waiting period is correct for every setup. DNS, caching, email arrangements and other services vary. The important point is to confirm the new website and any dependent services are working before the old account is closed.
Last updated: 8 September 2026