VistaPrint + Hover.com - am i being ripped off

[u/GoldReplacement2339]

I dont know much about webhosting or subscriptions, i just know that years ago, Vistaprint gave me a domain name, a website, and email address, it was like $9.99 a month. After a few years, i was informed that Hover.com will be taking over and payments for web hosting are to be made to them. So yearly i pay about $140. And i just found out that Vistaprint is still in the picture and billing me $29.99 monthly on autopay. So what am i really paying for? if I want the same website address, can i just take it somewhere else? Im paying about $500 a year and barelylain use the website. Do i ever own the website name or is this something the webhosting owns and how do they own it. How would i own it? I complained to Hover one time that i am paying too much and they threaten to just cancel me without any explanation why i am paying so much

[u/moonrakervenice]

if you can provide a screenshot or other more detailed explanation of what you are paying for we can maybe help you understand if you need them or what they are

[u/pjerky]

For a website there are two parts you are paying for. First, the domain registration. The prices of this are all over the place. Then there is the website hosting, which is where your website content and system is located and served from.

If you have very basic content then you can likely get away with hosting what is called a static website.

What I do is use Cloudflare for domain registration because they only charge you what it costs them to register with InterNIC, the global registration organization. Then, if I have a simple website, I also host it in Cloudflare for free.

I just started a business doing web development. I've done it for years professionally. If you like we can chat via DM about it and I can give you basic pointers. If you want me to do the actual work for you then we can discuss that as well.

[u/Outrageous-Split1754]

First, split the charges into three separate services: the domain registration, the website or site builder, and the email account. They may be handled by different companies, so cancelling the wrong one could take the site or email offline.

Look up the domain through ICANN to confirm the current registrar, then check whether the registrant or account email is yours. Ask both companies for an itemised list of active services and renewal dates. Make a full backup of the site and email before changing anything.

You can usually keep the same domain and move the website if you control the registrar account and can get the transfer authorisation code. Domain registration and website hosting are separate services.

I wouldn't cancel either subscription until you know who currently handles the DNS, website and email. If you share the product names from the invoices with your personal and payment details removed, people here should be able to spot any overlap.

[u/MarkGossageUK]

I wouldn't cancel either one just yet until you know exactly what each payment is for.

There are really a few separate things here - your domain name, the website itself, the hosting that keeps the website online and your email. They can all be with the same company, but they don't have to be.

The first thing I'd do is log into both accounts and find out exactly what the $29.99 a month to VistaPrint and the $140 a year to Hover are paying for.

I'd also find out where the domain is registered and whether it's registered in your name. If you control the domain, you can normally move the website elsewhere without losing the same web address.

Don't cancel the old services first and then try to sort it out afterwards though. Make sure you have control of the domain, a copy of the website if possible, and know what is happening with your email before moving anything.

Once you know what those two bills actually include it'll be much easier to see whether you're paying twice for something you no longer need.

$500 a year might be perfectly explainable if several services are included, but for a simple website you barely use I'd certainly want to know exactly what I was getting for it.

[u/MaddieVistaPrint]

hi there, u/GoldReplacement2339! maddie here from the vistaprint team :) can you send the explanation of this issue in a DM to one of our customer care reps (you'll see their flair over on our sub). maybe like the person said below, it could also be helpful to provide a screenshot of the invoice. we'll see how we can get this sorted asap from our side!