How server renewal actually works
Free servers on TickHosting don't run forever on their own — you keep them alive by renewing them every so often. It takes about 15 seconds and costs nothing. This page explains, in plain language, exactly what renewing does, what happens if you forget, and how much time you really have before anything is lost.
Four things you need to know
If you only read one section, read this one.
1. Every free server has a timer
The moment it's created, an expiry time is set. You'll see it as a countdown ("Expires on…") in your server's console.
2. Renewing pushes the timer forward
Solve a quick captcha and watch a short ad — the timer jumps forward by several hours, instantly, no restart needed.
3. Miss it and the server pauses
If the timer hits zero, the server is suspended (turned off) — not deleted. Your files are untouched.
4. But only for a while
You get a grace period (4–15 days depending on location) to renew again before everything is permanently deleted.
What actually happens when you click "Renew"
The Renew button lives at the top of your server's console page.
1. You complete a captcha
A Cloudflare Turnstile check confirms you're a real person, not a bot renewing thousands of servers automatically.
2. You watch a short ad
About 10 seconds. If the ad fails to load, a fallback ad is shown instead — renewal only completes once one of them has actually played.
3. Your timer jumps forward
The moment the ad finishes, the server's expiry time is extended — instantly, server-side, no page reload required for it to take effect.
4. It restarts automatically
If the server was suspended, renewing un-suspends it and starts it back up for you — you don't need to press Start yourself.
Watching the ad is what pays for the server. TickHosting's free plans have no monthly fee — the ad revenue from renewals is the entire reason they can stay free. The captcha exists purely to stop bots from renewing on autopilot and wiping out that revenue.
It depends on the plan you picked — which depends on where
When you created your server, you picked a location, and the location decided which RAM tiers you could choose from. That tier — shown as its name in your console's "Configuration" card — is what sets your cooldown and daily renewal limit. This is by design: it stops people from stockpiling months of free time in one sitting.
Germany
6 day grace period · 36h if never started
| Tier | RAM | + per renewal | Cooldown | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany Starter | 2GB | +4h | 90m | 6 |
| Germany Standard | 4GB | +4h | 60m | 6 |
| Germany Power | 6GB | +4h | 30m | 6 |
Finland
15 day grace period
| Tier | RAM | + per renewal | Cooldown | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 2GB | +12h | 45m | 2 |
| Standard | 4GB | +8h | 60m | 3 |
| Power | 6GB | +6h | 90m | 4 |
| Ultra | 8GB | +4h | 90m | 6 |
Beauharnois
15 day grace period
| Tier | RAM | + per renewal | Cooldown | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 2GB | +12h | 45m | 2 |
| Standard | 4GB | +8h | 60m | 3 |
| Power | 6GB | +6h | 90m | 4 |
| Ultra | 8GB | +4h | 90m | 6 |
Singapore
4 day grace period · 36h if never started
| Tier | RAM | + per renewal | Cooldown | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | 4GB | +4h | 45m | 6 |
These are the standard Minecraft Java tiers. Bedrock, Hytale and Pumpkin MC servers follow the same cooldown/daily-limit system with their own single tier — check your server's "Configuration" card for its exact numbers. You can switch to any other tier available at your location later on from that same card, without recreating the server.
Exception: if your server is already suspended, none of the above applies — you can renew it immediately, any time, with no cooldown or daily limit. The rules above only govern renewing early, while the server is still running.
Nothing is lost immediately
Missing a renewal turns the server off — it does not delete it. Here's the full timeline.
60 min before
A heads-up notification is sent while the server is still online — renew now and you won't even notice.
Timer hits zero
The server is suspended (taken offline). You're notified again. Files, worlds and configuration all stay exactly as they were.
72h before deletion
A final warning is sent — this is the last reminder before the server is permanently removed.
Grace period ends
The server and all of its data are permanently deleted. This step cannot be undone.
| Server location | Grace period after suspension |
|---|---|
| Germany | 6 days |
| Finland | 15 days |
| Beauharnois | 15 days |
| Singapore | 4 days |
The grace period depends on where your server is hosted, shown as "Expires on" in your console.
Good news: if you've connected Google Drive backups (in your server's console), a backup of your files is attempted automatically right before deletion — so you can restore them into a new server later even if you missed every warning.
Never pressed Start? That's a much shorter clock
This exists so servers nobody actually uses don't sit around occupying a slot forever.
On some locations, a server that is created and never started even once gets deleted much sooner than a normal expired server — regardless of the grace periods above. Pressing Start at least one time is all it takes to avoid this rule entirely; from then on the normal renewal timeline applies.
| Server location | Auto-deleted if never started |
|---|---|
| Germany | 36h after expiry |
| Singapore | 36h after expiry |
A warning is sent 6 hours before deletion on these locations too — but only if the server was truly never started.
Three habits that make this a non-issue
Turn on renewal reminders
Browser and in-game notifications can warn you before the server expires — enable them from the Notifications card in your console.
Connect Google Drive
A one-time setup means an automatic backup is attempted before any deletion — your worlds outlive the deadline even if you don't.
Or just skip it with Premium
Paid plans never expire, never need renewing, and never show ads — the simplest fix if you're tired of the countdown.
Frequently asked questions
The Renew button is greyed out — why?
Either the captcha above it hasn't been completed yet, or — on the default plan — it's simply too early: you can only renew once you're close to expiring. Check the countdown next to "Expires on" in your console.
I renewed, but my server didn't come back online
Renewing always tries to un-suspend and start the server automatically. If the node it runs on hit a temporary error, you'll see it in a message on the page — wait a moment and try again, or press Start manually.
Does my daily renewal count carry over to tomorrow?
No. The daily renewal counter resets to zero every day at midnight UTC, regardless of how many renewals you used the day before.
Can I renew a server that's already suspended?
Yes, at any time, with no cooldown and no daily-limit check — renewing a suspended server always works immediately and brings it back online.
What happens to my world/files when the server is deleted?
They're permanently removed and cannot be recovered — unless you had Google Drive backup connected, in which case a backup is attempted automatically right before deletion.
Is there any way to avoid all of this?
Yes — upgrade to a Premium plan. Paid servers run 24/7 with no expiry, no ads, and no renewal system at all.
Never think about renewal again
Premium servers stay online permanently — no captcha, no ads, no countdown.
See Premium plans