# Upgrade or downgrade a service

> Move your VPS, VDS or hosting plan to a bigger or smaller package, change single options, understand the prorated amount and grow the disk inside the server.

Difficulty: Intermediate\
Tested on: HyperDC client area, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, Debian 12, Debian 13, Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2025

When your project outgrows its plan, you can move it to a bigger package from the client area; when it needs less, to a smaller one. You can also change single options, such as additional IP addresses or disk space, where your plan offers them. This guide explains the steps, how the price is calculated and what to do inside the server after a disk upgrade.

## Before you start

- **Measure first.** Make sure the plan is really the limit; see [high CPU or memory usage](/guides/high-cpu-memory) and [VPS vs VDS vs dedicated server](/guides/vps-vs-vds-vs-dedicated-server).
- **Pay open invoices.** An unpaid renewal invoice for the service blocks upgrades.
- **Take a backup** of important data before larger changes. Windows VPS plans include free snapshots; take one if your plan offers them.
- **Know the limits.** Disks cannot be made smaller. Moving between product lines (VPS to VDS, VDS to dedicated) is not an upgrade but a move to a new server.
- **Invited users** need the permission **Place New Orders/Upgrades/Cancellations** from the account owner.

## Step 1: Start the change on the service page

Go to **Services › My Services** and select **Manage** next to the service. Then open the **Actions** menu:

- **Upgrade/Downgrade** moves the service to another plan of the same line.
- **Upgrade/Downgrade Options** changes single options of your current plan.

The **Upgrade** buttons in the **Upgrade/Downgrade** card and next to **Configurable Options** on the **Overview** tab lead to the same pages. Which entries appear depends on the product; see [manage your services](/guides/manage-your-services).

## Step 2: Choose a new plan

![The Upgrade/Downgrade page with the service being upgraded, the current plan marked, a recommended plan highlighted, a billing cycle per plan and Select buttons](https://hyperdc.com/templates/hyperdc/img/docs/upgrade-or-downgrade-service/choose-plan.en.webp "Choose New Product/Plan: your current plan is marked, the recommended one highlighted.")

- **Service being upgraded** at the top shows which service you are changing; **Manage** takes you back to it.
- Under **Choose New Product/Plan**, each card shows a plan with its main resources. **Your Current Product** marks the plan you have now, and **Recommended** highlights the plan we suggest as the next step.
- Choose the billing cycle in the menu of the plan you want, then select **Select**. The upgrade is added to your cart; check it and continue to checkout as for any order. See [review your cart](/guides/review-cart-and-promo-codes) and [checkout step by step](/guides/checkout-step-by-step).

For some products the plan page is a simpler list of packages with **Choose Product** buttons. Choosing one opens the summary described in Step 4.

**Verify:** your cart, or the summary, shows the change from your current plan to the new one.

## Step 3: Change single options (if your service offers them)

**Upgrade/Downgrade Options** opens a table of the options you can change, such as additional IPv4 addresses, additional disk space or snapshots, if your service offers them.

![The Upgrade/Downgrade Options page with the current and new configuration for additional IPv4 addresses, disk space and snapshots](https://hyperdc.com/templates/hyperdc/img/docs/upgrade-or-downgrade-service/options.en.webp "Upgrade/Downgrade Options: the current value of each option and the new one you choose.")

- **Current Configuration** shows what you have now; **New Configuration** is where you choose the new value.
- Menus start on **No Change**. Quantity options, such as gigabytes or units, take a number.
- Select **Continue** to see the price, or **Cancel** to go back without changes.

## Step 4: Review the summary and pay

![The upgrade summary with the change, Total Due Today, the note about the days left, Promotional Code, Payment Method and Continue](https://hyperdc.com/templates/hyperdc/img/docs/upgrade-or-downgrade-service/summary.en.webp "The summary shows what the change costs for the rest of the current term.")

- The table lists each change (old value → new value) with its **Price**, the **Subtotal**, taxes if they apply, and **Total Due Today**.
- The note explains the calculation: "Upgrade price is calculated from a credit of the unused portion of the current plan and billing of the new plan for the same period", followed by the number of days left in the term.
- If you have a promotional code, enter it under **Promotional Code** and select **Validate Code**.
- Choose the **Payment Method** from the methods available for your account, then select **Continue**.

An invoice for the difference is created. Pay it as usual; see [pay an invoice](/guides/pay-an-invoice). You never pay twice for the same days, and your **Next Due Date** does not change. For a downgrade, check the amount on the summary before you continue.

**Verify:** after payment the service page shows the new plan name or options. Most changes are applied automatically; some are carried out by our team, which can take a little longer.

## Step 5: Restart and check the resources

Virtual servers usually need a restart before the new CPU or memory become visible. Restart from inside the server at a quiet moment:

```bash
sudo reboot
```

Then check the resources:

```bash
nproc
free -h
lsblk
```

**Verify:** `nproc` shows the new number of CPUs, `free -h` the new memory and `lsblk` the new disk size.

## Step 6: Use the new disk space

A larger disk does not always mean a larger file system: the partition and the file system on it may still have the old size. Compare `lsblk` (disk size) with `df -h /` (file system size).

> **Warning**
>
> Resizing partitions is safe when done correctly, but take a backup or snapshot first. Check the device names on your own server with `lsblk`; the examples use `/dev/vda` and partition `1`, while on many servers the disk is `/dev/sda`.

**Linux ext4**

Grow the partition with `growpart` from the `cloud-guest-utils` package, then the file system:

```bash
sudo apt install cloud-guest-utils
sudo growpart /dev/vda 1
sudo resize2fs /dev/vda1
```
**Linux XFS**

Grow the partition, then the mounted XFS file system by its mount point:

```bash
sudo growpart /dev/vda 1
sudo xfs_growfs /
```
**Linux LVM**

Grow the partition, the physical volume, then the logical volume together with its file system (`-r`):

```bash
sudo growpart /dev/vda 3
sudo pvresize /dev/vda3
sudo lvextend -r -l +100%FREE /dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv
```
**Windows Server**

Extend drive C: to the largest size the disk allows, in PowerShell as administrator:

```powershell
$size = Get-PartitionSupportedSize -DriveLetter C
Resize-Partition -DriveLetter C -Size $size.SizeMax
```

Find your file system type with `df -T /`. **Verify:** `df -h /` (or **Get-Volume** on Windows) now shows the larger size.

## Moving to a smaller disk

Disks cannot be shrunk. To use a plan with a smaller disk:

1. Back up your data and configuration; see [backup strategy](/guides/backup-strategy-3-2-1).
2. Order the smaller plan as a new service.
3. Restore your data there and test it.
4. Point your domain to the new server and [cancel](/guides/cancel-a-service) the old one.

## Add-ons for your service

If add-ons are offered for your service, the **Addons** tab of the service page lists the ones you have, and a note says "Addons are available for your product/service" with a link to order more. You can also open **Services › View Available Addons**. On the page **Product Addons**, each add-on shows its price; choose the service under **Add to service** and select **Order Now**. The add-on then goes through the cart and checkout like any order. If no add-ons are offered, the page says so.

## Troubleshooting

**The Upgrade/Downgrade entries are missing.** The product has no other plan to move to within its line, or its options cannot be changed. To move to another product line, order the new server and move your data, as described in the FAQ of this guide.

**"You cannot currently upgrade or downgrade this product because an invoice has already been generated for the next renewal."** Pay the renewal invoice first, then try again.

**The page says an upgrade or downgrade is already in progress.** An earlier change is waiting for payment. Pay its invoice under **Billing › My Invoices**, or open a ticket if you no longer want it.

**The new memory or CPUs do not show.** Restart the server from inside the operating system. If they still do not appear, open a ticket with the output of `nproc` and `free -h`.

**`growpart` reports `NOCHANGE`.** The partition already fills the disk, or the disk has not grown yet. Check `lsblk` after a restart.

## Next steps

- Keep an eye on usage: [high CPU or memory usage](/guides/high-cpu-memory) and [disk full](/guides/disk-full).
- Compare lines before a bigger move: [VPS vs VDS vs dedicated server](/guides/vps-vs-vds-vs-dedicated-server).
- See everything on the service page: [manage your services](/guides/manage-your-services).

## Frequently asked questions

### How is an upgrade billed?

You pay only the difference for the rest of the current billing period: the unused part of your current plan is credited and the new plan is charged for the same period. The summary shows the number of days this covers, and your next due date stays the same.

### Will my server restart during an upgrade?

Changing CPU, memory or disk of a virtual server usually needs a restart to take effect. Plan the upgrade for a quiet moment and make sure your services start automatically after a reboot.

### Can I make the disk smaller?

No. Disks cannot be made smaller. To move to a plan with a smaller disk, back up your data, order the smaller plan, restore the data there and cancel the old service.

### Why can I not upgrade right now?

An unpaid renewal invoice or an upgrade that is still waiting for payment blocks new changes. Pay the open invoice first, then the upgrade is available again. Some products also have no other plan to move to within their line.

### Can I use a promotional code for an upgrade?

If you have one, enter it under Promotional Code on the upgrade summary and select Validate Code. Codes can be limited to certain products or cycles, so not every code applies to an upgrade.

### How do I move from a VPS to a VDS or a dedicated server?

Moving between lines means a new server and a migration of your data, because they run on different platforms. Order the new server, move your data, test, then cancel the old service.

---

Source: <https://hyperdc.com/guides/services/upgrade-or-downgrade-service>\
Updated: 2026-10-09