How to Remove Cloudflare and Go Back to Simple Hosting

Posted 1 day ago by Lori Bratz

A super simple guide for website owners

Cloudflare is great for speed and security—but not every website needs it. If your site is small, local, or hosted on a platform like Squarespace or WordPress.com, you might be better off without it.

 

The cost gap between Cloudflare and simple hosting can be substantial. Basic hosting plans from providers like Bluehost, SiteGround, or Squarespace typically range from $3 to $15 per month and include essentials like storage, bandwidth, SSL, and support. Cloudflare, while offering a free tier, charges $20/month for its Pro plan and up to $200/month or more for Business and Enterprise tiers, depending on traffic and security needs. For small sites, blogs, or local businesses, that’s 5 to 50 times more for features you may never use. Unless your site handles global traffic, sensitive data, or custom apps, regular hosting is not only simpler, it’s dramatically more cost-effective.

 

Here’s how to remove Cloudflare and go back to regular hosting in five easy steps. 

✅ Step 1: Log Into Cloudflare

Go to Cloudflare.com and sign in.
Click on the domain you want to remove.

🗑️ Step 2: Remove Your Site

Scroll to the bottom of the dashboard.
Click “Remove Site from Cloudflare.”
Confirm when asked.

🌐 Step 3: Change Your Nameservers

Log into your domain registrar (like GoDaddy or Google Domains).
Find the DNS or Nameservers section.
Replace Cloudflare’s nameservers with the ones from your hosting provider.
Example: ns1.yourhost.com and ns2.yourhost.com
Save and wait 24–48 hours for changes to take effect.

🔒 Step 4: Set Up SSL with Your Host

If Cloudflare was handling your SSL (HTTPS), turn it on through your hosting provider.
Most hosts offer free SSL (like Let’s Encrypt).
Test your site to make sure it’s secure.

🚀 Step 5: Optimize Without Cloudflare

  • Use fast hosting
  • Compress images
  • Keep plugins and themes lightweight
  • Monitor uptime with tools like UptimeRobot

🎯 Who This Is For

This guide is perfect for:

  • Local businesses
  • Blogs and portfolios
  • Sites with low or moderate traffic
  • Anyone who wants fewer tech layers

💬 Final Tip

If your site runs fine without Cloudflare, great! You’ve simplified your setup and gained more control. If you ever need advanced security or global speed boosts again, you can always re-enable it.

Need help? Big Media Roar can walk you through it.