HOSTINGER Referral Hack: How to Save More by Using Your Own Referral ID!

Let’s talk about something that feels like a sneaky little life hack — using your own referral ID on Hostinger to score an extra discount. Sounds a little shady? Maybe. Does it actually work? Kinda. Depends on how you go about it. Let me explain.

So I’ve been a Hostinger user for a while now — mostly because they’re cheap, reliable, and honestly their UI doesn’t make me want to throw my laptop across the room (looking at you, GoDaddy). A few months back, I realized they had this referral program where if you refer someone, they get a discount and you get a little cash or credit. Win-win, right?

But here’s where my brain started spinning a little — what if I refer myself? I mean, why not double-dip and get the discount and the referral bonus? It sounded like one of those things that probably wasn’t allowed, but I figured I’d test it anyway. Worst-case scenario? It wouldn’t work. Best case? Free money, baby.

The Set Up

Okay, so this is how I did it — and full disclaimer, I’m just sharing what worked for me. I’m not saying it’s guaranteed to work for everyone, and I’m definitely not telling you to break any terms of service or whatever. Just putting that out there.

Step one: I already had a Hostinger account. Let’s call this my “main” account. I logged in and grabbed my referral link. You can usually find this under the “Earn with us” section in your dashboard.

Step two: I opened an incognito window (super important) and used a different email address to create a new account. You must use a new email — Hostinger’s system will recognize duplicates and block the referral if you reuse the same one. If you’re on the same Wi-Fi or IP, it might still flag you, so I’d recommend doing this on mobile data or from a different device, just to be safe.

Step three: I used my own referral link to sign up that second account. Then I picked a hosting plan (I went with the Premium Web Hosting — pretty solid for the price), and boom — I got the referral discount on the new account.

Now here’s the cool part — a few days later, my main account got credited with the referral reward. So yes, I basically got a discount AND a payout from myself.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

So before you run off and start making ten different accounts, there’s a few things you should know:

Don’t go overboard — If you start creating a bunch of fake accounts, Hostinger will catch on. They’re not dumb, and they probably monitor for stuff like that. One self-referral? Maybe it slips through. Ten? You’re asking for trouble.
Different payment method helps — I used a different card for the second account, just to make sure the system wouldn’t connect the dots. Not sure if that made a difference, but it didn’t hurt.
Use different names if needed — My second account just had my middle name in place of my first. Again, don’t know if that mattered, but it’s a little way to keep things separate.
Be chill — If the referral doesn’t go through immediately, give it a couple days. Sometimes it takes a while for the reward to show up.

Is It “Allowed”?

Eh. Technically? Probably not. Hostinger’s referral program terms say stuff about not referring yourself, not creating fake accounts, blah blah blah. So yes, this is kind of a gray area. If you do it, just know it’s at your own risk.

That said, a lot of people do this sort of thing with other services — Uber, Airbnb, etc. Some get caught, some don’t. If you’re only doing it once, and you’re not abusing the system, I doubt they’ll send a SWAT team to your door or anything. But still… proceed with caution.

Was It Worth It?

Honestly? Yeah. I saved like 10-15% on a hosting plan I was already going to buy, and I got a little kickback on my main account too. Not a life-changing amount of money, but hey, every little bit helps — especially if you’re running a blog or small site and watching your budget like a hawk.

If you’re someone who loves finding loopholes (like me), it’s kinda fun too. Feels like a small win in a world full of overpriced subscriptions and sneaky upsells.

Final Thoughts

I’m not saying this trick will work forever. Hostinger might crack down on it at any point, or maybe your attempt won’t go through at all. But as of writing this, it can work if you’re smart about it.

Just remember to use a different email, maybe a different IP, and try not to get greedy with it. A one-time self-referral is probably harmless. Just don’t try to turn it into a full-on scam operation or you’re gonna get burned.

If you don’t feel like doing it, or want to play it safe, you can use my referral link and maybe we can split up the reward I get!

So, if you are interested in purchasing hosting from Hostinger, you can use my link here:

https://hostinger.in?REFERRALCODE=88GYAWARSUO8

Also read: https://thephoneyguy.com/hostinger-review-best-budget-hosting-or-just-brilliant-advertising/