How to redeem a netcup voucher (and why it sometimes fails)

Every few days someone messages me saying a code didn't work. Nine times out of ten it's one of the same three things, so here's the whole process in one place.

Three kinds of codes

The codes on the coupons page come in three flavours:

• Server vouchers. One or two free months on one specific VPS or root server, like a VPS 2000 or an RS 1000. They only work on that product.
• Webhosting vouchers. 30% off one specific webhosting plan.
• The 5 EUR voucher. Knocks 5 EUR off your first order. It works on most things, but not on domains. This one isn't single-use, so it's the safe fallback.

Both are for new netcup customers only. If you already have an account, they won't apply.

Redeeming it

Copy the code from the coupons page, then click the redeem button on the same card. That takes you straight to the right product. Add it to your cart, and you'll see a field for a voucher code before you check out. Paste it in, apply it, and check that the price actually changed before you pay.

If the total didn't drop, stop there and read the next section.

Why a code gets rejected

Someone got there first. Apart from the 5 EUR one, every code is single-use. I mark them as used as soon as I notice, but there's always a gap. If a code fails, try the next one for the same product.

Wrong product. An RS 2000 voucher won't do anything on an RS 1000 order. Check the card title, and make sure you picked the same contract term the redeem link points to.

You're not a new customer. This one catches people who opened a netcup account years ago and forgot about it.

Contract terms

netcup sells most servers on fixed terms, and the minimum term is shown on the order page. A free month is nice, but you're still signing up for the full term. Read it before you click order, not after.

Still stuck? Let me know which code failed and I'll pull it from the list.