End of Hosting and Data Retention

End of Hosting and Data Retention

Effective Date: 1st August 2025
Last Updated: 1st August 2025

This policy applies only to memorial pages hosted on Digital Gravestones.

Before your paid hosting period expires, you will receive two reminder notifications asking you to renew your hosting.

If payment is not received by the end of the hosting period, your memorial page will automatically enter Archive status for a grace period of 30 days. During this time:

  • Your memorial page will remain publicly accessible via its existing URL and QR code, unless you request its removal.
  • Some media content (such as photos, audio, and video) may be disabled or simplified to reduce storage load.
  • You may request a copy or export of your memorial content (including text and media) by contacting us via email within the 30-day archive period.
  • Please note, data export requests cannot be fulfilled after the memorial page has been permanently deleted following the archive period.

After the 30-day archive period, if no renewal or export request has been made, your memorial page and all associated content will be permanently deleted from our servers.

It is your responsibility to request a copy of your memorial content or renew hosting within this timeframe. After deletion, no backups will be available, and recovery will not be possible.

Archive Hosting: Preserve Memories with Care

Our Archive Hosting option provides a gentle way to preserve your loved one’s memorial page over time. When a memorial becomes inactive or hosting renewal isn’t chosen, the page can be moved into Archive status — safeguarding the essential tribute while reducing ongoing hosting costs.

What does Archive Hosting include?

  • The memorial page remains live online, accessible via its QR code or direct link.
  • Photos, videos, and audio files are temporarily removed or hidden to reduce storage needs.
  • The core text biography, key dates, and selected quotes stay visible.
  • Visitors can still view and share memories, honoring your loved one quietly and respectfully.
  • Archive pages can be restored to full hosting anytime with a simple renewal.

Why choose Archive Hosting?

  • Keep the memorial available indefinitely without full hosting fees.
  • Preserve the dignity and memory of your loved one in a simplified form.
  • Maintain access for family and friends who wish to revisit the tribute.
  • Flexibility to upgrade back to full hosting whenever you wish.

Our Archive Hosting offers peace of mind that your memorial remains a lasting, respectful tribute — even if circumstances change.

If you have questions or want to discuss the best hosting option for your needs, please contact us anytime.

Archive Hosting Fees

Archive Hosting requires ongoing server space, maintenance, and access management. Therefore, a modest annual fee applies.

  • Archive Hosting is offered at £19 per year.
  • This provides a budget-friendly way to keep memorials accessible with reduced resource use, covering costs while giving customers value.
  • Requesting Archive Hosting
  • Archive Hosting must be requested before the end of your full hosting period or within the 30-day free archive grace period. If no request is made by the end of the grace period, your memorial page and all associated content will be permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

Export Options

Need a copy of your memorial? You can request a one-time export during the archive period:

  • Digital Export (Text Only) – £15
    Receive your memorial text in a downloadable PDF.
  • Full Memorial Export – £29
    Includes all text, photos, audio, and videos packaged in a ZIP folder.

Business Closure Policy

In the unlikely event that Digital Gravestones closes, we commit to providing at least 3 to 6 months’ notice so customers have ample time to download or migrate their memorial content.

Data Export and Transfer

Customers can export or download their memorial data — including texts, photos, audio, and videos — at any time during the hosting or archive period. This empowers you to keep a personal copy even if hosting ends.

We are exploring partnerships with other memorial hosting services and archives to enable smooth transfer or migration of memorial hosting if necessary, ensuring your memorials can be preserved even if Digital Gravestones ceases operation.

Archiving Memorial Content

Memorial pages entering archive status may be frozen in a read-only mode for a temporary period after closure. This reduces maintenance efforts but keeps pages accessible for a limited time.