Free trials and auto-renewal: how to cancel subscriptions
Subscriptions are easy to start and easy to forget. A little organization stops them from quietly costing you money every month.
How auto-renewal works
When you sign up for a subscription, you usually agree that it will renew automatically, every month or every year, until you cancel. Free trials often turn into paid subscriptions on a set date unless you cancel before then.
Advertisement
Find every subscription you pay for
- Look through the last two or three months of your bank and card statements for repeating charges.
- Check the subscription settings in your phone’s app store. Many app subscriptions are billed there, not by the app.
- Search your email for words like “receipt,” “renewal,” “trial,” and “subscription.”
Before you start a free trial
- Note the exact date the trial ends, and set a reminder for two days before.
- Read what it will cost after the trial, and whether it renews monthly or yearly.
- Check how to cancel. If cancelling looks difficult, think twice.
How to cancel
Look for “manage subscription,” “billing,” or “account settings” on the website or app. For app store subscriptions, cancel in your phone’s subscription settings. Deleting the app does not cancel it. Always save the cancellation confirmation, either a screenshot or the email.
If you’re charged after cancelling
Contact the company with your cancellation confirmation and ask for a refund. If they refuse and you have proof, your bank or card provider may be able to help.
Yearly renewals
Annual subscriptions are the easiest to forget because the charge comes only once a year, and it is often large. Many companies send a reminder email before renewing, so read emails with “renewal” in the subject.
Tip: Once a year, write a list of every subscription and its price. Most people find at least one they no longer use.
Check your own document
Snap or paste your bill or letter and get it explained in plain words, with red flags and next steps.
Explain my document