Use this guide when you want to end a streaming service, gym membership, app, box scheme or other rolling subscription. Have your bank statement, the account login and any sign-up confirmation email ready.
Step by step
Find every subscription you pay for
Go through the last two or three months of bank and card statements and list each recurring payment. Include annual charges and app store subscriptions, which can be easy to miss. Note the company name, amount, payment date and how you pay.
Check the contract terms
Log in to your account or find the sign-up email and look for the cancellation terms, minimum period and notice required. Some contracts need a set notice period or have an early exit charge. If you signed up online in the last 14 days, you may still be within the cancellation period.
Cancel directly with the company
Use the cancel option in your account settings, or contact the company in writing by email or through its contact form. Say clearly that you are cancelling, give your account details and ask for written confirmation. Avoid only phoning, as it leaves no record.
Save proof of cancellation
Take screenshots of the cancellation screen and keep the confirmation email. Write down the date and time you cancelled and the name of anyone you spoke to. This is your evidence if payments continue.
Stop the payment at your bank
After cancelling with the company, cancel the direct debit or standing order in your banking app. For card payments, ask your bank to stop future recurring card payments to that merchant, which they should do on request. Do not rely on this alone, as you may still owe money under the contract.
Watch your next statement
Check your statement after the next expected payment date to make sure nothing was taken. If a direct debit was taken after cancellation, claim a refund from your bank under the Direct Debit Guarantee. For card payments, contact the company first and then your bank if it will not refund.
Ready-to-use checklist
- List of all recurring payments
- Contract terms and notice period checked
- Cancellation sent in writing
- Confirmation email or screenshot saved
- Direct debit or standing order cancelled
- Bank asked to stop recurring card payments
- Next statement checked
Practical tips
- Set a calendar reminder a few days before any free trial ends so you can cancel before the first charge.
- App store subscriptions usually have to be cancelled through the app store account settings, not by deleting the app.
- If a company makes cancelling unreasonably hard, keep a record of every attempt, as this helps any later complaint.
Common problems
The company keeps charging me after I cancelled.
Send your cancellation proof to the company and ask for a refund of the payments taken after that date. If they refuse or ignore you, ask your bank about a Direct Debit Guarantee claim or a chargeback for card payments.
I cannot find a cancel button anywhere.
Email the company's customer service address stating that you wish to cancel and asking for confirmation. Keep the sent email as your record and follow up if you get no reply within a reasonable time.
They say I am in a minimum contract period.
Check the terms you agreed to at sign-up; if a minimum term applies, you may have to pay until it ends or pay an exit fee. If you believe the terms were not made clear, raise a complaint and ask Citizens Advice for guidance.