Quick answer: Cancel where you originally subscribed. If it was through Apple, use Settings → your name → Subscriptions on iPhone. If through Google, use play.google.com/store/account/subscriptions. If you signed up on a company’s website, cancel in that account’s billing settings, then check your card statement next month.
Key Takeaways
- Cancel where you subscribed: Apple, Google Play, or the merchant
- Deleting an app does not cancel the subscription
- Keep the cancellation confirmation
- Dispute with your card issuer if charges continue
Step 1: Identify the biller
Look at the descriptor on your bank or card statement. “APPLE.COM/BILL” means Apple; “GOOGLE *service” means Google Play; otherwise it is the merchant directly.
Cancel through Apple
Settings → tap your name → Subscriptions → select the service → Cancel Subscription. You keep access until the end of the paid period.
Cancel through Google Play
Open the Play Store → profile icon → Payments and subscriptions → Subscriptions → select → Cancel. Deleting the app does not cancel the subscription.
Cancel with the company directly
Log in on a desktop browser (mobile apps often hide the option), go to Account or Billing, and look for Cancel or Manage plan. If no option exists, use live chat or email and ask for written confirmation.
If the charges continue
- Keep your cancellation confirmation and dates.
- Contact the merchant first with the evidence.
- If unresolved, dispute the charge with your card issuer.
- As a last resort, ask your issuer to block the merchant or reissue the card.
Preventing surprise renewals
Set a calendar reminder a few days before free trials end, and consider virtual card numbers that you can lock or set spending limits on.
FAQ
Will I get a refund for the current period? Usually not; you keep access until the period ends. Apple and Google refund policies are case by case.
Is there a law that makes cancelling easier? Several states and the FTC have “click-to-cancel” rules requiring cancellation to be as easy as signup; enforcement varies.
What if the company has gone out of business? Dispute the charge with your card issuer.
Sources
Last updated: August 16, 2026. Written by the InfoBrief Editorial team. We link to official government and company sources and update articles when facts change. See our disclosure.