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What to do if…
a free trial turns into an unexpected subscription charge

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Cancel the subscription through the provider that bills or manages it, then request a refund in writing. If the charge looks wrong or another payment may be taken soon, contact your card issuer or bank promptly and ask what options are available.

Do not do these things

  • Do not delay canceling because you are still deciding whether to ask for a refund.
  • Do not assume deleting an app cancels an app-store subscription.
  • Do not close your card or bank account as your first step unless your bank recommends it.
  • Do not share passwords, security codes, or remote access to your device with anyone offering to process a refund.
  • Do not call a number from a suspicious email or text. Use the company’s official website, the app store, PayPal, or your bank’s app.
  • Do not open several disputes for the same payment unless your bank, card issuer, or payment provider tells you to.

What to do now

  1. Check where the charge came from.
    In your card, bank, app-store, or PayPal activity, note the merchant name, amount, date, and payment method. Save a screenshot.

  2. Cancel through the provider that bills or manages the subscription.

    • If Apple billed the subscription, cancel it in your Apple subscriptions.
    • If Google Play billed the subscription, cancel it in your Google Play subscriptions.
    • If PayPal handled the automatic payment, cancel the automatic payment in PayPal.
    • If the company bills you directly, cancel in your account settings or use the company’s official support route. Save the cancellation confirmation. Canceling future billing does not necessarily refund the charge already taken.

  3. Ask the company for a refund in writing.
    State that the free trial converted to a paid subscription, you did not expect the payment to start, you have canceled the subscription, and you are requesting a refund for the charge dated [date]. Save the message, reply, ticket number, and any confirmation screen.

  4. If it is an automatic withdrawal directly from your bank account, act promptly if another debit may be due.
    Ask your bank or credit union to confirm whether the payment is an automatic bank-account debit, such as ACH. Tell the company in writing that you are revoking authorization for future withdrawals. Tell your bank or credit union as well and ask what it needs to stop future payments. For a scheduled preauthorized electronic fund transfer, a stop-payment request generally needs to reach the bank or credit union at least three business days before the scheduled debit. If the bank or credit union requires written confirmation of an oral stop-payment order, send it within 14 days.

  5. If the payment was made by card, contact the card issuer if the company does not resolve it or the charge appears wrong.
    Explain that the payment followed a free trial and ask what options are available to prevent or dispute another charge. Options vary by issuer and by whether the card is a credit card or debit card.

  6. Use the relevant dispute process if needed.

    • If you believe a credit-card charge is a billing error, unauthorized, or not as agreed, contact the card issuer promptly. To protect federal billing-error rights, send a written billing-error notice within 60 calendar days after the charge appears on your statement.
    • If you believe a debit-card or ACH payment is an error or an unauthorized electronic transfer, tell your bank promptly. A 60-day limit can apply: your notice generally needs to reach the bank no later than 60 days after it sends the statement first showing the alleged error. Ask the issuer or bank where to send any written notice and keep a copy.

  7. Report deceptive conduct after the immediate steps are underway.
    If the company made cancellation unusually difficult, kept charging after cancellation, or appears deceptive, you can report the issue to the FTC. If the problem is with a bank or card issuer’s handling of the matter, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB.

What can wait

  • Deciding whether you might use the service again later.
  • Writing a long explanation before sending the first refund request.
  • Posting reviews or contacting senior staff.
  • Closing accounts or changing banks unless your bank recommends it.
  • Gathering every screenshot or document before you cancel the subscription.

Important reassurance

You do not need to solve every part of this at once. Canceling the subscription, saving the confirmation, and sending a short written refund request creates a clear starting point.

Scope note

These are first steps for stopping future subscription payments and asking for a refund. If the charge is disputed later, the company, payment provider, card issuer, or bank may ask for records such as the cancellation confirmation, the charge details, or the terms shown when the trial started.

Important note

This guide is general information, not legal, medical, financial, therapeutic, or other professional advice. The available dispute process depends on the payment method, the facts, and the institution handling the payment.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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