How to stop a PayPal subscription

To cancel a PayPal subscription, log into your PayPal account, go to Settings, select Payments, then Manage automatic payments. Find the subscription you want to stop, click it, and select Cancel. PayPal will stop charging you after you confirm the cancellation. The process takes about two minutes and you receive an email confirmation.

Cancellation is immediate — PayPal does not charge you again after you confirm. If you were charged the day before you cancelled, that charge stands. If your next billing date is weeks away, you will not be charged when that date arrives.

You can cancel from a computer or the PayPal mobile app. The steps are the same either way.

Key Takeaways

  • Log into PayPal, go to Settings > Payments > Manage automatic payments, find your subscription, and click Cancel to stop it immediately.
  • Cancellation takes effect right away, so you will not be charged on your next billing date once you confirm.
  • PayPal sends you an email confirmation of the cancellation, and you can view the cancelled subscription in your payment history.
  • If you were charged within the last day or two, contact PayPal's Resolution Center to request a refund for that charge.
  • Some subscriptions are managed by the merchant instead of PayPal, in which case you may need to cancel directly with the company.

Step-by-step cancellation on desktop

Open PayPal in a web browser and sign in. Click the gear icon in the top right corner to open Settings.

Select Payments from the menu on the left. Click Manage automatic payments. You will see a list of all active subscriptions tied to your PayPal account. Find the one you want to cancel and click on it. A details page will open showing the subscription name, amount, billing frequency, and next billing date.

Click Cancel subscription at the bottom of the page. PayPal will ask you to confirm. Click Cancel subscription again. You will see a message saying the subscription has been cancelled, and PayPal will send you a confirmation email within a few minutes.

Cancelling on the PayPal mobile app

Open the PayPal app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right. Tap Settings, then Payments, then Manage automatic payments. Tap the subscription you want to cancel.

Tap Cancel subscription at the bottom of the screen. Confirm when PayPal asks. The subscription will be cancelled immediately and you will receive an email confirmation.

What happens after you cancel

Once you cancel, PayPal stops charging you. Your next scheduled charge will not go through. You keep access to whatever service or product the subscription covered until the current billing period ends — most companies do not cut you off the moment you cancel, though some do.

Check your email for the confirmation message PayPal sends. Keep this for your records. You can also view the cancelled subscription in your PayPal transaction history by filtering for that merchant's name.

If the merchant sends you a cancellation confirmation email as well, keep that too. Having both records protects you if a charge appears later by mistake.

If you were recently charged and want a refund

If PayPal charged you one or two days before you cancelled, that charge will not reverse automatically. You will need to request a refund. Log into PayPal, go to Resolution Center, and select Report a problem. Find the charge you want refunded, click it, and explain that you cancelled the subscription and want the charge reversed.

PayPal usually responds within a few business days. If the merchant refuses the refund, PayPal may side with them if the charge was within the billing cycle you paid for. If you cancelled before the charge posted, you have a stronger case for a refund.

When the merchant manages the subscription instead

Some companies do not let you cancel through PayPal. Instead, they manage the subscription on their own website and only use PayPal as the payment method. If you go to Manage automatic payments and do not see the subscription listed, the merchant controls it.

In this case, log into the merchant's website directly, find your account settings or subscription page, and cancel there. Once you cancel with the merchant, they will stop sending charges to PayPal. If you only cancel on PayPal's side but not with the merchant, they may try to charge you again using a different payment method or contact you to update your card.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I get a refund if I cancel mid-cycle?

No. PayPal does not refund the portion of the billing cycle you have not used. If you paid for a month and cancel after one week, you lose the remaining three weeks. Some merchants offer refunds as a courtesy, but PayPal itself does not require them to.

Can I pause a subscription instead of cancelling it?

PayPal does not have a built-in pause feature. You must cancel to stop charges. If you want to restart the subscription later, you will need to sign up again with the merchant. Some merchants let you pause from their own website even if PayPal does not offer it.

What if I do not see the subscription in my Manage automatic payments list?

The subscription may be managed by the merchant, not PayPal. Log into the merchant's website and look for a subscriptions or billing page in your account settings. Cancel there instead. If you still cannot find it, contact the merchant's customer service.

How long does it take for the cancellation to show up in my account?

Cancellation is instant. You will not be charged on your next billing date. The confirmation email arrives within minutes. If you see a charge after cancellation, contact PayPal's Resolution Center right away.

Can I cancel someone else's PayPal subscription?

No. Only the account holder can cancel a subscription. If a family member set up a subscription on your account without permission, change your PayPal password immediately and then cancel the subscription. Contact PayPal if you believe someone accessed your account without consent.