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, and click Cancel. The cancellation takes effect immediately, though you may still owe any charges that already posted to your account before you cancelled. PayPal will send you a confirmation email once the subscription is gone.

If you subscribed through a merchant's website rather than PayPal directly, you have two options: cancel through PayPal (the method above), or contact the merchant and ask them to cancel on their end. Cancelling through PayPal stops the payments; cancelling with the merchant does the same thing but may also close your account with that service. Either way works, but going through PayPal is faster if you just want the charges to stop.

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, but charges that already posted before you cancelled will still appear on your account.
  • You can cancel through PayPal or by contacting the merchant directly; both methods stop the payments.
  • PayPal sends a confirmation email after cancellation, and you should check your account a few days later to make sure no new charges appear.

Where to find your subscriptions in PayPal

Open PayPal and sign in with your email and password. Click the gear icon in the top right corner to open Settings. From there, select Payments on the left side menu, then look for Manage automatic payments. This page shows every subscription connected to your account — both ones you set up directly with PayPal and ones you created through other websites that use PayPal to bill you.

If you have many subscriptions, you can scroll through the list or use the search bar to find the one you want to cancel. Each subscription shows the merchant name, the amount you pay, and how often you pay it. Click on the subscription to see more details, including the date it started and the date of your last charge.

What happens after you cancel

Once you click Cancel, PayPal stops all future charges immediately. You will not be billed again for that subscription. However, any charge that already posted to your account before you hit the cancel button will still show up — you cannot undo a charge that has already gone through.

PayPal sends a confirmation email to the address on your account within a few minutes. Check your email (including spam folders) to make sure you received it. If you do not see a confirmation, log back into PayPal and check the subscription list again to confirm it is gone. A few days after cancellation, review your account to make sure no new charges appear; if they do, contact PayPal support right away.

Cancelling subscriptions set up through merchants

Some subscriptions are easier to cancel through the merchant's website than through PayPal. If you signed up for a subscription on a company's website — like a streaming service, software, or membership — you can often cancel directly there. Log into your account with that merchant, find the subscription or billing section, and look for a cancel or manage subscription button.

Cancelling through the merchant's website usually closes your account with them as well as stopping the payments. Cancelling through PayPal stops only the payments and leaves your account active. Choose whichever fits what you want: if you might come back to the service later, cancel through PayPal; if you want to close the account entirely, cancel through the merchant.

If you cannot find the cancel button

Some older subscriptions or less common merchants do not show up in the Manage automatic payments list, even though they are still charging you. If you see charges on your PayPal statement but cannot find the subscription to cancel, contact PayPal support through the Resolution Center. Explain which merchant is charging you and ask them to cancel the subscription on their end.

You can also dispute the charge if it is unauthorized or if the merchant refuses to cancel. Open your PayPal statement, find the charge, click on it, and select Report a problem. PayPal will investigate and may reverse the charge if they find it was not legitimate. This process takes longer than cancelling — usually 10 business days — so try cancelling first.

Stopping charges from a specific merchant

If a merchant keeps charging you even after you cancelled, or if you want to block them from charging you in the future, you can revoke their permission to access your PayPal account. Go to Settings > Payments > Manage permissions, find the merchant's name, and click Remove. This stops them from charging you and removes their access to your account information.

Revoking permissions is different from cancelling a subscription — it is a backup step if cancellation did not work. After you revoke permissions, check your account for a few days to make sure no more charges appear. If they do, contact PayPal support and report the unauthorized charges.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

PayPal does not automatically refund unused time. Whether you get a refund depends on the merchant's policy. Some services refund a prorated amount; others do not refund at all. Check the merchant's terms or contact their support to ask about refunds before you cancel.

Can I cancel a subscription if I do not remember setting it up?

Yes. Go to Manage automatic payments, find the subscription, and click Cancel. If you do not recognize the merchant or believe the charge is unauthorized, you can also dispute it through the Resolution Center and ask PayPal to investigate.

What if the merchant's website says the subscription is already cancelled?

The merchant's system and PayPal's system can get out of sync. Cancel it through PayPal as well to make sure. If charges continue after you have cancelled in both places, contact PayPal support and report the unauthorized charges.

Do I need to contact the merchant before cancelling through PayPal?

No. Cancelling through PayPal stops the payments without notifying the merchant. If you want to keep your account active with them or ask about refunds, contact them first. Otherwise, cancelling through PayPal is all you need to do.

How long does it take for a cancelled subscription to stop showing charges?

Cancellation is immediate, but it can take a few days for the change to show in your PayPal statement. If you see a charge after cancellation, wait a few more days to see if it clears. If new charges keep appearing after a week, contact PayPal support.