Stop a PayPal subscription or automatic payment in three steps
To cancel a recurring payment on PayPal, log into your account, go to Settings, find the subscription or automatic payment you want to stop, and click Cancel. PayPal will ask you to confirm, and the payment will end after you do. The whole process takes about two minutes and stops future charges when ready — you won't be charged again after you cancel.
The exact steps depend on whether you're using PayPal on a computer or phone, and whether the payment is a subscription (like a streaming service) or a bill payment you set up yourself. Both routes use the same Settings menu, but the names of the sections are slightly different.
Key Takeaways
- Log into your PayPal account and go to Settings to find all your recurring payments in one place.
- Subscriptions and automatic bill payments are listed separately, so check both sections if you're not sure where yours is.
- Canceling stops future charges right away, but you may still owe the merchant for the current billing period depending on their policy.
- If you cancel a payment by mistake, you can set it up again, but you'll need the merchant's details or subscription link.
Cancel a subscription on a computer
Open PayPal in your web browser and sign in. Click the gear icon in the top right corner to open Settings, then click Payments in the left menu.
Look for a section called Manage automatic payments or Subscriptions (the exact name varies by account type). You'll see a list of all active recurring charges. Find the one you want to cancel, click it, and then click Cancel Subscription or Cancel Payment. PayPal will ask you to confirm — click the confirmation button, and it's done. The merchant will no longer charge you.
If you don't see the payment listed, it may be under a different name than you remember, or the merchant may have already canceled it on their end. Search the list carefully, or contact the merchant directly to ask if the subscription is still active.
Cancel a subscription on your phone
Open the PayPal app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Tap Settings, then Payments, then Manage Automatic Payments or Subscriptions.
Tap the payment you want to cancel. On the next screen, tap Cancel Subscription or Cancel Payment, then confirm. The app will show a confirmation message when it's complete. If you need to cancel multiple payments, repeat these steps for each one.
What happens after you cancel
Once you cancel, PayPal stops processing future charges. You won't see any more transactions from that merchant on your account. However, canceling does not automatically refund charges you've already paid — if you were charged this month and want your money back, you'll need to contact the merchant or file a dispute with PayPal.
Some merchants offer refunds for the current billing period if you cancel before a certain date each month. Check the merchant's refund policy before you cancel, or ask them directly. If they refuse a refund you think you're owed, you can open a dispute in your PayPal Resolution Center.
Cancel a bill payment you set up yourself
If you created an automatic bill payment through PayPal (rather than signing up for a merchant's subscription), the cancellation process is the same: go to Settings, find Manage Automatic Payments, click the payment, and click Cancel. The difference is that you may need to set up a new payment method with the merchant if you want to keep paying them — canceling a PayPal bill payment doesn't cancel your account with the merchant itself.
For example, if you set up PayPal to automatically pay your electric bill each month, canceling that PayPal payment stops the automatic charges but doesn't close your electric account. You'll need to contact the utility company to set up a different payment method, or they may send you a bill in the mail.
If you can't find the payment to cancel
Recurring payments sometimes appear under the merchant's name rather than the service name. If you're looking for a Netflix subscription but it shows as "NFLX" or "Netflix Inc.", that's normal. Use the search or filter option in your Payments section if PayPal offers one, or scroll through the full list carefully.
If the payment isn't listed at all, the merchant may have already canceled it, or it may be set up through a different payment method (a credit card or bank account, not PayPal). Contact the merchant to confirm whether the subscription is still active. If it is and you want to cancel it, they can tell you how to do so on their website or app.
Restarting a payment you canceled by mistake
If you canceled a payment and want to restart it, you'll need to go back to the merchant's website or app and sign up again. PayPal doesn't have a "reactivate" button — you have to treat it as a new subscription. Some merchants let you resume a canceled subscription directly on their site, so check there first before signing up from scratch.
When you sign up again, you'll authorize PayPal to charge you again, and the merchant will confirm the new start date. Make sure you understand the billing cycle before you restart — some services charge when ready, while others wait until the next scheduled billing date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will canceling a PayPal payment stop the merchant from charging my credit card?
No. Canceling a PayPal payment only stops PayPal from processing charges. If the merchant is also set up to charge your credit card directly, you'll need to cancel that separately through the merchant's website or by contacting them. Check your credit card statement to see if charges are coming from PayPal or the merchant directly.
Can I cancel a payment if I don't remember the merchant's name?
Yes. Go to your PayPal Payments section and look through the list of active recurring charges. The merchant name should be listed, even if it's abbreviated or slightly different from what you remember. If you still can't find it, check your PayPal transaction history to see recent charges and identify the merchant that way.
What if the merchant keeps charging me after I cancel?
Contact the merchant first and ask them to confirm the cancellation on their end — sometimes there's a delay between when you cancel on PayPal and when the merchant's system updates. If they confirm it's canceled but charges continue, open a dispute in your PayPal Resolution Center and provide proof of the cancellation.
Do I get a refund when I cancel a recurring payment?
Canceling stops future charges, but it doesn't automatically refund money you've already paid. If you want a refund for the current billing period, contact the merchant directly — many offer refunds if you cancel before a certain date. If the merchant refuses, you can file a dispute with PayPal.
Can I pause a payment instead of canceling it?
PayPal doesn't have a built-in pause feature for recurring payments. Your options are to cancel it completely or contact the merchant to ask if they offer a temporary pause or suspension. Some merchants allow you to pause a subscription for a set period through their website or app.