How to cancel Spotify on any device
You can cancel Spotify through the website, the mobile app, or by contacting customer support. The fastest route is the website: log in to your account, go to your Account page, scroll to the "Subscription" section, and click "Cancel subscription." Spotify will ask you to confirm and may offer you a discount to stay — you can decline and proceed with cancellation. Your access ends at the end of your current billing cycle, not when ready.
If you use the mobile app on iPhone or Android, you cannot cancel directly in the app because Apple and Google handle subscriptions through their own systems. Instead, you must cancel through your phone's settings: on iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions > Spotify > Cancel Subscription; on Android, open Google Play, tap your profile icon > Payments and subscriptions > Subscriptions > Spotify > Cancel subscription. The process is the same — your access ends at the end of your billing period.
If you signed up through a third party like a mobile carrier, student program, or family plan administrator, you may need to cancel through that service instead of Spotify directly. Check your confirmation email or billing statement to see where the charge comes from. Cancelling in the wrong place leaves your subscription active and your payment continuing.
Key Takeaways
- Cancellation through the Spotify website is the most direct method and takes less than a minute once you are logged in.
- If you subscribed through your phone's app store, you must cancel through your phone's settings, not the Spotify app itself.
- Your music access stops at the end of your current billing cycle, not the moment you cancel.
- If you signed up through a carrier, school, or family plan, check your confirmation email to find where to cancel.
- Spotify may offer a discount code after you request cancellation — you can use it later if you change your mind.
What happens to your account and playlists after cancellation
When your subscription ends, you lose access to ad-free listening and offline downloads. Your account and all your playlists remain saved in Spotify's system, so if you resubscribe later, everything is still there. You can still log in and see your playlists and listening history, but you cannot play music unless you switch to the free tier with ads.
If you want to keep a record of your playlists before you cancel, you can export them or take screenshots. Spotify does not automatically delete accounts or playlists after cancellation, so there is no rush to save anything — you have as long as you want.
Cancelling a family plan or student subscription
If you are on a Spotify Family plan, only the plan owner can cancel the entire subscription. If you are a member but not the owner, you can remove yourself from the plan: log in to your account, go to your Account page, find the Family plan section, and click "Leave plan." You will lose access at that moment, not at the end of the billing cycle.
If you are the plan owner and want to cancel for everyone, follow the standard cancellation steps on the Account page. All members will lose access at the end of the billing cycle. If you want to keep the plan but remove one person, click "Manage family members" instead of cancelling the whole subscription.
Student subscriptions cancel the same way as individual plans: through your Account page or through the service you signed up with (often a student verification platform like SheerID or UNiDAYS). When your student status expires, Spotify may automatically downgrade you to the free tier or ask you to switch to a paid plan — check your email for notices about this.
Stopping charges if you forgot to cancel
If you were charged after you thought you cancelled, log into your account and check the Subscription section to see if the cancellation actually went through. If it shows as active, cancel it again. If it shows as cancelled but you were still charged, contact Spotify support through the Help section of your account or through the Spotify Community forums.
Spotify's support team can see your billing history and may issue a refund for charges after your cancellation date if there was a system error. Keep your confirmation email from when you cancelled — it shows the date and time, which helps support investigate. Response time is usually a few business days.
Reactivating your subscription later
You can restart your Spotify subscription at any time by logging back into your account and selecting a plan. Your playlists, followers, and listening history are still there. If you cancelled within the last 30 days, Spotify may show you a discount offer when you try to resubscribe — this is not may provide, but it appears for many users.
If you signed up through a third party originally (Apple, Google Play, a carrier, or a student program), you must resubscribe through that same service. You cannot switch to a direct Spotify subscription without cancelling the old one first and waiting for the billing cycle to end.
Downgrading to the free tier instead of cancelling
If you want to keep your Spotify account but do not want to pay, you can downgrade to the free tier instead of cancelling. Log into your Account page, go to the Subscription section, and look for a "Downgrade" or "Switch to Free" option. Not all account types show this option — some require you to cancel and then sign up for free separately.
The free tier includes ads between songs, lower audio quality, and limited skips. You keep your playlists and account. This is useful if you want to stay connected to friends' playlists or keep your listening history but do not want to pay right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get a refund if I cancel in the middle of my billing cycle?
No. Spotify does not refund partial months. Your access continues until the end of your current billing period, and then it stops. If you were charged twice in one month or charged after your cancellation date, contact support with your confirmation email and billing statement.
Can I cancel Spotify without logging in?
No. You must log into your account to cancel. If you forgot your password, use the "Forgot password?" link on the Spotify login page to reset it. If you no longer have access to the email address on your account, contact Spotify support.
What if my payment method is expired but I want to cancel?
You can still cancel through your account settings without updating your payment method. Log in, go to your Account page, and click "Cancel subscription." If Spotify cannot charge your expired card, they may suspend your account, but you can still log in and cancel whenever you are ready.
Does cancelling Spotify delete my account?
No. Cancelling your subscription stops your payments but leaves your account active. Your playlists, followers, and listening history stay saved. You can log in anytime and either resubscribe or use the free tier. To permanently delete your account, you must request account deletion separately through the Account settings.
Can I cancel if I am in the middle of a promotional offer?
Yes. Promotional periods do not lock you in. You can cancel at any time, even during a discounted offer. Your access ends at the end of your current billing cycle, and you will not be charged again after cancellation.