How to cancel your ChatGPT subscription
To cancel your ChatGPT Plus subscription, log into your account on OpenAI's website, go to your account settings, find the subscription section, and select the option to cancel. The process takes about two minutes. Your access continues until the end of your current billing cycle — OpenAI does not refund the portion of the month you have already paid.
The exact steps depend on whether you subscribed through OpenAI's website directly or through Apple's App Store or Google Play. Each route has a different cancellation process, and cancelling in one place does not cancel it in another if you have subscriptions in multiple locations.
Key Takeaways
- Cancelling through OpenAI's website involves logging in, navigating to billing settings, and selecting cancel subscription from the subscription management page.
- If you subscribed through Apple's App Store, you must cancel through your Apple account settings, not through OpenAI.
- If you subscribed through Google Play, you must cancel through Google Play's subscription settings, not through OpenAI.
- Your ChatGPT Plus access remains active until the end of your current billing period, even after you cancel.
- You will not receive a refund for the current billing cycle once you have cancelled.
Cancelling a subscription through OpenAI's website
If you signed up for ChatGPT Plus directly on OpenAI's website using a credit card or other payment method, cancel through the same website. Open your web browser, go to chat.openai.com, and log in with your account email and password.
Once logged in, click your account name or profile icon in the bottom left corner of the screen. A menu will appear. Select Billing overview from that menu. On the billing page, look for a section labeled Plan or Subscription. Next to your current plan (ChatGPT Plus), you will see a button or link that says Manage my subscription or Manage subscription. Click it.
A new page will open showing your subscription details, including your billing date and the amount you pay each month. At the bottom of this page, you will see a red button or link that says Cancel subscription. Click it. OpenAI will ask you to confirm that you want to cancel. Select the confirmation option, and your cancellation is complete. You will receive a confirmation email.
Cancelling a subscription through Apple's App Store
If you subscribed to ChatGPT Plus through the ChatGPT app on an iPhone or iPad using your Apple ID, you must cancel through Apple's settings, not through OpenAI. Cancelling through OpenAI's website will not stop the charge from Apple.
On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app. Tap your name at the top of the screen, then select Subscriptions. Find ChatGPT in the list of active subscriptions and tap it. A screen will show your subscription details and renewal date. Tap Cancel Subscription at the bottom. Apple will ask you to confirm; select the confirmation option. Your subscription cancellation is complete, and you will receive a confirmation from Apple.
If you cannot find the Subscriptions option in your Settings app, your device may be running an older version of iOS. As an alternative, open the App Store app, tap the profile icon in the top right corner, select Subscriptions, find ChatGPT, and follow the same cancellation steps.
Cancelling a subscription through Google Play
If you subscribed to ChatGPT Plus through the ChatGPT app on an Android phone or tablet using Google Play, you must cancel through Google Play, not through OpenAI. Cancelling through OpenAI's website will not stop the charge from Google.
On your Android device, open the Google Play Store app. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner and select Manage subscriptions. Find ChatGPT in your list of active subscriptions and tap it. A screen will show your subscription details and next billing date. Tap Cancel subscription. Google will ask you to confirm your cancellation and may ask why you are cancelling; select the confirmation option. Your subscription is cancelled, and you will receive a confirmation email from Google.
What happens after you cancel
After you cancel, your ChatGPT Plus features remain available until the end of your current billing cycle. If your billing date is the 15th of each month and you cancel on the 8th, you keep full access to ChatGPT Plus until the 15th. On the 15th, your account automatically reverts to the free version of ChatGPT.
The free version of ChatGPT has slower response times during peak hours, no access to GPT-4 (OpenAI's most advanced model), and no file upload or image generation features. You can still use the free version to chat with ChatGPT at any time. Your conversation history and saved chats remain in your account.
OpenAI does not issue refunds for the portion of your billing cycle remaining after cancellation. If you cancel mid-month, you do not receive a credit or refund for the unused days. This is standard for most subscription services.
Reactivating your subscription later
If you cancel and later want to reactivate ChatGPT Plus, you can do so at any time by going back to your billing settings and selecting the option to upgrade or restart your subscription. The process is the same as the original sign-up. You will be charged when ready for the new billing cycle.
If you originally subscribed through Apple or Google, you will need to reactivate through the same platform. You cannot switch from an Apple subscription to a direct OpenAI subscription without cancelling the Apple subscription first.
Troubleshooting cancellation problems
If you click Cancel subscription but do not see a confirmation email, log back into your account and check your billing settings again. Sometimes the page does not refresh when ready. If the subscription still appears active after 24 hours, try cancelling again or contact OpenAI's support team through the help section on their website.
If you subscribed through Apple or Google but cancelled through OpenAI's website by mistake, the charge will continue. Go back and cancel through the correct platform (Apple Settings or Google Play) to stop future charges. If you were charged after cancelling, contact Apple or Google's support team, as they handle refunds for their platform subscriptions.
If you cannot find the cancellation button in your account settings, your account may have a different subscription type or payment arrangement. Check your confirmation email from when you signed up to see which platform processed your subscription, then follow the cancellation steps for that platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get a refund if I cancel mid-month?
No. OpenAI does not refund unused portions of your billing cycle. Your access continues until your next billing date, but you will not receive money back for the days remaining after you cancel. This applies whether you subscribed through OpenAI, Apple, or Google.
Can I pause my subscription instead of cancelling?
OpenAI does not offer a pause or freeze option for ChatGPT Plus. Your only options are to keep the subscription active or cancel it. If you want to stop paying temporarily, you must cancel and reactivate later when you are ready to use it again.
What if I cancel but the charge still appears on my credit card?
Check your cancellation confirmation email to confirm the cancellation went through. If you cancelled through OpenAI's website but subscribed through Apple or Google, the charge will continue because you cancelled in the wrong place. Cancel through your Apple Settings or Google Play account instead. If you cancelled in the correct location and were still charged, contact that platform's support team (Apple Support or Google Play Support) to report the issue.
Can I cancel my subscription on the ChatGPT mobile app?
No. You cannot cancel directly through the ChatGPT app itself. If you subscribed through Apple, cancel in your iPhone or iPad Settings under Subscriptions. If you subscribed through Google, cancel in the Google Play Store app under Manage subscriptions. If you subscribed through OpenAI's website, cancel by logging into chat.openai.com on a web browser.
Will I lose my chat history if I cancel?
No. Your conversations and saved chats remain in your account after you cancel. When you log back in, even after cancelling, all your previous chats are still there. Cancelling only removes your access to ChatGPT Plus features; it does not delete your account or your conversation history.