Cancel a subscription on Google Play through your account settings
To cancel a Google Play subscription, open the Google Play app or go to play.google.com, find the subscription in your account settings, and select the option to cancel. The process takes about two minutes. You will not be charged again after you confirm the cancellation, though you can usually keep using the service until your current billing period ends.
Google Play handles subscriptions for apps, games, and services bought through Android devices or the Google Play website. When you cancel, the timing of when you lose access depends on what you subscribed to — some services cut off when ready, while others let you finish the month or year you paid for.
Key Takeaways
- You can cancel most Google Play subscriptions from the Subscriptions section of your Google Play account on any device with internet access.
- After you cancel, you keep access to the service through the end of your current billing period, then it stops automatically.
- If you cancel within a certain window (usually a few days), some subscriptions offer a refund for the most recent charge.
- Cancelling through Google Play is different from uninstalling the app — you must cancel the subscription itself or you will be charged again.
Steps to cancel on the Google Play app (Android phone or tablet)
Open the Google Play app and tap your profile icon in the top right corner. Select Manage your Google Account, then tap the Payments and subscriptions tab. Tap Subscriptions to see all active subscriptions tied to your Google account.
Find the subscription you want to cancel and tap it. On the subscription details page, tap Cancel subscription. Google will ask you to confirm and may show you a reason to stay (like a discount offer). Tap Cancel subscription again to finish. You will see a confirmation message that your subscription has been cancelled.
Steps to cancel on the Google Play website
Go to play.google.com in any web browser and sign in with the Google account that has the subscription. Click your profile icon in the top right and select Manage your Google Account. Click the Payments and subscriptions tab, then click Subscriptions.
Click the subscription you want to cancel. Click Cancel subscription and confirm your choice. You will see a confirmation that the cancellation went through. This method works the same way whether you are on a computer, tablet, or phone.
What happens after you cancel
Once you cancel, you will not be charged on your next billing date. You can continue using the subscription service through the end of your current billing period — if you paid for a month, you have access for the rest of that month. If you paid for a year, you have access for the rest of that year. After the billing period ends, the app or service will stop working unless you resubscribe.
Some services show a countdown timer or warning message as your access period gets close to ending. Others straightforward stop working on the expiration date. Check the app or service itself if you are unsure when your access ends.
Refunds for cancelled subscriptions
Google Play allows refunds for subscriptions cancelled within a certain window of the purchase date. The window is usually a few days, but it varies by subscription and by country. To request a refund, cancel the subscription and then look for a refund option on the subscription details page, or contact Google Play Support through your account.
If you cancel after the refund window closes, you will not get money back for the current billing period. You will only stop being charged going forward. Some subscriptions have their own refund policies that are stricter or more generous than Google Play's standard policy — check the app's terms or contact the company directly if you think you should be refunded.
Cancelling a subscription is not the same as uninstalling the app
Deleting the app from your phone does not cancel the subscription. If you uninstall an app without cancelling the subscription first, you will still be charged on your next billing date, and the charge will go to your Google Play payment method. You must cancel through your Google Play account settings to stop the charges.
If you realize you were charged after uninstalling an app, you can still cancel the subscription through Google Play at any time. Go back to your subscriptions list, find it, and cancel. Then contact Google Play Support if you want to dispute the charge or request a refund.
Reactivating a cancelled subscription
If you change your mind after cancelling, you can resubscribe to the same service through Google Play. Open the app or go to its page on Google Play and select the subscription option again. You will be charged when ready for a new billing period. Resubscribing does not restore access to the time you already paid for before you cancelled — you start a new subscription from the date you resubscribe.
Some services offer a way to pause a subscription instead of cancelling it, which lets you stop charges temporarily without losing your account or data. Check the subscription details page to see if a pause option is available for the service you use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get a refund if I cancel mid-month?
Google Play refunds subscriptions cancelled within a few days of purchase, but the exact window varies. If you cancel after that window, you will not get a refund for the current billing period. You keep access through the end of the period you paid for, then it stops. Some individual apps have their own refund policies, so check the app's terms.
Can I cancel a subscription from my computer?
Yes. Go to play.google.com, sign in, click your profile icon, select Manage your Google Account, click Payments and subscriptions, then Subscriptions. Find the subscription and click Cancel subscription. The process is the same as on a phone or tablet.
What if I cannot find the subscription in my list?
Make sure you are signed in to the correct Google account — the one you used to buy the subscription. If the subscription is very old or was cancelled long ago, it may not appear in the active list. Contact Google Play Support with the name of the app or service and your payment method to locate it.
Do I lose my data when I cancel a subscription?
That depends on the app or service. Some apps delete your data when your subscription ends, while others keep it so you can resubscribe later and pick up where you left off. Check the app's terms or settings to see what happens to your data after cancellation.
Can someone else cancel my subscription?
Only someone with access to your Google account can cancel your subscriptions. If you share a device with family members, each person should use their own Google account to manage their own subscriptions. You can set up Family Link to manage subscriptions for children's accounts.