These days, it seems there’s a subscription for everything—from music and video streaming to photo editing, and even monthly boxes of exotic snacks. Signing up is a breeze, but canceling? That’s where the trouble begins.
Companies know the harder it is to stop paying for their services, the more money they’ll make from people who either don’t realize they’re subscribed or are too busy to opt out.
The folks you’re about to hear from faced unreal difficulties with hidden fees and impossible cancellation methods. We’ve rounded up some of their most outrageous experiences below. Check them out and share your own subscription battles in the comments!
#1 People Are Sick And Tired Of All Their Subscriptions. Well Played, The Wall Street Journal, Well Played
Image credits: smikkelhut
#2 Walmart Is Charging Me 10 Days Before The Free Trial Ends. This Is Why I Don't Use My Bank Card For Free Trials. I Also Keep It Locked, Just In Case. Google Is Bad About Doing This Too
Image credits: MoeGunz6
The average American spends almost a thousand dollars each year on subscriptions. With so many to keep track of, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the costs, but stopping them is a whole other challenge. Some companies create entire obstacle courses before you can finally click cancel. The New York Times, for example, is notorious for making you talk to a customer representative on the phone or endure a tedious online chat, as you can’t end your subscription directly through their website.
#3 After Going Through Five Pages To Cancel Your $4 New York Times Subscription You Get This
Image credits: traviswilbr
#4 Netflix Hides The "Happy Middle-Ground" Option To Entice People Into The Most Expensive Subscription
Image credits: dendofyy
In some cases, businesses make their cancellation processes so confusing they end up facing legal action. Last year, Amazon was sued by the US government over how hard it is to cancel Prime and claims of ‘nonconsensual enrollment.’
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused Amazon of repeatedly pushing customers to sign up for Prime during their shopping journey, often using big, eye-catching buttons for enrollment and tiny, easy-to-miss links to decline. The suit claims these Prime offers were often not clearly labeled, leading consumers to think they were choosing free shipping or a trial, not realizing they were agreeing to a paid subscription.
#5 "Free" Trial
Image credits: jandcryder
#6 My Free Subscription To Paramount+ Is Up Tomorrow And So I Was Going To Cancel Today. No Matter How Many Times I Try, Or Reset My Browser, It Won’t Let Me. This Has To Be Illegal, Right?
Image credits: Dockle
#7 I Don’t Print Much So I Canceled My Subscription… Now I Print Even Less
Image credits: wanthirtypoo
With such deceptive marketing techniques, it’s no wonder people get so frustrated. Fortunately, the FTC is stepping in to help. In 2023, they proposed a ‘click to cancel rule,’ which would force businesses to make unsubscribing as easy as signing up.
“I’m sure this is an experience that all of you can relate to, where you tried to cancel a subscription and the company has made you jump through an endless number of hoops,” commented FTC Chair Lina Khan. “Companies should not be able to manipulate consumers into paying for subscriptions that they don’t want.”
#8 HelloFresh Now Forces You To Talk To A Sales Rep If You Want To Cancel Your Subscription
Image credits: _cerulean_haze_
#9 Ultimate Guitar Costs More For A Year If You Use The 7-Day Free Trial
Image credits: einarekeberg
#10 Trying To Cancel A Subscription, And Suddenly This Happens
Image credits: kumquat_may
The ‘click to cancel rule’ is still in the works, but if it goes through, it will put an end to in-person visits, handwritten letters, and hours spent on hold on the phone. Companies would also have to clearly inform consumers they’re signing up for a paid service, get users’ explicit consent, and remind them before services automatically renew.
#11 I Keep Canceling, And For Some Reason, The Membership Keeps Continuing. This Is Already The Third Time I’m Canceling My Membership
Image credits: JilSonea
#12 This Should Be Illegal. If You Allow People To Sign Up For A Plan On Your Mobile Device Or App, You Should Be Forced To Allow People To Cancel The Same Way
Image credits: UnLioNocturno
#13 Netflix Won't Let Me Watch The Last Few Weeks Of My Subscription Without Resubscribing. There's No Option To Continue Watching Without Selecting A New Plan
Image credits: BritestBowlingBall
Making it easier to end subscriptions could actually be beneficial for businesses in the long run. Some providers who are already transparent about their policies say honesty has helped them retain more customers.
“We had fewer cancellation requests, more saves, and less customer service time,” says Alex Brown, CEO of sustainable cleaning supplies subscription firm Truly Free. “That’s given us the latitude to take a little bit of the pressure off of them, and I think it’s caused more of them to come back in the future too.”
#14 For Weeks I Couldn’t Figure Out How To Unsubscribe
Image credits: amylei333
#15 Imagine Paying For A Subscription And There Are 5 Unskippable Ads In A Non-Live Show On Hulu
Image credits: axolotl_bruh
#16 My $400 Baby Monitor Has Locked Previously Free Features Behind A Monthly Subscription
The app used to send push notifications when the baby woke up. Now I have to pay $10 per month for that privilege.
Image credits: bshotto1213
While some companies have made the shift to be more honest and straightforward, others still use sneaky tactics to keep customers locked in. Personal finance expert Clark Howard offers some tips on handling your subscriptions.
“It requires a mental reset,” Howard says. He suggests reviewing your checking and credit card statements every three months to spot recurring charges you might have forgotten about. If there’s something you no longer use, cancel it.
#17 The Website For My Physics College Textbook Has A Subscription For The Solution Of Questions
Image credits: Ryanknik
#18 Trying To Cancel A Subscription Via Text Message
Image credits: J0390
#19 Adobe Must Be Joking... £109.82 To Cancel My Plan. Honestly Ridiculous
Image credits: Absolewtely
More importantly, Howard urges consumers to research new services and their cancellation policies before enrolling. Look beyond the service’s website for its cancellation policy and see if there are any complaints about it. It might take some time, but it will save a lot of hassle in the future. “You have to look at how you get divorced before you get married,” he says.
#20 My New Truck Requires A $15/Month Data Plan To Use Features My Previous Model Did For Free (Maps, Basic Voice Commands, Text-To-Voice Messages)
Image credits: reddit.com
#21 The Color Scheme Of This Email Spotify Sent Me
Image credits: ronslaught82
#22 Get Your 7-Day Free Trial For The Amazing Price Of 200 Dollars
Image credits: reddit.com
The FTC also recommends watching for prechecked boxes when making a purchase online, as they may sign you up for products or services you don’t want unless you uncheck them. If you cancel a subscription but are still being charged, dispute it with your credit card company and file a complaint on the FTC’s website.
#23 Can’t Reset My Yahoo Password Because I Have A New Number. Went Online And Read That It’s A Premium Feature Now
I called a customer representative and was told I had to pay a monthly subscription fee for that service (he told me the price was $12.95).
Image credits: jayandare
#24 The Button To End Subscription Doesn’t Work
Image credits: chaseisprettycool
#25 We Refuse Your Unsubscribe
Image credits: airreturn
So, the next time you consider starting a new subscription, remember to do your homework and stay vigilant about hidden charges. Hopefully, in the future, better consumer protection policies like the ‘click to cancel rule’ will make managing subscriptions easier and more transparent for everyone.
#26 I Just Wanted To Cancel My Subscription, But Now I Have To Talk To Someone
Image credits: ThisperraRuisck
#27 I'm Not Paying A Damn Subscription To Watch DVDs On My PC
Image credits: thunderup_14
#28 I Canceled My Netflix Subscription Last July Because I Didn't Want To Use It Anymore, And Ever Since, They Have Barraged Me With These Emails, Trying To Get Me To Come Back
Image credits: Lilith_Immaculate_
#29 Brand New Toyota Requires A Subscription
Image credits: Sleep_adict
#30 They're Trying To Make Us Pay Subscriptions On Everything. Greedy Companies
Image credits: ttv_CitrusBros
#31 No "None" Option On An Unsolicited Email Subscription
Image credits: JustCallMeSlips
#32 The App I Paid Money For Discontinued Because Their New App Is Subscription-Based
Image credits: Illithis
#33 Learn How Subscriptions Are Getting Out Of Hand (Only For Our Subscribers)
Image credits: Resist_Rise
#34 A Monthly Subscription And An App Are Required For Filtered Water
Image credits: hashtagoras
#35 Water Subscription At My Local Gym
Image credits: mettleh3d
#36 CAPTCHA To Uninstall And The Big Cancel Button Instead Of Continuing
Image credits: DexterSpencer
#37 HP Printers Won’t Let You Print Without A Subscription Even After You Buy The Printer
Image credits: Inferior_Jeans
#38 UltimateGuitar Shows A Fake Tutorial Video With The Title Of The Song You're Trying To Learn. Clicking It Just Brings You To The Sign-Up Page For Their Premium Subscription
Image credits: BadDesignBryan
#39 Can't Cancel My Subscription. Whenever I Try, It Always Leads Me To This Screen
Image credits: InsightBoii
#40 So I Paid $250 For A Fitbit Watch And Half Of Its Features Are Behind A Subscription Paywall
Image credits: Flieww
#41 This App Doesn’t Tell You The Full Price Of A Subscription Until You Buy It And Start Paying It
Image credits: RealPenguingod101
#42 What The Hell, Disney?
Image credits: DexterTheWulf
#43 What’s The Point Of Paying For A Subscription? What’s The Point Of Paying For The Premium Family Plan If I Have To Pay More To Use It? I Hate Everything About This
Image credits: Dingusdangus1
#44 Imagine Paying $499 Just To Not Get A Single Match
Image credits: Dexerto
#45 Snapchat+ Says That You Save More With Their More Expensive Subscription Because You Get A Discount For The First 3 Months
Image credits: Howdee_folks_YT
#46 Tried Canceling My Newspaper Subscription Online
Image credits: LocalPlankton1561
#47 PlayStation Now Is A Joke. Pay For A Subscription And Then You Have To Wait In A Queue To Play
Image credits: jessynolan
#48 Is This Even Legal? Accept Cookies Or Pay 2.5€/Month
Image credits: J-RJuniorJuniorsJr
#49 Adobe Makes It So You Can't Cancel Your Subscription. Instead, You’re Forced To Contact Them Because There Is No "Cancel Plan" Option
Image credits: WooDadooDooRakeYohn
#50 Tried To Cancel My Subscription Since My School Started Offering Access Two Weeks Into The Semester
Image credits: Sad-Wasabi-3634
