Chances are, if you use PayPal regularly, you have set up one or more active subscriptions for services you pay for through your account. In fact, research shows that 43% of PayPal users make subscription payments each month.
But when circumstances change or you need to manage expenses more closely, figuring out how to cancel a PayPal subscription can be confusing.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through canceling any type of PayPal subscription, whether you are paying for services as a subscriber or receiving payments for subscriptions offered by your business.
Let‘s start by examining the key differences between subscription types:
| Subscriptions You Pay For | Subscriptions You Receive Payments For | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | You pay another company for access to a service on an ongoing basis via your PayPal account | Customers pay you, the merchant, for access to your offerings as recurring PayPal payments |
| Example | $9.99 per month for Spotify Premium membership | $50 per month for software access from your company |
| Cancellation Process | Stop future automatic payments but service may remain intact | Fully cancel future payments and customer access to offerings |
Now that we‘ve clarified the distinction between these subscription scenarios, let‘s dive into the step-by-step process for cancellation in each case.
How to Cancel Subscriptions You Pay For
If another business charges your PayPal account automatically each month for a service, you can stop future payments by unlinking your account. Here‘s how to do it while preserving the subscription temporarily:
Through the mobile app (recommended for ease of access):
On iPhones or other iOS devices:
- Open the PayPal app and tap the "Payments" tab on the bottom
- Select "Bills" at the top of your screen
- Identify the monthly subscription you want to cancel
- Tap "Remove PayPal as your payment method"
- Confirm removal
On Android phones or tablets:
- In the PayPal app, choose "Payments"
- Select "Bills"
- Locate the subscription charge
- Choose "Cancel Subscription"
- Validate the cancellation
By removing PayPal billing in the apps above, the subscription itself will remain intact until your next billing date allows the merchant to recognize no valid payment method on file.
You can also cancel PayPal payments through their website as follows:
- Log into your account and click your profile icon
- Select “Payments” then choose “Manage Automatic Payments”
- Identify the subscription service
- Click cancel and confirm
Pro Tip: Still seeing charges after canceling? Try disabling renewal payments to prevent companies from re-adding your PayPal account.
Stopping Subscriptions That Pay You (Merchant Accounts)
If you utilize a PayPal business account to facilitate recurring payments from subscribers, the cancellation process gives you more control.
You can fully cancel customer access to your offerings moving forward while stopping all future subscription charges.
Here are the steps from your merchant dashboard:
- Click "Pay & Get Paid" then hover over the menu bar
- Choose “Subscriptions” on the right side
- Select “Subscriptions” again from left column
- Identify the customer subscription you want to cancel
- Click the action menu next to their listing
- Choose to “Cancel Subscription”
This permanently ends their access and payments as soon as you confirm. You can always view, modify, suspend or reactivate other customer subscriptions as needed too.
Insider Tip: Enable Payment Review to have 72 hours to review new subscribers before recurring charges begin in case of issues.
Now let’s tackle some frequently asked questions about managing PayPal subscriptions:
What’s the impact when I stop my automatic subscription payments in PayPal?
You retain access until the merchant attempts to re-bill you and sees no linked payment method…
What happens if I dispute a payment or request a refund?
Within 180 days you can potentially get your money back by submitting a claim to PayPal for review…
How long will my customers have platform access if I cancel their subscription?
Immediately – cancelling subscriptions that pay you removes their access going forward while issuing refunds for any remaining billing cycles…
Can I update my payment details instead of outright canceling subscriptions I’m paying for?
Yes! Through “Payment Methods” in your account settings you can modify the linked card or bank account to avoid disruption…
For even more answers to commonly asked questions on this topic, check out PayPal’s help center.
I hope this guide has reduced any uncertainty around properly managing PayPal subscriptions! Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments below.
