Some companies make you cancel the old-fashioned way — by email, or even a written letter — because friction keeps subscribers paying. It's annoying, but it's also entirely doable, and done right it leaves you with something an online cancel button never does: a dated paper trail. The key is sending a clear, specific request and keeping proof, so that if the charges don't stop, you have everything you need to push back.
Before you write anything, locate the correct destination. Buried somewhere in the terms, the welcome email, or the help pages is usually a billing or cancellation address. If you can't find one, call customer service and ask directly: "What email address or mailing address do I send a cancellation to?" Get it in that call, and note the date, time, and the rep's name. Sending your request to a general support inbox is weaker than sending it to the billing department they name.
A good cancellation message is short and leaves no room for interpretation. Include:
That single paragraph does the job whether you paste it into an email or print and mail it. If you're posting a letter, sending it with tracking or a return receipt gives you proof of delivery on top of your own copy.
The reason a written cancellation is actually stronger than a click is the record it leaves. Keep a copy of every email you send and receive, and for a posted letter, keep a duplicate plus the tracking or receipt. If you spoke to anyone by phone, jot down the date, time, and any reference number. Should the company keep charging you, this correspondence is your proof that you cancelled — the difference between a quick refund and a drawn-out dispute.
Sending the request doesn't always end it, so know your backstops:
| Step | What it does |
|---|---|
| Re-send and reference your first request | Shows a documented, repeated attempt to cancel |
| Revoke authorization with your bank | Ask for a stop-payment order on the recurring charge |
| Dispute charges billed after you cancelled | Your dated copy is the evidence for a chargeback |
In the U.S., rules around online "negative option" sign-ups (under the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act) expect sellers to provide a real way to stop recurring charges. A broken or unreasonable cancellation path actually strengthens your case for a refund or dispute — so the harder a company makes it, the better your documented attempt looks.
Email and letter cancellations take days to confirm, which is exactly when a plan slips off your radar. Add your subscriptions to SubScan and it lists each one with its cost in a single monthly and yearly total, so you can watch a pending cancellation through to its last charge. Runs entirely in your browser: no bank login, no account.
Open the free trackerKeep it short and specific: your full name, your account or membership number, the email or card the subscription is tied to, and a clear statement that you're cancelling and withdrawing authorization for any further recurring charges. Ask for written confirmation that it's been processed, and include the date. That leaves no room for the company to misread your request.
Check the terms, your welcome email, and the company's help pages for a billing or cancellation address. If you can't find one, call customer service and ask directly which email or mailing address cancellations go to, then note the date, time, and the rep's name from that call. Sending to the named billing department is stronger than a general support inbox.
The kept copy is what makes a written cancellation stronger than a click. If the company keeps charging you, your dated email or letter, plus any delivery tracking or phone reference numbers, is the proof that you cancelled. That evidence is the difference between a quick refund and a long, contested dispute.
Re-send your request and reference the first one to show a repeated, documented attempt. If charges continue, ask your bank for a stop-payment order to revoke authorization for the recurring payment, and dispute any charges billed after your cancellation date using your kept copy as evidence.
No — the email or letter has to come from you, and SubScan never connects to your accounts or your bank. What it does is list every plan you add with its cost in one monthly and yearly total, so a slow cancellation doesn't drop off your radar and you can confirm the charges have actually stopped. It runs entirely in your browser with nothing uploaded.
For informational purposes only. SubScan is a free, on-device tool and does not provide financial or legal advice. Cancellation rules and your protections vary by company and location; the template is a general starting point, not legal advice.