Does a merchant always have to refund a renewal?

No. A refund depends on the merchant’s terms and the facts: clear renewal terms and an easy cancel path weigh for the merchant; hidden terms, no reminder, or a blocked cancel path weigh for you.

Should I ask for cancellation and refund in the same message?

Yes. It removes ambiguity and stops the charge from repeating while the refund is considered.

Is there a right to cancel a subscription I just bought online?

In the EU you can generally withdraw from an online contract for services within 14 days from the day the contract was agreed. In the US there is no general cooling-off period, so the merchant’s terms and your card dispute rights matter more.

Subscription refund guide

Cancel subscription and get a refund

Cancel the renewal and reverse it.

Updated October 18, 2026 · General information, not legal advice

Key facts

Order of steps: Cancel and save the confirmation first. Then ask for the refund of the renewal.
Refund is not automatic: It depends on the merchant’s terms and on what was disclosed at signup and before renewal.
If charged after canceling: Dispute with your card issuer; US credit cards need written notice within 60 days of the statement.
New subscription (EU): Online contracts for services can be withdrawn within 14 days from the day the contract was agreed.

Copy a letter Open workspace

01
Cancel and keep the proof
Cancel in the account settings or by the method the terms describe, then screenshot the confirmation with its date and time. Without it, a refund request is only your word.
02
List what you were and were not told
Note the price and renewal date shown at signup, whether a renewal reminder was sent, and how hard cancelling was (hidden menus, phone-only, repeated offers).
03
Ask for cancellation and refund together
Name the charge, attach the confirmation, ask for a full refund by a calendar date, and say that you have not used the service since the renewal.

Letter generator

Subscription refund letters: fill in your details and copy

Choose the template that matches your situation and attach the cancellation confirmation.

01Cancel and refund the renewal

Hello, I am cancelling my [product or service] subscription and asking for a refund of the renewal charged on [charge date] for [amount].

[what went wrong in one sentence]. I have not used the service since the charge. My account email is [account email] and the cancellation confirmation is attached.

Please confirm cancellation and a full refund by [date you expect an answer].

02Charged after I cancelled

Hello, I cancelled my [product or service] subscription on [date you cancelled] (confirmation attached) but was charged [amount] on [charge date].

Please refund this charge and every later charge in full to my original payment method by [date you expect an answer], and confirm that no further payments will be taken.

03Card issuer dispute summary

I am disputing a charge of [amount] from [merchant], posted on [charge date], for a subscription I cancelled on [date you cancelled].

I asked the merchant for a refund on [date of first message] and [they refused / did not reply]. The cancellation confirmation and our messages are enclosed.

I request reversal of this charge and that no further recurring charges from this merchant are accepted.

Need the letter tailored to your exact timeline, plus an escalation message and a bank dispute summary? Build the full package in the workspace.

How this works

Cancel first, so the charge cannot repeat, then ask for the renewal back with the cancellation confirmation attached. Whether you get the money depends on what you were told at signup and how easy cancelling was, so lead with those facts.

What makes a renewal refund more likely

Merchants decide these case by case. These facts move a decision your way:

You cancelled before the renewal date and can show the timestamp.
You asked for the refund within days of the charge.
The renewal price differed from what you were shown, or no reminder was sent.
Cancelling required hidden menus, a phone call only, or repeated retention offers.
You have not used the service since the renewal.

If you are charged after cancelling

The FTC advises disputing the charge with your credit or debit card company, online or by phone, and following up in writing to the billing-disputes address. Keep copies of everything.

Send the merchant one message with the cancellation confirmation and a request to refund every charge made after the cancellation date.
If it is refused or ignored, call the number on the back of your card to open a dispute.
Follow up in writing to the billing-disputes address (for US credit cards within 60 days of the statement showing the charge), with the confirmation attached.
For an Apple or Google subscription, do not write to the app developer; request the refund from Apple or Google (see the App Store refund guide).

Before you send, and when to escalate

Before you send

Cancel before you write, and attach the cancellation confirmation.
Use the merchant name exactly as it appears on your statement; billing names often differ from the brand.
Say plainly whether you used the service after the renewal.
Ask for cancellation and refund in the same message.

Escalate when

The merchant says the renewal is final but does not address the cancellation or what you were shown.
You were charged again after cancelling.
The cancel flow looked misleading, hidden, or impossible to finish.

Common questions

Does a merchant always have to refund a renewal?: No. A refund depends on the merchant’s terms and the facts: clear renewal terms and an easy cancel path weigh for the merchant; hidden terms, no reminder, or a blocked cancel path weigh for you.
Should I ask for cancellation and refund in the same message?: Yes. It removes ambiguity and stops the charge from repeating while the refund is considered.
Is there a right to cancel a subscription I just bought online?: In the EU you can generally withdraw from an online contract for services within 14 days from the day the contract was agreed. In the US there is no general cooling-off period, so the merchant’s terms and your card dispute rights matter more.

Sources

Rules change. Check the current official text before relying on a deadline.