Cancellation guide
How to cancel Substack
A clear, step-by-step guide to cancelling your Substack News & Media, plus the things worth checking before you leave.
Before you cancel
- There's no fixed contract, so you can cancel anytime. Your access simply runs to the end of the period you've paid for.
- Expect to be offered a retention discount or loyalty deal to make you stay. If you're sure you want to cancel, stand your ground.
- There may be a notice period, so you can be billed for a short while after you ask to leave. Cancel as early as you can.
- If you subscribed through Apple, Google or another provider, you must cancel with them, not Substack directly.
- Get a confirmation (on-screen or by email) and keep it as proof of the date you cancelled.
How to cancel Substack, step by step
- Sign in and go to your subscriptions at substack.com/settings/subscriptions.
- Select the paid publication you want to cancel.
- Scroll to the 'Account Actions' section and click 'To cancel your paid subscription, click here'.
- On the next page, select 'Cancel Subscription' (or 'Pause Subscription' and pick a number of months for a break).
- You keep paid benefits until the end of the paid period, then become a free subscriber.
Ways to cancel
- Online
- substack.com
Notice, fees & cooling-off
- Notice period
- Cancel any time; paid benefits continue to end of paid period, then you drop to free subscriber. (7-day trial ends immediately on cancel.)
- Early-exit charge
- None. Substack auto-issues a refund only if requested within 7 days of payment (and no perk claimed) or if the publication is dormant; otherwise refunds are the individual writer's discretion (they're the merchant of record, not Substack).
5 Jul 2026