How to Cancel a Dating Subscription and Stop Recurring Charges

Updated 2026-10-13
Cancelling is usually simple once you know where you subscribed. The steps below apply to most online subscriptions.
Step by step
- Find out how you paid. Check your card or bank statement for the merchant name and look for receipts in your email.
- Cancel where you subscribed. If you paid in the service's own checkout, look for Account, Billing or Subscription settings. If you subscribed through the Apple App Store, Google Play or PayPal, cancel there.
- Turn off auto-renew rather than only deleting the app or closing the account, unless the service says that closing the account also ends billing.
- Save proof. Take screenshots of the cancellation confirmation and keep any confirmation email.
- Contact support in writing if you cannot find the option. Say clearly that you want to cancel and ask for written confirmation.
- Check your next statement to make sure no new charge appears.
- If you are still charged, contact your bank or card provider to dispute the charge and share your proof.
Your rights in the United States
- The FTC's 2024 "click-to-cancel" rule was struck down by the Eighth Circuit in July 2025, so it is not in force. The FTC has since asked the public for comment on new rulemaking (comment period closed 13 April 2026), and no replacement rule has been confirmed.
- The Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) still applies to online subscriptions. Sellers must clearly disclose the material terms before taking your billing details, get your express consent, and give you a simple way to stop recurring charges.
- The FTC continues to enforce ROSCA and Section 5 of the FTC Act. Some states also have their own automatic renewal laws.
Your rights in the United Kingdom
- The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 introduces a new subscription contracts regime. It is not yet in force. The government has indicated a start in January 2027, but check the current date before relying on it.
- Once in force it is set to require clear pre-contract information, reminder notices before certain renewals, a straightforward way to exit (online sign-ups must be cancellable online), and a 14-day cooling-off right after a free or discounted trial converts to a paid plan.
- Until then, general consumer law applies, and your bank or card provider can help with unauthorised or misleading charges.
Your rights in Australia
- Australian Consumer Law prohibits misleading claims about price, auto-renewal and cancellation. The ACCC enforces it.
- In August 2026 the Federal Court found for the ACCC against the dating service eHarmony on most claims (ACCC v eHarmony, Inc [2026] FCA 1208). The court found, among other things, that extra monthly fees were not shown in the advertised price, that automatic 12-month renewal was disclosed in small light grey text late in the purchase process, and that claims you could withdraw after signing up were misleading. The outcome on penalties was not reported in the sources we checked.
- If you think a charge is misleading, keep screenshots of the pricing and cancellation pages and contact the ACCC or your bank.
Sources checked
- Gibson Dunn, FTC restarts negative option rulemaking after Eighth Circuit vacatur (2026).
- Subscription Insider, UK accelerates subscription rules to January 2027 (August 2026).
- Clayton Utz, Subscription traps under the spotlight: Federal Court finds eHarmony misled consumers (September 2026).
- This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the official regulator pages for your country.
Before you pay next time
Note the renewal date and the cancellation steps before you subscribe. If you worry about repeat charges, ask your bank whether it offers virtual or single-use cards.
Questions
Will deleting my account stop the billing?
Not always. Read the service's terms or ask support. Turning off auto-renew is the safer step.
What if the service ignores my cancellation request?
Keep your proof and ask your bank or card provider about disputing the charge. Consumer protection organisations in your country can also advise you.
Can I get a refund?
It depends on the service's refund policy and local consumer rules. Ask support politely and keep the conversation in writing.
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