I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.
See all posts Frank GogolHow to Cancel Subscriptions on Amazon
Updated on April 9, 2024
Written by
Written by
Reviewed by
Rohit Mittal
Reviewed by
Rohit Mittal
Rohit Mittal is the co-founder and CEO of Stilt. Rohit has extensive experience in credit risk analytics and data science. He spent years building credit risk and fraud models for top U.S. banks. In his current role, he defines the overall business strategy, leads debt and capital fundraising efforts, leads product development, and leads other customer-related aspects for the company. Stilt is backed by Y Combinator and has raised a total of $275M in debt and equity funding to date.
See all posts Rohit MittalAt a Glance
- Amazon Subscribe allows for the regular delivery of selected products, including groceries and media streaming services.
- Cancelling subscriptions is easy on desktop or mobile devices, but pending shipments won’t stop automatically.
- Physical goods are charged only for shipped items, and digital subscriptions generally end at the next billing period.
- Refunds vary based on the type of subscription and time of cancellation; reasons to cancel can include boycotting Amazon, environmental concerns, saving money, or changing needs and preferences.
Amazon Subscribe is a service that allows you to purchase goods and services as a subscription. However, the time may come when you no longer need the goods or services you subscribed for. If you need to figure out how to cancel subscriptions on Amazon, you have come to the right place.
What is Amazon Subscribe?
Amazon Subscribe is a feature of Amazon’s e-commerce business. It allows you to select products that you want to get regularly (such as groceries) and schedule them to be delivered. The service is designed to be more convenient than manually purchasing the goods when you need them.
You can also use Amazon Subscribe to sign up for various media streaming services (such as Spotify or Netflix). You can then use your Amazon account to manage your subscriptions and pay for them using any linked payment method.
Finally, Amazon Subscribe offers discounts for customers who use the subscription service to buy certain products.
If you decide to cancel one or more of your subscriptions on Amazon, you can do so quickly and easily using the Amazon website or smartphone app.
How to Cancel Amazon Subscriptions on a Desktop
The steps listed below will explain how to cancel subscriptions on Amazon using a computer:
- Log into your Amazon account
- Click Your Memberships and Subscriptions
- Find the subscription you want to cancel
- Click Manage Subscription next to that subscription
- Click the link under Advanced Controls to open the main subscription page
- From that menu, you can choose to cancel your subscription.
For physical goods, canceling your subscription will cancel all future orders and shipments of your goods, and prevent any future charges to your account. However, if a scheduled shipment has already begun being processed, it will continue being processed and eventually ship to you.
In other words, canceling your subscription will not automatically cancel pending shipments.
If you want to cancel pending shipments, you have to do it manually in the Your Orders menu. As long as the order has not shipped, you can cancel it without being charged.
For digital goods, like streaming media subscriptions, your access to the service will end at the end of the final billing period that you paid for. After that, you will not be charged anymore, and you will no longer have access to the service.
How to Cancel Amazon Subscriptions from Your Mobile Device
The steps listed below will explain how to cancel subscriptions on Amazon using your smartphone:
- Open your Amazon app
- Tap the button with an icon of a person (between the shopping cart and house icons)
- Tap Your Account
- Choose the subscription you want to cancel
- Tap Manage Membership
- Choose Manage then End Membership
- Confirm your cancellation.
For physical goods, canceling your subscription will cancel all future orders and shipments of your goods, and prevent any future charges to your account.
However, if a scheduled shipment has already begun being processed, it will continue being processed and eventually ship to you. In other words, canceling your subscription will not automatically cancel pending shipments.
If you want to cancel pending shipments, you have to do it manually in the Your Orders menu. As long as the order has not shipped, you can cancel it without being charged.
For digital goods, like streaming media subscriptions, your access to the service will usually end at the end of the final billing period that you paid for. After that, you will not be charged any more, and you will no longer have access to the service.
Amazon Subscription Refund Policy
One question that may be on your mind after you figure out how to cancel subscriptions on Amazon is whether you will be refunded for services you no longer use or goods you do not need.
With regards to physical goods, you will only be charged for goods that have been shipped. That means you will not be charged for future shipments which have not happened. You will also not be charged for any pending shipments that were scheduled as part of your subscription if you make sure to cancel them manually.
In terms of digital subscriptions, monthly subscriptions do not offer an automatic refund when you cancel. Rather, you maintain access to the service until the renewal date when you would have been charged for the next month.
However, if the subscription period is longer than one month, (such as 6 months or a year) new subscribers get a 7 day grace period in which to cancel and receive a full refund. You will lose access to the service as soon as Amazon issues your refund.
In other words, if you were just trying a new subscription and changed your mind within a week, you will not have to lose your money and keep using the subscription for the full period.
After the week-long refund window is over, you will no longer get your money back. Instead, the process will be just like canceling a month-long subscription.
There are no early termination or cancellation fees for ending a subscription on Amazon.
Reasons to Cancel Amazon Subscriptions
There are a lot of different reasons why you may decide to cancel your subscriptions on Amazon.
Some of the reasons you might decide to cancel subscriptions on Amazon are listed below:
- Boycott Amazon: Amazon has a poor reputation in terms of labor relations. You may choose to stop using as many Amazon services as you can in protest against Amazon’s treatment of workers.
- Environmentalism: Specifically with regards to physical goods, there is a significant environmental burden associated with the individual packaging and transportation of small amounts of consumer goods. You may choose to cancel your goods subscriptions as a way to minimize your environmental footprint.
- Savings: Recurring purchases can become a significant expense (especially physical goods) as prices increase over time. You may choose to save money by canceling some of your subscriptions.
- Changing needs or tastes: Over time, you may realize you no longer need or use some of the goods or services you used to, so there is no need to keep paying for them.
Read More
- How to Delete an Amazon Account
- How to Cancel Amazon Prime
- How to Cancel Amazon Music
- How to Remove a Credit Card from Amazon
- How to Cancel Showtime on Amazon
- How to Cancel Starz on Amazon
Final Thoughts
The method of how to cancel subscriptions on Amazon is simple, and there is no cancellation fee. When you cancel the subscription, pending orders will continue to be processed unless you cancel them manually. In addition, any digital subscription will still be available until the end of the last month you paid for. You can use the Amazon app or use the website on your computer to cancel subscriptions on Amazon. Refunds are only possible under specific conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Do I Cancel My Amazon Prime Subscription?
Log in to your Amazon account, go to ‘Your Prime Membership’, and click on ‘End Membership’ to cancel Amazon Prime.
Can I Cancel Amazon Prime Anytime?
Yes, you can cancel your Amazon Prime subscription at any time.
Will I Get a Refund After Canceling Amazon Prime?
You may receive a refund if you haven’t used any Prime benefits in the current billing cycle.
What Happens to My Prime Benefits After Cancellation?
Your Prime benefits, like free shipping and Prime Video access, end once your membership is canceled.
How Do I Cancel Other Amazon Subscriptions, Like Kindle Unlimited?
Go to ‘Your Account’, navigate to the subscription service (like Kindle Unlimited), and select ‘Cancel Subscription’.
Can I Get a Refund for Other Amazon Subscriptions?
Refund eligibility varies by service. Check the specific terms for the subscription you’re canceling.
How Can I Check What Subscriptions I Have on Amazon?
View your active subscriptions by going to ‘Your Account’ and selecting ‘Memberships and Subscriptions’.
What Happens to My Content After Canceling Kindle Unlimited?
Access to the Kindle Unlimited library is lost, but any purchased books remain in your account.
Is It Possible to Pause an Amazon Subscription Instead of Canceling?
Some Amazon services, like Kindle Unlimited, may offer the option to pause the subscription.
Are There Penalties or Fees for Canceling Amazon Subscriptions?
Typically, there are no penalties or fees for canceling Amazon subscriptions.
Frank Gogol
I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.