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Four ways to cancel a subscription, compared

Online, by phone, by mailing your own letter, or with Postbye. Each one works. They differ in the time they take and in the proof you keep if the company says it never heard from you.

How the four ways compare

  • Online or in account settings

    Time it takes
    A few minutes, when the option exists
    Where it works
    Only where the company offers it
    Proof you get
    A confirmation screen or email, if the company sends one
    Tracking
    Not needed: it takes effect when you submit
    Written record
    The confirmation email, or a screenshot you take
    If they say they never got it
    Your confirmation email or screenshot is your evidence
    Effort
    Low, once you find the option and can log in

  • Phone call

    Time it takes
    Depends on hold times and how long the call runs
    Where it works
    Where the company takes cancellations by phone
    Proof you get
    Usually a reference number, if you ask for one
    Tracking
    None
    Written record
    Your own notes: date, time, name of the agent
    If they say they never got it
    Hard to show what was said on the call
    Effort
    Medium: calling hours, waiting on hold, saying no to offers to stay

  • Mailing your own letter

    Time it takes
    Writing and printing, a trip to the Post Office, then delivery time
    Where it works
    Any company with a mailing address you can find
    Proof you get
    A mailing receipt with Certified Mail; Return Receipt adds who signed and when
    Tracking
    On USPS.com, if you paid for Certified Mail
    Written record
    Your copy of the letter and the post office receipts
    If they say they never got it
    The Return Receipt shows who signed for it and the date
    Effort
    Higher: find the address, write, print, sign and post it

  • Postbye

    Time it takes
    About two minutes to order; mailed the next business day
    Where it works
    Companies in our database, with the mailing address filled in for you
    Proof you get
    The signed delivery proof by email: who received it and on which date
    Tracking
    Tracking number by email on the mailing day; Printed, Mailed and Delivered on your order page
    Written record
    A copy of your letter by email, and the delivery record
    If they say they never got it
    The signed delivery proof shows who signed and the date, and we follow up with the company
    Effort
    Low: we find the address, write, print and mail it

When each way makes sense

Cancel online when you can

When a company offers an online cancellation, it is the quickest route and usually confirms on the spot. Take a screenshot of the confirmation screen and keep the email. Federal law requires sellers who bill you on a recurring basis for something sold online to give you a simple way to stop the charges, so look in your account settings first.

Call when that is what the company asks for

Some companies take cancellations only by phone. Write down the date, the time, the agent’s name and any reference number, and ask for the cancellation to be confirmed by email.

Mail your own letter when you are happy to run the errand

A letter works for almost any company with a mailing address. Use our cancellation letter template, sign it, and send it by Certified Mail with Return Receipt so you can show when it was delivered. The cancellation deadline calculator tells you the latest day to post it.

Use Postbye when you want the record without the errand

We find the company’s mailing address, write the letter, print it and mail it by certified mail with return receipt, usually the next business day. You get the tracking number, a copy of the letter and the signed delivery proof by email, and we follow up to confirm the cancellation went through.

When Postbye is the right choice

  • There is no online cancellation, or the cancel button is hard to find or does not work.
  • Your agreement asks for cancellation in writing, as many gym contracts do.
  • You were told your cancellation would be handled, and the charges kept coming.
  • You want proof that the company received your request, and the date it did.
  • You would rather not print, find an address and queue at the Post Office.

If the company does not cancel, you are covered by our money-back guarantee.

Send your letter by certified mail, with the proof

Pick the company, add your details and approve your letter. We mail it the next business day and email you the signed delivery proof.

Start your cancellation

Cancellation guides for popular companies

Each guide shows how the company takes cancellations and the mailing address we hold.

See all companies

Keep reading

Sources: 15 U.S.C. § 8403 (Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act); USPS Domestic Mail Manual 503, 3.1 Certified Mail and 6.1 Return Receipt

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