Key facts
- Method
- Web (account settings)
- Notice period
- none (cancel any time)
- Auto-renewal
- Yes
- Region
- Global
- Category
- Newsletters & Media
Cancellation steps
Open substack.com/account/subscriptions.
Open official cancel pageGo to 'Subscriptions' and choose the publication to cancel.
Open official cancel pageConfirm cancellation; access lasts until period end.
Open official cancel page
Link status
Billed via Apple
If billed via Apple, cancel in iPhone Settings > Subscriptions.
What happens after you cancel
Your access
You lose paid access at period end; free posts remain.
Refunds
Auto-refund within 7 days of charge; after that, author-discretionary. Each paid publication billed/cancelled separately.
Coming back
Resubscribe per-publication anytime.
Free trial
Substack has no platform-wide free trial: the 7-day free trial is a per-publication option that each creator must switch on, so whether a given paid newsletter offers one varies. Where a trial is offered, readers must enter card details and are charged automatically when the 7 days end.
About Substack
Substack is a Newsletters & Media service available in Global. Substack renews automatically until you cancel. You can cancel at any time with no advance notice. Refund terms: Auto-refund within 7 days of charge; after that, author-discretionary. Each paid publication billed/cancelled separately.
Why Substack scores 4.8/10
Before you start the cancellation steps, here is where Substack actually makes you work — broken down across the six axes we score.
- Locating the cancellation option is the hardest part of leaving Substack — it scores 7.0/10, meaning the link is buried in account settings or hidden behind a help article.
- Expect around 5.0 steps to complete the cancellation.
- Refund and proration terms are opaque — this axis scores 6.0/10, so you often only learn what you get back at the final screen.
- There are few confirmation prompts (5.0/10), so the exit is relatively clean.
- No support contact is required to cancel (2.0/10).
- Everything can be done online with no phone call (0.0/10).
The net result: Substack lands at 4.8/10 on our Friction Score — moderate. Use the verified steps on this page to cancel without hitting every wall.
What the score is made of
- Find entry
- 7.0
- Steps
- 5.0
- Refund visibility
- 6.0
- Confirmation prompts
- 5.0
- Contact support
- 2.0
- Phone
- 0.0
Fees, refunds & dark patterns
Read the full policy breakdown for Substack — notice period, refund rules, retention prompts and FAQ.
How to cancel Substack: fees & refundsRelated reading
Practical guides to clearing out email and subscriptions