Cancel before the trial ends to avoid the first charge

Spotify's free trial lasts 30 days. On day 31, your payment method is charged for the first month of a paid plan. To stop this charge, you must cancel the trial before that date arrives — cancelling after the charge posts means asking Spotify for a refund instead.

The cancellation itself takes about two minutes. You do it from your account settings on Spotify's website or through the mobile app. Spotify does not require you to contact customer service or provide a reason.

After you cancel, your account stays active until the trial period ends. You keep full access to music, playlists, and offline downloads for the remaining days. Once the trial expires, you drop to Spotify Free, which includes ads and limits skips.

Key Takeaways

  • You must cancel before day 31 of your trial, or Spotify charges your payment method on that date.
  • Cancellation happens in account settings on the Spotify website or app — no phone call or email needed.
  • Your account remains active and fully functional until the trial period actually ends.
  • After the trial expires, you automatically move to Spotify Free with ads and limited skips, not a paid plan.
  • If you are charged by mistake, contact Spotify support within a few days to request a refund.

Cancel on the Spotify website

Log in to your Spotify account at spotify.com. Click your profile name in the top right corner and select "Account" from the dropdown menu. You will land on your account overview page.

Look for a section labeled "Subscription" or "Plan" — the exact wording varies slightly depending on your region. Next to it, you will see a button that says "Cancel Plan" or "Cancel Premium". Click it. Spotify will ask you to confirm the cancellation and may show you a discount offer to stay; you can ignore this and proceed to cancel.

After you confirm, Spotify sends a confirmation email to the address on your account. Keep this email as proof of cancellation in case a charge appears later.

Cancel through the Spotify mobile app

Open the Spotify app on your phone or tablet. Tap the profile icon (usually in the bottom right corner). Select "Settings and privacy" or just "Settings".

Scroll down and tap "Subscription" or "Premium". You will see your current plan and a button to cancel. Tap "Cancel Premium" or "Cancel Plan". Confirm the cancellation when prompted.

The mobile app process is identical to the website — you will receive the same confirmation email, and your trial remains active until the end date.

Check your cancellation date

After you cancel, return to your account settings to verify the cancellation took. Under "Subscription" or "Plan", you should see text that says something like "Your Premium trial ends on [date]" or "Your plan will end on [date]". This date is when your access to Premium features stops.

Write down this date or set a phone reminder for the day before. This way you know exactly when you will move to Spotify Free. If the cancellation did not register, try cancelling again or contact Spotify support.

What happens if you are charged anyway

If a charge appears on your statement after you cancelled, contact Spotify support within a few days. Go to spotify.com/support or use the help section in the app. Explain that you cancelled before the trial ended and include the date you cancelled and the confirmation email Spotify sent.

Spotify typically refunds charges made in error within one to two business days. The refund goes back to the payment method you used. If the refund does not appear after a week, follow up with Spotify again or contact your bank or credit card company to dispute the charge.

Prevent accidental charges on future trials

If you sign up for another Spotify trial later, set a calendar reminder for day 29 of the trial. This gives you a two-day buffer to cancel before the charge date. Some people also use a separate payment method just for trials, so a charge is easier to spot and dispute if cancellation fails.

You can also check your payment method on file before starting a trial. Go to account settings and look for "Payment methods" or "Billing". Make sure the card or account listed is one you actively monitor. If you no longer use a payment method, remove it from your Spotify account before starting a trial.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel my trial and sign up again later for another free trial?

Spotify limits free trials to one per person. After your trial ends or you cancel it, you cannot start another trial on the same account. You can switch to Spotify Free at any time, but a second paid trial is not available.

Will I lose my playlists and saved songs if I cancel?

No. Your playlists, saved songs, and listening history stay on your account after you cancel. When you move to Spotify Free, you keep everything — you just lose the ability to skip unlimited times and read music offline.

What if I cancel but forget to check the end date and get charged?

Contact Spotify support and request a refund. Include your cancellation confirmation email and the date you cancelled. Spotify refunds charges made within a few days of the trial end date if you can show you cancelled before the charge.

Can I pause my trial instead of cancelling it?

Spotify does not offer a pause option for trials. You can only cancel or let it run until the end date. If you want to avoid the charge but keep the option open, cancel now and sign up for a paid plan later when you are ready.

Do I need to cancel from the same device I used to start the trial?

No. You can cancel from any device — phone, tablet, or computer — as long as you log into the same Spotify account. The cancellation applies to your entire account, not just one device.