Cancel Spotify before your trial ends to avoid the first charge
Spotify's free trial lasts 30 days (or sometimes longer during a promotion). On the day after your trial ends, Spotify charges your payment method for the first month of the paid plan. To stop this charge, you must cancel before that date arrives. The cancellation itself is when ready — you lose access to Spotify when ready, not at the end of the month.
You can cancel through the Spotify app on your phone, through the Spotify website on a computer, or through your phone's app store settings (Apple App Store or Google Play Store). The website method is usually clearest because you see your trial end date right on the screen.
Key Takeaways
- Your free trial ends on a specific date shown in your account settings, and Spotify charges you the day after unless you cancel before that date.
- Cancelling through Spotify's website shows your trial end date clearly and takes about two minutes.
- If you cancel through the app store instead of Spotify's website, you must cancel in the store's settings, not in the Spotify app itself.
- Once you cancel, you lose access to Spotify when ready, even though your trial had days remaining.
- You can restart a free trial on the same account only after a waiting period, which varies by promotion.
Cancel through Spotify's website (the clearest method)
Open a web browser and go to spotify.com. Log in with the email and password you used to start the trial. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Account" from the dropdown menu.
On the Account page, scroll down to the "Subscription" section. You will see your current plan (usually "Spotify Premium Free Trial") and the date your trial ends. Click the button that says "Cancel Premium" or "Cancel Subscription" — the exact wording varies slightly depending on your region.
Spotify will ask you to confirm the cancellation and may offer you a discount to stay. You can ignore this offer. Click the final confirmation button. The page will then show "Cancelled" next to your subscription, and you will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes.
Cancel through the Apple App Store (iPhone or iPad)
Open the Settings app on your device. Scroll down and tap "iTunes & App Store" or "App Store" depending on your iOS version. Tap your Apple ID at the top of the screen, then tap "View Apple ID" and enter your password or use Face ID.
Tap "Subscriptions" and find Spotify in the list. Tap Spotify, then tap "Cancel Subscription" or "Edit Subscription." Confirm the cancellation. You will see a message saying your subscription ends on a specific date — that is your trial end date, and the cancellation is now active.
If you do not see Spotify in your subscriptions list, you may have started the trial through Spotify's website instead of the App Store. In that case, use the website method above.
Cancel through Google Play Store (Android)
Open the Google Play Store app. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Payments and subscriptions." Tap "Subscriptions" and find Spotify in the list. Tap Spotify, then tap "Cancel subscription."
Google will ask you to confirm and may offer you a discount. Tap the button to confirm the cancellation. You will see a message confirming that your subscription has been cancelled, and the cancellation takes effect when ready.
Like the Apple App Store, if you started your trial through Spotify's website rather than the Play Store, you will not see Spotify listed here. Return to the website method instead.
What happens after you cancel
Your Spotify account closes to free listening when ready. You cannot use Spotify Premium features, and you cannot use the free ad-supported tier either — your account is straightforward inactive. You will not be charged.
If you want to use Spotify again later, you can log back in and restart a free trial, but Spotify usually requires a waiting period (often several months) before you can start another trial on the same account. Some promotions allow you to restart sooner. The waiting period is not something you can skip.
If you missed the cancellation date and were charged
If your trial ended and Spotify charged you before you cancelled, you can request a refund. Contact Spotify Support through the help section on their website or through the app. Explain that you cancelled during the trial period but were charged anyway. Spotify typically refunds the first month if you ask within a reasonable time (usually within a few days of the charge).
If Spotify denies the refund, you can also contact your bank or credit card company and dispute the charge. Your bank can reverse it on your behalf, though this should be a last resort because disputing charges can affect your relationship with Spotify.
Cancelling a paid plan instead of a trial
If you already converted from the free trial to a paid plan and want to cancel that instead, the steps are identical. Go to your Account settings on Spotify's website or through your app store settings, find the subscription section, and click cancel. You will lose access when ready, and you will not be charged again.
Some paid plans offer a prorated refund if you cancel partway through a billing cycle, but this depends on your region and payment method. Spotify will show you what you are owed, if anything, before you confirm the cancellation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel my trial and still listen to Spotify?
No. Cancelling your trial ends your access to Spotify entirely, including the free ad-supported tier. If you want to keep listening, you must keep the paid subscription active or wait until the trial ends and then sign up for the free tier separately (though this requires a new account).
Will I lose my playlists and saved songs if I cancel?
Your playlists and saved songs remain in your account. If you restart a trial or subscribe again later, they will still be there. However, you cannot access them while your account is cancelled.
What if I cancel through the app store but Spotify still charges me?
This sometimes happens because the app store and Spotify's own system are not always synchronized when ready. Check your account on Spotify's website to confirm the cancellation shows there. If it does not, cancel again through the website. If you were charged despite cancelling, contact Spotify Support or your payment provider to request a refund.
Can I get a refund if I cancel after using only a few days of my trial?
Spotify does not refund unused trial time. The trial is free, so there is nothing to refund. However, if you were charged after the trial ended, you can request a refund of that charge.
How do I know my cancellation went through?
Check your email for a confirmation message from Spotify. You can also log into your account on Spotify's website and look at the Subscription section — it should say "Cancelled" or show no active subscription. If you see an active plan listed, the cancellation did not go through and you should try again.