You downloaded an app for a free trial. You signed up for an annual subscription with a couple of clicks. Then, life went on. A month later, you notice a charge on your credit card. Did you really agree to this subscription?
Since September 12th, 2026, new rules make it easier to cancel certain subscriptions and require businesses to give you clearer information about additional fees.
Easily find out how to cancel your subscription
You shouldn’t have to call, send an email, or write a letter just to cancel a subscription you signed up for online.
Under the new rules, a business that sells certain types of online subscription contracts must let you cancel the contract online by clicking on an easy-to-find button. This would be the case, for example, if you sign up to streaming services, apps, digital services or other recurring services online.
Get a notice before the end of a free or discounted trial period
You’ve signed up for a free or discounted trial period? When the special offer ends, your subscription may continue and the price may go up.
Whether the free or discounted trial period lasts one week or several months, the new rules state that businesses must send you a written notice when a trial period ends and is followed by a higher price. The notice must be sent between 2 and 10 days before the end of the trial period.
The notice must tell you:
- the date on which the free or discounted trial period ends,
- the price you’ll be paying from that date onward.
You can then decide if you want to keep your subscription or cancel it.
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Good to know The obligation to send a notice doesn’t apply to contracts that were already in place on September 12th, 2026. |
Understanding the real price before making a commitment
When you choose a service, the monthly rate is often what catches your eye. Yet the additional fees are often mentioned later in the sign-up process. This makes it harder to compare plans and to know what the service actually costs.
Under the new rules, for some services like Internet and phone services, a business that advertises a monthly rate must also clearly mention, next to the rate, the additional fees you must pay to get the service.
For example, if an Internet service provider charges an installation fee in addition to a monthly rate, it must list this fee next to the monthly rate.
This way, you can more easily compare packages by calculating the total of your regular payments and the additional fees.
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Keep an eye on your subscriptions These rules will help you if you want to cancel a subscription. To avoid paying for services that you don’t use anymore, get into the habit of checking your credit card or bank statements. This can help you spot subscriptions you’ve forgotten about or charges you don’t recognize. |