In this guide
Before you start.
- Note the business name on the PayPal receipt. Automatic payments are listed by the merchant that charges you, so that is the name to look for.
- Check that the payment was set up through PayPal. PayPal states that only payments and subscriptions set up through PayPal can be cancelled there; a card entered directly on the merchant's site is not in this list.
- Decide whether you want to end the service or only change how you pay. The same PayPal screen lets you cancel the automatic payment or switch it to another payment method.
FOLLOW THE RIGHT BILLING ROUTE
Cancel PayPal, step by step.
Cancel on the PayPal website
The website lists every business with an automatic payment on your account. It is the route PayPal's help center documents in most detail.
- Sign in at paypal.com.
- Go to Settings and click Payments.
- Select Automatic payments. Some accounts show this as Subscriptions and saved businesses.
- Select the merchant you want to stop.
- Cancel the automatic payment and confirm. If you want to keep the service but pay another way, use Change Payment Method on the same page instead.
The merchant's contact information is shown inside the automatic payment, which you will need if you also have to cancel with the merchant.
Cancel in the PayPal app
In the app, automatic payments sit under Subscriptions or Linked Businesses, and cancelling means unlinking PayPal as that merchant's payment method.
- Open the PayPal app and tap Menu.
- Tap Subscriptions or Linked Businesses.
- Tap the merchant you want to stop.
- Tap Account.
- Tap Unlink to remove PayPal as your payment method, then tap Unlink again to confirm the cancellation.
Unlinking stops future charges to your PayPal account. PayPal notes that it typically does not cancel the underlying subscription or contract with the service provider.
Cancel with the merchant as well
PayPal controls the payment, not the service. After PayPal stops paying, the merchant may still treat your account as active, and PayPal recommends contacting the merchant to close it formally.
- Sign in to the merchant's website or app and cancel the subscription in its account or billing settings.
- If you cannot find a cancel option there, use the contact details shown in the automatic payment in PayPal.
- Check the merchant's terms for when the cancellation takes effect. PayPal notes that most cancellations are immediate, but some services stop at the end of the current billing cycle.
- Keep the merchant's confirmation together with the PayPal record of the cancelled automatic payment.
What happens next?
- Once the automatic payment is cancelled or unlinked, that merchant stops charging your PayPal account.
- Your account with the merchant is a separate thing. PayPal recommends closing it with the merchant directly, which helps avoid outstanding balances or service interruptions.
- Cancelling stops future charges only. It does not reverse payments already made; a refund is a request to the merchant.
- Access to the service depends on the merchant's own terms: some end it straight away, others at the end of the period you already paid for.
WHEN IT DOES NOT WORK
If you get stuck.
The subscription is not in my automatic payments list
PayPal can only cancel payments and subscriptions that were set up through PayPal. If the merchant charges a card or bank account directly, cancel with the merchant, or with your card issuer or bank. Also check that you are signed in to the PayPal account named on the receipt.
I unlinked PayPal but the service still says I am subscribed
That is expected. Unlinking removes PayPal as the payment method, and PayPal notes it typically does not cancel the subscription or contract. Cancel inside the merchant's own account so it stops expecting a payment.
The merchant will not respond
PayPal's guidance is that you can contact your card issuer to dispute charges or cancel future payments, or ask your bank for a stop payment order. They may ask for proof that you tried to resolve it with the merchant first, so keep your messages and the PayPal cancellation record.
I see Linked Businesses rather than Subscriptions in the app
PayPal's own steps name both: open Menu and tap Subscriptions or Linked Businesses, whichever your app shows. The merchant, Account and Unlink steps are the same after that.
Still not cancelled?Common reasons a subscription will not cancel
GOOD TO KNOW
Questions, answered.
How do I cancel a subscription on PayPal?
On the website: Settings, Payments, Automatic payments, select the merchant and cancel. In the app: Menu, Subscriptions or Linked Businesses, select the merchant, Account, then Unlink twice. Then cancel with the merchant too, because stopping the PayPal payment usually does not end the subscription itself.
How do I stop recurring payments on PayPal?
Recurring payments are listed as automatic payments. Sign in at paypal.com, go to Settings, click Payments, select Automatic payments, choose the merchant and cancel. Future charges from that merchant to your PayPal account then stop.
Does cancelling in PayPal cancel my subscription with the merchant?
Not necessarily. PayPal states that removing PayPal as the payment method typically does not cancel the underlying subscription or contract, and recommends contacting the merchant directly to close the account.
Can I change the payment method instead of cancelling?
Yes. On the website, go to Settings, Payments, Automatic payments, select the merchant, then choose Change Payment Method. Pick another payment method or select Link a new card or bank, then click Save.
Can PayPal stop a subscription I pay with my card on the merchant's site?
No. PayPal states that only payments and subscriptions set up through PayPal can be cancelled through it. A card subscription is cancelled with the merchant, or through your card issuer if the merchant does not respond.
Provider resources
- PayPal: how to cancel recurring payments in 4 ways
- PayPal Help: what is an automatic payment and how do I update or cancel one?
Instructions reviewed .
Subex is independent of PayPal. Availability and cancellation terms can vary by plan, billing provider and country.
