In this guide
Before you start.
- Check whether you are on a minimum term contract, because it changes the answer completely. The Economist states this offer is available exclusively to new subscribers in the European Union who purchase online, that during the first 12 months the subscription cannot be cancelled or changed, and that you cannot cancel or switch to another product early.
- If you are in that contract, know what happens at the end. The Economist states that once the 12-month minimum term ends, the subscription automatically renews on a monthly basis at the standard monthly rate, so it does not stop on its own.
- Check who bills you. The Economist states that because a subscription purchased through the App Store or Google Play was bought there, it is unable to directly cancel or modify it for you, and directs App Store subscribers to Apple support.
- If an agent sold you the subscription, that is another route again. The Economist directs subscribers who bought through a subscription agent to get in touch with the agent directly, and Economist Pro team subscriptions to the Economist Pro support team.
- Expect the retention conversation. The Economist's cancellation article leads with an offer to discuss more affordable or flexible options and invites you to contact its service centre by phone or live chat to explore them, before describing the self-service route.
- Do not count on pausing. The Economist states it is unable to pause Premium, Espresso, Podcasts+ and Economist Play subscriptions. A pause of up to 4 weeks applies to print delivery only.
- Know that renewal is the default. The Economist states most of its subscriptions automatically renew, and that your order confirmation email specifies the date and amount of your next renewal payment.
FOLLOW THE RIGHT BILLING ROUTE
Cancel The Economist, step by step.
Cancel in My Account
This is the route for a subscription bought on The Economist's website, and despite the magazine's reputation for phone-only cancellation, it is documented as self-service.
- Sign in and go to My Account.
- Find the My subscription section.
- Click the Manage subscription button.
- Work through the options presented, declining the alternative plans if you intend to leave, to a cancellation confirmation.
- Check My Account afterwards to confirm the subscription shows as ending rather than renewing.
The Economist presents more affordable or flexible options as part of this flow. Accepting one keeps the subscription running at a different price rather than cancelling it.
Cancel by phone or live chat
The Economist offers its service centre as an alternative to the account page, and it is the route to use when the button will not complete.
- Open the Economist help centre and find the phone or live chat contact for your region.
- Say that you want the subscription cancelled rather than changed.
- Expect alternative prices to be offered, and decline them clearly if you are leaving.
- Ask for the date access ends and for confirmation by email.
- Check My Account afterwards rather than relying on the conversation.
The Economist describes this as a way to explore the various options available to you, so the conversation is framed around retention. Be specific about what you are asking for.
Cancel a subscription billed by Apple
The Economist sells subscriptions as in-app purchases and then cannot cancel them, which it states plainly.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap your name at the top of the screen.
- Tap Subscriptions.
- Select The Economist entry.
- Tap Cancel Subscription and confirm.
The Economist states that since your subscription was purchased through the App Store, it is unable to directly cancel or modify it for you, and that you should contact Apple support if you have difficulty.
Cancel a subscription billed by Google Play
The same applies on Android, in The Economist's own words.
- Open the Google Play Store app with the Google Account that bought the subscription.
- Tap your profile icon in the top right.
- Select Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions.
- Select The Economist.
- Tap Cancel subscription and complete the confirmation.
The Economist states that since your subscription was purchased through Google Play, it is unable to directly cancel or modify it for you.
What happens next?
- A cancellation normally takes effect at the end of the current billing period rather than immediately, so access continues until then.
- On an EU minimum term contract, a cancellation request does not take effect during the first 12 months at all. The Economist states any changes, such as cancellation or switching to a different product, will only take effect after the first 12 months.
- After a minimum term ends, The Economist states the subscription automatically renews monthly at the standard monthly rate. That is usually higher than the instalment you were paying, so the end of the term is a price change as well as a release.
- A subscription bought through Apple or Google Play keeps running until that store's cancellation takes effect, and refunds on those charges are the store's decision.
- Print delivery can be paused for up to 4 weeks, but The Economist states Premium, Espresso, Podcasts+ and Economist Play subscriptions cannot be paused.
Cancelling a The Economist free trial.
How do I cancel an App Store free trial before I’m charged?
For a trial billed by Apple, open Settings on your iPhone or iPad, tap your name, then Subscriptions. Select the trial, choose the cancellation option and confirm. Apple advises cancelling at least 24 hours before the trial ends to prevent renewal. Check the confirmation for your access end date. If you track it in Subex, enter the date the trial converts as the renewal date and set a reminder 1 or 3 days before.
Pausing or freezing The Economist.
Can I pause my Economist subscription?
Only print delivery, and only for up to 4 weeks. The Economist states it is unable to pause Premium, Espresso, Podcasts+ and Economist Play subscriptions.
WHEN IT DOES NOT WORK
If you get stuck.
I cannot cancel and I am told I have a minimum term
This is real and documented rather than a stalling tactic. The Economist states that its annual subscription paid in monthly instalments, sold exclusively to new subscribers in the European Union who purchase online, has a 12-month minimum term during which the subscription cannot be cancelled or changed. It states you cannot cancel or switch to another product early, and that any change takes effect only after the first 12 months. The useful action is to note the end date and cancel before the monthly renewals begin.
The Manage subscription button keeps showing me offers instead of cancelling
The offers are part of the documented flow: The Economist's cancellation article opens by proposing more affordable or flexible options. Work past them to a confirmation rather than closing the page, and do not accept a lower price if you intend to leave, because that keeps the subscription running. If the flow will not complete, The Economist's own alternative is its service centre by phone or live chat.
The Economist says it cannot cancel my subscription
That happens when another company sold it. The Economist states it is unable to directly cancel or modify a subscription purchased through the App Store or through Google Play, and it directs subscriptions bought through an agent to that agent. Check the receipt for who charged you, and cancel there.
I received a renewal letter I was not expecting
The Economist publishes a warning about this. It states it has been made aware that some subscribers have received subscription offers from unauthorised agents claiming to sell or renew subscriptions to The Economist, that it cannot guarantee orders placed with unauthorised sellers will be honoured, and that there is a risk of being overcharged. It points affected readers to the FTC, the Better Business Bureau and their state Attorney General. Check whether the letter actually comes from The Economist before paying anything.
I wanted to pause rather than cancel
Pausing is narrower than people expect. The Economist states it is unable to pause Premium, Espresso, Podcasts+ and Economist Play subscriptions, and that pausing applies to print delivery for up to 4 weeks. For a digital subscription the choice is to keep it or cancel it.
Still not cancelled?Common reasons a subscription will not cancel How to cancel an app subscription
GOOD TO KNOW
Questions, answered.
How do I cancel my Economist subscription?
If you bought on The Economist's website, visit My Account and click the Manage subscription button in the My subscription section. The Economist also offers its service centre by phone or live chat. If Apple or Google Play sold you the subscription, cancel it in that store.
Why can I not cancel my Economist subscription?
The likeliest reason is the minimum term. The Economist states that its annual subscription paid in monthly instalments, sold to new subscribers in the European Union who purchase online, cannot be cancelled or changed during the first 12 months. The other reason is that a store or an agent sold it, in which case The Economist cannot cancel it for you.
What happens when my Economist minimum term ends?
It does not end the subscription. The Economist states that once the 12-month minimum term ends, your subscription automatically renews on a monthly basis at the standard monthly rate, so you have to cancel it yourself if you do not want it to continue.
Provider resources
- The Economist: how do I cancel my subscription
- The Economist: minimum term contract subscriptions
- The Economist: how do I renew my subscription
- The Economist: manage an App Store subscription
- The Economist: manage a Google Play subscription
- The Economist: can I pause my subscription
- The Economist: unexpected renewal letters and unauthorised agents
- Apple: view, change, or cancel subscriptions
- Google Play: cancel subscriptions
Instructions reviewed .
Subex is independent of The Economist. Availability and cancellation terms can vary by plan, billing provider and country.
