Here's what to do when a subscription raises its price: read the notice to see the new amount and when it starts, decide whether it is still worth it, then compare cheaper plans, downgrade or cancel before the renewal date. Ignoring the notice is risky: depending on the rules, you may be charged the new price or lose the subscription.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules for price changes depend on the company, the app store and where you live.
Check the notice is real. The FTC warns that scammers send fake renewal notices. Don't click links or call numbers in a notice you are unsure about. Sign in to your account directly, or contact the company at a number you know is correct.
Find three details. The new price, the date it starts, and whether you need to accept it. Write them down.
Do the yearly math. A small monthly change adds up. Example only (made-up numbers): a plan that goes from 8 to 10 a month costs 24 more a year, or 120 a year instead of 96.
Compare your options. Look at cheaper tiers, plans with ads, yearly billing, family plans or a free version. Ask yourself whether you would sign up today at the new price.
Decide before the renewal date. Keep it, switch plans, pause or cancel. Set a reminder a few days before the new price starts so the choice doesn't make itself.
It depends on how you pay. Ignoring a notice can mean very different things.
Subscriptions billed by Apple. Apple's guidance for developers says Apple tells subscribers about price increases by email and push notification, and by in-app message on iOS 13.4 or later. You have to agree to the new price before your next renewal if any of these apply:
You live in a country or region that requires consent for any price change.
The increase is more than 50% of the current price and the difference is more than about US$5 per period on non-annual plans, or about US$50 a year on annual plans.
You already had a price increase on that subscription in the past 12 months.
If your consent is needed and you don't agree, Apple keeps asking about once a week, and the subscription expires at the end of your current billing cycle. If none of those apply, Apple simply notifies you, and the new price takes effect at renewal unless you cancel.
Subscriptions billed by Google Play. Google's developer guidance says price increases are opt-in by default. You have to accept the higher price before it is charged, or Google Play cancels the subscription automatically, and Google Play notifies you 30 days before the first renewal at the new price. In some locations, with limits on how much and how often prices can rise, developers can instead give advance notice of 30 or 60 days with no action needed. Then you are charged the new price unless you change plans or cancel.
Billed directly by the company. The company's terms and your local law apply. Read the notice and the terms, and contact the company in writing if anything is unclear.
Ask for a better rate. If a renewal price is not what you expected, the FTC suggests calling the company to see if it can lower the rate, or to cancel.
Switch plans. On Google Play, if the developer allows it, you may be able to change plans or billing periods, such as monthly to yearly. Google says you may pay the full price or the price difference of the new plan.
Pause. Some apps on Google Play let you pause payments. Google says the pause starts at the end of your current billing period and can run from one week to three months, depending on the app.
Rotate. For entertainment, cancel now and come back for a month when there is something you want to watch.
Cancel. On iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, tap Subscriptions, tap the subscription, then tap Cancel Subscription. On Google Play, go to your subscriptions, choose Manage, then Cancel subscription.
For a solo business, a price rise on booking, invoicing or design software is a cost of doing business, not just a personal bill. Before you switch tools, count the hours it takes to move your data and learn something new, because that time costs money too. If several of your costs have gone up, it may also be time to review your own rates. Our sister site has a guide on how to raise prices with clients, with notice tips and scripts.
Keep a list of every subscription with its current price and renewal date.
Open emails about your plan, price or renewal instead of archiving them unread.
Watch your card and bank statements for unexpected charges, as the FTC suggests.
Do a full review once or twice a year. Our sister site's subscription audit checklist walks you through it.
Sometimes. Apple and Google both allow some increases with notice only, while larger or more frequent increases, or increases in certain places, need your agreement. Outside the app stores, it depends on your contract and local law.
If your agreement is required, the subscription ends at renewal: Apple lets it expire at the end of the billing cycle, and Google Play cancels it. If only notice is required, you will be charged the new price.
Sometimes the company decides that for you. Apple lets developers keep existing subscribers at their current price while raising it for new ones. If not, it is still worth asking, as the FTC suggests.
MoneyShield: Sub Tracker sends reminders for renewals and cancel-by dates, so you have time to act on a price notice before the higher charge lands. Its What If planner shows the estimated difference in 30-day, monthly and yearly spending if you drop a plan, and its Cancellation Assistant points to official cancellation routes. It never connects to your bank or scans your email, so reading the notice is still up to you, and it does not cancel anything for you.
Get MoneyShield free on the App Store
Manage pricing for auto-renewable subscriptions (App Store Connect Help, Apple)
Getting out of free trials, auto-renewals, and negative option subscriptions (FTC)
Cancel, pause, or change a subscription on Google Play (Google Play Help)