If you cancelled but were still charged: match the payment to its billing provider, purchasing account and billing period. Then compare the cancellation confirmation with the plan's end date. Send any unexplained settled charge to the billing provider with the receipt and cancellation evidence.
Build a short timeline from the receipts
Write down when you cancelled, the access end shown afterwards, the payment date and the period covered by the invoice. Keep the plan name and purchasing account next to those dates. The day an entry appears on a card statement does not by itself explain the provider's billing timeline.
Spotify describes a cancellation shortly after the normal billing date: Premium then remains available until the account switches to Free. That scenario is different from an unexplained payment for a new period after the confirmed end.
Use the account status to narrow it down
| What you see | What to check next |
|---|---|
| Another payment date on the account | Whether cancellation reached its final confirmation. Spotify lists this status for a plan that has not been cancelled. |
| A free account and a fresh receipt | Other accounts and the account named on the receipt. |
| Access ends later | The already paid period and any remaining payment-plan commitment. |
| The app was uninstalled | The subscription itself. Google Play says uninstalling does not cancel it. |
| The card amount is pending | Whether this is an authorisation or a settled payment. |
Google Play distinguishes ordinary renewal from a payment plan with multiple committed payments. Stopping that plan's next renewal does not cancel its remaining payments. Read your actual plan terms before assuming every monthly payment is a new monthly subscription.
Check pending entries before counting another payment
Google Play can place an authorisation before renewal. Compare the card status with billing history and the provider's receipt. Do not count an authorisation and its later settlement as two separate purchases without checking.
Apple says a refund request cannot yet be made for a charge that is still pending. If the purchase is settled but missing from your account, check the Apple Account on its receipt. The account currently signed in on your phone may be different.
Use the company that actually billed the purchase
- Apple-billed purchase: follow Apple's refund request instructions with the purchasing account.
- Google Play purchase: use Google's official refund request route for the relevant order.
- Direct or partner billing: ask the company identified on the receipt or account billing page. Spotify directs partner-billed subscribers to that partner.
Keep stopping future renewal separate from resolving the collected payment. Refund options vary by purchase and region; submitting a request is not a guarantee. If you cannot identify the purchase, check your subscriptions across billing channels.
Give support enough detail to investigate
Include the plan, order reference, amount and currency, payment date, cancellation time and confirmed end date. Attach the receipt and cancellation confirmation. Ask which period the payment covers and whether another renewal is active on that account.
Keep the case reference and response. Once the provider confirms the position, update your list to show the active plan, an ending paid period or a finished subscription. If the problem began with a trial, use the free-trial cancellation checklist for your next sign-up.
Common questions
Does a charge after cancellation always mean an error?
No. Check when the payment was processed and which period it covers. Google Play payment plans can also have remaining committed payments even after the next renewal is stopped. A new unexplained charge needs the billing provider to investigate.
Why does Spotify show Free when I am still being charged?
Spotify says you may be signed in to a different account from the one being charged. Compare the receipt and account details. If a partner manages the subscription, contact the billing partner shown on the account page.
Will cancelling get my money back?
Cancellation and a refund request are separate. Refund eligibility depends on the provider, purchase and region. Keep the receipt and cancellation confirmation and use the billing provider's official request process.