How to Cancel a Substack Subscription (Any Device, Any Plan)

Substack makes subscribing to newsletters easy — canceling is straightforward too, but the exact steps depend on how you subscribed and which device you're using. Here's everything you need to know to cancel cleanly, avoid unexpected charges, and understand what happens to your access afterward.

What Kind of Substack Subscription Do You Have?

Before diving into steps, it helps to understand what you're actually canceling. Substack supports two types of paid subscriptions:

• Paid newsletter subscriptions — recurring payments (monthly or annual) to a specific writer's publication
• Substack app subscriptions — in some cases, subscriptions initiated through Apple's App Store or Google Play, which are managed differently

This distinction matters because where you subscribed determines where you cancel. A subscription started through the Substack website is managed through Substack's own settings. A subscription started through the iOS App Store is managed through Apple — not Substack.

How to Cancel a Substack Subscription on the Web

This is the most common scenario for most desktop and browser-based subscribers.

1. Go to substack.com and sign in to your account
2. Click your profile icon in the top-right corner
3. Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu
4. Navigate to the "Subscriptions" tab
5. Find the publication you want to cancel
6. Click "Edit subscription" or the subscription name
7. Select "Cancel subscription" and confirm

Once canceled, your paid access continues until the end of the current billing period. You won't be charged again, but you don't get a prorated refund for unused time on most plans.

How to Cancel on the Substack Mobile App (iOS or Android)

If you subscribed directly through the Substack app or website (not through Apple or Google's payment systems), the process mirrors the web version:

1. Open the Substack app and tap your profile icon
2. Go to Settings → Subscriptions
3. Select the newsletter you want to cancel
4. Tap "Cancel subscription"

🔍 If you don't see a cancel option inside the Substack app, this is a strong signal your subscription was processed through Apple or Google, not Substack directly.

If You Subscribed Through the Apple App Store

Apple handles billing separately. To cancel:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad
2. Tap your Apple ID at the top, then "Subscriptions"
3. Find the Substack-related subscription in your list
4. Tap it, then select "Cancel Subscription"

Alternatively, you can manage this through the App Store app under your account settings. Apple shows you your next renewal date before you confirm cancellation.

If You Subscribed Through Google Play

For Android users who paid via Google Play:

1. Open the Google Play Store app
2. Tap your profile icon → "Payments & subscriptions" → "Subscriptions"
3. Find the Substack subscription and tap "Cancel subscription"

What Happens After You Cancel? 📋

This is where many people have questions:

Canceling a paid subscription usually downgrades you to the free tier of that newsletter automatically — meaning you'll still get whatever free content that writer publishes. If you want to stop receiving emails entirely, you'll need to also unsubscribe from the mailing list, which is a separate action.

How to Fully Unsubscribe from a Substack Newsletter

If you want no further emails from a publication — not just canceling the paid tier:

• Scroll to the bottom of any email from that newsletter and click "Unsubscribe"
• Or go to your Substack account → Subscriptions, and toggle off email delivery

These are two different actions: canceling a paid subscription stops billing, while unsubscribing stops emails.

Common Variables That Affect the Process 🔧

Not every cancellation looks identical. A few factors that change the experience:

• Annual vs. monthly plans — Annual subscribers won't be charged again but lose access at year-end, not immediately
• Founding member subscriptions — Some newsletters offer special one-time or legacy tiers; cancellation terms may differ
• Publisher refund policies — Substack has a general no-refund policy, but individual writers can issue refunds manually if they choose
• Multiple subscriptions — If you support several writers, each one is an independent subscription and must be canceled separately

When to Contact the Writer Directly

Substack gives individual writers some control over their subscriber settings. If you're having trouble canceling, believe you were charged incorrectly, or want to request a refund, reaching out to the newsletter's author directly (via their contact page or by replying to an email) can sometimes resolve issues faster than going through Substack's general support.

Substack's own support is reachable at [email protected] for billing disputes that can't be resolved with the publisher.

The steps above cover the majority of cancellation scenarios — but whether your specific situation involves Apple billing, an annual commitment, or a publisher with unique terms is something only your account details can confirm.