{
  "slug": "substack",
  "name": "Substack paid publication",
  "domain": "substack.com",
  "category": "publishing-creators",
  "categoryName": "Publishing & creators",
  "description": "Paid reader subscription to an independent publication hosted on Substack.",
  "directAnswer": "Cancel a paid Substack subscription from Settings: under Subscriptions select the publication, scroll to Account actions and select Cancel Subscription. It takes about 90 seconds and paid benefits continue through the paid term, after which you become a free subscriber. Refunds are usually at the publisher's discretion, with eligible requests honored within seven days of payment.",
  "price": "Set by each publisher",
  "priceMonthlyUsd": null,
  "planName": "Monthly publication subscription",
  "subscriptionPlans": [
    {
      "id": "monthly-publication",
      "name": "Monthly publication subscription",
      "billingOptions": [],
      "priceNote": "Price is set by each independent publisher",
      "sourceUrl": "https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037607131-How-much-does-Substack-cost"
    },
    {
      "id": "annual-publication",
      "name": "Annual publication subscription",
      "billingOptions": [],
      "priceNote": "Price is set by each independent publisher",
      "sourceUrl": "https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037607131-How-much-does-Substack-cost"
    },
    {
      "id": "founding-member",
      "name": "Founding member subscription",
      "billingOptions": [],
      "priceNote": "Price is set by each independent publisher when offered",
      "sourceUrl": "https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/18687769631252-How-can-readers-pay-for-a-subscription-on-my-Substack-publication"
    }
  ],
  "difficulty": "Easy",
  "difficultyScore": 1.6,
  "billingMethods": [
    "web",
    "ios"
  ],
  "accountTypes": [
    "personal"
  ],
  "cancellationUrl": "https://substack.com/settings",
  "cancellationTime": "~90 seconds",
  "cancellationTimeSeconds": 90,
  "steps": {
    "web": [
      {
        "title": "Open Substack settings",
        "body": "Sign in at Substack and open Settings."
      },
      {
        "title": "Choose the publication",
        "body": "Under Subscriptions, select the paid publication you want to cancel."
      },
      {
        "title": "Open Account actions",
        "body": "Scroll to Account actions and click the cancellation link."
      },
      {
        "title": "Cancel the subscription",
        "body": "Select Cancel Subscription. Paid benefits continue through the term, then you become a free subscriber."
      }
    ],
    "ios": [
      {
        "title": "Check who billed you",
        "body": "If the receipt is from Apple, open Settings on iPhone or iPad, tap your name, then Subscriptions."
      },
      {
        "title": "Cancel the publication",
        "body": "Select the publication subscription and tap Cancel Subscription. Manage web billing in Substack Settings instead."
      }
    ],
    "android": [],
    "team": []
  },
  "platformNotes": {},
  "refundInfo": "Refunds are usually at the publisher's discretion. Substack honors eligible requests within seven days of payment unless a subscriber perk was claimed, and may refund dormant publications or processing errors. Apple purchases use Apple's process.",
  "pauseInfo": "Eligible web-billed publication subscriptions can be paused from the cancellation screen for a selected number of months. Substack shows the resume date and sends a reminder three days before resumption.",
  "downgradeInfo": "After the paid term ends, the reader becomes a free subscriber and loses paid-only posts and comments. Unsubscribing from all email is separate.",
  "dataRetentionInfo": "Cancellation keeps the Substack account and free publication subscription. It does not delete the account or automatically stop free emails.",
  "factRows": [
    {
      "k": "Effective",
      "v": "End of paid term"
    },
    {
      "k": "Eligible refund request",
      "v": "7 days"
    },
    {
      "k": "Pause",
      "v": "Eligible web plans"
    },
    {
      "k": "Outcome",
      "v": "Free subscriber"
    }
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "question": "Does cancellation stop paid access immediately?",
      "answer": "No. Paid benefits continue through the period already paid for, except a trial ends immediately."
    },
    {
      "question": "Can I pause a subscription?",
      "answer": "Eligible web subscriptions can be paused for a selected number of months."
    },
    {
      "question": "Can I get a refund?",
      "answer": "The publisher usually decides, while Substack documents certain eligible requests within seven days and other limited cases."
    },
    {
      "question": "Will I still receive free emails?",
      "answer": "Yes. Cancellation makes you a free subscriber. Unsubscribe separately to stop all emails."
    }
  ],
  "officialSources": [
    {
      "title": "Cancel a paid Substack subscription",
      "url": "https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037489252-How-do-I-cancel-my-paid-subscription-on-Substack",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-10"
    },
    {
      "title": "Substack reader guide",
      "url": "https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/33655200073620-A-reader-s-guide-to-Substack",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-10"
    },
    {
      "title": "Substack refund policy",
      "url": "https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/8915992656660-What-is-Substack-s-refund-policy",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-10"
    },
    {
      "title": "Substack reader pricing",
      "url": "https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037607131-How-much-does-Substack-cost",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-10"
    },
    {
      "title": "Substack reader payments",
      "url": "https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/18687769631252-How-can-readers-pay-for-a-subscription-on-my-Substack-publication",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-10"
    },
    {
      "title": "Cancel an Apple subscription",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/118428",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-10"
    }
  ],
  "verified": true,
  "manuallyVerifiedAt": "2026-08-10",
  "nextReviewAt": "2026-10-09",
  "urls": {
    "guide": "https://canicancelit.com/cancel/substack",
    "json": "https://canicancelit.com/cancel/substack.json",
    "markdown": "https://canicancelit.com/cancel/substack.md"
  }
}