So, you signed up for the Spotify Premium trial because you wanted to skip the ads while listening to that one specific playlist, or maybe you just wanted to download a few albums for a long flight. It happens to everyone. But now the trial period is wrapping up, and you’re staring at a potential $10.99 (or more, depending on your plan) charge on your bank statement. You need to know how to end Spotify free trial setups without jumping through a million hoops. Honestly, the process isn't as scary as some tech companies make it, but there are a few "gotchas" that can leave you paying for a month you didn't want.
Spotify is a business. They want your subscription revenue. Because of that, they don’t exactly put a giant red "CANCEL NOW" button on the home screen of the app. You have to dig a little.
The Desktop Method is Usually Best
Most people try to do this on their phones. It makes sense because that’s where we listen to music. However, if you’re using the iOS app, you might find that the option to cancel just... isn't there. This is usually because Apple handles the billing if you signed up through the App Store. To keep things simple, let’s talk about the web browser method first.
Open up Chrome or Safari. Head over to the Spotify website. Log in. Once you’re in, click on your profile picture in the top right corner and hit "Account." This opens up a new tab with a bunch of settings that look pretty dry and corporate. You’re looking for the section labeled "Your plan."
Underneath your plan details—which probably says something like "Premium Individual" or "Student"—you’ll see a button that says "Change plan." Click it. You aren't actually changing to a different paid plan; you're just navigating to the page where they list all the options. Scroll all the way down past the Duo and Family tiers. Eventually, you’ll see "Spotify Free." There should be a "Cancel Premium" button right there.
Click it.
They’ll ask you if you’re sure. They might show you a sad little graphic or tell you how many millions of songs you’re about to lose offline access to. Ignore the guilt trip. Keep clicking through the "Continue to cancel" prompts until you get to the final confirmation screen.
What Happens to Your Music?
People worry about this a lot. If you cancel your trial on day 15 of a 30-day trial, do you lose your music immediately? Usually, no. Spotify typically lets you keep the Premium features until the actual expiration date of the trial. So, if you cancel early, you’re basically just telling their system, "Hey, don't charge me when this ends."
Your playlists stay. Your saved songs stay. The only thing that changes when the clock runs out is that you’ll start hearing ads again, and you’ll lose the ability to skip songs an unlimited number of times. Also, those high-quality downloads you saved? They’ll disappear or become unplayable because offline listening is a Premium-only perk.
Managing the Apple and Google Play Trap
This is where it gets annoying. If you see a message saying "This subscription is managed by Apple" or "Managed by Google," the steps above won't work. You’re paying through a third-party middleman.
For iPhone users:
- Open your Settings app.
- Tap your name at the very top.
- Tap "Subscriptions."
- Find Spotify in the list.
- Hit "Cancel Trial."
If you’re on Android and went through the Play Store, it’s a similar vibe. Open the Play Store, tap your profile icon, go to "Payments & subscriptions," then "Subscriptions." If Spotify isn't in these lists, then you definitely signed up directly through Spotify's website and should go back to the browser method.
Why Some People Fail to Cancel
I’ve seen dozens of people complain that they "cancelled" but still got charged. Usually, it’s because they just deleted the app. Let’s be clear: deleting the Spotify app does absolutely nothing to your subscription status. It just removes the software from your phone. The billing server doesn't care if the app is on your device; it only cares what your account status says in the database.
Another common pitfall is having multiple accounts. Maybe you signed up with your "junk" email address or through a Facebook login years ago. If you cancel one account but you’re actually being billed on another, you’re still going to see that charge. Check your bank statement. If the merchant name has a specific reference number, sometimes Spotify support can use that to track down which ghost account is eating your money.
Dealing with Partner Deals (Hulu, Starbucks, etc.)
Sometimes you don't get a trial directly from Spotify. Maybe it came bundled with a Hulu subscription or a phone plan. In these cases, learning how to end Spotify free trial access means going to the partner's website. If you get Spotify through your cell phone provider, you have to log into your Verizon or AT&T account and remove the "add-on" from there. Spotify literally cannot cancel it for you because they aren't the ones holding your credit card info in that specific transaction.
The "Cancel Culture" of Premium
It’s worth noting that Spotify has been under some heat regarding how they handle cancellations in different regions. In the EU, they have to be much more transparent about it. In the US, it’s a bit more of a maze. But regardless of where you are, the "Account" page on a desktop browser remains the most reliable path.
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If you truly get stuck and the buttons aren't working—which happens sometimes if their site is glitching—don't just give up. Take a screenshot of the error. Contact Spotify Cares on X (Twitter) or use their web chat. Having proof that you tried to cancel before the deadline is your golden ticket to getting a refund if the charge goes through anyway.
Actionable Steps to Take Right Now
Don't wait until the day before the trial ends. Do it now.
- Log in via a desktop browser instead of the mobile app to ensure you see all billing options.
- Verify the source of billing by checking the "Subscription" tab in your account settings to see if a third party like Apple or Google is in charge.
- Complete the process by clicking through at least three "Are you sure?" style prompts until you see a confirmation page that explicitly says your Premium will end on a specific date.
- Check your email for a cancellation confirmation. If you don't get an automated email within ten minutes, the cancellation probably didn't "stick."
- Set a calendar reminder for two days before the trial officially expires just to double-check that your account status has changed to "Premium - Cancelled" or "Spotify Free."
Once you see that "Your plan will change to Spotify Free on [Date]" message, you’re in the clear. You can keep listening to your music for the remainder of the trial without the looming anxiety of an unwanted charge. If you ever want to come back, your data is still there; they never delete your playlists just because you stopped paying. They just wait for you to miss the "no ads" life enough to resubscribe.
If you find that the "Cancel" button is missing entirely even on a desktop, it’s almost certainly because your subscription is tied to a "Family" plan where you aren't the manager. Only the person who started the Family plan can cancel the billing. If you're just a member, you can leave the plan, but the owner will still be charged the same amount unless they cancel it themselves.