Signing up to a dating site is quick. Cancelling can be harder. Many people over 50 discover that their subscription renewed without warning, that deleting the app didn’t stop the payments, or that the cancel button is buried several menus deep. Others want to stop because they’ve met someone, or simply decided online dating isn’t for them, and aren’t sure whether they can get any money back.
This guide explains how to cancel a dating site or app subscription in the UK, step by step, whether you pay through the website, through the Apple App Store or through Google Play. It covers the difference between cancelling a subscription and deleting your account, your rights to cancel and to a refund, what to do if you’ve been charged after cancelling, how to stop a recurring card payment through your bank, and the new subscription rules the government plans to bring in from January 2027.
General information, not legal advice
This guide explains how things generally work in the UK so you know what to ask. It is not advice about your situation, and Hearts Again is not a law firm, financial adviser or healthcare provider. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and can change. Before you make any decision, speak to a qualified professional:
- a solicitor, for example through the Law Society (England and Wales), the Law Society of Scotland or the Law Society of Northern Ireland, or Citizens Advice for free initial guidance
The short answer
- Deleting the app from your phone doesn't cancel your subscription. You need to cancel it where you pay.
- If you subscribed on the website, cancel in your account settings. If you subscribed through an app, cancel in your Apple or Google account.
- Cancelling usually stops the next renewal. You may keep access until the end of the period you've paid for, and a refund for that period isn't automatic.
- When you buy online you usually have a 14-day cooling-off period, but you may be charged for any service you've already used.
- You can ask your bank or card provider to stop a recurring card payment, and it must do so, although you may still owe the company money under the contract.
- New rules planned for January 2027 should make subscriptions easier to cancel and require reminders before renewals.
First, work out how you’re paying
The way you cancel depends on how you signed up and pay. Check your bank or card statement, or your email receipts, to see who is taking the payment.
| If the payment shows as | You probably subscribed | Cancel through |
|---|---|---|
| The dating company’s name | On its website | Your account settings on the website |
| Apple, App Store or iTunes | Through the app on an iPhone or iPad | Your Apple ID settings |
| Google, Google Play | Through the app on an Android phone | The Google Play Store |
| PayPal | Through the website, using PayPal | Your account settings on the website, and PayPal’s automatic payments settings |
If you’re not sure, search your email for a receipt from the dating service, Apple or Google around the date you signed up.
Cancelling a subscription you bought on the website
Most dating sites let you cancel online. The exact steps vary between services and change from time to time, but the process is usually similar:
- Log in on the website, ideally on a computer rather than the app.
- Go to your account or profile settings. Look for words such as “Account”, “Settings”, “Membership”, “Billing” or “Subscription”.
- Find the option to cancel, stop auto-renewal or turn off automatic renewal.
- Follow the steps to the end. Many sites ask why you’re leaving or offer a discount to stay. Keep going until you see a confirmation.
- Save the confirmation. Take a screenshot, and keep any confirmation email.
If you can’t find the option, check the service’s help centre or contact its customer service, and ask for written confirmation that your subscription won’t renew.
Cancel in good time
Some services ask you to cancel a certain period before the renewal date, such as 24 or 48 hours. To be safe, cancel a few days before your subscription is due to renew.
Cancelling a subscription you bought through the Apple App Store
If you subscribed through the app on an iPhone or iPad, Apple takes the payment, and you cancel through Apple, not through the dating app.
On an iPhone or iPad, the usual steps are:
- Open Settings.
- Tap your name at the top.
- Tap Subscriptions.
- Choose the dating app’s subscription.
- Tap Cancel Subscription and confirm.
You can also manage subscriptions through the App Store app. Apple’s support pages explain the current steps if these have changed.
Cancelling a subscription you bought through Google Play
If you subscribed through the app on an Android phone, Google takes the payment.
- Open the Google Play Store app.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap Payments and subscriptions, then Subscriptions.
- Choose the dating app’s subscription.
- Tap Cancel subscription and follow the steps.
Google’s help pages explain the current steps if these have changed.
Deleting the app doesn’t cancel anything
This catches many people out. Removing the app from your phone doesn’t stop the subscription, and it doesn’t delete your profile. Cancel the subscription first, then decide whether you want to hide or delete your account, and only then delete the app.
Cancelling versus hiding versus deleting your account
These are different things.
- Cancelling your subscription stops future payments. Your profile usually stays on the site, sometimes visible to others, and you often keep paid features until the end of the period you’ve paid for.
- Hiding or pausing your profile makes you invisible to other members without closing your account. Useful if you’ve met someone and want to see how it goes.
- Deleting your account removes your profile and, subject to the service’s policies and legal obligations, your data. It usually doesn’t cancel a subscription bought through Apple or Google, so cancel that separately.
Your data
Under UK data protection law, you have rights over your personal data, including in some circumstances the right to ask for it to be deleted. The service’s privacy policy should explain how to do this. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has guidance if you have concerns.
Can you get a refund?
Within 14 days of signing up
When you buy a service online in the UK, you usually have 14 days to change your mind and cancel, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. However, if you asked for the service to start straight away, which almost all dating sites do, you may have to pay for the service you’ve received up to the point you cancel. Some services argue that using features, such as sending messages, means much of the value has already been provided. Check the service’s terms, and if you’re unsure of your position, Citizens Advice can explain your rights.
To use the cooling-off period, tell the service clearly, in writing if possible, that you’re cancelling within the 14-day period, and keep a record.
After 14 days
After the cooling-off period, cancelling usually just stops the next renewal. You’re unlikely to get a refund for the rest of the current period unless the terms say so, or something has gone wrong, such as the service not working as described.
Apple and Google purchases
For subscriptions bought through an app store, you can ask Apple or Google directly for a refund through their “report a problem” or refund request processes. Refunds are at their discretion.
If the service didn’t do what it said
If a service didn’t provide what was promised, you may have rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which says services must be provided with reasonable care and skill, and as described. Citizens Advice can explain how this applies.
If you’ve been charged after cancelling
- Check your confirmation. Make sure the cancellation went through, and note the date.
- Contact the service. Explain that you cancelled, give the date, and ask for a refund of the charge. Keep a copy.
- If you paid by card, ask your card provider about a chargeback, which is a way of reversing a card payment in some circumstances.
- If you paid through Apple or Google, request a refund through them.
- If you still can’t resolve it, Citizens Advice can help, and you may be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service about how your bank or card provider handled a chargeback or payment dispute.
Stopping a recurring card payment through your bank
If a service keeps taking payments from your debit or credit card, you can ask your bank or card provider to stop future payments. This kind of recurring card payment is often called a continuous payment authority.
According to Citizens Advice:
- you can withdraw your consent by telling your card provider, by phone, email or letter
- your card provider must stop the payments if you ask, and can’t insist that you contact the company first
- you can do this at any time up to the end of business on the day before the payment is due
- if a payment is taken after you’ve asked your provider to stop it, you’re entitled to your money back
Stopping the payment doesn’t cancel the contract itself, so you may still owe the company money under its terms. It’s usually best to cancel with the service as well.
A simple message to send
If you need to contact a dating service to cancel, ask for a refund or dispute a charge, a short, clear message works best. For example:
“I’m writing to cancel my subscription with immediate effect. My account email is [email address]. Please confirm in writing that my subscription will not renew and that no further payments will be taken. [If within 14 days of signing up:] I signed up on [date] and am cancelling within the 14-day cancellation period. Please refund the amount due. [If charged after cancelling:] I cancelled on [date] but was charged [amount] on [date]. Please refund this charge.”
Keep a copy of what you send, and any reply.
Cancelling on behalf of someone else
Sometimes a family member needs to cancel a subscription for someone else, for example after a bereavement, or when someone is unwell and can no longer manage their affairs.
- After a death, contact the dating service’s customer support, explain the situation, and ask how to close the account and stop payments. Many services will ask for proof, such as a copy of the death certificate. The bank or card provider can also stop recurring card payments from the account once it has been told about the death.
- If someone has lost capacity, a person acting under a lasting power of attorney for property and financial affairs (or a power of attorney in Scotland) can usually deal with their subscriptions and payments. The service or bank may ask to see the registered document.
- If you’re worried a relative has been targeted by a scammer through a dating site, see our guide on what to do if you’ve been scammed.
New subscription rules from 2027
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 includes new rules for subscription contracts. Following an announcement by the Prime Minister in August 2026, the government plans to bring them into force in January 2027. As currently planned, they will include:
- clearer information before you sign up, including how much and how often you’ll pay
- reminder notices before renewals, at least once in every six-month period
- a new cooling-off period after certain renewals, as well as the existing one when you first sign up
- easy cancellation, with online subscriptions able to be cancelled online, without being made unnecessarily difficult
The details may change before the rules come in, so check GOV.UK or Citizens Advice for the latest position.
Cancelling after you’ve met someone
If you’ve met someone and want to step back from dating apps, a few things are worth thinking about:
- Talk to them first. It’s usual to discuss whether you’re both coming off the apps. Our guide to exclusivity after 50 covers the conversation.
- Hide your profile rather than deleting it straight away, if you’re not sure yet.
- Cancel auto-renewal so you’re not charged again while you decide.
Cancelling because of a bad experience
If you’re leaving because of harassment, a scam or a safety concern, report the other person’s profile to the service before you leave, so they can act. If you’ve lost money, contact your bank straight away on 159 and see our guide on what to do if you’ve been scammed. Our Scam Red-Flag Checker can help if you’re unsure about someone.
Tips to avoid unwanted renewals in future
- Note the renewal date as soon as you subscribe, and set a reminder a few days before.
- Turn off auto-renewal straight away if you only want one term. You’ll usually keep access until the end of the period.
- Choose shorter plans if you’re not sure.
- Check the renewal price, which may be different from any introductory offer.
- Keep a simple record of which services you pay for and how.
Our guide to free vs paid dating sites for over-50s explains how subscriptions work and how to decide whether paying is worth it.
A cancellation checklist
- Work out who takes the payment: the dating service, Apple, Google or PayPal.
- Cancel in the right place, a few days before renewal.
- Save the confirmation.
- Decide whether to hide or delete your profile.
- Delete the app only after cancelling.
- Check your next statement to make sure no further payment was taken.
- If you’re charged, contact the service, then your card provider or app store.
Frequently asked questions
Does deleting a dating app cancel my subscription?
No. You need to cancel the subscription where you pay, on the website or through Apple or Google.
Can I get a refund if I cancel straight away?
You usually have a 14-day cooling-off period, but you may be charged for the service you’ve used. Check the terms and ask Citizens Advice if you’re unsure.
I cancelled but was still charged. What can I do?
Contact the service with your cancellation confirmation. If that doesn’t work, ask your card provider about a chargeback, or request a refund through Apple or Google if you paid through an app store.
Can my bank stop the payments?
Yes. You can ask your card provider to stop a recurring card payment, and it must do so, although you may still owe money under the contract.
Will I lose access straight away when I cancel?
Usually not. Most services let you keep paid features until the end of the period you’ve paid for.
How do I delete my data from a dating site?
Check the service’s privacy policy for how to delete your account and data. The ICO has guidance on your data protection rights.
Related guides
- Free vs paid dating sites for over-50s: is paying worth it?
- Are dating apps worth it after 50?
- Dating app burnout after 50
- Exclusivity after 50
- What to do if you’ve been scammed
Sources
- Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
- Consumer Rights Act 2015.
- Citizens Advice, stopping a future payment on your debit or credit card.
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, subscription contracts regime; commentary on the planned January 2027 start date.
- Apple and Google support pages on managing subscriptions.
- Information Commissioner’s Office, the right to erasure.