Recurrent services
Online subscriptions: compare duration, renewal and termination
A monthly rate does not summarize a subscription. The minimum duration, the price after promotion, the options, the renewal and the exit procedure determine the actual cost.
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Essential in a minute
Before you sign up, note the price after promotion, the commitment period, the billing frequency and the renewal date. Locate the termination function and check what it actually cuts. After any request, keep the screen or email confirming the end date and check the following samples. If material is provided, also raise its owner, its value, the refund time and the advertised fees in case of non-return. Also check if your content or data remains exportable after the end of the service.
1. Calculate the cumulative cost
Add the promotional price, the normal rate, activation fees, options and related equipment. To compare two offers, use the same duration and level of service. A month offered may weigh little in a long contract.
- Rate after promotion noted.
- One-time charges added.
- Distinguished optional options.
2. Read duration and renewal
Distinguish the minimum duration, the billing period and the renewal. Find out when you can refuse a renewal and any exit fees. For a trial, create a reminder before the pay switch without waiting for the last day.
- Start date and minimum known duration.
- Mode of renewal identified.
- Reminder created before expiry.
3. Test the termination route
The functionality must be accessible from the interface when it falls under the online termination device. Read the consequences: immediate end or expiry, loss of data, return of equipment and remaining invoices. Do not confuse account deletion and termination of the contract.
- Link or localized termination function.
- Date of effect included.
- Return of verified equipment.
4. Close folder properly
Keep the request and confirmation with their date. Download the necessary invoices or data before closing the account. Then check the last withdrawal and revoke an authorization only after you have understood the amounts still due.
- Confirmation saved.
- Useful data exported.
- Last bill checked.
Compare
Compare two subscriptions
| Criteria | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Cost over expected duration | To be calculated | To be calculated |
| Minimum commitment | What to record | What to record |
| Prices after promotion | What to record | What to record |
| Termination and notice | Route + date | Route + date |
Fictional example · No merchant prices
Welcome rate: compare multiple periods
Hypothetical example: A costs 5 €/month for three months, then 15 €/month, plus 20 € in initial fees. B costs 12 €/month with no initial fees. Over six months: A = 80 € and B = 72 €. Over twelve months: A = 170 € and B = 144 €. These figures do not mean you can cancel after six months: check the commitment period and exit fees separately. Include any mandatory options in both scenarios.
- Choose a common duration and keep the departure costs.
- Distinguish the rate of drawdown and duration of commitment.
- Add only the exit fees applicable to the confirmed scenario.
Before you continue
Final checklist : Compare and cancel a subscription
Check the points you actually checked. Checks stay in this page during the visit; they are not sent to the server. A checked point does not constitute a validation of the merchant.
Guide: Compare and cancel a subscription · Révision éditoriale : 17 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful answers
Does deleting your account terminate the subscription?
Not necessarily. Use the contractual termination feature and look for confirmation indicating the end date of service and billing.
Can we terminate an online contract otherwise?
The French online termination scheme refers to contracts that can be concluded online, even when the initial subscription has taken place through another channel, subject to the conditions applicable to the contract.
What should be kept?
The agreed terms, schedule, application, acknowledgement of receipt, effective date and latest invoices.
To check
Reference sources and documentation
This guidance draws on French and European sources. For a cross-border purchase, check the seller’s country, your country of residence and the type of contract. The language of this page does not determine the rules that apply. Consumer rights in the EU — Your Europe.
The editorial update date does not guarantee a new verification of each source. See the references for an individual situation or regulatory evolution.
- Economy.gouv.fr — Distance selling and right of withdrawalRemote withdrawal and online termination.
- DGCCRF — Membership in a fitness or fitness roomDuration, renewal and termination in an example subscription.
- Your Europe — Consumer rights in the EUScope of consumer rights for purchases in the European Union.
Putting into practice
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