How to Dispute a Subscription Charge With Your Card Issuer

A card dispute (often called a chargeback) is generally a last resort, not a first move. Card networks and issuers expect you to make a good-faith attempt to resolve the problem with the company before they step in, and having a paper trail makes your dispute far stronger.

Start by canceling the subscription so it stops renewing, then ask the merchant for a refund in writing. Keep a copy of the request and any reply. If the company refuses, ignores you, or you cannot reach anyone, you are in a good position to escalate to your card issuer.

Keep two ideas separate: a dispute and a cancellation are different actions. Disputing a past charge does not cancel the subscription, and canceling the subscription does not reverse a charge that already posted. You usually need to do both.

If you paid with a credit card, the Fair Credit Billing Act lets you dispute "billing errors." These include charges you did not authorize, charges for the wrong amount, and charges for services you did not receive as agreed, which covers a subscription that kept billing after you canceled. You generally must notify the issuer in writing within 60 days of the first statement that shows the error. While it is investigated, you can withhold payment on the disputed amount, and the issuer cannot treat that amount as late.

If you paid with a debit card or a direct bank (ACH) draft, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E apply instead. These rules focus on unauthorized electronic transfers, and protections for quality or "not as described" complaints are weaker than on a credit card. Report the problem within 60 days of the statement that shows it; reporting sooner also limits how much you can be held responsible for.

Either way, a recurring charge you never agreed to, a duplicate charge, a charge for the wrong amount, or a charge that continued after a documented cancellation is generally disputable.

A dispute moves faster when you can point to specifics, so collect the details first. Note the exact charge date, the amount, and the merchant descriptor exactly as it appears on your statement (subscription billing descriptors are often abbreviated and unfamiliar).

Save proof that you canceled: the confirmation email, a screenshot of the canceled status, a cancellation or reference number, and the date. Also keep the terms you agreed to, including any trial that converted to a paid plan and the stated renewal terms, plus your refund request to the merchant and their response.

Finally, be ready to state in one plain sentence why the charge is wrong: unauthorized, canceled but still billed, duplicate, wrong amount, or a service not delivered as promised.

The quickest route is to call the number on the back of your card or use your bank's website or app, which usually has a "dispute a transaction" or "report a problem" option that opens a case in a few minutes. Explain the charge, why it is wrong, and what you want, which is a reversal or credit.

For a credit card, also send a written dispute to preserve your full Fair Credit Billing Act rights. Mail it to the issuer's address for billing inquiries or disputes, not the address where you send payments, and make sure it arrives within 60 days of the statement. Keep a copy and consider sending it with tracking.

Attach or reference your evidence and describe the reason clearly, such as "recurring subscription canceled on [date] but charged again," "charge I did not authorize," or "billed the wrong amount." The clearer the reason, the easier it is for the issuer to categorize and act on.

If your statement shows Apple or Google (rather than the app's own name) as the merchant, the subscription was purchased through that platform, and Apple or Google, not the developer, is the seller of record. In that situation, request the refund directly through the platform first.

On Apple, use reportaproblem.apple.com to request a refund; on Android, use Google Play's refund flow. As with any subscription, canceling there stops future renewals but does not refund a charge that already went through, so you must submit a separate refund request for the amount already billed.

Use the platform's own process before filing a bank chargeback. A chargeback against Apple or Google can cause the platform to restrict or lock your account and purchases, which is a much bigger problem than the original charge.

For a credit card dispute under the Fair Credit Billing Act, the issuer must acknowledge your dispute within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles, and no later than 90 days. You can withhold the disputed amount in the meantime. For a debit card under Regulation E, the bank generally investigates within 10 business days; if it needs longer (up to 45 days, or 90 for certain transactions), it typically must give you provisional credit while it works.

Stop future charges on a separate track. Revoke authorization with the company in writing, and also tell your bank directly. For a preauthorized bank draft, give your bank a stop-payment order at least three business days before the next scheduled date; if you give it by phone, the bank may ask for written confirmation within 14 days.

If your dispute is denied, ask for the reason and the evidence the issuer relied on, then submit additional documentation and ask to reopen or escalate it. You can also file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which prompts a formal response from the company.