Stop a recurring payment before the next charge
To cancel a recurring payment on PayPal, log into your account, find the subscription or automatic payment in your settings, and turn it off. PayPal stops charging you when ready, though the merchant may take a few days to confirm the cancellation. You do not need to contact PayPal support unless the payment does not stop after you cancel it in your account.
The process takes about two minutes. The tricky part is finding where the payment lives in your account — PayPal calls these subscriptions, pre-approved payments, or automatic billing depending on which merchant set it up. All three cancel the same way, but they live in slightly different places in your settings.
Key Takeaways
- Log into PayPal, go to Settings, then Payments, and look under "Manage automatic payments" to find all your recurring charges in one place.
- Click the payment you want to stop, then select "Cancel" — PayPal stops charging you right away, though the merchant may take a few business days to process the cancellation.
- If a payment keeps charging after you cancel it, take a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation and contact PayPal support with the merchant's name and the charge date.
- Some merchants (like gyms or streaming services) may also require you to cancel directly through their website or app to close your account completely.
Find your recurring payments in PayPal settings
Open PayPal in a web browser or the mobile app and log in. On the website, click the gear icon in the top right corner and select Settings. On the mobile app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right, then tap Settings.
Once you are in Settings, look for Payments in the left menu on the website, or scroll down on the mobile app. Under Payments, select Manage automatic payments. This page shows every recurring charge linked to your PayPal account — subscriptions, memberships, automatic bill payments, and pre-approved payments all appear here in one list.
Scroll through the list and find the payment you want to stop. The list shows the merchant name, the amount, and how often you are charged. If you have many payments, use the search box at the top to find it faster by typing the merchant name.
Cancel the payment and confirm the stop
Click or tap on the payment you want to cancel. A details page opens showing the merchant, the amount, the charge date, and your payment method. At the bottom of this page, you will see a Cancel button (on the website) or a menu icon with more options (on the mobile app).
Click or tap Cancel. PayPal asks you to confirm — it may ask why you are cancelling, but this is optional. Select Cancel Subscription or Cancel Automatic Payment depending on what PayPal calls it. The page then shows a confirmation message saying the payment has been cancelled.
Take a screenshot of this confirmation page. You now have proof that you cancelled the payment on a specific date. PayPal stops charging you right away, but the merchant may take two to five business days to process the cancellation on their end.
What happens after you cancel
PayPal removes the payment from your Manage Automatic Payments list within a few hours. You will not see a charge from this merchant on your next billing date. If the merchant sends you a cancellation confirmation email, keep it — this shows the merchant also received the cancellation notice.
Some merchants, especially subscription services like streaming platforms or gym memberships, may require you to cancel through their own website or app as well. Cancelling in PayPal stops the payment, but the merchant might still consider your account active. Check the merchant's website or contact them directly if you want to make sure your account is fully closed.
If you cancelled a payment but PayPal charged you again, do not panic. This usually means the merchant restarted the payment or you have a duplicate subscription. Check your Manage Automatic Payments list again — the payment may have reappeared. If it has, cancel it again and contact PayPal support with the charge date and merchant name.
If the payment keeps charging after you cancel
If you cancelled a payment in PayPal but the merchant charged you again, contact PayPal support with your cancellation confirmation screenshot and the date of the unwanted charge. PayPal can investigate whether the merchant restarted the payment without your permission or whether a technical error occurred.
You can also dispute the charge as an unauthorized transaction if PayPal support confirms the merchant charged you after you cancelled. PayPal will refund the charge while they investigate. This process usually takes 10 business days, though it can take longer if the merchant contests the dispute.
If the merchant is a subscription service, also contact the merchant directly through their customer support. Tell them you cancelled the payment in PayPal and ask them to confirm the cancellation on their end. Many merchants have their own records separate from PayPal, and they may need to manually close your account.
Cancelling a payment you set up yourself
If you set up the recurring payment yourself — for example, you authorized a utility company or contractor to charge you monthly — the cancellation works the same way. Go to Manage Automatic Payments, find the payment, and click Cancel.
However, some merchants you authorized directly may also require you to notify them separately. Check your original agreement or the merchant's website to see if you need to send a written cancellation request. Cancelling in PayPal stops the charges, but the merchant might not know your account is closed until they try to charge you and the payment fails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get a refund if I cancel a recurring payment?
No. Cancelling stops future charges, but it does not refund charges you already paid. If you were charged before you cancelled, you can request a refund directly from the merchant or dispute the charge with PayPal if the merchant refuses.
Can I pause a recurring payment instead of cancelling it?
PayPal does not have a pause feature for recurring payments. You can only cancel or let it continue. If you want to restart the payment later, you will need to set it up again with the merchant.
What if I do not see the payment in my Manage Automatic Payments list?
The payment may be set up through the merchant's website rather than through PayPal. Log into the merchant's account directly and cancel the subscription there. You can also search your PayPal transaction history for recent charges from that merchant to confirm it is still active.
How long does it take for PayPal to stop charging me?
PayPal stops charging you when ready after you cancel. However, the merchant may take two to five business days to process the cancellation on their end, so you might see one more charge before it fully stops.
Do I need to contact PayPal support to cancel?
No. You can cancel any recurring payment yourself through Manage Automatic Payments. Contact PayPal support only if the payment keeps charging after you cancel it, or if you cannot find the payment in your list.