Hardest Subscriptions to Cancel (Spoiler: Your Gym is #1) & How to Fight Back
Ever felt trapped by a subscription? You're not alone. From the infamous gym membership to the infuriating SiriusXM retention call, some companies have mastered the art of making it impossible to leave. This is our definitive guide to why they do it, who the worst offenders are, and the exact steps you can take to fight back and win.
By Amandeep Singh
Founder, Cancelmates. I built a company to fight this exact problem.
You've felt it before. That rising tide of frustration as you click through the eighth consecutive menu, desperately searching for the "Cancel Subscription" button. It's a modern form of rage, born from the deliberate, maze-like designs companies use to keep their hands on your money. You start to wonder, "Am I being unreasonable, or is this designed to be impossible?"
It’s not you. It’s them. This strategy, known as **cancellation fatigue**, is a calculated business decision. Companies have run the numbers and concluded that the profit they squeeze from customers who give up trying to cancel is worth more than the goodwill they lose. But which services are the worst offenders? And more importantly, how do you fight back? This is our definitive guide to the subscriptions that are hardest to cancel and the strategies you need to win.
Your Guide to Escaping Subscription Traps
- 1. The "Why": Understanding Dark Patterns and Cancellation Fatigue
- 2. The Hall of Shame: Today's Hardest Subscriptions to Cancel
- 3. The Government Strikes Back: The FTC's "Click-to-Cancel" Rule
- 4. Your Ultimate Toolkit: A Battle Plan to Cancel Anything
- 5. Conclusion: The Future of Consumer Power
- 6. Frequently Asked Questions
1. The "Why": Understanding Dark Patterns and Cancellation Fatigue
Companies make cancellation difficult using a set of manipulative user interface tricks known as **"dark patterns."** The goal is simple: make the process so confusing, emotionally draining, or time-consuming that you either forget, give up, or get tricked into staying.
Common tactics include:
- Misdirection: Hiding the cancel button in obscure account menus while making the "Upgrade Plan" button huge and colorful.
- Forced Continuity: Making you call a support line or visit a physical location to cancel a service you signed up for online in seconds.
- Confirmshaming: Using guilt-tripping language like, "Are you sure you want to lose all your benefits?" or "Your playlists won't be the same without you."
- The Roach Motel: The core concept—it's easy to get in, but nearly impossible to get out.
The brutal truth is, it works. For every person who perseveres and cancels, another gives up, guaranteeing the company at least one more month of revenue.
2. The Hall of Shame: Today's Hardest Subscriptions to Cancel
Based on countless user complaints and industry analysis, these are consistently ranked as the most infuriating services to break up with.
🏆 The Undisputed Champion: Gym Memberships (e.g., Planet Fitness)
The absolute worst offender. Gyms are notorious for their iron-clad contracts and archaic cancellation procedures. As one user put it, they had to **"literally close my bank account to get a gym to stop billing me."**
- The Tactic: Forcing you to cancel in-person, often only during specific, inconvenient hours when the "one person who handles cancellations" is working.
- The Reality: You sign up online in two minutes, but to cancel, you must physically go to the location, fill out paperwork, and resist a high-pressure sales pitch to stay.
🥈 The Silver Medalist: SiriusXM
A classic example of the "retention call center" model. Canceling SiriusXM is an infamous ordeal that often turns a simple request into a battle of wills. One user described their motivation shifting from saving money to **"wanting to cancel just to spite them."**
- The Tactic: No online cancellation option. You are forced to call and speak with a highly-trained retention specialist whose entire job is to prevent you from leaving by offering a cascade of "special deals."
- The Reality: You'll endure long hold times and a script designed to wear you down until you either accept a discount or hang up in frustration.
🥉 The Bronze Medalist: Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe's difficulty isn't about process; it's about punishment. Many users sign up for the monthly plan without realizing they are actually in an annual contract, billed monthly.
- The Tactic: Charging a massive early termination fee, often amounting to 50% of your remaining contract value.
- The Reality: You try to cancel what you thought was a simple monthly subscription, only to be hit with a surprise bill for over $100. It feels less like a cancellation and more like an ambush.
Honorable Mentions: Certain streaming services (requiring multiple chatbots and human interactions), cable/TV providers, and some publications that force you to email or call to end a subscription you started with one click.
3. The Government Strikes Back: The FTC's "Click-to-Cancel" Rule
The good news is that regulators are finally catching on. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has introduced a new set of regulations, often called the "Click-to-Cancel" rule, with enforcement beginning **July 14, 2025**.
This rule mandates two simple but powerful principles:
- Mirroring Sign-Up: Companies must make the cancellation process as easy as the sign-up process. If you can sign up online in two clicks, you must be able to cancel online in two clicks.
- No New Hurdles: Businesses are prohibited from forcing you into new, unnecessary steps, like listening to last-minute sales pitches or answering a barrage of questions before confirming your cancellation.
This rule is a game-changer, giving consumers legal standing to fight back against the worst dark patterns.
4. Your Ultimate Toolkit: A Battle Plan to Cancel Anything
Until every company complies, you still need a strategy. Here is your proactive plan to stay in control.
- Investigate Before You Subscribe: Before signing up, do a quick search for "[Service Name] cancellation process." If it says you have to call or email, think twice. As one savvy user said, "If it’s not right there and a one or two click deal, they don’t get my money."
- Use Virtual Credit Cards: Services like Privacy.com or features within some credit cards allow you to create a unique card number for a single merchant. You can pause or close this virtual card at any time, instantly cutting off their ability to bill you.
- Set a Calendar Reminder: The moment you sign up for a free trial, immediately set a calendar reminder for 2-3 days before it renews.
- Document Everything: When you do cancel, take screenshots of every step, especially the final confirmation page. Save the confirmation email. This is your proof if they try to bill you again.
- The Final Word: Be a Broken Record: If you're forced to call, don't engage with their offers. Simply repeat the phrase, "Thank you, but I am not interested. Please cancel my subscription now."
- The Nuclear Option: Dispute the Charge: If a company continues to charge you after you have documented proof of cancellation, call your credit card company and dispute the charge. This often gets the company's attention faster than any customer service email.
5. Conclusion: The Future of Consumer Power
Making a subscription hard to cancel isn't a sign of a confident business; it's a sign of a business that knows its service isn't valuable enough to retain customers honestly. While this frustrating practice has been profitable for years, the tide is turning.
With new regulations like the FTC's Click-to-Cancel rule and the rise of empowered consumers who share their experiences and strategies online, the era of the subscription trap may finally be coming to an end. By being proactive and knowing your rights, you can protect your wallet and send a clear message: the best way to keep a customer is to provide a great service, not to build a digital prison.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the single best way to avoid getting stuck in a subscription trap?
A: The most effective strategy is to be proactive. Before signing up, do a quick search on the cancellation process. If it requires a phone call, that's a major red flag. For maximum safety, use a virtual credit card, which allows you to pause or close the card at any time, instantly cutting off the company's ability to charge you.
Q: Is it actually legal for companies to make cancellation so difficult?
A: It exists in a legal gray area, but that's changing fast. These practices, known as 'dark patterns,' are being targeted by regulators. In the U.S., the FTC's 'Click-to-Cancel' rule, enforced from July 14, 2025, will make it illegal for a company to have a cancellation process that is harder than its sign-up process.
Q: What should I do if a company keeps charging me after I have already cancelled?
A: If you have documented proof of your cancellation (like a confirmation email or screenshots), your first step should be to contact your credit card company and dispute the charge. This is often the fastest way to get your money back and forces the company to respond to the bank.
Q: Why do companies risk making customers angry with these tactics?
A: It's a calculated business decision. The data shows that for every customer they anger, several others will simply give up trying to cancel. This 'breakage' or 'cancellation fatigue' results in millions in extra revenue, which they've deemed more valuable than the goodwill they lose.
Q: Will the new FTC rule fix this problem for all subscriptions?
A: It will fix the problem for many online subscriptions, especially those based in the U.S. It forces them to provide an easy online cancellation method. However, consumers should still be vigilant, as some companies may try to find loopholes. The best defense is always to be an informed and prepared consumer.
