Remove a Recurring Payment in Three Steps

To stop an automatic payment on PayPal, log into your account, go to Settings, find the subscription or automatic payment you want to cancel, and click the option to cancel it. The payment stops when ready — you won't be charged again. If you're cancelling a subscription to a service (like a streaming app or gym membership), that service may also stop working right away, depending on their policy.

The exact wording and location of buttons changes slightly depending on whether you're using PayPal on a computer or phone, but the process is the same. You do not need to contact PayPal support unless something goes wrong or you can't find the payment listed.

Key Takeaways

  • Log into your PayPal account, select Settings, then look for Payments or Subscriptions to find the automatic payment you want to stop.
  • Click Cancel or Turn Off next to the payment, and it stops right away — no waiting period or additional steps required.
  • If you cancel a subscription to a service, that service may disable your access when ready, so check their cancellation policy first if you want to keep using it.
  • If a company continues to charge you after you cancel, contact PayPal's Resolution Center to report the unauthorized charge.

Finding Your Automatic Payments on a Computer

Open PayPal in a web browser and log in. Click the gear icon in the top right corner to open Settings. From the menu on the left side, select Payments. You'll see a section called "Manage automatic payments" or "Subscriptions" — the exact label depends on your account type.

Look through the list for the payment you want to stop. You'll see the name of the company charging you, the amount, and how often they charge. Click on the payment to open its details. A button labeled Cancel or Turn Off will appear — click it. PayPal will ask you to confirm. After you confirm, the payment is cancelled and you won't be charged again.

Finding Your Automatic Payments on a Phone

Open the PayPal app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Tap Settings, then scroll down and tap Payments. Look for "Manage automatic payments" or "Subscriptions." Tap the payment you want to cancel.

On the payment details screen, scroll down until you see a button that says Cancel Subscription or Turn Off Automatic Payment. Tap it and confirm when PayPal asks. The payment stops right away.

What Happens After You Cancel

Once you cancel, PayPal will not charge you again. The company that was receiving the payment will see that the subscription ended on their end too. However, they may not when ready disable your access to their service — that depends on their own system and policy.

For example, if you cancel a streaming service subscription through PayPal, the service might let you keep watching until the end of the current billing period, or it might cut off your access the same day. Check the service's cancellation policy or your account settings with them if you want to know what to expect. If you want to keep using the service but just switch payment methods, contact the company directly instead of cancelling through PayPal.

If a Company Keeps Charging You After Cancellation

If you cancelled the payment in PayPal but the company continues to charge you, report it to PayPal right away. Log into your account, go to the Resolution Center (usually found under your account menu), and report the charge as unauthorized. PayPal will investigate and may reverse the charge.

Keep records of when you cancelled the payment — a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation helps. If PayPal doesn't resolve it, you can also dispute the charge with your bank or credit card company if that's what PayPal was pulling money from. Banks typically have their own process for disputing recurring charges.

Cancelling a Payment You Set Up Yourself

If you created the automatic payment yourself — for example, you set up a monthly donation or a recurring payment to a freelancer — the cancellation process is the same. Go to Settings, find the payment under Payments or Subscriptions, and cancel it. The recipient will see that the subscription ended, but PayPal won't notify them separately, so if you want them to know why it stopped, send them a message.

If you want to pause the payment temporarily instead of cancelling it completely, PayPal does not have a built-in pause feature. Your only option is to cancel and set it up again later if you want to resume it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the company know I cancelled?

Yes. PayPal notifies the company that the subscription ended. They will see the cancellation on their end, but PayPal doesn't send them a reason or a message from you. If you want to explain why you cancelled, you'll need to contact them directly.

Can I cancel a payment someone else set up for me?

Only if you have access to the PayPal account. If someone else set up the payment on their own PayPal account and is charging your card, you'll need to contact them to cancel it, or dispute the charge with your bank or credit card company.

What if I can't find the payment in my list?

The payment may be listed under a different company name than you expect — for example, a streaming service might show up under its parent company's name. Search your PayPal transaction history to see what name the charge appears under, then look for that name in your automatic payments list. If it still doesn't appear, contact PayPal support.

Do I need to cancel before switching to a different payment method?

No. You can update the payment method in the company's own account settings without cancelling through PayPal. If you want to stop using PayPal specifically but keep the subscription, log into the service's website and change your payment method there.