How can I get a refund for an unwanted app subscription fee?

Which route should I try first?

The 48-hour line matters on Android. Google's refund page says it can sometimes refund Play purchases itself shortly after purchase, while later requests are generally passed to the developer, who sets its own policy.

Apple handles every request itself, at any age of charge, and decides case by case. There is no fixed window, but older charges are harder to win, so act within days rather than months.

What should I say in the request?

• Name the app and the date and amount of the charge.
• Say what went wrong in one line: a trial you cancelled, a price you weren't shown, a charge after uninstalling.
• Mention that you have already cancelled, so the request is only about money.
• Attach or quote the receipt email if the form allows it.

Short, factual requests do best. Refunds are a recurring theme in reviews of cleaner apps: they made up 14.5% of billing complaints in the 40,376 reviews analysed in October 2026, often from people who did not know where to ask.

Avoid sending several requests for the same charge to different places at once. Pick the right channel from the table, wait for its answer, then escalate if needed. Parallel requests can be closed as duplicates.

What if the store says no?

In the EU, the right to withdraw from many online purchases within 14 days can apply to digital services, though app stores usually ask you to waive it when the service starts at once. The Your Europe page explains when it holds. UK rules on subscription cooling-off are due to tighten from 2027.

A chargeback through your bank is the last resort, for charges you never authorised. It can take weeks, and the store may pause the account involved while it is reviewed. The App Store refund entry covers Apple's process in more depth.

In the US, the FTC opened new rulemaking on negative option offers in March 2026, which covers plans that renew unless you act. It does not change refunds today, but complaints to the FTC feed that work.