Cancellation guide · No. 6News & Publications

How to Cancel The Washington Post in 2026

Last verified 9 days ago · Re-audited every 90 days

Verified

The digital cancel link lives inside My Post (Manage subscription > Cancel my subscription) and works in a few clicks, but two friction points raise the difficulty: the flow surfaces retention offers (discounted rate, a 'pause' option, or a one-time refund of roughly $60-$70) before it lets you confirm, and an online cancellation typically only switches off auto-renewal at the end of the current term rather than ending billing immediately. To get a prorated refund and an immediate stop you generally have to phone subscriber care. App-store and bundled print accounts add extra routing.

Cancellation summaryMedium

Direct cancellation page

Go straight to The Washington Post's cancel page ↗

Cancel now ↗

Methods accepted: OnlinePhone
Average time: ~10min
Effective in: Immediately

If you hit a wall

Support1-800-477-4679

Retention1-800-477-4679

Why this is harder than it should be

Cancelling The Washington Post is rarely the one-click exit you expect from a newspaper. The cancel link does exist inside your My Post account (Manage subscription > Cancel my subscription), but the Post wraps it in a retention gauntlet: before it lets you confirm, you'll typically be offered a cheaper renewal rate, a "pause" instead of a cancel, and in many cases a one-time refund or credit (subscribers have reported roughly $60-$70) specifically to make you stay. The bigger trap is what an online cancel actually does — for many accounts it only switches off auto-renewal, so you keep being billed through the end of the current term with no refund for the unused time. To stop billing immediately and get a prorated refund, you generally have to phone subscriber care at 1-800-477-4679 and decline the pitch again. And if you ever subscribed through Apple, Google, or Amazon, the website can't cancel you at all — you have to dig into that app store. It's the gap between "cancelled" and "actually done paying" that frustrates people most.

Step-by-step

Verified June 25, 2026

01
Figure out WHERE you actually pay first. If you subscribed directly on washingtonpost.com, use the steps below. If you signed up through the Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon Appstore, you MUST cancel through that store instead (see the app-store steps further down) — the Washington Post cannot cancel an app-store subscription for you.
Watch outCancelling on the website does nothing to an Apple/Google/Amazon-billed subscription, and deleting the app does nothing either. You will keep getting charged by the app store until you cancel there.
02
On a desktop browser, go to washingtonpost.com and sign in to your account, or go straight to the subscription page at https://www.washingtonpost.com/my-post/account/subscription/.
Watch outUse a computer browser rather than the mobile app — the in-app experience often pushes you toward the app store or hides the cancel link.
03
Open your My Post profile and click 'Manage subscription' (under the Subscription & Billing area).
04
Click the 'Cancel my subscription' link.
Watch outFor an add-on (like a games or cooking add-on) the button is labeled 'Manage or Cancel' next to that specific add-on — cancelling the main subscription may not cancel add-ons, so check each line.
05
Decline the retention offers. The Post commonly presents a cheaper renewal rate, a 'pause' option, or a one-time refund/credit (subscribers have reported roughly $60-$70) to talk you out of leaving. Keep clicking through to confirm if you actually want out.
Watch outRetention loop: the 'keep my subscription' / accept-offer choices are emphasized while the true cancel/continue button is de-emphasized. Read each screen before clicking.
06
Follow the remaining prompts to CONFIRM the cancellation, then wait for an on-screen confirmation and an email. Save both.
Watch outAn online cancel usually just turns OFF auto-renewal — you keep access (and they keep your money) until the end of the current billing period, with no refund for the unused portion.
07
If you want an IMMEDIATE cancellation with a PRORATED refund instead of waiting out the term, call subscriber care at 1-800-477-4679 and ask to cancel effective immediately with a prorated refund. Have your account number ready.
Watch outPhone agents are a retention checkpoint — expect another discount/pause pitch before they process it. This number is also the only practical route for some print/home-delivery accounts.
08
App-store subscribers — Apple: Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions > The Washington Post > Cancel Subscription. Google Play: Play Store > profile > Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions > The Washington Post > Cancel subscription. Amazon: Appstore > My Apps > Subscriptions > Cancel. Refunds for those follow the app store's policy, not the Post's.
Watch outApple/Google/Amazon control billing and refunds here; the Post's customer service cannot stop the charge or refund you for an app-store-billed plan.

Refund policy

Online cancellation: no refund — access continues to the end of the current billing period and only auto-renewal is switched off. By phone (1-800-477-4679): a prorated refund for the remaining term is reportedly available on request. App-store-billed subscriptions follow Apple/Google/Amazon refund policies. The Post may also proactively offer a one-time refund/credit (subscriber-reported ~$60-$70) as a retention incentive.

Free trial trap

Introductory promo rates (e.g. heavily discounted first year) auto-renew at the full standard price unless you cancel before the term ends; an online cancel during the term typically just stops the next renewal rather than refunding you.

What to do if they refuse to cancel

If the Post refuses to cancel, keeps billing you, or won't honor a prorated refund:\n\n1. **Get it in writing.** Cancel again in My Post and screenshot the confirmation, or email/chat through helpcenter.washingtonpost.com so you have a dated record. If you phoned, note the date, time, and agent name.\n2. **Escalate by phone with a deadline.** Call 1-800-477-4679, state you want the subscription cancelled effective immediately with a prorated refund, and ask for a written confirmation email before you hang up.\n3. **Dispute the charge with your card issuer.** If they keep charging after a documented cancellation, file a chargeback for the unauthorized renewals and attach your confirmation screenshots. For app-store-billed plans, request the refund through Apple, Google, or Amazon instead — the Post can't issue it.\n4. **Report a deceptive cancellation flow.** File with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov; recurring-charge and hard-to-cancel complaints feed the FTC's "click-to-cancel" enforcement.\n5. **Use your state AG / auto-renewal law.** California, New York, and Vermont have specific automatic-renewal statutes requiring an easy online cancel and clear consent. California (oag.ca.gov), New York (ag.ny.gov), and Vermont (ago.vermont.gov) all take consumer complaints — cite that you were charged after cancelling or could only cancel by phone.

Reader questions

Frequently asked questions

I cancelled online but I'm still being charged — why?

For many accounts the online 'Cancel my subscription' link only turns off auto-renewal: you keep access and keep getting billed through the end of the current term, with no refund for the unused portion. To actually stop the charge right away and get a prorated refund, call subscriber care at 1-800-477-4679 and ask to cancel 'effective immediately with a prorated refund.' Always save the confirmation email.

Can I get a refund when I cancel?

It depends on how you cancel. A standard online cancellation gives no refund — your access just runs to the end of the billing period. Subscribers report that calling 1-800-477-4679 can get you a prorated refund for the remaining term, and during the cancel flow the Post itself sometimes offers a one-time refund/credit (around $60-$70) to keep you. If you were billed through Apple, Google, or Amazon, any refund must be requested from that app store, not the Post.

I subscribed through Apple/Google — can the Post cancel it for me?

No. If you signed up through the Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon Appstore, that store controls your billing. You must cancel in the store (e.g., iPhone: Settings > your name > Subscriptions > The Washington Post > Cancel). Cancelling on washingtonpost.com or deleting the app will not stop an app-store charge, and Washington Post customer service cannot refund it.

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Sources & verification (5)

Update history (2)

5/29/2026direct_cancel_url — Original URL returned 404 or timeout. Replaced with current URL found via WebSearch from official help pages. Steps still need manual verification before publishing.
5/24/2026status — Automated HEAD request returned 404 or timeout — direct_cancel_url likely changed. Verify and update before publishing.

Free guide

Your Rights as a US Digital Subscriber

A 22-page free PDF covering FTC Click-to-Cancel, chargebacks, state laws, and how to escalate when The Washington Post or anyone else refuses to honor a cancellation. Sent once. No spam.

Educational only · Not legal advice · Verified June 25, 2026 · Report an error