Subscription audit checklist

An evening's work that usually pays for itself: find every subscription, decide which ones earn their place, cancel the rest and set things up so they stay under control.

Find every subscription

Read three months of bank and card statements, line by lineSmall monthly charges hide well. Read every line rather than skimming the big ones.
Search the past twelve months for yearly renewalsAnnual plans charge once a year, so a three-month look misses them completely.
Open the subscriptions page in each phone app store you useSubscriptions bought inside apps are billed by the app store, often under its own name on your statement.
Check online payment accounts and digital walletsServices paid through a payment account may not show the service's name on your bank statement.
Search your email for renewal, receipt, membership and free trialReceipts and renewal notices often reach your inbox even when the charge is hard to spot.
List extras bundled into phone, broadband or card plansAdd-ons can be cheaper to drop than you think, or already included elsewhere.
Ask who pays for what on shared and family plansTwo people in one home sometimes pay for the same service twice.

Judge each one honestly

Write down when you last used each oneIf you cannot remember, that is usually your answer.
Spot services that do the same jobTwo music services or three video services rarely get used equally.
Ask: would I sign up again today, at today's price?A quick way past the feeling that you have already paid into it.
Compare the yearly cost, not the monthly oneA small monthly fee looks different multiplied by twelve. The tracker shows both.
Look for a plan that fits betterAn ad-supported, annual, student or shared plan may cost less for the same use.

Act on it

Cancel what you marked, and keep proofSave the confirmation email or a screenshot showing the cancellation and its date.
Downgrade plans that are more than you needFewer screens, less storage or a basic tier can halve the bill.
Check the next statement to see the charges have stoppedIf a charge still appears, contact the company with your proof of cancellation.
Remove saved cards from services you have left, where you canIt makes an accidental re-subscription less likely.

Keep it tidy

Put a free trial's end date in your calendar the day you start itThe free-trial reminder on this site makes a calendar file with an alert.
Diary yearly renewals a week aheadA week gives you time to decide rather than paying by default.
Keep one list of everything you pay forA single list makes the next audit a ten-minute job.
Repeat this audit every six monthsPrices change and habits drift; a regular check keeps both in view.

0 of 20 steps done

Find every subscription0/7
Judge each one honestly0/5
Act on it0/4
Keep it tidy0/4

How to run the audit

Work through the four groups in order. Find comes first because you cannot judge what you have not spotted: subscriptions bought inside apps, through payment accounts or as yearly plans are the easy ones to miss. Judge each one with fresh eyes, act on what you decided, then keep it tidy so the next audit is quick.

Each tick is saved in this browser as you go, so you can stop halfway and pick up later; the lantern ring shows how far you are. Print the checklist if you would rather work on paper next to your statements.

Pair it with the subscription cost tracker: add each subscription as you find it, tick Cancel? on the doubtful ones, and the tracker shows the yearly saving. When you are ready to cancel, the cancellation letter templates help with companies that make it hard, and the free-trial reminder keeps new trials from slipping into paid plans.

Questions

How often should I do this?

Every six months suits most people, plus a quick check whenever a price-rise email arrives.

Where are my ticks saved?

In your browser's local storage on this device, under the name mw-audit. "Untick all" clears them.

What if I cannot find what a charge is?

Search your email for the amount or the name on the statement. If it is still a mystery, ask your bank or card issuer what the charge is.