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BBB Tip: Thinking about a free trial or subscription? Here's what you should know

Free trial offers are an extremely popular marketing tactic, especially for subscription services. BBB has tips for consumers who want to "try before they buy."

Back to BBB's consumer HQ

What should you know about a free trial or subscription service before you sign up?

From reading the terms and conditions to reviewing your credit and debit card statements, BBB has tips to help you get the most out of subscription services and free trial offers without unwanted charges.

   

What you'll learn:

  • How can I avoid unwanted charges when signing up for a free trial or subscription?
  • What should I look for before signing up for a free trial or subscription?
  • How should I sign up or cancel a subscription service?

How to take advantage of free trial offers

When you shop online, there is no way to touch, see, or experience a product before buying it. That means free trials can be a win-win situation for sellers and buyers. Consumers get to “try before they buy,” and sellers get to cultivate interest in their product and hopefully make a sale.

That said, consumers should be aware of a few aspects of free trials if they want to avoid unwanted charges.

Closeup on notebook over wood table background, focus on wooden blocks with letters making Free Trial text

What should you know before signing up for a free trial?
 

  • Investigate the offer. Before signing up, find out how long the trial period lasts, what exactly you agree to, and how and when to cancel if you decide not to subscribe. If this information is confusing or unavailable, take your business elsewhere.
  • Review the signup form and look for pre-checked boxes. If you sign up for a free trial online, look for boxes that have already been checked, advises the Federal Trade Commission.  That checkmark "may give the company the green light to continue the offer past the free trial or sign you up for more products." 

  • Mark your calendar. Your free trial probably has a time limit. Once that passes, if you haven’t canceled your “order,” you may be on the hook for more products. Know the cancellation date and put it on your calendar.

  • Always review your credit and debit card statements. This will help you know immediately if you are being charged for something you didn’t order. If you see charges you disagree with, contact the company directly to sort out the situation. Call your credit card company to dispute the charge if that doesn't work. Ask the credit card company to reverse the charge because you didn’t actively order the additional merchandise.

  • Research the company online. See what other people say about the company’s free trials — and its service. The FTC points out that "complaints from other customers can tip you off to 'catches' that might come with the trial." 

  • Find the terms and conditions for the offer. Even if you heard about an offer through a radio, TV, or print ad, the company should still provide the details on its website. As many Scam Tracker reports show, you shouldn't sign up if you can’t find the terms and conditions or understand exactly what you’re agreeing to.

  • Always protect your personal information online. When you sign up for a free trial online, you’ll likely need to provide some basic personal information and your credit card number. Before you hand over your information, review the site’s privacy policy and ensure the website is secure, that is, it starts with “https://” and has a lock icon on the sign-up page.

  • Want to subscribe past the free trial? Understand how to cancel future shipments or services first. Know the policies for canceling or pausing your subscription. Do you need to respond or cancel by a certain time each month?

How to sign up for and cancel subscription services

Subscription services can be perfect for busy individuals, and can make great holiday gifts (it's the gift that keeps on giving!) But picking the right option can be hard with so many options and price points.

Video and music streaming services are hugely popular. Meal delivery services provide fresh, pre-measured ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes on a subscription basis. You also can sign up for regular shipments of snacks, clothing, personal grooming products, makeup, vitamins, pet toys, wine, and the list goes on.

Mother And Son Opening Parcel With Meal Kit

What should you know about a subscription service before you sign up?
 

  • Do plenty of research. Research a company before you sign up for a subscription or trial. Find the company on social media and review their account. Check BBB.org to see if the company has a good business rating, and look online for consumer reviews. Do an online search of the company, including the words “scam” or “complaint,” to reveal any red flags you should be aware of.
  • Understand how auto-renewal works. Auto-renewals are a convenient way to keep your subscription current if you like the service. The company charges your credit or debit card on the expiration date, and the subscription renews for another period. Remember that companies must send you a renewal notice, a brief reminder that your subscription is about to renew, ahead of time. Always check your bank and credit card statements to ensure the cost is what you expect. If you notice a price jump, it could be that you were signed up for a promotional period that ended.

  • Know how to stop a subscription. There are three ways you can stop automatic payments from your bank account, according to consumerfinance.gov: Contact the company to revoke payment authorization, call and write your bank or credit union informing them you’ve revoked payment authorization, and/or give your bank a “stop payment order.” Usually, contacting the company to revoke authorization is sufficient to cancel a subscription, but monitor your bank statements closely anyway. You may need to take further action if you still see unwanted charges.

  • Cancel unwanted subscriptions early. Instead of waiting until the last minute to cancel a subscription or free trial, The New York Times says, “There is generally no drawback to ending payments ahead of time.” You can cancel early and enjoy the remaining time left on your subscription for that billing period. Calendar alerts can also help you track when to cancel a subscription so you don’t forget and end up paying for an extra subscription term.

  • Periodically review your active subscriptions. If you aren’t careful, you could lose track of what subscription services you are paying for. To maintain your financial health, Forbes reminds consumers to determine how much they spend on subscriptions. Periodically review your subscriptions to make sure you’re still using them. If you are signed up for multiple subscriptions, a subscription management app can help you keep track of and manage them.

  • Watch out for scams. Scammers may offer you free trials or deals on subscriptions that seem too good to be true, hoping you’ll sign up and hand over your credit card number. Don’t believe deals that seem outrageously good. In addition, if you receive a “renewal notice” that asks you for your credit card information, think twice before you reply. It’s likely the message is a scam. Renewal notices are reminders from a company that already has your payment information. Always contact the company directly to verify suspicious messages.

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