You turned off auto-renewal. You saw the cancellation confirmation. Everything looked done.
Then the next billing date arrived — and you were charged anyway.
This situation is more common than users expect. And in most cases, the charge is not a system mistake but a timing or billing-cycle processing issue.
Why Charges Can Still Happen After Cancellation
- Cancellation was submitted after the billing cutoff date
- A renewal invoice had already been generated
- Store billing cycles operate on pre-authorization schedules
- Payment processing began before cancellation synced
Once a renewal enters processing, cancellation stops the next cycle — not the current one.
Billing Cutoff Timing Most Users Miss
- Subscriptions renew 24–72 hours before the visible renewal date
- App stores may pre-approve charges early
- Time zone differences affect cutoff windows
- Trial conversions follow separate billing clocks
How To Confirm If The Charge Is Valid
- Check the exact cancellation timestamp
- Compare it with the renewal processing date
- Review invoice generation logs
- Confirm whether the next cycle is already cancelled
What You Can Do Next
- Request a goodwill refund if cancellation was close to renewal
- Disable renewal earlier before the next cycle
- Contact the billing platform (App Store / Google Play / Web)
- Keep cancellation confirmation records
Being charged after cancelling auto-renewal usually means the renewal was already in progress — not that your cancellation failed.