Free Trial Used — But Annual Subscription Activated

Many users start a free trial expecting to test the service temporarily.

However, some trials are directly tied to annual subscription plans.

If you were charged a full yearly fee after your trial — even though you only intended short-term use — this is usually caused by plan conversion settings rather than a billing system error.

Large charges such as $79, $99, or $129 often appear immediately after the trial ends, creating confusion and refund requests.

Why Trials Convert To Annual Plans

  • Annual plan selected during signup
  • Discounted yearly trial promotion activated
  • Default billing set to annual subscription
  • Trial linked to prepaid yearly plan
  • Monthly option not manually selected

Many users focus only on the trial period and overlook the attached billing plan.

How The Billing Conversion Happens

  • Free trial expires automatically
  • Linked subscription activates instantly
  • Annual fee is charged upfront
  • Service continues without interruption

The platform processes billing based on the plan agreed to during trial activation.

Why Users Feel Misled

  • Monthly price shown beside annual discount
  • Yearly commitment written in small text
  • Preselected annual plan toggles
  • Trial marketing focused on “Free” messaging

This UI structure often leads users to believe they selected a monthly plan.

Can You Get A Refund After Annual Conversion?

Refund approval depends on platform policy.

You may qualify if:

  • The charge occurred recently
  • The service remains unused
  • This is your first billing cycle

Support teams sometimes approve goodwill refunds in trial conversion disputes.

How To Prevent Annual Trial Conversions

  • Check billing plan before starting trials
  • Switch subscription to monthly manually
  • Review confirmation emails carefully
  • Cancel trials before expiration

Understanding the attached billing structure is the most reliable way to avoid unexpected yearly charges.