Cancel an automatic payment by going to Settings, then Automatic Payments
To remove an automatic payment from your PayPal account, log in to PayPal.com, click the gear icon in the top right, select Settings, then choose Payments from the left menu. Click Manage automatic payments. Find the payment you want to stop, click it, and select Cancel. The payment will stop immediately — no further charges will go through.
If you set up the automatic payment through a merchant's website rather than through PayPal directly, you may also need to cancel it on their end. Some merchants require cancellation in both places; others only in one. After you cancel in PayPal, check your email for a confirmation. If you don't receive one within a few minutes, log back in and verify the payment is no longer listed.
The mobile app works the same way: tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), go to Settings, tap Payments, then Manage automatic payments, find the one you want to stop, and tap Cancel.
Key Takeaways
- Canceling an automatic payment in PayPal takes about two minutes and stops all future charges immediately.
- You access automatic payments through Settings > Payments > Manage automatic payments on both the website and mobile app.
- Some merchants also require you to cancel the subscription on their own website, even after you cancel it in PayPal.
- PayPal sends a confirmation email when you cancel; if you don't receive one, log back in to confirm the payment was actually removed.
What happens to charges that already went through
Canceling an automatic payment stops future charges, not past ones. If a payment already processed before you canceled, you will need to request a refund separately. Log into PayPal, go to Resolution Center, and look for the transaction you want to dispute. You can request a refund directly from there, or contact the merchant to ask them to refund it.
If the merchant refuses to refund you and you believe the charge was unauthorized or the service was not provided, you can file a dispute through PayPal's Resolution Center. PayPal will investigate and may reverse the charge. This process usually takes 10 business days or longer.
Canceling a subscription versus a one-time automatic payment
PayPal handles recurring subscriptions (like a monthly streaming service) and one-time automatic payments (like a utility bill set to auto-pay) the same way in the Manage automatic payments section. Both appear in the same list, and you cancel both the same way. The difference is what happens after: a subscription will try to charge you again next month unless you cancel it, while a one-time automatic payment only charges once.
If you are unsure whether a payment is a subscription or one-time, the details page will show you the frequency — "Monthly," "Annual," or "One time." If it says "One time" and you have already canceled it, no further action is needed.
If you cannot find the automatic payment in your list
Automatic payments sometimes appear under a different name than the merchant you recognize. For example, a payment from "Netflix" might show as "Netflix.com" or "NETFLIX.COM" in your list. Use the search or filter option in the Manage automatic payments section to look for keywords — try the merchant name, the service name, or even a partial word.
If you still cannot find it, the payment may have already been canceled, or it may be set up through a different payment method (a credit card instead of your PayPal balance, for example). Check your PayPal transaction history to see if the charge is still going through. If it is, contact PayPal customer service with the transaction details and they can help you locate and cancel it.
Stopping a payment before it processes on a specific date
If you know a payment is scheduled to go through on a certain date and you want to stop it before that happens, cancel it as soon as you realize. PayPal processes automatic payments on different schedules depending on the merchant — some charge on the same day each month, others on the date you signed up, and some on the date the merchant chooses. Canceling immediately gives you the best chance of stopping the charge before it hits your account.
If a payment processes after you canceled it, that is usually a sign the cancellation did not go through. Log back in, confirm the payment is still listed, and try canceling again. If it keeps processing, contact PayPal support and provide them with the transaction ID from your receipt or email.
Restarting an automatic payment you canceled
If you canceled an automatic payment and later want to restart it, you will usually need to set it up again through the merchant's website or app. PayPal does not have a "reactivate" option for canceled payments. Go to the merchant's billing or subscription settings, add your PayPal account as the payment method, and confirm the new automatic payment. It will appear in your PayPal Manage automatic payments list once the merchant processes the setup.
Some merchants allow you to pause a subscription instead of canceling it, which means you can restart it without setting it up from scratch. Check the merchant's website to see if that option is available before you cancel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will canceling an automatic payment hurt my credit score?
No. Canceling an automatic payment does not affect your credit. Your credit score is based on your payment history and how much debt you owe, not on whether you use automatic payments. Canceling simply stops future charges.
What if I canceled the payment but the merchant keeps charging me?
Contact the merchant first and ask them to stop billing you. Provide them with the date you canceled. If they continue to charge you after you have asked them to stop, you can file a dispute in PayPal's Resolution Center and request a refund. PayPal will investigate and may reverse the charges.
Can I cancel an automatic payment if I do not remember setting it up?
Yes. If you see a charge in your automatic payments list that you do not recognize, you can cancel it immediately. If you want to know more about it first, click on it to see the merchant name and frequency. You can also contact PayPal support to ask what the charge is for before you cancel.
How long does it take for a canceled payment to stop showing up in my account?
The payment disappears from your Manage automatic payments list immediately after you cancel. However, if a charge was already scheduled to process within the next day or two, it may still go through because the merchant's system has already queued it. Contact PayPal if a charge processes after you canceled.