A low advertised price isn't always the amount you'll pay. Before you buy something or start a subscription in the United States, check the total due, mandatory fees, renewal terms, cancellation method, and refund policy.

Who processes the payment often matters as much as the seller's headline rate. State laws, contracts, and platform policies can add protections, but they don't apply the same way to every transaction.

What the advertised price must include

When an all-in price is required

For certain short-term lodging and live-event transactions, the FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees requires that a fee you can't avoid be included in the total price shown up front. The rule took effect on May 12, 2025.

The FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees FAQ uses a hotel example: a $199 nightly rate plus a mandatory $39 resort fee should be shown as $238, not as if $199 were the complete price.

Some rates are limited to a group, such as rewards-program members. For a covered transaction, the FAQ says the total price is the price offered to everyone when the promotion isn't available to everyone. Find out whether joining the program costs money before you treat a members-only rate as real savings.

What the fee rule does not decide

This is not a federal ban on every extra charge. The FTC says prerecorded audio or visual performances and film screenings aren't live events covered by the rule. A product purchase, optional add-on, delivery charge, or other surcharge may fall under different laws or the seller's terms.

An uncovered fee isn't automatically lawful or unlawful. Identify the transaction, read how the fee is described, and compare the final amount before you pay. If a charge appears only on the last screen, pause and ask the seller to explain it.

Before you pay

Use the final checkout or booking screen, not the first advertised rate. Write down the full amount due today, including mandatory charges shown at checkout. Confirm whether billing is one-time or recurring, and compare monthly, annual, weekly, or per-use prices on the same time basis so a cheaper-looking plan isn't just a different billing period.

See what the price actually includes: usage limits, quantity limits, minimum commitments, and paid add-ons. Note who processes payment. The merchant, Apple, Google Play, or another marketplace may control cancellation and refunds even if you never leave the app you were using.

Look for the exact cancellation steps, any deadline, and how confirmation is sent. Then read the refund terms, including who handles the request. If the offer is significant, save a screenshot of the advertised price next to the checkout total. Keep the receipt after you pay.

Free trials and auto-renewals

A free trial can become a paid subscription when the promotional period ends. Before you enter payment details, find the exact end date, the renewal amount, and how often you'll be charged.

The FTC's guidance on free trials and auto-renewals tells consumers to find out when and how much they'll be charged after a promotion ends. If the cancellation process isn't clear, it says to walk away from the offer.

Screenshot the offer and its terms, save the confirmation email, and put the trial-end date on your calendar several days early. Note whether the subscription is billed directly or through an app store, then check your card statement after the expected renewal date.

Be careful with renewal notices sent by email or text. The FTC warns that scammers may pretend to be contacting you about a renewal to obtain your card information. Don't use an unfamiliar link to update payment details. Open the merchant's official app or website directly and check the account there.

How to cancel a subscription

The cancellation route usually follows the company that billed you, not necessarily the app or service you use.

If the merchant billed you directly

Sign in through the merchant's official website or app and open the account, billing, or subscription settings. Follow the cancellation steps, then look for a confirmation screen or email.

If the seller requires a phone call or message, record the date, time, the representative's name if you get one, and any confirmation number. Deleting your account, removing the app, or removing a payment card doesn't cancel the subscription by itself.

If Apple billed you

Use Apple's official subscription controls. Its subscription cancellation instructions direct users to Account Settings, Subscriptions, the relevant subscription, and Cancel Subscription.

If the Cancel Subscription button is missing or an expiration message appears, Apple says the subscription is already canceled. Keep a screenshot of that status.

If Google Play billed you

Google Play subscriptions are canceled in Play's own subscription settings, not by deleting the app. Google's instructions specifically say that uninstalling the app does not cancel its subscription.

Check the billing account after you cancel and save the confirmation. If the charge came through a marketplace or reseller, start with that billing platform, because its cancellation and refund process may control the transaction.

Refunds and unauthorized renewals

Canceling and getting money back are separate issues. Cancellation normally stops future billing; it doesn't automatically return an earlier payment. Check the merchant's or platform's refund terms and submit a separate refund request when those terms allow it.

Google Play, for example, says past subscription payments can't be refunded except where its refund policies allow it. That's a Google Play policy, not a universal rule for every merchant or payment method.

If you were charged without your consent, or a merchant billed you after you have evidence of cancellation, contact the merchant promptly and request a refund in writing. Include the charge date, amount, account email, and cancellation evidence, and ask the merchant to confirm that future renewals have stopped. If that doesn't resolve it, contact the credit or debit card issuer using the number on your card or statement, and ask which billing-dispute process applies and what deadline you must meet.

The FTC advises contacting your credit or debit card company right away if you're charged without consent and the company won't refund the money. If you can't cancel a subscription, it also recommends asking your credit card company what it can do to stop further payments.

Describe the problem accurately. An unfamiliar or unauthorized charge is different from a renewal you knowingly accepted but forgot to cancel, and the issuer may handle those situations differently.

Evidence that can help

Keep a small record of the transaction:

Don't send a full card number, password, or verification code through an unsolicited email or message. Use the contact information in the official app, website, or card statement.

Where to escalate the problem

Start with the business or billing platform, because it can explain the charge and may issue a refund. If Apple or Google processed the payment, use that platform's account and support tools as well as contacting the merchant.

For an unauthorized card charge, contact the card issuer promptly. A payment dispute is separate from canceling the underlying subscription, so complete both steps when necessary.

You can also report suspected scams or deceptive business practices through the FTC's complaint guidance or its official contact page. Include the company name, dates, amount, advertising or renewal messages, and the steps you already took. FTC complaints help agencies identify patterns, but you should still pursue a merchant refund or card dispute separately.

If you're about to click Pay or Start Trial, you should already know the amount due now, whether billing renews, who will charge you, and the exact cancel path. If you can't find those answers, don't complete the purchase until the seller provides clear terms.