A free trial quietly turned into a costly monthly subscription
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A free trial quietly turned into a costly monthly subscription

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14.08.2026

I signed up for a free one-week trial of an app and entered my card details. A month later I noticed monthly charges. I never saw clear wording about auto-renewal and cancelling seems buried in menus. Can I get a refund, and is this practice allowed?

Site Administration
18.08.2026
reply date: 18.08.2026

Subscription traps can be misleading conduct under the Fair Trading Act 1986. Businesses must clearly disclose the key terms of an offer, including that a free trial converts to a paid plan, when it renews and how much it costs. If the sign-up process hid or obscured those terms, the charges may have been obtained by misleading you. Screenshot the sign-up screens if possible and keep the charge history. Write to the business asking for a refund of the charges taken after the trial, quoting the Act. Also ask your bank to remove your card details from the merchant and consider disputing the charges if the business refuses. The Commerce Commission has taken action against businesses over subscription practices, so a complaint is worthwhile.

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