How to cancel OpenAI API in 2026: every way, step by step

The short answer

Where: Open the Billing overview of the API organization you want to cancel (platform.openai.com).
When it ends: You can still use the API Platform. Accounts billed after usage keep API access until the end of the current calendar month, so stop sending requests to avoid more charges. Prepaid accounts can keep using their remaining credits.
Contract notice: At least thirty days before the start of the next Renewal Term. A separate right to end the agreement with thirty days' written notice applies only after OpenAI notifies a material reduction in functionality, and must be used within five business days of that notice. How to give notice
Before you go: export Monthly API activity and cost reports for an organization or project. What to save
Want to keep it for less? Discount program and more. Options

Before you cancel

Export first

Monthly API activity and cost reports for an organization or project: Sign in to the platform, select the organization or project and open Usage, choose the date range, click Export (top-right), pick Activity data or Cost data, then Download (CSV). No row or size limits are stated. Dates and times are in UTC, and the file can take a few moments to generate help.openai.com

What happens to your data

Abuse monitoring logs are kept for up to 30 days by default, and objects saved through the API (such as files) are kept until you delete them. Under the Services Agreement, customer content is deleted within thirty days after termination, with exceptions. Account personal data you delete is removed within 30 days.

What you lose

Unused prepaid credits, which are not refunded (purchased credits also expire after 1 year)
API access for usage-billed accounts after the current calendar month

Cancel, by who bills you

Pick the route for whoever charges you: the name on your card statement or receipt tells you.

Pay-as-you-go API billing

Online, self-serve API organizations on pay-as-you-go billing, paid by card, by monthly invoice or with prepaid credits (not Enterprise Order Forms). Who can cancel: A user with permission to manage billing for the API organization.

Open the Billing overview of the API organization you want to cancelYou should see: Cancel plan or Cancel billing plan
Select Cancel plan or Cancel billing plan, whichever appearsYou should see: The cancellation details
Review the cancellation details, then select Cancel plan to confirm

Access ends: You can still use the API Platform. Accounts billed after usage keep API access until the end of the current calendar month, so stop sending requests to avoid more charges. Prepaid accounts can keep using their remaining credits
Refunds: Cancelling doesn't automatically refund charges already accrued this billing month; refund eligibility is reviewed separately. Purchased credits are non-refundable unless required by law or contract, or an approved exception applies, and cancelling doesn't make them refundable
Fees: Cancelling doesn't clear unpaid usage. Card payers may still be charged for outstanding usage, and monthly-invoiced accounts may get a final invoice for the current month

Open the page

Source: help.openai.com help.openai.com help.openai.com

Enterprise API on an Order Form (invoiced)

Through sales Enterprise API customers billed by invoice under an Order Form or custom agreement. Who can cancel: The customer organization, through the contact its agreement names.

Read the Order Form to see whether the Services auto renew and how long the Renewal Term is
Send notice of non-renewal to OpenAI Legal at contract-notices@openai.com (the agreement also lists a postal copy address) at least thirty days before the next Renewal Term starts

Access ends: At the end of the current term, if non-renewal notice is given in time
Notice: At least thirty days before the start of the next Renewal Term. A separate right to end the agreement with thirty days' written notice applies only after OpenAI notifies a material reduction in functionality, and must be used within five business days of that notice
Refunds: Fees are non-refundable except as required by law or as otherwise specifically permitted in the Agreement
Fees: If the agreement ends, any unpaid minimum commitment on the Order Form becomes immediately due, except when the customer terminates for cause

Source: openai.com

Questions people ask

Can I get a refund if I cancel OpenAI API?

Pay-as-you-go API billing: Cancelling doesn't automatically refund charges already accrued this billing month; refund eligibility is reviewed separately. Purchased credits are non-refundable unless required by law or contract, or an approved exception applies, and cancelling doesn't make them refundable. Enterprise API on an Order Form (invoiced): Fees are non-refundable except as required by law or as otherwise specifically permitted in the Agreement.

Source: help.openai.com help.openai.com openai.com

If I cancel OpenAI API, when does my access end?

Pay-as-you-go API billing: You can still use the API Platform. Accounts billed after usage keep API access until the end of the current calendar month, so stop sending requests to avoid more charges. Prepaid accounts can keep using their remaining credits. Enterprise API on an Order Form (invoiced): At the end of the current term, if non-renewal notice is given in time.

Source: help.openai.com openai.com

Is there a fee to cancel OpenAI API?

Pay-as-you-go API billing: Cancelling doesn't clear unpaid usage. Card payers may still be charged for outstanding usage, and monthly-invoiced accounts may get a final invoice for the current month. Enterprise API on an Order Form (invoiced): If the agreement ends, any unpaid minimum commitment on the Order Form becomes immediately due, except when the customer terminates for cause.

Source: help.openai.com openai.com

How long before renewal do I need to cancel OpenAI API?

Enterprise API on an Order Form (invoiced): At least thirty days before the start of the next Renewal Term. A separate right to end the agreement with thirty days' written notice applies only after OpenAI notifies a material reduction in functionality, and must be used within five business days of that notice.

Source: openai.com

What happens to my data when I cancel OpenAI API?

Source: openai.com openai.com developers.openai.com

Keep it for less

Before cancelling, check whether one of these does the job. Offers change and differ by account.

Discount program Use the Batch API for work that can wait: it saves 50% on inputs and outputs, with tasks run asynchronously over 24 hours openai.com
Cheaper plan Use flex processing for non-urgent requests: lower costs in exchange for slower responses and occasional resource unavailability openai.com

For AI agents

The person signs in and handles any two-factor code; an agent should never ask for a password.
Cancelling doesn't stop usage charges by itself: stop sending API requests. A monthly budget in billing settings stops requests, but it can be enforced late and overage is still owed
Cancelling doesn't clear unpaid usage, so check for an outstanding card charge or a final invoice
On prepaid billing, usage processed after credits run out can show as a negative balance, deducted from the next credit purchase
ChatGPT and the API platform are billed separately: cancelling one doesn't cancel the other
For help cancelling, use the Support chat widget in the Help Center

Get this plan as data: get_exit_plan on the Stackcut MCP (stackcut.io/mcp), or /exits/openai_api.json. After using a guide, send structured report_guide_feedback for matching or changed steps, missing billing routes or human handoffs; keep unknown language and market omitted. Confirm with the person before the final click, and report the outcome with report_action_outcome, using the exact packet_revision and route_id returned by the plan.

Or give your agent the stackcut-leave skill (a zip): it exports first, walks the steps, stops when the page doesn't match, and leaves the final click to the person.

Sources

Canceling API pay-as-you-go service Select Cancel plan or Cancel billing plan, whichever appears. (the cancel option on the billing page)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service Go to that organization’s Billing overview. (where the flow starts)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service Review the cancellation details, then select Cancel plan to confirm. (the final confirm step)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service Before you begin, make sure you have permission to manage billing for the API organization you want to cancel. (who can cancel)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service For accounts billed after usage, API access continues until the end of the current calendar month. (when access ends for usage-billed accounts)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service Cancellation does not automatically refund charges already accrued during the current billing month. (refunds for usage already billed this month)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service Canceling your API billing plan does not clear unpaid usage charges. (unpaid usage still owed after cancelling)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service Canceling your plan does not independently make remaining credits refundable. (remaining prepaid credits are not refunded)
Setting up and managing prepaid API billing Credits are non-refundable unless required by law or contract, or an approved exception applies. (purchased credits are not refundable)
Setting up and managing prepaid API billing When a prepaid account runs out of credits, API requests begin returning a billing error. (what happens when prepaid credits run out)
Setting up and managing prepaid API billing Purchased credits expire after 1 year. (credit expiry)
Managing billing for ChatGPT and the API platform API organization owners can view billing details in the API billing overview. (which role sees and manages API billing)
OpenAI Services Agreement Renewal Terms, if any, and whether the Services auto renew, will be listed on the applicable Order Form. (auto-renewal is set by the Order Form)
OpenAI Services Agreement Notice of non-renewal or scope reduction must be given at least thirty days before the start of the next Renewal Term. (the notice period for non-renewal)
OpenAI Services Agreement Within five business days of receipt of this notice, Customer may choose to terminate the Agreement by providing thirty days written notice. (the written-notice termination right after OpenAI notifies a material reduction in functionality, and its five-business-day window (section 2.3))
OpenAI Services Agreement Fees are non-refundable except as required by law or as otherwise specifically permitted in the Agreement. (fees are not refundable)
OpenAI Services Agreement OpenAI will delete all Customer Content from its systems within thirty days (customer content is deleted after termination)
How do I export monthly usage details from the API Usage Dashboard? On the Usage page, click Export (top-right). (where the export starts)
OpenAI API pricing You can set a monthly budget in your billing settings, after which we’ll stop serving your requests. (a budget that stops requests)
Data controls in the OpenAI platform By default, abuse monitoring logs are generated for all API feature usage and retained for up to 30 days (how long API logs are kept)
Data controls in the OpenAI platform Objects that are not deleted via the API or dashboard are retained indefinitely. (saved objects are kept until deleted)
Data controls in the OpenAI platform data sent to the OpenAI API is not used to train or improve OpenAI models (API data is not used for training)
OpenAI Privacy Policy Once you choose to delete Personal Data, we will remove it from our systems within 30 days (deletion timing for account personal data)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service If your account receives monthly invoices, you may receive a final invoice for the current billing month. (a final invoice for monthly-invoiced accounts)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service If you pay by card, you may still be charged for outstanding usage after you cancel. (card payers can still be charged for outstanding usage)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service If you use prepaid billing, canceling your plan turns off automatic reloading. (cancelling turns off auto-reload)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service You can continue using your remaining credits. (prepaid credits stay usable after cancelling)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service Stop sending API requests if you do not want to incur additional usage charges. (stopping requests is what stops usage charges)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service Refund eligibility is reviewed separately. (refunds are reviewed separately)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service You can still access the API Platform after canceling your billing plan. (platform access after cancelling)
Canceling API pay-as-you-go service If you need help canceling your API service, contact OpenAI Support using the chat widget in the Help Center. (help with cancelling comes through Support chat)
Setting up and managing prepaid API billing Usage processed during this delay can appear as a negative credit balance. (usage after credits run out can leave a negative balance)
Setting up and managing prepaid API billing API access may not stop immediately after your credits run out. (access can continue briefly after credits run out)
Managing billing for ChatGPT and the API platform ChatGPT and the API platform have separate billing systems. (ChatGPT and API billing are separate)
OpenAI Services Agreement Notices to OpenAI must be sent to OpenAI Legal at contract-notices@openai.com (where notices to OpenAI go)
OpenAI Services Agreement any unpaid minimum commitment amounts set forth on the Order form will become immediately due (unpaid minimum commitments fall due on termination)
How do I export monthly usage details from the API Usage Dashboard? Download usage or cost data as a CSV for reporting. (the export format)
How do I export monthly usage details from the API Usage Dashboard? Usage dashboard dates/times are shown in UTC. (export times are in UTC)
OpenAI API pricing There may be a delay in enforcing the limit, and you are responsible for any overage incurred. (budgets can be enforced late; overage is still owed)
OpenAI API pricing Save 50% on inputs and outputs with the Batch API and run tasks asynchronously over 24 hours. (Batch API discount)
OpenAI API pricing Provides lower costs for requests in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability. (flex processing costs less)

Not confirmed yet

The cancellation article doesn't say whether a confirmation email is sent or what the Billing overview shows after cancelling
Closing an API account isn't documented on the help center; cancelling the billing plan is the documented step
Enterprise renewal length, minimum commitments and any early-exit terms are set in each customer's Order Form, which isn't public
The help pages don't describe removing a saved card after cancelling

Independent re-check, 2026-10-08

A second reviewer re-read the official pages and corrected what was wrong or missing. The JSON lists what changed.

Partly confirmed (see what's unverified), 2026-10-08. Cancel flows change: if this one did, tell us at support@stackcut.io. Stackcut Exits is open data (CC BY 4.0).

How to cancel OpenAI API