{
 "id": "hotspot_shield",
 "name": "Hotspot Shield",
 "category": "security_privacy",
 "website": "https://www.hotspotshield.com",
 "domains": [
  "hotspotshield.com"
 ],
 "summary": "Cancel a card or PayPal Premium plan in your Hotspot Shield account: Account info, then Cancel in the membership section; it stays active until the paid period ends. App Store and Google Play plans cancel in Apple's or Google's settings. Refunds within 45 days; uninstalling doesn't cancel.",
 "routes": [
  {
   "channel": "direct_web",
   "label": "Credit card or PayPal, billed by Hotspot Shield",
   "applies_to": "Premium subscriptions paid by credit card or PayPal directly through Hotspot Shield",
   "who": "The account holder (sign in first)",
   "method": "self_serve",
   "start_url": "https://account.hotspotshield.com/sign-in",
   "steps": [
    {
     "do": "Sign in to your account at account.hotspotshield.com",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "Select Account info on the left side of the screen",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "Click Cancel in the membership section",
     "expect": "Please tell us why you chose to cancel."
    },
    {
     "do": "Choose a reason (if you pick Other reason, describe it in the box) and finish",
     "expect": null
    }
   ],
   "confirm_by": null,
   "effective": "Your account stays active until the current subscription expires; after that you aren't charged and the account reverts to Basic",
   "notice": null,
   "refund": "Cancelling auto-renewal doesn't refund anything by itself; request a refund from Customer Support by email or chat within 45 days of purchase",
   "fees": null,
   "source_ids": [
    "c1",
    "s1",
    "s2",
    "s3",
    "s4",
    "s5",
    "c2",
    "s6",
    "s7",
    "s24",
    "ar1"
   ]
  },
  {
   "channel": "apple_app_store",
   "label": "App Store (iPhone, iPad or Mac)",
   "applies_to": "Premium subscriptions bought through Apple's App Store",
   "who": "The person signed in with the Apple ID used to buy Premium",
   "method": "platform_settings",
   "start_url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/118428",
   "steps": [
    {
     "do": "Make sure you're signed in with the Apple ID you bought Premium with",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "On iPhone or iPad: open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions",
     "expect": "Hotspot Shield"
    },
    {
     "do": "Tap Hotspot Shield, then Cancel Subscription",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "On a Mac: open the App Store, click your name, click View Information, scroll to Manage, then Subscriptions, click Edit next to the subscription, then Cancel Subscription",
     "expect": null
    }
   ],
   "confirm_by": "Hotspot Shield is no longer listed under your subscriptions, or there is no Cancel button, which means auto-renewal is already off",
   "effective": null,
   "notice": null,
   "refund": "Refunds for Apple charges come from Apple; Hotspot Shield can't refund or cancel them",
   "fees": null,
   "source_ids": [
    "s13",
    "s15",
    "i1",
    "i2",
    "s11",
    "i3",
    "s14",
    "c4",
    "c5",
    "c6",
    "c7",
    "s16",
    "s17",
    "s18",
    "s19",
    "s25",
    "r1"
   ]
  },
  {
   "channel": "google_play",
   "label": "Google Play (Android)",
   "applies_to": "Premium subscriptions bought through Google Play on Android",
   "who": "The Google account holder who bought the subscription",
   "method": "platform_settings",
   "start_url": "https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7018481",
   "steps": [
    {
     "do": "Open the Google Play app and tap the profile icon at the top right",
     "expect": "Payments & subscriptions"
    },
    {
     "do": "Tap Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions, and select Hotspot Shield",
     "expect": "Cancel subscription"
    },
    {
     "do": "Tap Cancel subscription and follow the instructions",
     "expect": null
    }
   ],
   "confirm_by": null,
   "effective": "You can still use the subscription for the time you have already paid",
   "notice": null,
   "refund": "Past subscription periods aren't refunded on cancelling; Hotspot Shield can process a Google Play refund within its 45-day window if you give the Google Play email address or Google Order number",
   "fees": null,
   "source_ids": [
    "c8",
    "s20",
    "s21",
    "s22",
    "s23",
    "s8",
    "s9",
    "s24",
    "s26"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "pay_less": [
  {
   "type": "annual_billing",
   "what": "An annual Premium subscription; to switch from monthly, cancel the current subscription first, then buy the annual one",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s27",
    "s28"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "export": [],
 "after_cancel": {
  "access_until": "The end of the current paid period; then the account reverts to Basic",
  "data_kept": null,
  "you_lose": [
   "Premium features once the current subscription expires; the account reverts to Basic"
  ]
 },
 "agent_notes": {
  "sign_in_needed": true,
  "phone_or_chat_only": false,
  "retention_step": null,
  "tips": [
   "Uninstalling the app does not cancel the subscription",
   "Hotspot Shield's support team can't cancel Apple subscriptions; cancel in Apple's settings",
   "Cancelling auto-renewal doesn't refund anything; ask Customer Support by email or live chat within 45 days of purchase",
   "To move from monthly to annual, cancel the current subscription first, then buy the annual one"
  ]
 },
 "sources": [
  {
   "id": "s1",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Sign in to your account",
   "supports": "where the card or PayPal cancellation starts"
  },
  {
   "id": "s2",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Select Account info on the left side of the screen",
   "supports": "the account menu step"
  },
  {
   "id": "s3",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Click Cancel in the membership section.",
   "supports": "the cancel button"
  },
  {
   "id": "s4",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Please tell us why you chose to cancel.",
   "supports": "the reason prompt that follows the cancel button"
  },
  {
   "id": "s5",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "your account will stay active until the current subscription expires.",
   "supports": "access continues until the paid period ends"
  },
  {
   "id": "s6",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "the canceling auto-renewal will not automatically provide a refund.",
   "supports": "cancelling auto-renewal does not refund"
  },
  {
   "id": "s7",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "You will need to contact us via email or chat for any refund inquiries.",
   "supports": "refund requests go to support by email or chat"
  },
  {
   "id": "s8",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "When you uninstall the app, your subscription won't cancel.",
   "supports": "uninstalling does not cancel"
  },
  {
   "id": "s9",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Your past subscriptions will not be refunded.",
   "supports": "no refund for past Google Play subscriptions"
  },
  {
   "id": "s11",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203658470",
   "title": "How do I cancel the subscription I got through Apple?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Tap Hotspot Shield.",
   "supports": "the Hotspot Shield entry in Subscriptions"
  },
  {
   "id": "s13",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203658470",
   "title": "How do I cancel the subscription I got through Apple?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Our Support team cannot cancel Apple subscriptions.",
   "supports": "Apple subscriptions must be cancelled through Apple"
  },
  {
   "id": "s14",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203658470",
   "title": "How do I cancel the subscription I got through Apple?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If Hotspot Shield is not listed under your subscriptions, it means that auto-renewal has already been canceled.",
   "supports": "how to confirm auto-renewal is off"
  },
  {
   "id": "s15",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203658470",
   "title": "How do I cancel the subscription I got through Apple?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "ensure that you are signed in to the same Apple ID with which you originally purchased your Premium subscription.",
   "supports": "the Apple ID needed to cancel"
  },
  {
   "id": "s16",
   "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/118428",
   "title": "Apple Support: manage subscriptions on iPhone and iPad",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "In Settings, tap your name.",
   "supports": "first step on iPhone or iPad"
  },
  {
   "id": "s17",
   "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/118428",
   "title": "Apple Support: manage subscriptions on iPhone and iPad",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "Tap Subscriptions.",
   "supports": "the Subscriptions step"
  },
  {
   "id": "s18",
   "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/118428",
   "title": "Apple Support: manage subscriptions on iPhone and iPad",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "Tap Cancel Subscription.",
   "supports": "the cancel step"
  },
  {
   "id": "s19",
   "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/118428",
   "title": "Apple Support: manage subscriptions on iPhone and iPad",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "If there is no Cancel button or you see an expiration message in red text, the subscription is already canceled.",
   "supports": "how to confirm the subscription is cancelled"
  },
  {
   "id": "s20",
   "url": "https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7018481",
   "title": "Cancel or change a subscription in Google Play",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "go to subscriptions in Google Play",
   "supports": "where to start on Android"
  },
  {
   "id": "s21",
   "url": "https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7018481",
   "title": "Cancel or change a subscription in Google Play",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "the subscription you want to cancel",
   "supports": "choosing the subscription"
  },
  {
   "id": "s22",
   "url": "https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7018481",
   "title": "Cancel or change a subscription in Google Play",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "Cancel subscription",
   "supports": "the cancel step"
  },
  {
   "id": "s23",
   "url": "https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7018481",
   "title": "Cancel or change a subscription in Google Play",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "When you cancel a subscription, you’ll still be able to use your subscription for the time you’ve already paid.",
   "supports": "access continues for the time already paid"
  },
  {
   "id": "s24",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/204556590",
   "title": "What's the refund policy and how do I request a refund?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "All Hotspot Shield subscribers can request a refund within 45 days from the purchase date by contacting Customer Support.",
   "supports": "the 45-day refund window"
  },
  {
   "id": "s25",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/204556590",
   "title": "What's the refund policy and how do I request a refund?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "We can process refunds for most payment methods, excluding charges processed through Apple or Microsoft.",
   "supports": "Apple and Microsoft charges are refunded by those stores"
  },
  {
   "id": "s26",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/204556590",
   "title": "What's the refund policy and how do I request a refund?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "We can process a Google Play refund as long as we are provided with the Google Play email address or Google Order number",
   "supports": "what Hotspot needs for a Google Play refund"
  },
  {
   "id": "s27",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203038724-How-do-I-switch-to-an-annual-subscription",
   "title": "How do I switch to an annual subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you want to switch to an annual subscription, you need to cancel your current subscription first.",
   "supports": "the annual plan and the cancel-first step"
  },
  {
   "id": "s28",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203038724-How-do-I-switch-to-an-annual-subscription",
   "title": "How do I switch to an annual subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "After you cancel your current subscription, you can purchase an annual one.",
   "supports": "buying the annual plan after cancelling"
  },
  {
   "id": "c1",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Please navigate to https://account.hotspotshield.com/sign-in",
   "supports": "the account sign-in page"
  },
  {
   "id": "c2",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "After that, you won't get charged and your account will revert to Basic status.",
   "supports": "after the paid period: no more charges, back to Basic"
  },
  {
   "id": "c3",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "After clicking on support please click on the live chat option under support to reach a live chat agent.",
   "supports": "live chat from the account page"
  },
  {
   "id": "c4",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Click View Information at the top of the window. You might be asked to sign in.",
   "supports": "Mac App Store steps"
  },
  {
   "id": "c5",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "On the page that appears, scroll until you see Manage, then Subscriptions.",
   "supports": "Mac App Store steps"
  },
  {
   "id": "c6",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Click Edit next to the subscription.",
   "supports": "Mac App Store steps"
  },
  {
   "id": "c7",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Click Cancel Subscription. If you don't see Cancel Subscription, then the subscription is already canceled and it won't renew.",
   "supports": "Mac cancel step and confirmation"
  },
  {
   "id": "c8",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "At the top right, tap the profile icon.",
   "supports": "Google Play step"
  },
  {
   "id": "c9",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203412120-How-do-I-cancel-my-Hotspot-Shield-subscription",
   "title": "How do I cancel my Hotspot Shield subscription?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you have a subscription with an app and the app gets removed from Google Play, your future subscription will be canceled.",
   "supports": "Google Play removal cancels future renewals"
  },
  {
   "id": "i1",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203658470",
   "title": "How do I cancel the subscription I got through Apple?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Launch Settings.",
   "supports": "iPhone step 1"
  },
  {
   "id": "i2",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203658470",
   "title": "How do I cancel the subscription I got through Apple?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Tap on Subscriptions.",
   "supports": "iPhone step 3"
  },
  {
   "id": "i3",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/203658470",
   "title": "How do I cancel the subscription I got through Apple?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Tap Cancel Subscription.",
   "supports": "iPhone final step"
  },
  {
   "id": "r1",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/204556590",
   "title": "What's the refund policy and how do I request a refund?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "We apologize that Apple and Microsoft Store Customers will need to contact Apple and Microsoft directly.",
   "supports": "Apple and Microsoft Store purchases are refunded by those stores"
  },
  {
   "id": "r2",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/204556590",
   "title": "What's the refund policy and how do I request a refund?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Depending on how you purchased your Premium subscription, refunds will either be processed by Aura",
   "supports": "who processes refunds"
  },
  {
   "id": "ar1",
   "url": "https://support.hotspotshield.com/hc/en-us/articles/202870030-How-does-automatic-renewal-of-Premium-subscriptions-work",
   "title": "How does automatic renewal of Premium subscriptions work?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Most subscriptions are set to renew automatically every month, or year",
   "supports": "automatic renewal"
  }
 ],
 "verification": {
  "level": "docs",
  "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
  "by": "stackcut-research",
  "unverified": [
   "Hotspot Shield's help pages don't say whether a confirmation email follows a cancellation in your account",
   "No notice period before renewal is stated; the auto-renewal help page only says plans renew monthly or yearly on the same date",
   "How to cancel a subscription bought through the Microsoft Store isn't covered here; Hotspot Shield's refund page sends Microsoft Store customers to Microsoft",
   "What the account keeps after Premium ends, and whether account history or receipts can be exported, aren't on Hotspot Shield's help pages",
   "What the free Basic plan includes isn't covered here"
  ],
  "review": {
   "by": "stackcut-review",
   "on": "2026-10-08",
   "result": "fixed",
   "notes": [
    "Corrected the sign-in page to account.hotspotshield.com, the address the cancel article gives, and removed an unsupported domain",
    "Added that the account reverts to Basic and isn't charged again after the paid period",
    "Replaced generic store steps with Hotspot Shield's own iPhone, Mac App Store and Google Play steps",
    "Added that Apple and Microsoft Store refunds come from those stores, and that Google Play refunds fall under the 45-day window",
    "Hotspot Shield's help pages block automated re-checks; every quote from them was confirmed word for word on a direct read of the live page"
   ]
  }
 },
 "delete_account": {
  "url": "https://www.hotspotshield.com",
  "difficulty": "hard",
  "source": "JustDeleteMe (MIT), https://github.com/jdm-contrib/jdm"
 },
 "page": "https://stackcut.io/cancel/hotspot_shield",
 "json": "https://stackcut.io/exits/hotspot_shield.json",
 "evidence": {
  "packet_revision": "7f789ec97524aab403dbba53a32342c02f9a513d4bb081a3d24bef326c03dabc",
  "docs_checked_on": "2026-10-08",
  "last_observed_success_on": null,
  "verification": "docs",
  "freshness": {
   "as_of": "2026-10-09",
   "status": "current",
   "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
   "age_days": 1,
   "stale_after_days": 30,
   "next_check_on": "2026-11-07"
  },
  "routes": [
   {
    "route_id": "hotspot-shield--direct-web--r1",
    "channel": "direct_web",
    "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
    "freshness": {
     "as_of": "2026-10-09",
     "status": "current",
     "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
     "age_days": 1,
     "stale_after_days": 30,
     "next_check_on": "2026-11-07"
    }
   },
   {
    "route_id": "hotspot-shield--apple-app-store--r2",
    "channel": "apple_app_store",
    "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
    "freshness": {
     "as_of": "2026-10-09",
     "status": "current",
     "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
     "age_days": 1,
     "stale_after_days": 30,
     "next_check_on": "2026-11-07"
    }
   },
   {
    "route_id": "hotspot-shield--google-play--r3",
    "channel": "google_play",
    "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
    "freshness": {
     "as_of": "2026-10-09",
     "status": "current",
     "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
     "age_days": 1,
     "stale_after_days": 30,
     "next_check_on": "2026-11-07"
    }
   }
  ]
 },
 "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
 "credit": "Stackcut Exits (https://stackcut.io/cancel), CC BY 4.0"
}