Subscriptions are designed to be easy to start and easy to forget. The headline price is usually the cheapest number on the page, and the terms that cost you money sit further down. This checklist shows what to compare before you hand over a card number.
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Short answer. Compare subscriptions on what you will pay over the time you expect to keep them, not on the sign-up price. For each service, write down the tier you actually need, the first-term price and how long it lasts, the renewal price, how the free trial converts, how and when you can cancel, and any extra costs such as taxes, add-ons or extra users. The gap can be large: on 10 November 2026, Proton VPN Plus cost $35.88 for its first year and renewed at $83.88. In the US, the FTC says businesses must tell you how to cancel before taking your card details and must make cancelling simple. Put the trial end and renewal dates in your calendar the day you sign up.
This is a practical guide, not a review of any one service. The checklist is built from the FTC's consumer guidance on free trials and auto-renewals, the law that governs online subscriptions in the US, and current pricing pages we checked on 10 November 2026 as worked examples. We did not test the services named here; they appear only to show how pricing structures work. Rules differ outside the US, and some US states add their own.
The sections below explain each step and the traps to look for.
Pricing pages are designed to steer you to the middle or top tier. Before you look at them, write down three things: the features you will use every week, how many people or devices need access, and how long you expect to keep the service. A family of four with one streaming TV needs something different from one person who watches on a phone. If you cannot name a feature you would use every week, you probably do not need the tier that includes it.
Most services sell three or four tiers. The difference between them is usually a limit, not a feature. Look for:
Pick the cheapest tier that covers your list. You can usually upgrade later; downgrading is sometimes restricted until the current term ends.
This is the step most people skip. Many services charge a discounted price for a long first term, then renew at a much higher rate. Examples from vendor pricing pages on 10 November 2026:
| Plan | First term | Renews at |
|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN Plus (1 year) | $35.88 for 12 months | $83.88 every 12 months |
| NordVPN Basic (2 year) | $94.23 for the first 27 months | $139.08 a year |
| ExpressVPN Basic | $84 for the first 28 months | $99.95 a year |
| Mullvad VPN | €5 a month | €5 a month (no intro price) |
To compare fairly, add up what each option costs over the period you expect to use it. Over three years, a service with a cheap first year and a high renewal can cost more than one with a flat price. Also note the first-term length: "27 months" and "28 months" terms make the monthly figure look lower but lock you in for longer.
The FTC also warns that an automatic renewal "might charge more than you paid the last time", especially if you started on a promotional rate, and suggests reading renewal notices closely. It notes you can sometimes cancel and resubscribe for a better promotional rate.
The FTC's advice on free trials comes down to three warnings: if you do not cancel on time, you will probably be charged; if you have to pay shipping or fees for a "free" trial, it is not really free; and the ad you clicked may come from an affiliate marketer rather than the seller. Before you start a trial, find:
If you cannot find these terms, the FTC's advice is simple: don't sign up.
Look for the cancellation method on the sign-up page or in the terms. Good signs: you can cancel online in the same place you signed up, cancellation takes effect at the end of the paid period, and the terms say what happens to any unused part of a prepaid plan. Warning signs: cancellation only by phone during limited hours, a requirement to chat with a retention agent, or no cancellation information at all.
The Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA), passed in 2010, requires online sellers using a negative option (a charge that continues unless you act) to clearly disclose all material terms before taking your billing information, get your express informed consent before charging you, and provide simple ways to stop recurring charges. The FTC's consumer guidance puts it plainly: "Businesses must make canceling simple for you. It's the law."
The FTC adopted a stricter "click-to-cancel" rule in October 2024, which would have required cancelling to be as easy as signing up. A federal appeals court, the Eighth Circuit, vacated that rule in July 2025 on procedural grounds, according to a February 2026 analysis by the law firm Arnold & Porter. The same analysis notes that in December 2025 the FTC published a petition asking it to restart the rulemaking, and that several states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Utah, have new or updated automatic renewal laws. Your rights may therefore depend on where you live.
The FTC advises following the company's cancellation instructions and keeping a copy of your request, then disputing the charge with your credit or debit card company if charges continue. It recommends following up in writing, using its sample dispute letter, and reporting problems to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.
The same habits help with any recurring purchase. Our guides on whether an extended warranty is worth it and how to spot fake online reviews cover two other places where the fine print decides what you really pay.
Compare the tier you actually need, the first-term price and how long it lasts, the renewal price, how the free trial converts to a paid plan, how and when you can cancel, and extra costs such as taxes, add-ons and extra users. Compare on total cost over the time you expect to keep the service.
Many services offer a discounted first term to win new customers, then renew at the standard rate. On 10 November 2026, for example, Proton VPN Plus cost $35.88 for the first year and renewed at $83.88. The FTC advises checking renewal notices closely because the rate may be higher than before.
In the US, the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act requires online sellers to disclose terms before billing, get your consent and provide a simple way to stop recurring charges. The FTC's stricter click-to-cancel rule was vacated by a federal appeals court in July 2025, but several states have their own automatic renewal laws.
Read the trial terms before you start, note the date of the first charge, set a calendar reminder a few days earlier, and cancel before it. The FTC also warns to uncheck any pre-checked boxes and to treat a trial that requires shipping fees as not really free.
Keep a copy of your cancellation request, then dispute the charge with your credit or debit card company and follow up in writing. The FTC recommends reporting the problem at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.