Get a refund after a free trial auto-charged you in the EU

Free trials that silently convert into paid subscriptions are a common complaint across the EU. Your protection depends on how the trial was sold. If you signed up online and the trader did not make the paid renewal crystal clear before you committed, or did not give you the mandatory pre-contract information, your 14-day right of withdrawal under the Consumer Rights Directive can still be live, and where the trader omitted that information the withdrawal window extends by up to 12 months. Separately, a payment you did not knowingly authorise can be challenged through your bank's chargeback scheme. Be realistic: if the renewal terms were displayed clearly and you ticked to accept, the trader is on stronger ground, so your best route is usually to cancel immediately, invoke the 14-day right if you are still inside it, and lean on chargeback where consent was not clear.

Reviewed by Corey Musa, Founder·Last reviewed June 2026·LinkedIn

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Your rights

The EU Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU) requires traders to give clear pre-contract information about price and renewal and to obtain the consumer's express consent to payment (Article 22 bans pre-ticked boxes and default charges). Where a paid subscription followed a trial without that clear information or consent, the 14-day right of withdrawal (Articles 9 to 14) applies and is extended by up to 12 months under Article 10 if the information was not provided. In parallel, card scheme chargeback rules let you dispute a transaction you did not validly authorise.

Step by step

1Cancel the subscription immediately through the provider's account settings or app store, and take a dated screenshot confirming the cancellation so no further charges accrue.
2Email the trader stating that you did not give clear, informed consent to the paid conversion, that you are exercising your 14-day right of withdrawal if still applicable, and that you request a full refund of the charge.
3Gather evidence: the original trial advert or sign-up screen, the absence of a clear renewal warning, the bank statement line, and your cancellation confirmation.
4If the trader refuses, raise a chargeback with your bank or card issuer for a transaction you did not knowingly authorise, and for a cross-border trader contact your nearest European Consumer Centre (ECC-Net) for free assistance.

What they'll say, and your comeback

“You agreed to the terms when you started the free trial.”

Comeback, The Consumer Rights Directive requires the paid renewal price and timing to be presented clearly and my express consent obtained before charging. If that was buried in terms or pre-ticked, consent was not validly given and I am entitled to a refund.

“The trial period ended, so the charge is non-refundable.”

Comeback, If you did not provide the mandatory pre-contract information, my 14-day right of withdrawal is extended by up to 12 months under Article 10, so the charge is refundable. I am exercising that right now.

“You forgot to cancel in time; that is not our responsibility.”

Comeback, Forgetting is irrelevant if you never obtained clear, express consent to the recurring charge. Article 22 prohibits charging me by default without that consent, so I am entitled to be reimbursed.

FAQ

What if the renewal terms actually were shown clearly?

Then the trader has a stronger position and your refund is not guaranteed. Cancel right away to stop future charges, and check whether you are still inside the standard 14-day withdrawal window, which can still apply from the date the paid contract began.

Can my bank reverse the charge?

Often yes. If you did not knowingly authorise the recurring payment, card scheme chargeback rules let your bank dispute it. Provide your cancellation evidence and an explanation of why consent to the charge was not clear.

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A self-serve tool, not a law firm. General information, not legal advice.