Whether you’re switching platforms, taking a break, or closing your store for good with canceling your Shopify subscription is straightforward once you know where to look.
The tricky part isn’t the cancellation itself. It’s everything you need to do before you cancel to avoid losing data, getting charged for apps you forgot about, or cutting off active customers without warning.
This guide covers everything: how to cancel your Shopify subscription on desktop, how to cancel on phone, how to cancel individual Shopify app subscriptions, and what to do if you just need a pause rather than a permanent close.
Before You Cancel Your Shopify Subscription – 5 Things to Do First
Don’t click cancel before completing these steps. Skipping them is how people lose their data or get surprise charges after they’ve already left.
1. Export and back up your store data Shopify doesn’t keep your data forever after cancellation. Before you cancel, export everything:
- Go to Admin → Orders → Export (all orders as CSV)
- Go to Admin → Products → Export (all products)
- Go to Admin → Customers → Export (full customer list)
- Screenshot or export any custom page content, blog posts, and theme settings
2. Cancel all third-party app subscriptions This is the most common reason people keep getting charged after cancellation. Canceling your Shopify plan does not automatically cancel your paid app subscriptions. Each app must be cancelled separately (see the dedicated section below).
3. Clear any outstanding balances Shopify won’t process your cancellation if you have unpaid invoices. Go to Settings → Billing and confirm your balance is $0 before proceeding.
4. Notify your customers If you have active customers, send a final email letting them know your Shopify store is closing especially if you have open orders, outstanding fulfillments, or active subscriptions with them.
5. Cancel or transfer your custom domain If you purchased a domain through Shopify, either transfer it to a registrar like Namecheap or GoDaddy before canceling, or note that it will be released. Domains bought through Shopify are managed separately and won’t automatically renew.
How to Cancel Your Shopify Subscription (Desktop)
Here’s the exact step-by-step process to cancel your Shopify subscription from a desktop browser:
Step 1: Log in to your Shopify admin at yourstore.myshopify.com/admin. You must be logged in as the store owner and staff accounts cannot cancel a plan.
Step 2: Click Settings in the bottom-left corner of your admin dashboard.
Step 3: In the Settings menu, click Plan.
Step 4: Scroll down and click Deactivate store (displayed in red text at the bottom of the page).
Step 5: Shopify will ask you to select a reason for leaving. Choose the option that best applies, this is required before you can proceed.
Step 6: You’ll be taken to a confirmation page. Review the details, then click Deactivate now to confirm.
Step 7: Your store will be deactivated immediately. Shopify sends a confirmation email to your store owner email address.
Timing tip: Cancel at least 1–2 days before your next billing date. Shopify does not issue refunds for partial billing periods, so canceling close to your renewal saves you from paying for another full month.
How to Cancel Shopify Subscription on Phone (Mobile)
If you’re wondering how to cancel your Shopify subscription on phone, you have two options: through the Shopify mobile app or through a mobile browser.
Option 1 – Mobile Browser (Recommended)
The Shopify mobile app doesn’t support store cancellation directly. The easiest method on mobile is through your browser:
Step 1: Open your mobile browser (Chrome, Safari, etc.) and go to yourstore.myshopify.com/admin
Step 2: Log in with your store owner credentials
Step 3: Tap the hamburger menu (☰) or scroll to find Settings at the bottom of the navigation
Step 4: Tap Plan
Step 5: Scroll down and tap Deactivate store
Step 6: Select your cancellation reason from the dropdown
Step 7: Tap Deactivate now to confirm
The mobile browser experience mirrors the desktop, just on a smaller screen. Use landscape mode if the layout feels cramped.
Option 2 – Shopify Mobile App
The Shopify app doesn’t have a direct “deactivate store” option, but you can access admin settings through the app’s browser view. Tap Store → Settings → Plan and follow the same steps above. If the option doesn’t appear, switch to the full browser version for the cleanest experience.
How to Cancel a Shopify App Subscription
Canceling a Shopify app subscription is separate from canceling your main plan. Many users are surprised to keep receiving charges from individual apps even after closing their store, this is why you must cancel each app individually.
To cancel a paid app subscription:
Step 1: In your Shopify admin, go to Apps in the left navigation
Step 2: Find the app you want to cancel and click on it
Step 3: Look for a Cancel subscription, Unsubscribe, or Downgrade option within the app’s settings. Most apps handle this inside their own dashboard.
Step 4: If you can’t find a cancel option inside the app, go back to Apps and click Delete next to the app. Uninstalling a paid app typically cancels its billing.
Step 5: To verify cancellation, go to Settings → Billing → Bills and check that the app no longer appears under upcoming charges.
Important notes on app billing:
- App charges are processed through Shopify’s billing system, you’ll see them on your Shopify invoice, not charged directly by the app developer
- Some apps offer annual plans that aren’t automatically cancelled when you uninstall and contact the app developer directly if charges continue
- If you cancel your Shopify store without cancelling apps first, disputed charges can be harder to resolve after the fact
Should You Cancel or Pause Your Shopify Store?
Before completing your Shopify subscription cancellation, it’s worth asking: do you actually need to cancel, or would pausing work better?
| Cancel | Pause (Pause & Build) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 | $9/month |
| Store data | Deleted after time | Fully preserved |
| Admin access | Lost | Full access |
| Storefront | Offline | Offline (no sales) |
| Reactivation | Possible (within window) | Instant |
| Best for | Permanent closure | Temporary break |
When to cancel: You’re done with Shopify for good, moving to another platform, or the store is no longer needed.
When to pause: You’re taking a break, doing a redesign, or stepping away temporarily and plan to return. At $9/month, the Pause & Build plan keeps everything intact.
To activate the Pause plan: Settings → Plan → Pause and build plan
What Happens After You Cancel Shopify Subscription
Once your Shopify subscription cancellation is processed, here’s exactly what changes:
- Your storefront goes offline immediately – customers will see an error or Shopify’s default page
- Billing stops – no further charges for your plan (app billing stops only if you cancelled apps separately)
- Your data is retained temporarily – Shopify keeps your store data for a limited window so you can reactivate; after that window closes, data is deleted permanently
- Custom domain – if purchased via Shopify, it may continue to renew separately; if via a third-party registrar, it’s unaffected
- Staff accounts are deactivated – your team members lose access immediately
- Email forwarding – any Shopify email forwarding stops working
Can You Get a Refund When You Cancel Shopify?
Shopify does not offer refunds for partial billing periods. If you cancel mid-cycle, your store remains active until the end of the current billing period in some cases, or deactivates immediately but either way, you won’t receive a prorated refund.
What you can get refunded:
- App charges that were billed in error can sometimes be disputed through Shopify Support
- If you cancel within your free trial, no charge is applied
How to minimize losses: Time your cancellation 1–2 days before your next billing date. Check your billing date at Settings → Billing → Billing date.
How to Delete Your Shopify Account Permanently
Deactivating your store and deleting your Shopify account are two different things. Deactivation pauses your store. Permanent deletion removes your account, email, and all data from Shopify’s servers.
To permanently delete your Shopify account:
Step 1: Deactivate your store first using the steps above
Step 2: Once deactivated, go to Shopify’s Help Center and open a support ticket requesting permanent account deletion
Step 3: Provide your store URL and confirm you want all data removed
Step 4: Shopify’s team processes the request, this typically takes a few business days
Note: Permanent deletion is irreversible. You won’t be able to recover orders, customer data, or any store content after this step.
How to Reactivate Your Shopify Store After Cancellation
If you change your mind, reactivating is possible but only within Shopify’s data retention window.
To reactivate:
- Visit
yourstore.myshopify.com/admin - Log in with your original owner credentials
- Shopify will prompt you to choose a plan and re-enter payment details
- Your store (if still within the retention window) will be restored
Once the retention window expires and Shopify deletes your data, reactivation is no longer possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cancel my Shopify subscription?
Log in to your Shopify admin as the store owner → Settings → Plan → Deactivate store → select a reason → click Deactivate now. You’ll receive a confirmation email immediately.
How do I cancel my Shopify subscription on my phone?
The easiest way to cancel your Shopify subscription on phone is through your mobile browser (not the app). Go to yourstore.myshopify.com/admin, navigate to Settings → Plan → Deactivate store, and follow the same steps as desktop.
How do I cancel a Shopify app subscription?
Go to Apps in your admin, open the app, and look for a Cancel or Unsubscribe option inside the app’s settings. If there isn’t one, uninstalling the app via the Apps page typically stops billing. Confirm by checking Settings → Billing → Bills.
Will I get a refund when I cancel Shopify?
No. Shopify does not issue refunds for partial billing periods. To minimize loss, cancel 1–2 days before your next billing renewal date, which you can find at Settings → Billing.
How do I cancel my Shopify subscription without losing data?
Export your data before cancelling such as orders, customers, and products can all be exported as CSV files from your admin. Alternatively, choose the Pause & Build plan ($9/month) which keeps all your data and admin access without allowing customer purchases.
What happens to my domain when I cancel Shopify?
If your domain was purchased through Shopify, it may continue renewing separately. Transfer it to a third-party registrar like Namecheap or GoDaddy before canceling if you want to keep it. Domains from external registrars are unaffected by your Shopify cancellation.
How do I cancel my Shopify subscription if I can’t find the deactivate button?
Make sure you’re logged in as the store owner, not a staff account. Only the store owner account has access to the deactivation option. If you’ve lost access to the owner account, contact Shopify Support to verify your identity and regain access.
Can I cancel my Shopify subscription anytime?
Yes, Shopify plans are month-to-month with no cancellation fees. You can cancel your Shopify subscription at any time from your admin settings. Annual plan holders can also cancel, but the remaining months are not refunded.
How do I cancel Shopify subscription on the free trial?
Free trials end automatically when the trial period expires without entering payment details. If you entered payment details during the trial and want to cancel, follow the standard deactivation steps: Settings → Plan → Deactivate store.
Final Thoughts
Canceling your Shopify subscription takes less than five minutes once you know where to go. The most important steps happen before you click deactivate, backing up your data, canceling app subscriptions individually, and clearing any outstanding balances.
If you’re not 100% sure you’re done with Shopify, seriously consider the Pause & Build plan at $9/month. It keeps your store, your data, and your setup intact while you figure things out and reactivation is instant when you’re ready.
If you’re moving to a new platform, make sure you’ve exported everything you need before the data retention window closes.
