Cancel a New York Times Subscription in Three Easy Ways
The New York Times (NYT) has been a reliable source of news and information for over 160 years. Its digital subscriptions, which count over 9.6 million readers as of 2023, provide access to exclusive content, including special reports, in-depth analysis, and crosswords.
If you decide to cancel a New York Times subscription for any reason, be it high subscription costs or outgrowing the service, read this practical guide—it will explain how to discontinue an NYT subscription in three easy ways. You'll also discover tips that may help you avoid or limit charges for a subscription service you no longer want.
Note that the content in this article is valid as of December 2023. For the latest information, visit the New York Times's official website or contact customer support.
How To Cancel a New York Times Subscription Over the Phone
If you are in the U.S., you can cancel the NYT subscription by calling customer service at 866-273-3612, Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. E.T. and on weekends and holidays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. E.T. If you’re not in the U.S., refer to the NYT’s international contact information page.
You’ll be able to access NYT's premium content until the end of the current billing cycle, after which automatic charges will stop. However, if you cancel NYT’s free trial, you will immediately lose access to its premium content.
How To Cancel a NYT Subscription via Chat Support
You can also cancel your NYT membership by chatting with a customer Care Advocate. The chat option is available on the official NYT website Monday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. E.T. You can cancel via chat as described below:
- Navigate to the Cancel Your Subscription help page on the NYT website.
- Click Chat with us at the right or at the bottom of the page.
- Ask the Care Advocate to cancel your subscription, and provide any additional information requested to complete the process.
How To Cancel a NYT Subscription via Your Online Account
Some digital and Home Delivery subscriptions may provide the option to cancel online. If you’re eligible, follow the steps below to discontinue your digital NYT subscription through the website:
- Visit the official New York Times website and log in to your account.
- Navigate to the Subscription Overview section.
- In the Manage Subscriptions section, tap or click Cancel your Subscription.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the cancellation.
If you are subscribed through a third party like Google Play or Apple, you will have to follow the cancellation instructions of that particular service provider.
Issues You May Encounter When Canceling a NYT Subscription
This year, the NYT has made efforts to simplify subscription cancellation and has allowed users to cancel through their accounts, but some customers are allegedly still experiencing problems. For example, one user claimed that they had to sit through 15 minutes of pleas and retention offers when attempting to discontinue their NYT subscription via chat. Another user claimed that they were charged for a year after ending their free trial.
While these particular cancellation issues may stem from technical glitches or miscommunication, this is not the case with all companies. Some merchants may resort to the "roach motel" model, making it hard for you to cancel. Their methods are various—from creating a long and complicated online cancellation funnel to requiring you to cancel in person. Even if you meet all the specific requirements, you may still end up being billed.
To protect yourself from surprise charges before, during, or after cancellation, you should consider signing up for your subscriptions with Privacy Virtual Cards. These cards are linked to a real funding source but add an integral layer of security to transactions by substituting your financial information with random card numbers at checkout. Privacy also offers advanced virtual card settings, allowing you to control your online spending and avoid unwelcome subscription expenses.
Privacy Virtual Cards—Financial Control Redefined
Once you link your bank account or debit card to Privacy, you’ll be able to create virtual cards for various subscriptions, be it an entertainment platform like Philo, Apple TV, and Amazon Music or a productivity tool like LinkedIn Premium, Adobe, and Dropbox. Privacy allows you to create two types of virtual cards—learn about them in the table below:
Privacy Cards have additional settings to give you more control over your subscription payments:
- Card pausing/closing—You can pause or close your virtual cards at will without affecting your linked bank account or debit card. This feature makes Privacy Virtual Cards the perfect tool when it comes to stopping subscriptions. Privacy will block all charge attempts on the paused or closed card, letting you focus on the cancellation process without worrying about excessive charges.
- Spending limits—Setting spending limits on your virtual cards helps protect your account against any charges that go above the original agreement. Privacy will decline all transaction attempts that exceed your preset amount.
Privacy—Additional Features for Seamless Transactions
Privacy’s benefits don’t stop there—you also get access to the:
- Browser extension—The Privacy Browser Extension makes online payments fast and seamless. It autofills your virtual card numbers at checkout, so you don’t have to reach for your wallet every time you shop. You can get the browser extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, as well as Safari iOS if you’re an iPhone or iPad user.
- Mobile app—With the Privacy mobile app, available for Android and iOS, you can generate and manage your virtual cards on the go.
Privacy—Setup and Pricing
Signing up for Privacy is easy—you only need to:
- Register
- Provide the information needed to verify your identity
- Connect a bank account or debit card
- Request and create your virtual cards
You can use Privacy Virtual Cards with most merchants and subscription services that accept U.S. Visa® and Mastercard® payments, including Microsoft, Tinder Gold, and Shopify.
Privacy offers three plans—the table below outlines the cost and benefits of each plan:
