Everyday decision 06 of 10
Know the commitment: free trials, renewals, and how to get out
Free trials and renewals are built so that doing nothing means paying. This page covers what to check before you sign up, and what to do if you've already been charged.
Example 01
Signing up for a free trial? Check what happens when it ends.
Before you start a free trial, know three things: when it turns into a charge, how much it will be, and how to cancel.
Right now
Tap each step as you do it.
All three done.
If you've already been charged
- Cancel, and keep proof: a copy of your cancellation request, and notes on any calls.
- If they keep charging after you canceled, dispute the charge with your credit or debit card company right away.
- Follow up in writing to the billing-disputes address. Send it by certified mail with a return receipt.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to your state attorney general.
The pattern
A free trial is a default: if you do nothing, you pay. The price after the trial is often shown smaller than the word "free," and the renewal can be yearly rather than monthly.
Canceling can take more steps than signing up. The FTC's position is that businesses must make canceling simple. When a company doesn't, the steps above are how you get out.
What Agency Check shows
Say "Check this first before you sign up."
Sign up for a 7-day free trial of FitPath Premium.
- The price goes from $0 to $79.99 a year after the 7-day trial
- It renews on its own on Oct 2
- Signing up took a click. Canceling takes a phone call.
Agency Check reviewed what you shared. You decide what happens next.
What this check looks at
- A price that goes up after an intro period or trial
- Automatic renewal, and the date it happens
- Canceling that takes more than signing up did, like a phone call or a letter
- How to cancel, when that isn't stated
When it says Pause and verify: almost never on its own. Subscriptions are usually a commitment worth seeing clearly, not a scam. If the offer also carries pressure red lines, like a fee to unlock money, the Spot the pressure rules apply.
Coming soon to Muse and any agent chat
How to use it
Before your agent acts, say it out loud or type it. Agency Check reviews what you shared and hands back one Decision Card.
See how Agency Check works"Check this first before you renew the plan."
Questions
Do I have to call to cancel a subscription?
The FTC says businesses must make canceling simple. If a company won't let you cancel, or keeps charging you after you asked, dispute the charge with your card company and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
What if I forgot to cancel a free trial?
Cancel now and keep proof. Then ask the company for a refund. If they refuse and the charge was unexpected, talk to your card company about a dispute.
Can my agent cancel for me?
Sometimes. It depends on whether the company lets you cancel online. Agency Check shows how cancellation works when that's in what you shared, and lists it as Unknown when it isn't.
Other everyday decisions
Sources
Frameworks behind this check
Research and guidance
- FTC Consumer Advice, "Getting In and Out of Free Trials, Auto-Renewals, and Negative Option Subscriptions"consumer.ftc.gov/articles/getting-and-out-free-trials-auto-renewals-and-negative-option-subscriptions
Last reviewed September 27, 2026. Agency Check is an independent tool from Cyber Strategy Institute, built on its open frameworks and coming soon to Muse and any agent chat. Muse is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc.All ten checks on the Agency Check hub