Proton is a company that offers a range of privacy-focused online services like encrypted email (Proton Mail), calendar, secure cloud storage (Proton Drive), VPN, password manager (Proton Pass), and a Bitcoin wallet (Proton Wallet). They have both free and paid subscription plans that can be subscribed to monthly or yearly, covering individuals, families, and businesses. If you see a bill from Proton, it’s likely because you subscribed to one of their plans, which automatically renew and can be paid through credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin, and other methods. You can manage your subscription, upgrade or downgrade your plan, and cancel anytime through their website.
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Canceling a Proton subscription is straightforward via the account dashboard by selecting Downgrade and matching the free plan requirements if downgrading. The process may require some data management, like deactivating some services or reducing storage, but overall it's easy and user-friendly.
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How to Cancel Proton: Step by Step
If you purchased through Proton website:
- Log in to your Proton Account at account.proton.me.
- Go to Settings.
- Select All settings.
- Click on Dashboard.
- Find Your plan section.
- Select Cancel subscription or Downgrade to Free.
- Confirm your cancellation to switch to Proton Free plan.
- Note that you will retain access to paid features until the end of your current billing period.
Tips & Tricks for Canceling Proton
- Scroll to the very bottom of your Proton account subscription page to find the cancel/downgrade option as it is often hidden.
- Do not simply remove your credit card. This can cause unpaid invoices that must be cleared before cancellation proceeds.
- Log in directly to your Proton account dashboard at protonvpn.com or account.protonvpn.com to manage and cancel subscriptions—avoid trying to cancel through email or 3rd party links.
- If purchased through mobile app stores (Google Play or Apple), cancel through the respective store's subscription management.
- Cancel auto-renewal rather than immediately terminating the service to keep using your paid subscription until the end of the billing cycle.
- Request cancellation within 30 days for refund eligibility. Emphasize the timing if seeking money back.
- Be clear and firm in your communication about cost concerns or not needing the service anymore. Users often find stating these reasons works in their favor.
- If encountering resistance, escalate by submitting support tickets under billing or subscription issues categories and reference your cancellation attempts and timing.
- Timing your cancellation just before the next billing cycle helps avoid unwanted charges.
- Avoid vague language—explicitly say “I want to cancel” or “Please cancel my subscription now.”
- Share concise and polite but firm feedback if asked, as this can expedite processed cancellations.
Proton Customer Service Info
If you need assistance, here's how you can get in touch with Proton's support team.
Cancel Proton Script
Script
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Dear Proton Support,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to request the cancellation of my subscription with Proton. Unfortunately, I have found that the service does not fully meet my current needs and I need to streamline my expenses.
I appreciate the quality of your service during my subscription period and would like to thank you for your assistance. Please confirm the cancellation at your earliest convenience.
Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.
Best regards,
Frequently Asked Questions
Proton's subscription cancellation policy states that you need to downgrade your plan before the end of your subscription period to avoid renewal. Cancellation becomes effective at the end of the current cycle, and if done within 30 days of the initial purchase, you may receive a refund for the unused prorated portion. After 30 days, subscriptions are non-refundable except at Proton's discretion, and refunds are only processed for payments made through official Proton channels.
To cancel your Proton (proton.me) subscription, you do need to log in with your username and password if you subscribed through their website. If you signed up via Google Play Store or Apple App Store, cancellation must be done through those platforms. If you forgot your password, you can reset it easily at https://account.protonvpn.com/reset-password. Proton also offers live chat support for cancellation help if needed.
- Absurd timelines on feature releases: Promised features have open tickets for years without commitment, and communication goes silent after promises.
- Incomprehensible new direction with AI and cryptocurrency: Launching a crypto wallet and promoting bitcoin is seen as the wrong direction, with AI features considered mostly hype.
- Lack of Linux support: No dedicated Linux client despite initial promises; Proton Bridge exists but is insufficient.
- Second-grade experience on iOS due to Apple’s restrictions: Apple's limitations hinder app performance, background syncing, and integration.
- Paying for current features, not promised ones: Paying a high price but mainly only using Proton Mail fully; other services like Drive have bugs and missing features.
- Poor functionality and performance in Proton Drive: Issues include inability to download photos in bulk, lack of device synchronization, mandatory full access on iOS photo backup, and suspicion that lack of functionality forces continued payments.
- Branding as “Privacy by Default” is questioned: Neglect of Linux support and delivery of half-baked, abandoned, or unfinished features.
- Perception that Proton resembles a blend of Google and Apple: Pretends to focus on privacy but delivers poor and incomplete features.
Proton may require a termination notice at least 30 days before renewal for certain subscriptions (like Essentials, Business, or Enterprise) and cancellation only becomes effective at the end of the current cycle, which can extend your commitment if you miss this window. Otherwise, you can typically cancel your subscription anytime via the Account Dashboard, but refunds are only available within 30 days of the initial purchase and at Proton's discretion, with no refunds for cash or bank transfers. So, watch out for the 30-day notice period and the strict refund window to avoid unwanted charges or extended billing cycles.
Before cancelling your Proton subscription, know that you will retain access to the premium service until the current billing period expires. After that, you lose access to all premium features and services associated with the subscription. If you have an Unlimited or Duo plan, you may receive credits for any unused days to use for future subscriptions, but this does not apply to the VPN Plus plan. Proton offers a full refund within 30 days of activating your subscription; after that, no refunds are available. Once cancelled, your subscription will run until the end of the period, then revert to the free version of Proton VPN which has limited features compared to the paid plans.
- Proton Account login credentials (username/email and password)
- Access to the Proton dashboard to navigate to plan settings
- Aware of any active subscriptions or add-ons on the account
- Knowledge of plan limitations if downgrading (ensuring account fits Free plan limits, e.g., storage, addresses)
- Understanding of billing cycle end date (the downgrade or cancellation will take effect at the end of the cycle)
- Confirmation of cancellation/downgrade choice (usually via a prompt)
- Only if switching plans: updated payment information for a new paid plan
We've actually written a step by step guide on how to get a refund from Proton. Check it out!
The Easiest Way to Cancel Proton
If you’re frustrated trying to cancel your subscription, membership, or bill from Proton—or if you didn’t even realize you were being charged—Chargeback can help. Chargeback is a personal subscription manager that automatically detects hidden, recurring charges like Netflix, Hulu, and hundreds of others. With one click, we can cancel unwanted subscriptions, flag suspicious billing, and even initiate refund requests on your behalf. No more waiting on hold or navigating confusing help pages. Just connect your bank or email account, and we’ll take care of the rest.
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Editorial Note: These articles reflect the opinions of Chargeback's writers. Everyone's situation is unique; therefore, it is important to conduct your own research and note that our self-help tools are not guaranteed to help with any specific problem.
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