Best way to cancel a subscription by mail
Four ways to send a cancellation letter, compared on cost, who writes the letter, who finds the address, the proof you keep, the time it takes you and what happens if it goes wrong.
The short answer
The best way is a signed letter by certified mail, and Postbye is the easiest way to send one. It writes the letter, fills in the company’s address, mails it by certified mail the next business day and sends you the proof of delivery, for $23.99 once. Mailing it yourself costs less, but you write it, find the address and make the trip; a plain stamped letter leaves no record that it arrived.
Mail your letter with PostbyeThe four ways compared
| Criterion | 1 A cancellation service Postbye Our pick | 2 Certified Mail yourself At the post office | 3 An online mailer LetterStream, PostalForm, Mailform | 4 A stamped letter First-Class, no tracking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $23.99 once | Postage plus the USPS Certified Mail fee | $8.63 to about $11.98 by Certified Mail for 1 page (as of November 2026) | A stamp |
| Who writes it | Postbye, and you see it before it is mailed | You | You type or upload it | You |
| The address | Filled in from its more than 8,700 company guides | You find it | You find it | You find it |
| Proof you keep | Tracking number, a copy of the letter and the proof of delivery; signed proof +$13.99 | The Certified Mail receipt and tracking; a return receipt if you buy one | Tracking; an electronic return receipt for about $3 more (as of November 2026) | None |
| Time it takes you | About 2 minutes online; mailed the next business day | Writing, printing and a trip to the post office | Typing or uploading; LetterStream mails in under 2 business days (as of November 2026) | Writing, printing and a mailbox |
| If it goes wrong | Postbye follows up; money-back guarantee within 10 business days | You follow up yourself | You follow up yourself | Nothing shows the letter arrived |
What to put in the letter
A cancellation letter works when the company can act on it without writing back to you. Postbye’s guide to cancelling a membership lists what to include:
- Your full name and postal address as they appear on the account.
- Your account or member number, or the email address on the account when there is no number.
- One plain sentence saying that you are cancelling.
- The date the cancellation should take effect.
- A request to stop every future charge, and a request for written confirmation.
- The date you wrote the letter, and your signature.
Where to send it
Send it to the address for notices in your agreement or the company’s terms. Some companies name a dedicated cancellation address, and some take notice only at a branch: Planet Fitness, for example, asks for written notice at your home club. See the best way to cancel a gym membership for that case.
To compare the services that mail a letter for you, see services that mail a cancellation letter and certified mail services compared. For how mail compares with email and online cancelling on proof, see cancel a subscription with proof.
Questions
Is cancelling a subscription by mail valid?
A letter is written notice, which is what many contracts and several state gym laws ask for. Certified mail adds a dated delivery record, so you can show when the company received it.
How long does cancelling by mail take?
Postbye mails the letter the next business day, and delivery usually takes 2 to 5 business days after that. Plan for the letter to arrive before your next billing date.
Should I send it by certified mail or with a stamp?
Certified mail, if the date matters. A stamped First-Class letter costs less but leaves no record that it was mailed or delivered. If you are unsure whether to pay a service at all, read is a cancellation service worth it?