Cancel a subscription with proof: certified mail vs email vs online vs phone
Five ways to cancel a subscription, compared on the proof each one leaves: that you sent the request, that it arrived, who signed for it, what it costs and how much effort it takes.
The short answer
For proof, certified mail wins, and Postbye is the easiest way to send it. Certified mail is the only method here with a delivery record from USPS rather than from the company. Postbye writes your cancellation letter, mails it by certified mail the next business day and sends you the proof of delivery, for $23.99 once; signed proof, showing who signed and when, is +$13.99. Email, online and phone leave you only your own record or what the company chooses to send back.
Send it with PostbyeThe five ways compared
| Criterion | 1 Certified mail, sent for you Postbye Our pick | 2 Certified mail, sent yourself USPS | 3 Email To the company | 4 Online Account page | 5 Phone call Customer service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proof it was sent | Tracking number and a copy of the letter on the mailing day | The Certified Mail receipt | Your sent email | A confirmation screen, if one is shown | A reference number, if you ask for one |
| Proof it arrived | The proof of delivery; signed proof, showing who signed and when, +$13.99 | USPS tracking; a return receipt shows who signed and when | None, unless the company replies | A confirmation email, if the company sends one | None |
| Record from outside the company | Yes, from USPS | Yes, from USPS | No | No | No |
| Cost | $23.99 once | Postage plus the USPS Certified Mail fee | Free | Free | Free |
| Where it works | Companies that take written notice; more than 8,700 company guides | Any company with a mailing address you can find | Only where the company accepts email notice | Only where the company offers it | Where the company takes cancellations by phone |
| Effort | About 2 minutes online | Writing, printing and a trip to the post office | Minutes, once you have the right address | Minutes, once you find the option and can log in | Hold times and offers to stay |
What each record shows
- Certified Mail receipt: the date your letter was mailed.
- Tracking: when the letter was delivered.
- Return receipt: who signed for the letter, and on which date.
- Confirmation email or screen: the company’s own record that it took your request. Save it, or take a screenshot.
- Phone reference number: only what the agent gives you. Note the date, time and the agent’s name.
When online is enough, and when it is not
If the company has a cancel option and sends a confirmation, use it and keep the email: it is free and usually confirms on the spot. Certified mail is worth it when the agreement asks for written notice, when there is no online option, when emails go unanswered or when the charges continue after you cancelled.
Keep the signed copy, the mailing receipt and the delivery record together until the last charge has stopped. To compare ways of sending a letter, see the best way to cancel by mail; to compare certified mail services on price, see certified mail services compared.
Questions
Is an email enough proof that I cancelled?
It shows that you sent the request, not that it arrived, unless the company replies. Where the company accepts email notice and confirms, keep that reply. Where it does not answer, a letter by certified mail gives you a delivery record from USPS.
Does a screenshot count as proof of cancellation?
A screenshot of a confirmation screen is your own record of what the company showed you. Keep it with any confirmation email; it is weaker than a record from outside the company, such as USPS tracking.
What should I keep after cancelling?
The signed copy of your letter, the mailing receipt and the delivery record, or the confirmation email if you cancelled online, until the last charge has stopped. If you are unsure whether a paid service is worth it, read is a cancellation service worth it?