Shopify
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How to Cancel Shopify Subscription: Official Steps
Learn how to deactivate a Shopify store, settle outstanding charges, preserve store data, manage domains and apps, and understand billing after cancellation.
- 12 current official sources checked
- 1 billing route separated
- Legacy Provider and equivalent Blog content reconciled claim by claim
- Steps, outcomes, refund boundaries, and related products revalidated
How to cancel Shopify through the correct billing owner
Web cancellation
Cancel Shopify through Web
1Sign in as the store owner
Open your Shopify admin (for example, via admin.shopify.com or your-store.myshopify.com/admin) and sign in using the account that is marked as the store owner. Only this login can pause or deactivate the store, even if staff members can see billing details.
2Open Settings and Plan
From the Shopify admin sidebar, select Settings, then choose Plan. This page shows your current Shopify plan, billing cycle, and options to change, pause, or deactivate your store’s subscription.
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3Choose Deactivate store
On the Plan page, look for the option to cancel your plan, such as Cancel plan or Cancel trial, depending on whether you’re on a paid plan or still in a trial. Select that option to start the deactivation flow, then carefully review any offers to downgrade, pause, or start a new store if you prefer not to close this one.
4Select a reason, enter the password, and confirm
On the confirmation screens, review any pending charges and domains, choose the option to cancel your plan and uninstall all apps, and then click Continue. Select a reason for closing, optionally add a comment, and decide whether to save payment details for easier reactivation. Finally, enter your Shopify password and confirm by selecting Cancel plan or Cancel trial as shown. You’ll receive an email once deactivation is recorded.
Refund policy
Shopify subscription and related refund rules
Shopify separates refunds on its own subscription charges from refunds you issue to your customers and from app or domain refunds. Plan fees are generally non‑refundable, but billing errors can be reviewed. Customer refunds follow your own store policies and payment‑provider rules.
Check my refund options- Shopify plan charges are normally non‑refundable
- Shopify’s pricing FAQ and refund‑policy documentation explain that subscription plan charges are generally non‑refundable, including when you cancel a store. If you think you’ve been charged in error or have an unusual situation, you can request a billing review through Shopify Support, but refunds are not guaranteed.
- Time‑limited windows for billing reviews
- For Shopify to consider a potential refund or credit, your request typically needs to fall within defined time windows after an invoice is issued—for example, shortly after a monthly invoice or the first invoice after a trial or annual prepayment. These windows only determine eligibility for review; Shopify still decides outcomes case by case.
- No automatic refund for unused time after cancellation
- Because Shopify plans are pre‑paid, canceling your store doesn’t automatically generate a pro‑rated refund for the unused portion of a billing period. Your plan remains active until the end of the current billing cycle, and refunds for unused service are not provided by default.
- Customer order refunds are separate
- Deactivating your store doesn’t send money back to your customers. To refund an order, you must use the refund tools on the Orders page (while the store is active) or through your payment providers, following Shopify’s guidance on refunds, returns, and transaction fees.
- App, theme, and domain refunds follow different rules
- Shopify clarifies that it generally can’t refund third‑party app charges and that theme purchases from the Shopify Theme Store are final sale. Domain refunds for misspellings or similar issues are also very limited. In many cases, you must work directly with the app or theme developer.
If you believe a particular Shopify bill or subscription charge is incorrect, gather invoice details and cancellation dates, then contact Shopify Support to request a billing review under their subscription refund policy. Go to Shopify Support for billing help
Preparation
What to do before you deactivate a Shopify store
Shopify recommends specific checks before you cancel to avoid lost data, unresolved orders, or unexpected charges.
Export important store data
Before your current billing period ends, export CSV files for products, customers, orders, and other records you might need later. Shopify notes that your store information is guaranteed for two years after deactivation, but having your own exports gives you independent backups.
Back up paid themes
If you purchased a theme, download a backup copy from your Themes section. Themes are licensed to the store where they were purchased, and Shopify advises saving a copy and contacting Support if you plan to transfer a theme license to another store you own.
Plan for unique myshopify.com URLs
Your original myshopify.com URL is unique and can’t be reused for a new store. You can create a new store under the same brand name, but it must use a different myshopify.com subdomain.
Review terms and obligations
Before closing, Shopify advises reviewing its Terms of Service and your obligations around refunds, data, and consumer protection. This is particularly important if you sell gift cards, subscriptions, or other advanced purchase options with future obligations.
Billing
Billing, app charges, and credits when you cancel
Closing a Shopify store stops future plan billing but doesn’t erase all charges immediately. Apps, domains, and credits are handled under specific rules.
End of subscription and billing date
When you cancel your plan, Shopify schedules your subscription to end and your store to deactivate at the close of your current billing cycle. You are billed through that cycle, but not for new cycles, unless you later reactivate.
Pending and post‑deactivation invoices
At cancellation, any pending charges—such as app usage, transaction fees, or shipping labels—are billed. After deactivation, you might still receive invoices for third‑party services billed externally, chargebacks, or other Shopify stores you own.
How app subscriptions are treated
When you deactivate a store, all apps installed through Shopify’s billing system are automatically uninstalled and their outstanding usage charges are collected. If an app charges you outside Shopify’s billing (for example, directly by the developer), you must cancel it separately to avoid ongoing bills.
Account credits and store closure
If you have account credits when you deactivate, Shopify explains that these remain available for a limited time and can be used if you reopen the store within that window. After that, unused credits expire.
Shopify financial products
Deactivating or pausing your store can restrict or remove access to Shopify Balance, Shopify Capital, Shopify Credit, or other financial products linked to the store. Plan ahead for any payouts or repayments that rely on these services.
Data & access
What happens to your data and admin access
Deactivation affects who can access your Shopify admin and how long Shopify keeps your store’s information.
Admin access ends after deactivation
Once the current billing cycle finishes and your store is deactivated, you lose access to the Shopify admin for that store. Shopify notes that you can still view past bills without fully reactivating, but normal configuration and order management tools are unavailable.
Two‑year data retention for deactivated stores
Shopify states that store information is guaranteed for two years after deactivation, during which you can reopen the store without rebuilding it. This retention applies only if you don’t request permanent data deletion.
Requesting permanent data deletion
For a deactivated store, the store owner can ask Shopify Support to delete customer personal data. Shopify indicates that deletion is processed within a set timeframe and is irreversible; after deletion, the store can’t be reopened and the data can’t be recovered.
Impact on chargebacks and disputes
Chargebacks can still be filed on past transactions after your store is deactivated. Because you lose admin access, Shopify explains that you would need to reactivate the store if you want to submit evidence in the admin for any new chargebacks.
Domains
Domains, renewals, and HTTPS after closure
Your Shopify‑managed or third‑party domains behave differently from the built‑in myshopify.com URL when you close a store.
myshopify.com and custom domains
Your myshopify.com subdomain is permanently tied to the original store and can’t be reused for a new store. Custom domains you added—whether bought through Shopify or a third party—can be disconnected or transferred and used elsewhere.
Domain disconnection on deactivation
When a store is deactivated or frozen, Shopify notes that its custom domains are disconnected from the store. If you later reactivate the store, you need to reconnect existing domains through Settings > Domains.
Domain renewals aren’t automatically canceled
Closing a store doesn’t automatically cancel domain renewals. Shopify advises managing Shopify‑managed domain renewal settings and turning off auto‑renew at third‑party registrars if you don’t want to keep paying for a domain.
HSTS policy after you leave Shopify
If you transfer a domain away from Shopify, Shopify’s HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) policy remains active on that domain for 90 days after deactivation. During that time, domains pointed at non‑HTTPS destinations may show browser warnings until the HSTS period ends.
Orders & customers
Customer orders, gift cards, and subscriptions
Deactivating your store doesn’t automatically resolve existing customer obligations. You remain responsible for orders, refunds, gift cards, and subscription contracts created before closure.
Outstanding one‑time orders
Before closing, review unfulfilled or partially fulfilled orders and decide whether to fulfill, refund, or cancel them. Shopify’s order refund tools remain available while the store is active; once deactivated, you’d need to reactivate to use admin tools again.
Gift cards sold before deactivation
Shopify notes that stores with gift cards may have ongoing obligations even after deactivation. Export the gift card CSV file and decide how you’ll honor remaining balances, including any possible refunds or alternative arrangements.
Subscriptions and other purchase options
If you sell subscriptions or other advanced purchase options, you’re expected to address outstanding subscription orders and billings before or after deactivation. Subscription contracts are managed through subscription apps, where you can pause, resume, or cancel contracts on a customer’s behalf.
Customer self‑service for subscriptions
When you use Shopify Subscriptions, customers can usually manage their own subscriptions—viewing, pausing, or canceling them from their customer account area—based on how you configure subscription management. Closing the store doesn’t retroactively update those contracts; they must be handled through the subscription app or customer accounts.
Alternatives
Alternatives to canceling your Shopify subscription
If you might return to Shopify or just need a temporary break, Shopify offers options that are not full cancellation.
Pause and Build plan
Instead of closing, you can switch to the Pause and Build plan if you’re eligible. This pauses checkout on all sales channels while letting you access the admin and storefront at a reduced subscription cost. You’ll need to choose a new plan when you’re ready to resume full selling.
Downgrading to a different plan
From Settings > Plan you can change to a less expensive plan without deactivating the store. Shopify explains that plan downgrades typically take effect at the end of the current billing cycle, with your existing features continuing until that date.
Pausing instead of ending a trial
If you selected a paid plan during your free trial but later decide not to continue, you need to manually pause or deactivate the store; otherwise normal billing starts after the trial. Leaving the trial without picking a plan simply freezes the account at the end of the trial.
Password‑protecting a paused store
On the Pause and Build plan, you can use password protection so customers can’t browse products or attempt purchases while the store is paused. Shopify provides guidance on enabling a password page and customizing the message shown to visitors.
Troubleshooting
If you can’t find or complete the cancel option
When the cancellation flow isn’t visible or you’re blocked part‑way through, Shopify documentation highlights a few specific causes and remedies.
Confirm you’re the store owner
If you only see plan details but not options to cancel, pause, or reactivate, confirm that you’re signed in as the store owner. Shopify’s permissions table states that only the store owner can pause or deactivate a store, even if staff have billing permissions.
Shopify Plus stores must contact Plus Support
If your store is on Shopify Plus, you can’t fully deactivate it using the standard admin steps. Shopify instructs Plus merchants to work with their Merchant Success Specialist or Plus Support to complete store deactivation.
Two‑step authentication problems
If you can’t complete two‑step authentication when trying to deactivate, Shopify provides a recovery path: use a backup method, recovery codes, or follow the documented process to deactivate two‑step authentication before returning to the cancellation steps.
Pause and Build option missing
If you’re looking for Pause and Build but don’t see it after clicking Cancel plan, check that you’re the store owner, that the store is on a paid plan beyond the free trial, and that you’re not on Shopify Plus, which isn’t eligible for Pause and Build.
When to contact Shopify Support
If you meet all documented requirements and still can’t access cancellation options, Shopify advises contacting Shopify Support for help, providing your store URL, account email, and details of any error messages.
Reactivation
Reopening a deactivated Shopify store
Shopify lets you reactivate a recently closed store, subject to billing status, data retention, and any prior data‑deletion requests.
Reactivating before the end of the billing cycle
If you cancel but your current billing cycle hasn’t ended yet, you can go back to Settings > Plan and choose Reactivate plan. Shopify explains that you won’t be charged a second time for the same cycle when you reactivate mid‑cycle.
Reopening within the two‑year window
Shopify states that you can reopen a deactivated store for up to two years, as long as you haven’t requested data deletion. When you reactivate, you select a plan, reenter payment details, and then reconnect any custom domains.
Credits after reactivation
If you had account credits when the store was deactivated, Shopify notes that these remain available only for a limited period after closure. Reactivating and resuming billing within that time lets you use remaining credits before they expire.
Frozen or paused stores with billing issues
If your store is frozen or paused because of unpaid bills or other billing problems, you must resolve outstanding balances before you can reactivate. Shopify describes this requirement in its guidance on reactivating frozen or paused stores.
Refunds
Plan refunds vs customer and app refunds
Canceling a Shopify subscription is separate from issuing refunds to your customers or seeking a refund of your own Shopify charges.
Non‑refundable subscription plans
Shopify’s pricing FAQ and refund‑policy page both state that charges for Shopify subscription plans are generally non‑refundable, including when you cancel or deactivate your store. Refunds may be considered only in limited, case‑by‑case situations.
Refund eligibility windows for review
If you believe you were billed incorrectly, Shopify Support can review your case when requests fall within specified time windows (for example, within a short period after a monthly or annual invoice). Meeting a window doesn’t guarantee a refund but makes review possible.
Refunds for Shopify App Store purchases
Refunds for apps depend on whether the app is from Shopify or a third‑party developer. Shopify explains that third‑party app refunds are handled directly by the developer, whereas some Shopify‑built apps may be refunded if uninstalled promptly and approved after review.
Customer order refunds remain your responsibility
Canceling your store doesn’t automatically refund customer orders. You manage customer refunds separately using the Orders section in your admin, and Shopify documents how transaction and credit‑card fees are treated when you refund.
Shopify cancellation FAQ
Provider-specific answers based on official sources checked August 10, 2026. Signed-in terms, region, billing owner, and applicable law still control.
Can I cancel my Shopify subscription at any time?
Does closing my Shopify store stop all future charges?
What happens to my data if I cancel my Shopify store?
Do I get a refund for unused time when I cancel Shopify?
How do I cancel my Shopify store during the free trial?
Why don’t I see the option to deactivate my Shopify store?
Will deactivating my Shopify store cancel customer subscriptions and gift cards?
What happens to my Shopify domain when I close my store?
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