# How to Audit Your Subscriptions: The Complete Workbook

It's easy to underestimate what you pay for subscriptions. The charges are small, spread across cards, app stores and PayPal, and some only renew once a year. This workbook finds all of them, gives you a simple way to decide what stays, and walks through a real-looking audit that cuts a $232.36 monthly stack to $100.93, saving $1,577.16 a year without giving up anything that gets used. Set aside an hour for the first pass. After that, it takes fifteen minutes a quarter.

Updated 2026-10-16. https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/blog/subscription-audit

- **$232.36** Example stack before (per month, 16 subscriptions)
- **$100.93** After the audit (per month)
- **$1,577.16** Saved per year (10 changes, 6 cancelled)
- **$22,749** Invested for 10 years (at 7% a year)

## What you need before you start

- Your card and bank statements for the last three months, plus a year of email.
- Your phone, signed in to the Apple or Google account you buy apps with.
- Your PayPal and Amazon logins if you use them.
- A list to work in. The [subscription calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/build) is free, converts every billing cycle to monthly and yearly, and needs no account.

## Step 1: Find every recurring charge

Subscriptions hide in more places than people expect. Go through each one below. A service bought on your phone won't show up under its own name on your card statement, so the statement alone always misses some.

| Where | How to check | What hides there |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Card statements | Last 3 months, every card | Monthly and quarterly plans |
| Bank account | Direct debits and standing orders | Gyms, phone add-ons, insurance extras |
| Apple | [Subscriptions in your Apple account](https://apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions) | Anything bought on an iPhone, iPad or Mac |
| Google Play | [Play Store subscriptions](https://play.google.com/store/account/subscriptions) | Anything bought on Android |
| PayPal | Settings, then Payments, then Manage automatic payments | Older sign-ups, smaller tools |
| Amazon | [Memberships and subscriptions](https://www.amazon.com/mc) | Prime, channels added to Prime Video, Kindle Unlimited |
| Email | Search "renewal", "receipt", "your subscription", "trial" | Yearly plans that charged months ago |
| Someone else's card | Ask your household | Family plans you're on but don't pay for, or they pay twice |

On statements, app store purchases usually appear under Apple or Google rather than the app's name, and PayPal payments under PayPal. When you see one of those, check the app store or PayPal list to find out what it actually is.

> Don't skip email. Yearly plans are the most expensive single charges and the easiest to forget, because they don't appear in a month of statements.

## Step 2: Put everything in one list

Add each subscription with the plan you're on and how it's billed. Weekly, quarterly and yearly plans need converting to a monthly figure before you can compare them; the [subscription calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/build) does that for you and shows the yearly total. Note who uses each one and roughly when it was last used. Seeing the yearly number is often what gets people cancelling.

## Step 3: Score each subscription

Give each one a score of 0, 1 or 2 on three questions. It takes seconds per line and stops every decision turning into a debate.

| Question | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| How often is it used? | Not in 30 days | Some weeks | Every week |
| Would I sign up again at this price? | No | Maybe at a lower tier | Yes |
| Does something else I pay for do this? | Yes, fully | Partly | No |

- **5 or 6: keep.** Consider yearly billing if you've had it over a year.
- **3 or 4: downgrade or rotate.** Move to a cheaper tier, or keep it only in the months you use it.
- **0 to 2: cancel.** You can almost always rejoin later.

For anything you pay per visit (gyms, classes, delivery passes), run the [cost per use calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/cost-per-use-calculator). If paying per use would be cheaper at your real usage, the score doesn't matter.

## Step 4: Look for overlap

These are the categories where it is easiest to end up paying for two things that do the same job:

| Category | Common overlap |
| --- | --- |
| Streaming | Three or more services at once. Rotate instead. |
| Music | [Spotify](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/spotify), [Apple Music](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/apple-music) and [YouTube Music](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/youtube-music). One is enough. |
| AI assistants | [ChatGPT](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/chatgpt), [Claude](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/claude) and [Gemini](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/gemini). Many people use one. |
| Cloud storage | [iCloud+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/icloud), [Google One](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/google-one) and [Dropbox](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/dropbox). Consolidate. |
| VPNs | [NordVPN](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/nordvpn), [ExpressVPN](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/expressvpn) and [Surfshark](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/surfshark). One covers every device. |
| Password managers | [1Password](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/1password), [Bitwarden](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/bitwarden), [Dashlane](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/dashlane) and [LastPass](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/lastpass). |
| Meditation | [Calm](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/calm) and [Headspace](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/headspace). |
| Language learning | [Duolingo](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/duolingo) and [Babbel](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/babbel). |

The services in this guide's worked example. Each links to its current prices.

## Step 5: Check what's already included

- [Amazon Prime](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/amazon-prime) includes Prime Video.
- [YouTube Premium](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/youtube-premium) includes YouTube Music.
- [Apple One](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/apple-one) includes Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade and iCloud+. [Is it worth it?](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/blog/is-apple-one-worth-it)
- [Xbox Game Pass](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/xbox-game-pass) Ultimate includes EA Play.
- [Gemini](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/gemini) AI Pro and Ultra include Google One storage.
- [Walmart+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/walmart-plus) includes Paramount+ Essential.

## Step 6: A worked audit

Here is the method applied to a typical household stack of 16 subscriptions, using current US list prices. Every decision comes from the scores and overlap checks above.

| Subscription | Now | Decision | After | Saved / yr |
| --- | ---: | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Netflix](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/netflix) Standard | $19.99 | **Downgrade**: Watched weekly, but ads are tolerable | $8.99 (Standard with ads) | $132.00 |
| [Hulu](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/hulu) No ads | $21.49 | **Rotate out**: One show, finished last month | - | $257.88 |
| [HBO Max](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/max) Standard | $18.49 | **Rotate out**: Not opened in 6 weeks | - | $221.88 |
| [Disney+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/disney-plus) Basic | $12.49 | **Keep**: Kids watch it daily | $12.49 | - |
| [Spotify](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/spotify) Individual | $12.99 | **Keep**: Used every day | $12.99 | - |
| [Apple Music](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/apple-music) Individual | $11.99 | **Cancel**: Duplicate of Spotify | - | $143.88 |
| [YouTube Premium](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/youtube-premium) Individual | $15.99 | **Keep**: Daily, includes YouTube Music | $15.99 | - |
| [iCloud+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/icloud) 200 GB | $2.99 | **Keep**: Phone backups | $2.99 | - |
| [Google One](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/google-one) 2 TB | $9.99 | **Downgrade**: Using under 100 GB | $1.99 (100 GB) | $96.00 |
| [Dropbox](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/dropbox) Plus | $11.99 | **Cancel**: Files moved to iCloud | - | $143.88 |
| [ChatGPT](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/chatgpt) Plus | $20.00 | **Keep**: Used daily for work | $20.00 | - |
| [Claude](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/claude) Pro | $20.00 | **Cancel**: Second assistant, used twice a month | - | $240 |
| [Amazon Prime](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/amazon-prime) Monthly | $14.99 | **Switch to yearly**: Kept for years, never cancelled | $11.58 (Yearly) | $40.88 |
| [NordVPN](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/nordvpn) Monthly | $12.99 | **Switch to yearly**: Needed all year; check the renewal price | $4.92 (1 year) | $96.88 |
| [Calm](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/calm) Premium | $16.99 | **Cancel**: Last opened in spring | - | $203.88 |
| [Audible](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/audible) Standard | $8.99 | **Keep**: One book a month, every month | $8.99 | - |

**Where the savings come from, per year**

| Item | Value |
| --- | ---: |
| Hulu: rotate out | $257.88 |
| Claude: cancel | $240 |
| HBO Max: rotate out | $221.88 |
| Calm: cancel | $203.88 |
| Apple Music: cancel | $143.88 |
| Dropbox: cancel | $143.88 |
| Netflix: downgrade | $132.00 |
| NordVPN: switch to yearly | $96.88 |
| Google One: downgrade | $96.00 |
| Amazon Prime: switch to yearly | $40.88 |

**Savings by type of change, per year**

| Item | Value |
| --- | ---: |
| Cancel | $731.64 |
| Rotate out | $479.76 |
| Downgrade | $228.00 |
| Switch to yearly | $137.76 |

Cancelling things nobody uses is the biggest lever. Switching to yearly only pays for things you'd keep anyway.

Two more changes would go further. YouTube Premium already includes YouTube Music, so dropping Spotify too would save another $155.88 a year for anyone happy with YouTube Music. And rotating Disney+ like Hulu and HBO Max would cut streaming to one service at a time. Neither is required: the audit is about paying only for what you use, not about giving everything up.

Notice what was kept: everything used every week. The $1,577.16 came from duplicates, things nobody opened, and plans that were simply on the wrong tier or billing cycle. YouTube Premium at $15.99 stayed because it's used daily, even though it isn't cheap.

## Step 7: Downgrade before you cancel

- Move the service you watch least to its ad-supported plan.
- Use student pricing if you can. Spotify, Apple Music and TIDAL roughly halve their price for students.
- Split a family plan instead of paying for individual ones. The [family plan split calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/family-plan-split-calculator) works out each person's share.
- Move services you've kept for over a year to yearly billing. [Here is how much that saves](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/blog/monthly-vs-yearly-subscription), and the [monthly vs yearly calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/monthly-vs-yearly-calculator) checks one plan in seconds.
- Before downgrading storage, check how much you actually use and move files first. Going below your usage can stop backups.

## Step 8: Cancel, the right way

1. Cancel where you subscribed. If it was in an app, cancel in the Apple or Google list, not on the service's website.
2. Use the direct links in our [cancel guides](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/cancel), for example [Netflix](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/cancel/netflix), [Hulu](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/cancel/hulu), [Apple Music](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/cancel/apple-music), [Dropbox](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/cancel/dropbox) and [Claude](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/cancel/claude).
3. Screenshot or save the confirmation email. It's your proof if you're charged again.
4. If the service offers a discount when you try to leave, take it only if you'd keep the service at that price.
5. Check the next statement to make sure the charge stopped.

Most subscriptions keep working until the end of the period you already paid for, so there's no reason to wait until the last day. Cancel as soon as you decide, and enjoy the rest of the month.

## What to say when you have to talk to someone

Most services let you cancel online in a few clicks. Some still route you to chat or a phone call. Keep it short and specific; you don't owe a reason.

> "Hi, I'd like to cancel my subscription, effective at the end of the current billing period. Please confirm the cancellation and the date of my last charge by email."

- If they offer a discount, ask how long it lasts and what the price is after. Accept only if you'd keep the service at the full price too, or set a reminder for when the discount ends.
- If they ask why, "I'm not using it enough" is true and ends the conversation.
- Ask for a confirmation number or email before you hang up or close the chat.
- If you were charged after cancelling, reply to the confirmation email and ask for a refund of that charge. Your card issuer can help if the service won't.

## Auditing a household

In a shared home, the biggest savings are usually duplicates between people: two music plans, two cloud storage plans, two Prime memberships. Do one audit together, on one list.

- **Move to family plans where they exist.** A family music plan shared by four people costs a fraction of four individual plans. The [family plan split calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/family-plan-split-calculator) works out each person's share.
- **Pick one person to own each subscription**, so it's clear who cancels and who gets the renewal email.
- **Check kids' devices.** In-app subscriptions on a child's phone or tablet bill the account that bought them.
- **Agree a monthly budget for subscriptions** and review it at the same time as other bills.

## Don't forget work subscriptions

If you're a freelancer or run a small business, run the same audit on your business card. Tool subscriptions pile up fastest there because each one feels like a business expense. Software for a project that ended, seats for people who left and two tools that do the same job are the usual finds. Keep the cancellation confirmations with your receipts for your bookkeeping.

## Step 9: Put the savings to work

Money that stops leaving your account tends to get spent on something else unless you give it a job. The $131.43 a month from this example would reach a $1,500 goal in 12 months in a savings account at 4%, or grow to about $22,749 in ten years invested at 7%. Try your own numbers in the [savings goal calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/savings-goal-calculator) and the [subscription investment calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/subscription-investment-calculator?monthly=131.43).

## The 90-day routine

One audit drifts. Subscriptions come back through free trials, price rises and family members signing up. This routine keeps the savings.

| When | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| Day 0 | Finish the audit. Note the renewal date of every yearly plan you kept. |
| Day 7 | Check your card for any charge you thought you cancelled. |
| Day 30 | Review the month's statement. Anything new? Score it the same way. |
| Day 60 | Rotate: if a show you want is out, resubscribe to that one service for a month. |
| Day 90 | Repeat the scoring on everything. Check yearly renewals coming in the next 90 days. |
| Every renewal | Two weeks before a yearly plan renews, decide whether to keep it. |

Every free trial gets a reminder on the day you start it: the [free trial calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/free-trial-calculator) gives you the last day to cancel and a calendar event. Every price increase gets a quick check with the [price increase calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/subscription-price-increase-calculator).

## Common mistakes

- **Only checking one card.** It's common to have subscriptions spread across two or more payment methods.
- **Cancelling on the website when you subscribed in an app.** The charge continues through Apple or Google.
- **Cancelling storage before moving files.** Download or move everything first.
- **Forgetting shared plans.** Check whether someone in your household already pays for the same thing.
- **Treating it as one-off.** Without the routine, most of the savings come back within a year.

## Your checklist

1. Pull 3 months of card and bank statements and a year of email receipts.
2. Open your Apple, Google Play, PayPal and Amazon subscription lists.
3. Add everything to one list with the plan and billing cycle.
4. Score each one 0 to 2 on use, value and overlap.
5. Check for overlap and for things already included in another plan.
6. Downgrade, switch to yearly, rotate out or cancel.
7. Save every cancellation confirmation.
8. Give the money a job: a goal or an investment.
9. Set day 7, 30, 60 and 90 reminders.

> Prefer not to do this by hand every quarter? [Track My Subscriptions Pro](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/pro) runs monthly "Still using it?" check-ins, reminds you before renewals, and imports a bank statement in your browser to find charges you forgot.

## FAQ

### How do I find all my subscriptions?

Check three months of card and bank statements, your Apple and Google Play subscription lists, PayPal automatic payments and Amazon memberships, and search a year of email for renewal receipts.

### How often should I audit my subscriptions?

A full audit once, then a 15-minute review every three months. Prices rise, trials convert and unused services keep charging.

### Why don't I see an app's name on my bank statement?

Anything bought through the App Store or Google Play is charged by Apple or Google, so the statement shows them instead. Check those subscription lists directly.

### How much can a subscription audit save?

It depends on the stack. In this guide's worked example, 6 cancellations and 4 plan changes save $1,577.16 a year without dropping anything used weekly.

### Should I cancel or downgrade?

Downgrade when you use it but don't need the top tier; cancel when you haven't used it in a month. Most services let you come back later.

### Do I lose access straight away when I cancel?

Usually not. Most subscriptions run until the end of the period you already paid for. The confirmation screen shows the exact date.

### Can I get a refund after cancelling a subscription?

Sometimes. Many services don't refund the current period but stop the next charge. If you were charged after cancelling, ask the service first, then your card issuer.

### What's the fastest way to cancel a subscription?

Use a direct link to the service's cancel page. Our cancel guides have them for dozens of services, with the steps for each.