Subscription: withdrawal or cancellation, how to choose?

Comparison table

When to rely on withdrawal?

Within 14 days of subscribing, unconditionally (a right harmonised across the EU by Directive 2011/83/EU). The consumer recovers the full amount paid, unless they expressly requested the immediate start of the service while waiving their right (Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 16). In that latter case, they pay pro rata for the time already used.

A typical example: a Netflix subscription taken out on 10 May, withdrawal requested on 20 May (10 days later). If the user has not watched any content and has not expressly waived their right, full refund. If they watched films for 10 days and waived the withdrawal period at sign-up, a pro rata refund (4/14ths remaining).

When to rely on cancellation?

After the 14-day withdrawal period. National consumer law frames the terms: in many EU member states the subscriber can cancel after the first year of commitment, without penalty. For contracts with no fixed commitment period, cancellation is possible at any time subject to a reasonable notice period set out in the contract.

Cancellation on legitimate grounds (moving house, unemployment, illness) can be invoked at any time, even during the initial commitment period, with supporting evidence. The subscription ends without penalty, but no retroactive refund is owed for the period already used.

Special case: delivered goods or digital content

For subscriptions that include the periodic delivery of goods (monthly box, press, food), the 14-day withdrawal period starts from receipt of the FIRST item delivered, not from the subscription date (Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 9). For downloaded digital content (ebook, software, video game), the withdrawal right is lost as soon as the download actually takes place, if the consumer has expressly accepted the loss of the right (Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 16).

For the SaaS merchant: do you need a withdrawal button?

Yes, provided your customer base includes consumers (B2C, or a mix of B2B/B2C). The button required by Directive (EU) 2023/2673 must be visible across the whole subscription interface and in the customer account. For purely B2B SaaS (business clients), the withdrawal right does not apply legally, but it can be offered voluntarily as a commercial argument. Cancellation, on the other hand, must be offered in line with the terms set out in the T&Cs, and, in a growing number of member states, by electronic means for contracts taken out online.