Cancelling Garmin Connect+ may not enough to avoid a surprise charge
Garmin Connect Plus gives you a free month to try it out, but cancelling takes a bit more work than you might expect. It is not just about hitting the cancel button in the app. You also need to jump into your PayPal or bank account and switch off the auto-renewal, or you could still get charged even after you think you are done.
How to activate Garmin Connect Plus free trial
Activating the subscription is simple enough. On the Garmin Connect web interface, tap your profile picture in the top right-hand corner and choose Settings. On the left-hand side, you will find the Garmin Connect Plus option.
There you can start your free trial. You will be asked to pick between a monthly or annual plan, and you will need to confirm that you understand the subscription will auto-renew if you do not cancel it. After agreeing to the terms, you will be taken to the payment screen. You can choose various payment methods. Personally, I used PayPal because I did not want to hand over my direct bank details.
After your payment option is approved, you will see a confirmation screen saying you are all set. This also outlines what features you are getting with Connect Plus, such as global badges and some enhanced charts. But honestly, these extras are pretty modest.
Enabling the subscription via the smartphone app is just as easy.
How to cancel Garmin Connect Plus the right way
When you want to cancel, things get a little murky. In the app, tap the three dots at the bottom right labeled “More”. Then find Garmin Connect Plus in the list. Tap it, then go to Manage Subscription. From there you can cancel your subscription.
However, Garmin has a restriction that prevents you from cancelling on the same day you activate. You can cancel any time after that, but make sure you do it well before your trial ends to avoid charges.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
The problem is, cancelling through Garmin does not always fully stop future payments. Some users have reported being charged even after cancelling. This usually happens because the payment method still has an active authorisation.
In my case, after cancelling via Garmin, I checked my PayPal account. I found that the auto-renewal was still active. So I had to manually revoke the authorisation. If you subscribed via PayPal, you can disable it easily. Go to your PayPal Account, then Payments, and view your auto-renewal settings. Find the Garmin subscription and cancel it there as well.
The same principle applies if you used a bank account or card directly. Most banks now allow you to manage recurring payments online, so you should be able to log into your online banking and stop future payments. You are not cancelling the subscription again, you are revoking the authorisation for future charges.
Taking this extra step will make sure you are not unpleasantly surprised by a charge appearing after you thought you had cancelled.
Can you get a refund if you forget?
In the EU, you have a safety net. If you forget to cancel and get charged, you can simply contact Garmin customer support. Under EU law, you have up to 90 days to request a refund for a digital subscription you forgot to cancel. You do not even need a complicated reason. Just saying you forgot is enough.
Unfortunately, this option is not available for users in the US. If you live there, once you get charged, you are very unlikely to get your money back. That is why taking the time to cancel properly and disable the auto-renewal is even more important.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter! Check out our YouTube channel.
