Trying to cancel

Sydney Morning Herald

? Avoid the runaround.

You can cancel a Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) subscription at any time. There are no fixed-term contracts forcing you to stay on standard digital or print plans.

A few important conditions to know:

• Cancellations aren’t one-click online: SMH (Nine Publishing/Fairfax) typically handles cancellations through customer support channels (phone or online request form) rather than a simple “Cancel subscription” button in your account.
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• Everyone can cancel: Any subscriber can request cancellation, including during an introductory offer or promotion.
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• Telemarketing cooling-off period (when applicable): If you signed up via a phone sales offer, SMH generally honours a 10-business-day cooling-off period from the subscription start date, allowing you to cancel early without strings attached.
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• Print delivery alternatives: If you only need a temporary break, SMH may allow vacation holds / suspensions for print delivery instead of cancelling entirely.
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• App Store / Google Play subscriptions: If you subscribed via Apple App Store or Google Play, you usually must cancel through Apple/Google subscription settings (SMH can’t cancel in-app billing for you).

SMH cancellation is usually easiest via phone, but you can also submit an online request.

Option 1: Cancel by phone (fastest)

1. Call Subscriber Services (shared number used across SMH and related publications).
2. Tell the agent you want to cancel your SMH subscription (or stop auto-renewal).
3. Have these ready: the email address on the account, your name, and any subscriber/reference details from billing emails.
4. If offered a discount to stay, politely decline if you still want to cancel.
5. Ask for confirmation - ideally an email confirmation or a reference number.

Option 2: Cancel via online request form

1. Go to the SMH Help Centre.
2. Click “Submit a request” (or the subscription/billing category).
3. Complete the cancellation request with your subscriber details.
4. Watch for a confirmation email and/or reference number.
5. If you don’t hear back within a couple of business days, follow up by phone and quote your reference number.

Option 3: Cancel via Apple App Store / Google Play (if applicable)

If you subscribed through the SMH app via Apple or Google, cancel in your device subscription settings:

• Apple: iPhone/iPad Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions → SMH → Cancel
• Google Play: Play Store → Payments & Subscriptions → Subscriptions → SMH → Cancel

After you cancel via the app store, your access usually continues until the end of your paid period, then stops.

Timing matters most for avoiding another charge.

• 72-hour notice recommended: SMH subscriptions typically require at least 72 hours (3 days) notice before your next billing date for cancellation to be processed in time to stop the next renewal.
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• Cancellation usually takes effect at period end: If you cancel mid-cycle, your subscription generally continues until the end of the current paid period, then stops (no immediate cut-off).
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• If you cancel too close to renewal: You may still be charged if the next payment is already processing. In that case, cancellation generally applies from the following cycle (so you won’t be charged again after that).
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• Cooling-off window (telemarketing sign-ups): If applicable, cancelling within 10 business days of starting may avoid charges entirely or trigger a full reversal (depending on the offer terms).
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• Print delivery lead time: For print subscriptions, changes can take a few days to flow through delivery systems, so you might receive a couple of extra papers if timing is tight.

Best practice: initiate cancellation 3–5 days before your next billing date.

• No cancellation fee: SMH does not typically charge an “exit fee” just for cancelling.
• You pay for the period already started: If a new billing period has already begun (or just renewed), that charge usually stands. Instead of refunding unused days, SMH typically lets you use the service through the end of the paid period.
• Promotional offers: Cancelling during a promo doesn’t usually create a penalty fee, but you may lose access to that promo pricing in the future (some promos are “new customers only”).
• Avoid chargebacks where possible: It’s best to cancel through official support channels first. Chargebacks can create account issues and make it harder to confirm cancellation or refunds.