Need to contact

Australian Financial Review (AFR)

and make sure they reply?

The Australian Financial Review is Australia's leading business, finance and politics masthead, published continuously since 1951 and now part of Nine Entertainment. AFR customer service is delivered through a dedicated Subscriber Services team for personal readers and a separate Corporate Subscriptions team for business accounts.

• Personal subscribers: phone 13 66 66, the AFR Help Centre, and the AFR FAQs.
• Corporate subscribers: phone 1800 237 266 or email corporate@afr.com.
• Editorial reputation: a Reuters Institute survey found 57% of respondents trust AFR's news coverage, ranking it #6 among major Australian news providers.
• Service reputation: subscribers praise the journalism but consistently flag friction in the subscription lifecycle — particularly cancellations and billing changes, where phone is usually faster than the online flow.

For most account, billing or access issues, calling AFR subscriber services directly remains the fastest route to a resolution.

Online Cancellation Errors

• The online cancellation link can redirect to an authorisation error ("You're not authorised to access this page").
• On mobile and tablet, the sign-in portal sometimes fails to process valid credentials.
• These reports recur across forums over multiple years, suggesting a systemic issue rather than one-off bugs.

Auto-Renewal Surprises

• Subscribers describe being charged at the full rate after introductory or discounted offers expire.
• Renewal notifications are not always remembered or recognised by the subscriber.
• Disputes commonly arise within the first billing cycle after a promo period ends.

Refund Disputes on Annual Plans

• Confusion is common around pro-rata refund eligibility on prepaid annual subscriptions.
• Refunds are more likely when several months remain unused; harder to secure when only weeks are left.
• Some readers do not realise pro-rata refunds need to be explicitly requested.

Retention Friction on Phone Cancellations

• Customers calling to cancel report being offered discounted continuation deals (e.g. reduced monthly rates for 6–12 months).
• Some welcome the offer; others find it pushy and time-consuming.
• A clear, polite refusal is usually needed before the cancellation is processed.

App Store vs Direct Billing Confusion

• Subscribers who purchased via Apple or Google sometimes attempt to cancel directly with AFR.
• AFR cannot action App Store or Google Play subscriptions — these must be cancelled via the original platform.
• This often delays cancellations and triggers an unwanted renewal.

Print Delivery & Login Issues

• Missed or late print deliveries, and holiday holds not actioned in time, are recurring complaints.
• Login and paywall errors often follow subscription changes, password resets, or device switches.
• Resolving these typically requires a phone call to subscriber services.

Phone — Personal Subscribers

• Number (AU): 13 66 66
• Hours: Mon–Fri 7:30am–7:00pm AEST; Sat–Sun 7:30am–10:30am AEST
• From overseas / NZ: +61 2 7966 6900
• Best for: cancellations, billing changes, refund requests, paywall access issues

Phone — Corporate Subscribers

• Number: 1800 237 266
• Hours: Mon–Fri 9:00am–5:00pm AEST
• Best for: multi-seat licences, invoicing, corporate access management

Email — Corporate Subscribers

• Address: corporate@afr.com
• Best for: non-urgent corporate enquiries, written records of billing changes
• Tip: include your company name, account reference, and primary contact in the first email

Online Help Centre & Contact Form

• Help Centre: afr.com/contact-us
• FAQs: afr.com/faqs
• Best for: general questions, app issues, and routing to the right team

Steps Before You Call

1. Have your subscriber number (or registered email), payment method, and date of last charge ready.

2. Note whether you subscribed directly with AFR or via Apple / Google — this changes the cancellation path.

3. Allow at least 72 hours before your next billing date for a cancellation to take effect.

4. Always request a reference number or email confirmation, especially for cancellations and refunds.

If your issue isn't resolved through these channels, you can lodge a formal complaint with AFR and escalate from there.

Cancellations

• Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time, with no separate termination fee.
• AFR generally requires at least 72 hours' notice before the next billing date.
• Cancellations take effect at the end of the current billing cycle.
• Subscriptions purchased via Apple or Google must be cancelled through those platforms — see the full AFR cancellation guide for the step-by-step path.

Refunds

• Monthly plans: no mid-cycle refund; access continues to the end of the paid period.
• Annual prepaid plans: pro-rata refunds may be available where more than one month of service remains unused.
• Refunds are typically declined when only a short period remains on the plan.
• For full eligibility detail and how to request a refund, see AFR's refund policy.

Cooling-Off Period

• A 10-business-day cooling-off period applies to subscriptions signed up via telemarketing.
• Outside that scenario, standard cancellation rules apply.

Print Delivery & Holiday Holds

• Delivery changes, suspensions and holiday holds require up to 72 hours to process.
• Always submit hold requests well ahead of your travel dates to avoid missed papers.

Lock-In Contracts

• There is no standard lock-in period for personal subscriptions.
• Corporate agreements may be governed by separate contract terms — confirm with the corporate team.