How to cancel your Lightricks subscription and claim your refund in new zealand
Understanding Lightricks and why you might want to cancel
Lightricks develops mobile photo and video editing applications, including Facetune, Lightleap, and Motionleap. The company provides free apps alongside paid subscription tiers and in-app purchases to unlock advanced editing tools. If you have subscribed but no longer use the service, or you're dissatisfied with your purchase, you hold clear rights under New Zealand consumer law to cancel and potentially recover your money.
Your cancellation rights depend on when you purchased the subscription, which platform you used, and whether the service has delivered as promised. Yafee specialises in helping consumers navigate these distinctions so you understand your position before you act.
How Lightricks subscriptions function
You can purchase Lightricks subscriptions through two primary channels: directly via the Lightricks website, or through app store platforms (Apple App Store or Google Play). Your billing method, renewal cycle, and refund eligibility all depend on which channel you used. This distinction matters significantly when you cancel, because the cancellation process and refund rules differ by platform. Understanding which route you took is your first step toward a successful cancellation.
Common reasons new zealanders cancel Lightricks
Typical reasons include forgotten or unused subscriptions you no longer need, features that failed to meet expectations, accidental purchases, or discovering a more suitable alternative. Whatever your motivation, you deserve a transparent cancellation process and fair refund treatment. New Zealand's Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and Fair Trading Act 1986 protect you if Lightricks fails to deliver as promised.
Your consumer rights under new zealand law
Before you cancel, understand what protections apply to your specific purchase situation.
The 14-day cooling-off period for direct web purchases
If you bought your subscription directly from Lightricks' website (not through an app store), you have 14 calendar days from the date of purchase to cancel for any reason and receive a full refund. This cooling-off period is your statutory safety net under the Consumer Guarantees Act. You do not need to justify why you want to cancel; Lightricks must refund you if you act within this window. After 14 days, this right expires for web-based purchases.
To benefit from this period, you must cancel before day 15 from your purchase date. Keep your order confirmation email as evidence of your purchase date, as Lightricks may request this when you lodge your cancellation.
Consumer guarantees act protections beyond 14 days
New Zealand's Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 requires that services are of acceptable quality, fit for purpose, and delivered within a reasonable timeframe. If Lightricks fails to meet these obligations, such as the app crashing repeatedly, premium features malfunctioning, or service unavailability, you can demand a refund or replacement even after the 14-day cooling-off period expires. This is a powerful protection if the company declines to help after your initial cooling-off window closes.
For purchases made through the Apple App Store or Google Play, the Consumer Guarantees Act still applies to you as the consumer. The app store acts as the retailer, so you retain all statutory protections. Yafee advises documenting any service failures with screenshots and dates, as evidence strengthens your position if you escalate a dispute.
Fair trading act and misleading representations
If Lightricks advertised features you did not receive, or misled you about pricing, billing terms, or cancellation procedures, you can pursue a complaint under the Fair Trading Act 1986. Misleading or deceptive conduct is a breach of this legislation. Document everything: screenshots of advertisements, emails from Lightricks, and your subscription management page. Yafee recommends gathering and preserving these records before you contact support, as they become critical evidence if the company disputes your claim.
You can escalate Fair Trading Act breaches to the Commerce Commission, New Zealand's competition and consumer regulator, if Lightricks does not resolve your complaint within a reasonable time.
How to cancel your Lightricks subscription
Your cancellation method depends entirely on which platform processed your purchase. Follow the correct procedural steps for your specific channel to ensure your cancellation is processed without delay or confusion.
Cancel a subscription purchased directly from the Lightricks website
- Open your web browser and navigate to the Lightricks website (lightricks.com).
- Log in to your account using the email address and password associated with your subscription.
- If you have forgotten your password, select "Forgot password" and follow the recovery link sent to your email.
- Locate and click on your account menu, typically labelled "Profile", "Settings", or "My Account", usually positioned in the top-right corner of the page.
- Select "Subscriptions", "Manage subscription", or "Billing" from the menu options.
- Identify your active Lightricks subscription and click "Cancel subscription" or "End subscription".
- Review the cancellation summary, which displays your final charge date and when your access will terminate.
- Lightricks typically permits you to use the service until the end of your current billing cycle, after which auto-renewal stops.
- Note the exact cancellation date shown on screen for your records.
- Confirm your cancellation by clicking the final confirmation button. The system will display a cancellation confirmation message.
- Check your email inbox for a cancellation confirmation email within 24 hours. If you do not receive this email, log back into your account and verify that the subscription status shows "Cancelled".
Cancel a subscription purchased via the apple app store
- Open the Apple App Store application on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac device.
- Tap or click on your profile icon, typically located in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Select "Subscriptions" from the profile menu.
- Locate the Lightricks subscription in your active subscriptions list and tap or click on it.
- Click "Cancel Subscription" or "Remove" depending on your device's iOS version.
- Confirm the cancellation by selecting "Confirm" when the system prompts you to verify.
- Apple will display your renewal date and confirm that you retain access until the end of your billing cycle.
- Verify cancellation by returning to the subscriptions page. The Lightricks subscription should now appear in your "Expired subscriptions" section or display "Cancelled" status.
- Check your email for an Apple receipt confirming the cancellation. Save this for your records, as it serves as evidence if you later dispute a renewal charge.
Cancel a subscription purchased via google play
- Open the Google Play Store application on your Android device.
- Tap on your profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Select "Payments and subscriptions" from the dropdown menu.
- Tap "Subscriptions".
- Find Lightricks in your list of active subscriptions and tap on it.
- Select "Cancel subscription".
- Google Play will display a cancellation confirmation, including your final billing date and access end date. Review this information carefully.
- Tap "Cancel Subscription" again to confirm your choice.
- Google Play generates an automatic confirmation email, which you should receive within minutes.
- Return to your subscriptions list and verify that Lightricks no longer appears in your active subscriptions. You may see it listed under "Cancelled" or "Expired subscriptions".
Your legal position
Once you successfully cancel through your chosen platform, your subscription will no longer auto-renew at the end of your current billing cycle. You retain full access to premium features until your billing period expires. Lightricks cannot charge you further after cancellation unless you manually resubscribe. If you are charged after cancellation, contact your payment provider or the relevant app store immediately to dispute the unauthorised charge.
Understanding refunds and when you are entitled to them
Your refund eligibility depends on your purchase date, the reason for cancellation, and applicable consumer protection rules.
Refunds within the 14-day cooling-off period
If you cancel a Lightricks subscription purchased directly from the Lightricks website within 14 days of purchase, you are entitled to a full refund under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. Web-based purchases carry this mandatory cooling-off period at no cost to you. You do not need to provide a reason; Lightricks must refund you on request within this window. The refund should process to your original payment method within 5 to 10 business days, depending on your bank's processing speed.
For app store purchases (Apple or Google), the app store provider sets the refund window. Apple typically refunds within 15 days of purchase; Google Play typically refunds within 48 hours of the refund request. Yafee recommends checking the specific app store's refund policy before you purchase, as these timeframes may differ slightly by region.
Refunds for service failures or breach of consumer guarantees
If Lightricks has failed to deliver the service to an acceptable quality standard, you can demand a refund regardless of how long you have held the subscription. Service failures include persistent app crashes, missing or non-functional premium features, prolonged service outages, or features that do not match the advertised description. Gather evidence: take screenshots of errors, record crash reports, and note the dates and times when the service failed.
Contact Lightricks' customer support with this evidence and request a refund on the grounds that the service has breached the Consumer Guarantees Act. If Lightricks refuses, you can escalate your complaint to the Commerce Commission or pursue a dispute with your payment provider (bank or app store).
Refunds for misleading advertising
If you purchased the subscription because Lightricks misrepresented a feature or price, you may claim a refund under the Fair Trading Act 1986. Misleading conduct includes false claims about functionality, hidden fees, or incorrect cancellation terms. Document the misleading advertisement (screenshot or URL), your purchase confirmation, and your evidence that the claim was false (such as the app lacking the advertised feature).
Submit a complaint to Lightricks' support team with this documentation, stating that the purchase was made in reliance on false information and requesting a full refund. If Lightricks does not respond within 14 days, escalate to the Commerce Commission or to Yafee for guidance on your next steps.
Refund and payment method comparison
| Refund scenario |
Timeframe |
Who processes refund |
Your action |
| Web purchase, within 14 days (no reason required) |
5-10 business days |
Lightricks |
Cancel via website account settings |
| App store purchase, within store window (15 days Apple; 48 hours Google) |
3-5 business days |
Apple or Google Play |
Request refund directly via app store |
| Service failure or missing feature (any time) |
14-28 days (after dispute) |
Lightricks or payment provider |
Contact support with evidence; escalate if refused |
| Misleading advertising or pricing (any time) |
14-28 days (after dispute) |
Lightricks or Commerce Commission |
File complaint with evidence; escalate if no response |
What happens after you cancel
Cancellation does not end immediately; instead, your subscription typically runs until the end of your current billing cycle, after which it stops auto-renewing.
Your access after cancellation
Once you confirm cancellation, Lightricks does not cut off your access the same day. You retain full access to all premium features you paid for until your billing cycle ends. For example, if you paid on 1 August for a monthly subscription and cancel on 10 August, you can use the full service until 1 September. After that date, your access downgrades to the free version, and you cannot use any premium tools or features unless you resubscribe.
Stopping accidental resubscription
After your subscription expires, Lightricks may send promotional emails encouraging you to resubscribe. Do not accidentally click a "Reactivate" or "Renew" button in these emails, as doing so will restart your subscription and trigger a new charge. If you receive such an email and you do not wish to resubscribe, delete it or mark it as spam. If you are charged unexpectedly after cancellation, contact your bank or payment provider immediately to dispute the charge as unauthorised.
Requesting a fresh copy of your data
If you created edits, projects, or stored content within Lightricks, check whether you need to export or download this data before your subscription expires. Some premium features may prevent you from accessing your own work after downgrade. Log in a few days before your access ends and download any projects or content you wish to keep. Yafee advises doing this whilst you still have full access, as post-cancellation recovery may be difficult or impossible.
Common cancellation mistakes to avoid
Cancellation is straightforward if you follow the correct steps, but several pitfalls can delay refunds or leave you vulnerable to unexpected charges.
Mistake one: cancelling on the wrong platform
The most common error is attempting to cancel a subscription purchased via an app store by logging into the Lightricks website instead. These are separate systems. If you purchased via Google Play, you must cancel via Google Play; if you purchased via Apple, you must cancel via the App Store settings. Cancelling on the wrong platform will not stop your subscription or auto-renewal. Verify which platform you used by checking your email receipt or your payment card statements, then follow the exact cancellation steps for that platform.
Mistake two: failing to confirm cancellation
Some users begin the cancellation process, see a cancellation prompt, but do not click the final confirmation button. The subscription remains active in this state, and charges continue. Always complete every step, including the final confirmation, and verify that the system displays a "Cancellation confirmed" or "Subscription cancelled" message. Log back in 24 hours later to double-check that the subscription status has changed.
Mistake three: not checking email for confirmation
After cancellation, Lightricks or your app store should email a cancellation receipt within 24 hours. Check your inbox and spam folder for this email. If you do not receive one within two days, log back into your account and verify the subscription status manually. Email confirmation serves as proof of cancellation if you later dispute a charge or claim a refund, so retain these emails.
Mistake four: cancelling too late for a refund
If you cancel after the 14-day cooling-off window for a web purchase has expired, you forfeit your automatic refund right. You must then prove a service failure or misleading conduct to recover your money, which requires evidence and may take longer. Yafee advises cancelling as soon as you decide you no longer want the subscription, so you remain within the protected period if possible.
Mistake five: ignoring disputed charges after cancellation
If Lightricks charges you after you have cancelled, do not ignore the charge hoping it will resolve itself. Contact your bank or app store immediately to dispute it as unauthorised. Most payment providers allow disputes within 60 to 120 days of the charge. Waiting longer may prevent you from recovering the money through your bank's chargeback process.
Pricing comparison and subscription tiers
| Subscription tier |
Monthly cost (NZD) |
Annual cost (NZD) |
Key features |
| Free version |
Free |
Free |
Basic editing, limited filters, watermark applied |
| Lightricks Premium (monthly) |
$10.99 |
N/A |
Full editing suite, no watermark, priority support |
| Lightricks Premium (annual) |
$7.49 (approx.) |
$89.99 |
Full editing suite, no watermark, priority support, better value |
| Individual app premium (Facetune, Lightleap, or Motionleap) |
$4.99 to $6.99 |
$49.99 to $69.99 |
App-specific premium features, applies to one app only |
When to keep your Lightricks subscription and when to cancel
Before you cancel, consider whether your subscription genuinely no longer suits your needs or whether you might benefit from pausing use and reactivating it later.
Reasons to keep your subscription
If you regularly edit photos or videos, use Lightricks tools for social media content creation, or rely on the app for professional work, keeping your subscription is cost-effective. The no-watermark feature alone justifies the monthly cost if you share edited content publicly. Annual plans offer approximately 30 percent savings compared to monthly billing, so if you plan to use the app within the next year, an annual subscription is better value than cancelling and repurchasing later.
Reasons to cancel your subscription
If you have not opened the app in more than three months, your subscription is a sunk cost with no benefit. If you purchased it impulsively or discovered you prefer a different editing tool, cancel immediately to halt further charges and pursue a refund if you are within the 14-day cooling-off window. If the app crashes frequently or premium features do not work, cancelling is justified and grounds for a refund under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
Common customer reviews and satisfaction ratings
Lightricks holds a 4.5 out of 5-star average rating across app store reviews. Users praise the quality of editing tools, intuitive interface, and non-watermark functionality. Common complaints centre on subscription cost, billing renewal confusion, and occasionally unresponsive customer support. These reviews confirm that the app is genuinely effective for its purpose, but some users feel that the pricing or auto-renewal practices are frustrating.
If you find the cost excessive but like the app's functionality, consider waiting for promotional pricing during seasonal sales or switching to the free version with limited tools. If you are dissatisfied with support, Yafee helps you escalate complaints to the Commerce Commission.
If Lightricks does not respond to your cancellation request, refund claim, or complaint within 14 business days, you can escalate your matter to the Commerce Commission or pursue a dispute with your payment provider.
Lightricks customer support
Lightricks maintains a support portal accessible through their website. Contact them via in-app support chat, email to their support team, or through the "Help" or "Contact us" section of the Lightricks website. For general correspondence, Lightricks' registered office address is in Israel, though they do not publish a dedicated New Zealand postal address. Use the support portal for fastest response time.
Escalation to the commerce commission
If Lightricks breaches the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or Fair Trading Act 1986, or if you receive no response to a cancellation or refund request within 14 days, file a complaint with the Commerce Commission. You can submit a complaint online at www.commerce.govt.nz or by calling 0800 943 600. The Commerce Commission will investigate breaches of consumer protection law and may require Lightricks to refund you or take corrective action.
Disputing charges with your payment provider
If Lightricks has charged you after cancellation or refused an authorised refund, contact your bank, credit card provider, or payment platform (Apple, Google) and request a chargeback or reversal. Most financial institutions allow disputes within 60 to 120 days of the charge. Provide your cancellation confirmation email and any correspondence with Lightricks as evidence.
Final advice and next steps
Cancelling your Lightricks subscription is straightforward if you follow the correct steps for your purchase platform and act promptly. Within 14 days of a web purchase, you can cancel for any reason and recover your full payment. After 14 days, you must prove a service failure or misleading advertising to claim a refund, though the Consumer Guarantees Act still protects you.
Yafee has helped thousands of consumers navigate subscription cancellations and refund claims across software platforms. Whether you are cancelling Lightricks because you no longer use it, found a better alternative, or because the service has failed to deliver, Yafee ensures you understand your rights and take the correct action to avoid unnecessary charges or lost refunds. Document your purchase, cancellation, and any disputes in writing, preserve all emails and receipts, and escalate to the Commerce Commission if the company does not respond within 14 days. Yafee's legal guides are designed to empower you with the knowledge to assert your consumer rights confidently.
Visit Yafee.com today to access more detailed guides on subscription cancellation, refund claims, and consumer protection across New Zealand services. Yafee's team of contract specialists stands ready to clarify your rights and help you recover any money owed.