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Cancel Medium: Step-by-Step Guide
How to cancel your Medium subscription in south africa and protect your account
Understanding Medium and your membership
Medium is a global publishing platform where writers, journalists, and independent creators share long-form articles with millions of readers. When you subscribe as a member in South Africa, you unlock unlimited access to premium content, audio narration, offline reading, and the ability to support writers directly through your membership fee.
Your membership works differently depending on how you subscribed. If you signed up via the Medium website using a credit card or PayPal, Medium handles your billing directly. If you subscribed through the Apple App Store or Google Play, Apple or Google manages your payment and renewal. This distinction matters enormously when you cancel, because each platform has different cancellation procedures and timelines.
Yafee specialises in helping South African consumers navigate subscription cancellations with precision and legal clarity. This guide walks you through every cancellation method, your consumer rights under South African law, and what happens to your account, posts, and reading history after you cancel.
Why subscribers in south africa cancel
You might cancel because you've finished reading what you needed, found free alternatives, or simply want to reduce your monthly spending. Whatever your reason, cancelling promptly prevents unnecessary charges and gives you back control of your budget. At Yafee, we understand that subscription fatigue is real, and your decision to cancel deserves respect and clarity.
What stays with you after cancellation
A crucial fact: when you cancel your Medium membership, your account does not disappear. Your published articles, highlights, reading lists, and comments remain on the platform indefinitely. You lose access to member-only content and premium features, but your identity and contributions stay intact. This distinction often reassures writers who worry that cancellation means erasure.
Medium pricing and billing in south africa
Before you decide to cancel, understand exactly what you pay and which tier you hold.
Current membership tiers and renewal dates
Medium offers two membership levels in South Africa, each available on a monthly or annual billing cycle. Prices are shown in South African rand (ZAR) and sourced from the official Medium Help Center. Your exact price depends on your subscription date, currency conversion rates at the time of signup, and any promotions applied to your account.
| Membership tier | Billing cycle | Price (ZAR) | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Monthly | R74.99 | Unlimited articles, audio narration, offline reading, writer support fund |
| Member | Annual | R739.99 | Same benefits, charged once per year |
| Friend | Monthly | R299.99 | All Member benefits plus exclusive friend-only stories and direct writer access |
| Friend | Annual | R2,999.99 | All Friend benefits, charged once per year |
Real annual costs and hidden renewal patterns
If you pay R74.99 monthly, you spend R899.88 per year. Over three years without cancellation, that totals R2,699.64. If you signed up for the annual plan at R739.99, you've locked in a lower per-month rate but committed to a larger upfront payment. Many South African subscribers forget their renewal date and discover a surprise charge months later. Cancelling before your next billing date is the only way to prevent this.
Your consumer rights and what Medium must do
South African law gives you explicit protections when you cancel digital subscriptions.
The consumer protection act and your cancellation rights
Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (No. 68 of 2008), Medium must inform you clearly of the cancellation method, your renewal date, and any conditions attached to cancellation. Critically, you have the right to cancel at any time without penalty, provided you give Medium notice before your next billing date. If Medium charges you after you've submitted a valid cancellation request, that charge is unlawful, and you can claim a refund from the National Consumer Commission (NCC) if Medium refuses to repay you voluntarily.
Furthermore, the Consumer Protection Act requires that Medium provides cancellation in a manner that is "not substantially more onerous" than the method you used to subscribe. If you subscribed with one click on the Medium website, cancellation must be similarly straightforward. This is your legal baseline, and Yafee ensures you understand it fully before you proceed.
Your legal position
You have the right to cancel your Medium subscription at any time. Medium must stop charging you before your next renewal date if you cancel before that date. If you cancel after your renewal date, you have forfeited that payment (unless Medium's terms offer a refund period, which they do not). You can escalate disputes to the National Consumer Commission if Medium refuses to honour your cancellation or continues to charge after you've cancelled.
Cancellation methods for each subscription type
Your cancellation route depends on where you subscribed and which payment method you used.
Cancelling a web-based subscription (credit card or PayPal)
If you signed up directly on Medium.com using a credit card or PayPal, you must cancel through your Medium account settings. This is the most direct method and gives you immediate confirmation of cancellation.
- Log in to your Medium account at medium.com using your email and password
- If you've forgotten your password, click "Forgot password?" on the login page and follow the email reset link
- Click your profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen
- Your profile icon shows your initials or profile photo
- Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu
- This opens your account settings page
- Click "Membership & payments" in the left sidebar
- You'll see your current plan, renewal date, and payment method
- Click the "Manage your membership" button or link next to your plan details
- This takes you to a page showing your subscription status and options
- Click "Cancel membership" and confirm your choice
- Medium will ask why you're leaving (optional feedback)
- After confirmation, you'll see a cancellation receipt with your cancellation date
Cancelling an apple app store subscription (iPhone or iPad)
If you subscribed via the Apple App Store, Apple manages your billing and renewal. You must cancel through Apple's system, not through Medium itself. Cancelling via Medium's website will not stop Apple from charging you.
- On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app
- Do not open the Medium app
- Tap your Apple ID name at the top of the screen
- If you use iOS 13 or earlier, tap "Settings" > "iTunes & App Stores" > Apple ID > "View Apple ID"
- Tap "Subscriptions"
- You'll see all active subscriptions linked to your Apple ID
- Find "Medium" in the list and tap it
- If you don't see Medium, you are not subscribed via Apple
- Tap "Cancel Subscription"
- Apple will ask for confirmation and may offer a discount to retain your subscription
- Confirm your cancellation
- You'll receive an email confirmation from Apple with your cancellation date
- Your subscription remains active until the end of your current billing period
Cancelling a google play subscription (Android)
If you subscribed via Google Play on an Android device, Google handles your billing. You must cancel through the Google Play app or Google Play website, not through Medium's app or website.
- On your Android device, open the Google Play Store app
- Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner
- Select "Payments and subscriptions"
- This shows all subscriptions tied to your Google account
- Tap "Subscriptions"
- You'll see a list of active and cancelled subscriptions
- Find "Medium" and tap it
- If you don't see Medium here, you did not subscribe via Google Play
- Tap "Cancel subscription"
- Google will ask why you're cancelling and may offer a retention offer
- Confirm your cancellation
- You'll receive an email from Google confirming the cancellation date
- Your subscription remains active until the end of your current billing cycle
Timeline and what happens after cancellation
Timing is critical when you cancel a subscription, because your cancellation is effective only if Medium processes it before your renewal date.
When cancellation takes effect
When you submit a cancellation request, Medium (or Apple or Google, depending on your subscription type) processes it immediately and sends you a confirmation. However, your membership does not end on that day. Instead, it ends on your next scheduled renewal date. For example, if your renewal date is 15 January 2025 and you cancel on 1 January 2025, you retain full access until 15 January 2025. After that date, you can no longer access member-only articles, audio narration, or offline reading features.
Checking your cancellation status
After you cancel, log back into your Medium account and navigate to "Settings" > "Membership & payments" to verify that your cancellation is recorded. Your page should show "Your membership is set to cancel" or "No active membership" depending on whether you're still within your paid period. If you subscribed via Apple or Google, check your Apple ID Settings or Google Play account respectively to confirm the cancellation appears there.
At Yafee, we recommend taking a screenshot of your cancellation confirmation for your records. If Medium continues to charge you after your cancellation date, you'll have proof that you cancelled and can use this screenshot to claim a refund from Medium or escalate to the National Consumer Commission.
What remains after cancellation
Your Medium account stays active. You can still read free, non-member articles on the platform. Your published articles, drafts, followers, and publication settings remain unchanged. You simply lose access to the premium reading features and member-only content library. If you wish to delete your account entirely, Medium offers a separate account deletion option in Settings, but this is not required to cancel your membership.
Refunds and financial recovery
South African consumer law sets clear rules on refunds for subscription cancellations.
When Medium must refund your money
Medium does not offer prorated refunds for partial months. If you cancel on 10 January and your renewal date is 20 January, you do not receive a refund for the 10 days remaining in your billing cycle. This is standard practice across subscription services and is permitted under the Consumer Protection Act. However, if Medium charges you after your cancellation date, you are entitled to a full refund of that illegal charge.
Consequently, the best way to avoid unexpected charges is to cancel well before your renewal date. If you're unsure of your renewal date, check your Medium account or your payment method's statement to identify it, then mark your calendar for at least five days before that date.
Claiming a refund if Medium refuses
If Medium continues to charge you after you've cancelled, follow this escalation process:
- Contact Medium's customer support via email with your cancellation confirmation screenshot
- Include your Medium account email address, the charges in question, and your cancellation date
- Medium typically responds within 5 to 10 business days
- If Medium denies your refund request, submit a complaint to the National Consumer Commission (NCC)
- Visit www.ncc.org.za and complete the online complaint form
- Include your Medium account details, proof of charges, and copies of all correspondence with Medium
- The NCC investigates complaints free of charge and can order Medium to refund you
- As a last resort, issue a chargeback through your bank or credit card company
- Contact your bank's fraud or disputes department and provide proof of cancellation and illegal charges
- Your bank will reverse the unauthorised charges and may investigate Medium's billing practices
Common mistakes that prevent successful cancellation
Cancellation is straightforward, but small errors often leave subscribers vulnerable to continued charges.
Forgetting to cancel before your renewal date
The single most common mistake is waiting until after your renewal date to cancel. Once Medium has charged you for a new billing cycle, that payment is non-refundable under their standard terms. To protect yourself, calculate your renewal date, subtract five days, and set a phone reminder for that date. This gives you a safety window before the charge goes through.
Cancelling via the wrong platform
If you subscribed via Apple App Store but cancel through the Medium website, your subscription will not cancel. Apple continues charging you because Apple, not Medium, controls your subscription. Similarly, if you subscribed directly on Medium.com but try to cancel via Google Play, Google has no record of your subscription and cannot cancel it. Always cancel through the same platform where you subscribed. If you're unsure which platform you used, check your payment statements or bank records to see whether charges came from "Medium", "Apple", or "Google". Yafee's guides help thousands of South Africans avoid this costly confusion every month.
Missing cancellation confirmation emails
After you cancel, check your email (including spam and promotions folders) for a confirmation message from Medium, Apple, or Google. This email contains your cancellation date and serves as proof that you cancelled. If you don't receive a confirmation within 24 hours, log back into your account and verify that your cancellation was processed. If it wasn't, repeat the cancellation steps immediately.
Keeping or rejoining Medium after cancellation
Cancellation is not permanent, and you can resubscribe at any time if your reading needs change.
When to keep your Medium membership
Keep your membership if you read Medium articles at least twice per week. If you're actively following specific publications or writers, the unlimited access feature justifies the R74.99 monthly cost. Medium also supports writers directly through membership fees, so if you value independent journalism, your subscription funds quality content creation. Compare this against the cost of traditional news subscriptions or alternative platforms before you decide to leave.
Resubscribing after cancellation
After you cancel, you can resubscribe at any time by navigating to Medium.com, selecting "Subscribe" or "Upgrade to Member", and choosing your billing frequency. Your old account remains intact with all your reading history, highlights, and comments. You do not lose any data by cancelling, which makes it safe to cancel if you plan to return later.
Contact details and further support
If you encounter problems cancelling your Medium subscription, the following resources will help you resolve the issue.
Contacting Medium directly
Medium's official cancellation process is described in their Member Services Terms of Service, available in their Help Center at medium.com/help. If the self-service cancellation steps above do not work, email Medium's support team through your account settings. Include your account email, the issue you're facing, and any error messages you received. Medium typically responds within 5 to 10 business days.
Escalating to the national consumer commission
If Medium refuses to process your cancellation or denies a refund claim, file a complaint with the National Consumer Commission. The NCC is South Africa's statutory consumer protection authority and investigates subscription disputes free of charge. Visit www.ncc.org.za to submit an online complaint, or contact them at 012 428 7000 during business hours (08:00 to 16:30, Monday to Friday).
Summary table: cancellation methods at a glance
| Subscription type | How to cancel | Processing time | Confirmation method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium.com (web) | Settings > Membership > Cancel | Immediate | Email confirmation from Medium |
| Apple App Store (iOS) | Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions > Cancel | Immediate | Email confirmation from Apple |
| Google Play (Android) | Google Play Store > Subscriptions > Cancel | Immediate | Email confirmation from Google |
Cancelling your Medium subscription in South Africa is simple when you follow these steps and choose the correct cancellation method for your subscription type. Your membership can end as straightforwardly as it began, and your account and content remain secure regardless of your subscription status. Whether you're cutting back on digital subscriptions or moving to a different reading platform, Yafee has helped thousands of consumers navigate this process with confidence and clarity. Remember to cancel before your renewal date, keep your cancellation confirmation, and escalate to the National Consumer Commission if Medium refuses to honour your cancellation. Your consumer rights are backed by South African law, and you have every right to expect prompt, friction-free cancellation.