You can cancel a Shopify app subscription by uninstalling it from your admin panel under Settings > Apps. The process takes about 30 seconds, but there are a few billing details worth knowing before you click the button, especially if the app charges you outside of Shopify or you want a refund for the current cycle.
Uninstall the App From Your Admin
On desktop, go to Settings > Apps in your Shopify admin. Find the app you want to remove, click the three-dot menu icon next to it, and select Uninstall. Shopify will ask you to pick a reason for uninstalling (this is optional), then click Uninstall again to confirm.
On the Shopify mobile app, tap Menu, then Settings, then Apps under the Store settings section. From there the steps are the same: tap the menu next to the app, select Uninstall, and confirm.
Uninstalling a paid app cancels all future recurring charges that go through Shopify’s billing system. You won’t be billed again on the next cycle. However, you may still owe for the current billing period, since Shopify doesn’t automatically prorate or refund the time remaining.
Check for External Billing
Some third-party apps don’t bill through Shopify at all. They charge your credit card or PayPal account directly, and those charges never appear on your Shopify invoice. Uninstalling one of these apps from your admin does not stop the external subscription. You need to cancel it separately with the app developer.
If you’re not sure whether an app bills externally, check your Shopify billing page under Settings > Billing. If the app’s charges don’t show up there, the developer is billing you independently. Look for a billing or account settings page inside the app itself, or visit the developer’s website to cancel. This is the most common reason store owners keep getting charged after they think they’ve canceled an app.
How to Request a Refund
Shopify itself cannot issue refunds for third-party app charges. You have to go directly to the app developer. The easiest way to reach them is through the Shopify App Store: search for the app, click on its listing, and hit Get support. Fill in your details, explain the refund request, and send the message.
When you contact the developer, have two pieces of information ready: the date you uninstalled the app and the start date of the app’s most recent billing period. Whether you get a refund depends entirely on the developer’s own policy, which you can usually find on their App Store listing page or their website. Some developers are generous with refunds, others are strict.
For apps built by Shopify (not third-party developers), refund requests may be approved if you uninstalled within seven days of the billing period’s start date.
If the charge was processed through Shopify, the developer can issue either a direct refund or a credit toward future App Store purchases. That credit will show up on your next subscription bill. If the charge was processed externally, the refund goes back through whatever payment method you originally used.
Remove Leftover Code From Your Theme
Many Shopify apps inject snippets of code into your store’s theme files when you install them. Uninstalling the app doesn’t always clean those up. Leftover scripts and styling can slow down your site or cause visual glitches, so it’s worth checking after you uninstall.
Start by duplicating your current theme so you have a backup. Go to Online Store > Themes, find your active theme, and use the option to duplicate it. Then click Edit code on the original.
Use the search function inside the code editor to look for the app’s name, or any filenames, CSS classes, or JavaScript references tied to it. Common places to find remnants include theme.liquid, header.liquid, and footer.liquid. Delete any script tags, CSS files, or HTML blocks that belong to the uninstalled app, then save your changes.
After cleaning up, browse your store and test key pages to make sure nothing broke. If something looks wrong, you can switch back to the duplicate theme you created as a backup. Some app developers also publish removal instructions in their documentation, which can save you from hunting through code files manually.
Prevent Surprise Charges Going Forward
Before each billing cycle, visit Settings > Billing in your Shopify admin and review the upcoming charges listed there. This gives you a clear view of which apps are still active and what they cost. If you see an app you thought you canceled, it may still be installed or may bill externally.
If you’re planning to deactivate your entire Shopify store, app charges billed through Shopify stop automatically when the store is deactivated. But any apps with external billing will keep charging you unless you cancel those subscriptions separately before shutting things down.