How to Cancel Hotspot Shield in 2025: Get an Easy Refund
Hotspot Shield is a well-known, reputable VPN, but I understand that it may not be for everyone. Luckily, it has a generous 45-day money-back guarantee that you can use to try it out first.
I tested its refund policy, and it held up, even if you bought the cheapest plan. However, if you cancel, I recommend trying another VPN to stay safe online. With rising security threats, a VPN is essential to protecting your online privacy. I tested the top 40+ VPN services to help you find a reliable replacement.
Quick Guide: How to Cancel Hotspot Shield and Get a Full Refund in 3 Easy Steps
- Sign in. To access your account dashboard, go to the Hotspot Shield website and log in.
- Cancel your subscription. Go to your account page and click Cancel plan.
- Request a refund. Ask for a refund via the online web form or live chat. I got my refund within 3 days.
Step-By-Step: How to Cancel Hotspot Shield in 2025 and Get a Refund
All Hotspot Shield subscriptions are backed by a 45-day money-back guarantee. They may ask why you want to cancel, but they won’t refuse your request, no matter your answer.
The exact process for canceling your account depends on how you sign up — via the website, Google Play, or App Store. If you signed up with the website or Google Play Store, you can manually cancel your account or ask customer support.
You need to contact support to get a refund. Any purchases made via the App Store can only be refunded through it, but you'll get your money back as long as it's within the money-back period.
I recommend signing up through the website and using the browser dashboard to manage your account. I found this to be the simplest way. After signing up, you can download and install its various apps on all your supported devices.
Cancel Your Hotspot Shield Account on the Website Dashboard
- Log in. Firstly, sign in to the Hotspot Shield website using the same details you used to register, and go to Account Info.
This is the easiest way to cancel your Hotspot Shield account
- Cancel your subscription. Click the Cancel plan button under your Membership details.
You won’t find this option inside the Hotspot Shield desktop app
- Complete the short survey and confirm cancelation. Hotspot Shield may ask you for the reason you’re canceling. It doesn’t matter what you answer — it’s just for marketing purposes.
You'll still have access to premium features until the end of your billing cycle
If you want to ensure no money will be deducted, you can also stop recurring payments through PayPal or your bank, depending on your billing method. However, if you follow the steps above, you should no longer be charged.
Cancel Your Hotspot Shield Subscription via Google Play
It's recommended that you cancel your Hotspot Shield payments using the Google Play Store if you subscribed through it. This is very easy to do and took me less than 5 minutes. If you’re still using Hotspot Shield's 7-day free trial, you can cancel within this period to avoid getting charged in the first place.
- Open the Google Play Store. After opening the Play Store app and tap your profile icon in the top right.
- Access your Google Play Store subscriptions. Select Payments and subscriptions from the Google Account menu. Then, select Subscriptions.
You should see your Hotspot Shield subscription with the billing details.
- Cancel your Hotspot Shield subscription. Find Hotspot Shield in the list and tap on its name to manage your subscription. Then, hit the Cancel subscription button.
Google Play Store will ask you why you want to cancel and to confirm it multiple times
Now, the Google Play Store will no longer charge you for Hotspot Shield, but your subscription will remain active for the remainder of the billing cycle. To claim a refund, contact Hotspot Shield customer support before the end of the 45-day money-back period.
Cancel Your Hotspot Shield Subscription via the App Store
Due to Apple’s policies, you can only cancel your account and request a refund via the App Store. Like Google Play subscriptions, most new users will start off with a 7-day free trial. So, you can follow the same process below to avoid getting charged.
- Launch Settings. Make sure that you’re signed in with the same Apple ID that you used to purchase Hotspot Shield and launch the Settings app.
- Find your Hotspot Shield subscription. Tap your name at the top of the Settings screen and then Subscriptions.
- Cancel your subscription. Tap on Hotspot Shield, and then press Cancel subscription. You may be asked why you want to cancel and to confirm your decision.
If you signed up this way, you must head to the official support site at reportaproblem.apple.com and create a ticket asking for a refund. As you’ll be dealing with Apple’s support staff, your experience might differ. However, I asked a Hotspot Shield support agent, and they confirmed that the 45-day money-back guarantee still applies.
Request a Refund From Hotspot Shield Through its Online Form
Now that you’ve canceled your plan and payments, you need to contact support to ask for your money back (within 45-day refund period). You can do this via web form, or live chat if you have the time. I used the web form found on the support page.
- Contact Hotspot Shield support. Log back into the website account dashboard. Navigate to the support contacts by clicking Support in the left hand menu.
You may be asked to narrow down your request first — choose "Purchase-related"
- Fill in your email request. Make sure to provide the same email that you registered your account with and clearly state that you want a refund.
If you see a “success” page, your refund request will be received
- Check your emails. I wasn’t even asked why I was requesting a refund, only why I decided to try Hotspot Shield in the first place. To be safe, I replied that I no longer needed a VPN and re-confirmed that I’d like to proceed with the refund.
Hotspot Shield's support staff were friendly and courteous throughout the process
- Wait for confirmation. A Hotspot Shield support agent replied to my email, reassuring me that my refund has been processed and that they will proceed with canceling my account. I also received an automated confirmation email.
Refunds can take anywhere from 3 to 15 business days, depending on your bank
- Receive your refund. Once the refund has been processed, you don’t need to do anything else. You should receive it via the same payment method you used to sign up — mine was back in my bank account within 3 days. Keep in mind that you’ll lose access to premium features after requesting a refund.
I was very happy with the straightforward refund process. My test verified Hotspot Shield’s promise of a 45-day money-back guarantee on all plans. Even though I submitted my request via its online form, the support staff were always quick to respond. They were courteous and professional throughout and made it clear that I could contact them again if I had any other concerns.
Request a Refund From Hotspot Shield Through Live Chat
- Access Hotspot Shield support. Log into your account dashboard and click on Support in the left hand menu. Click Support again, and it will automatically launch a live chat box.
- Get in touch with a support agent. Start by following the AI Chatbot text prompts until it puts you in touch with an agent.
The chatbot may also ask for your name and email to streamline the support process
- Request a refund. Answer the support agent’s questions. They may try to convince you to keep using Hotspot Shield. Just keep requesting a refund until they approve your request.
The agent said that it might take 5-10 days to get my money back
- Check your email. Once the support agent approves your request, you should receive a confirmation email almost immediately. I also got a refund email from PayPal at roughly the same time.
As an extra precaution, you can also cancel recurring payments in your PayPal account
Unlike requesting a refund via web form, be prepared to answer a lot of questions. The agent tried to upsell me multiple times, even offering me extra free premium days and a discount. Plus, she threatened that I would be exposed to scammers and hackers. Although it was faster, I preferred the email method as I wasn’t questioned at all.
FAQs on Canceling Hotspot Shield and Getting a Refund
What is Hotspot Shield's refund policy?
Cancel within the 45-day guarantee period, and you’ll get your money back. You also don’t need to provide a valid reason to cancel your account. To get your money back from Hotspot Shield, cancel your account and contact support.
Hotspot Shield also typically offers a 7-day free trial for its Android and iOS apps (and, occasionally, for signups on the website). In this case, you can try it without having to make an upfront payment, although you’ll have less time to test it.
How long will it take to get my refund from Hotspot Shield?
Hotspot Shield processes refunds pretty quickly, provided you follow the correct process. It also depends on the method you use. When submitting your refund request via the online web form, you can expect payment within 5 working days. You may get approval even faster using live chat as their staff usually replies within minutes; however, it’s not available 24/7.
To expedite your Hotspot Shield refund, respond to any emails following your request. In most cases, once your refund is confirmed it should only take a few days at most, depending on your bank.
Can I still get a refund if I cancel after the money-back guarantee period?
No, Hotspot Shield doesn’t provide refund requests after the 45-day guarantee period. Hotspot Shield is very clear and transparent about this in its policies. The same goes for most premium VPNs with a money-back guarantee. However, this is more than enough time to test Hotspot Shield, as most VPNs only offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Cancel Hotspot Shield in Minutes
Hotspot Shield's cancelation and refund process is straightforward. You can ask for your money back via an online web form or live chat. I got the money back paid into my bank account within 3 days.
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