How to Get a VPN Refund from Google Play and App Store

Things don’t always work out when it comes to subscription-based VPNs. Maybe their service is slower than you expected, or it can’t unblock Netflix as advertised. Any number of technical issues could lead you to get a VPN refund.

Of course, not everyone gets subscriptions directly through the provider’s website. If you’ve subscribed through Google or Apple, your provider might not be able to offer you a refund themselves. In fact, they mention this detail in their refund policies. Here’s an example excerpt from NordVPN:

This applies to most (if not all) VPN providers: you are bound to a different refund policy if you didn’t purchase it from their own website. It makes sense, right? Although, in Google’s case, you might need to get in contact with your provider’s customer support anyway. See below for details.

Whatever your reason is, here’s how you can get a VPN refund from either the Google Play Store or the App Store. Here’s a table of contents so you can jump to the section you’re interested in.

• How to Get a VPN Refund from the Google Play Store
  • Cancelling Your VPN Subscription on Google Play
• How to Get a VPN Refund from the App Store
• You Got Your VPN Refund – What Next?

How to Get a VPN Refund from the Google Play Store

For subscriptions purchased within two days (48 hours), you may be able to request a refund directly from the Google Play Store. Here’s how to proceed, for both mobile and desktops:

• Open your browser and type in play.google.com. Alternatively, use the Google Play Store app on mobile.
• Click or tap the menu button (three horizontal lines).
• Select Account, then Order history (Purchase history in the app).
• On your VPN subscription, select Request a refund.
• You will need to complete a form and leave a note stating that you’d like a refund.

Once that’s over, you’ll get an email with your refund decision between 15 minutes and 4 business days. Yeah, that’s a pretty large jump, but there are probably thousands of refund requests they have to process on a daily basis.

Now, if you want to get a VPN refund from your provider after 48 hours have passed, you will first need to cancel your subscription through the Google Play Store. Make sure you are still eligible for a refund by reading your provider’s money-back guarantee clauses in their terms of service.

Here’s how to do it.

Cancelling Your VPN Subscription on Google Play

For mobile devices, it’s pretty easy:

• Open the Google Play Store. Sign in if you haven’t already. Tap the menu button and head to Subscriptions.

• Tap on the icon for your VPN app. Select “Cancel Subscription” and follow the steps.

• Here are your options for canceling. Press Continue once you’re done.

The process is fairly similar on desktops:

• Go to play.google.com. Make sure you’re signed in.
• Click “My subscriptions” in the left-side menu.
• Select your VPN subscription.
• Click Manage, then Cancel Subscription.

This won’t automatically trigger a refund request. You will need to contact customer support to request a refund. Now, depending on your VPN provider, this request could go through their live chat service or through an email that looks like this: [email protected][yourvpnprovider].com or [email protected][yourvpnprovider].com. Something similar, anyway.

Here’s confirmation on that fact from a CyberGhost customer service rep.

Depending on the provider, you should expect to be asked why you want a refund. Thankfully, most top VPNs have courteous support reps and you won’t meet much opposition. If everything succeeds, you will need to provide one of the following to customer support:

• The Google Play email address you signed up with.
• Your Google Order number, which begins with GPA.

And that’s about all you need to get a VPN refund from the Google Play Store. Apple, on the other hand, has their own set of policies to adhere to. That means you don’t need to go through your provider’s customer support to get a refund.

How to Get a VPN Refund from the App Store

Unfortunately, you’ll have to go through Apple’s customer support to get a refund on your VPN. Let’s get straight to the point:

• Go to reportaproblem.apple.com – as always, be sure you’re signed in with your Apple ID. You can find a list of all your purchases here, including any free apps you’ve downloaded, as well as your VPN subscription. Find your VPN app in the list and click/ tap on Report or Report a Problem.

• Click or tap on “Choose Problem” – there will be a few options on why you’d want a refund. For accidental purchases (or if you intended to purchase a different VPN subscription), you will need to enter a brief explanation of your situation in the provided text box.

• Here’s what options you can expect when you click or tap on “Choose Problem.”

Note: you can’t get a refund for a pending charge. You’ll need to wait until the payment goes through before requesting the VPN refund. An update on your request should arrive within 48 hours, though when you actually get your money back depends on your payment method.

Just in case, make sure you are within your provider’s 30-day money-back guarantee (or an applicable number of days) before making a request.

Don’t expect it to be honored by Apple (even if there’s a good reason for it), either. A quick Google search reveals that many people have had problems with Apple refunds, so keep that in mind. As the replies point out, you should stay civil and keep pushing if you believe you are in the right.

You Got Your VPN Refund – What Next?

Just because it didn’t work out with one VPN, that doesn’t mean you should quit looking. After you get your “we’re sorry to see you go” messages from customer support, check out our VPN lists for some top-notch recommendations:

• Your provider couldn’t unblock Netflix? Check out our best VPNs for Netflix in 2020 and don’t miss The Office before it’s off to NBC’s streaming platform!
• Looking for some quality UK productions? Our list of the best VPNs for BBC iPlayer will let you discover a whole new world of entertainment.
• Is unblocking entertainment websites an afterthought? Just want an all-around great VPN? Then see our six best VPNs for 2020 for an in-depth look at the top contenders.

What made you want to get a refund on your subscription? Did your VPN refund request work out? Let us know in the comments or on social media!