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How to cancel Medium membership in malaysia and stop recurring charges

What Medium is and why malaysians are signing up

Medium is a U.S.-based online publishing platform where readers pay for unlimited access to member-only stories, audio narrations, and ad-free reading, while writers earn money from reader engagement. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Francisco, Medium operates globally, including Malaysia, through its website and mobile apps available on both iOS and Android.

The service charges your payment method on a recurring monthly or yearly basis, depending on which plan you choose. If you subscribed on 15 March, your next charge will typically arrive on the 15th of each following month or year. This recurring billing model is standard for digital memberships, but it also means you need to cancel deliberately to stop charges from continuing.

The two membership tiers Medium offers

Medium offers two paid membership options beyond the free tier. The standard plan is called Medium Member, and the premium option is Friend of Medium. Each tier gives you different levels of reading access and writer support features.

Understanding which plan you currently have is crucial before you cancel, because your cancellation confirmation will reference it by name. At Stopee, we recommend screenshotting your membership page right now so you have proof of what you paid for and when your next billing date arrives.

Why you might want to cancel Medium

Not every subscription deserves to stay active forever. You might cancel Medium for several practical reasons: you no longer read enough to justify the monthly charge, you prefer free news sources, the content no longer matches your interests, or you are simply tightening your household budget.

Whatever your reason, cancelling Medium is completely your right as a consumer. At Stopee, we have helped thousands of consumers take control of their subscriptions and stop unwanted recurring charges. Your decision to cancel is valid, and this guide will walk you through every step without judgment.

Common reasons malaysians cancel Medium

Our research at Stopee shows that Malaysian subscribers typically cancel Medium for one of these reasons: they discovered free alternatives like news portals or social media, they signed up on impulse and did not use it regularly, the monthly charge added up faster than expected, or they simply did not find enough stories relevant to their interests.

If any of these sound familiar, you are not alone. Subscription fatigue is real in Malaysia, and taking action to cancel unused services is a smart financial move. The sooner you cancel, the sooner you stop losing money to a service you are not using.

Medium's cancellation methods depend on where you subscribed

The path to cancelling Medium changes depending on whether you signed up directly on the Medium website, through Apple's App Store, or through Google Play. This matters because your payment method controls where you cancel, not Medium itself.

If you subscribed on the Medium website using your credit card or debit card, you cancel through your Medium account settings. If you subscribed through Apple, you cancel in Apple's system. If you subscribed through Google, you cancel in Google's system. Attempting to cancel in the wrong place will waste your time and leave your subscription active.

Three platforms where you might have subscribed

• Medium website directly: You created an account on medium.com and paid with your card at checkout. Cancellation happens in your account settings on the website.
• Apple App Store (iPhone or iPad): You subscribed from the Medium app and Apple charged your linked payment method. Cancellation happens in the App Store settings, not in Medium.
• Google Play Store (Android): You subscribed from the Medium app on Android and Google charged your linked payment method. Cancellation happens in Google Play settings, not in Medium.

If you are not sure which platform you used, check your last bank or credit card statement. The charge will show either "Medium", "Apple", or "Google" as the merchant name. At Stopee, we recommend taking a screenshot of this charge before you cancel, so you have proof of where your money went.

How to cancel Medium if you subscribed on the website

If you signed up directly on medium.com and entered your payment card details there, this is the cancellation method you need. The process is straightforward when you know the exact steps, but Medium does not make the cancellation button obvious, which is frustrating by design.

Pro tip: Cancel at least 24 to 48 hours before your next billing date. This gives you time to screenshot the confirmation and contact Medium support if something goes wrong, rather than scrambling at the last minute.

1. Log into your Medium account by visiting medium.com and clicking your profile picture in the top-right corner of the homepage.
   • If you are not already logged in, enter your email and password.
   • If you use social login (Google, Apple, or email magic link), use that same method to log back in.
2. Click the Settings option in the dropdown menu that appears under your profile picture.
   • Settings will open in a new page showing your account information.
3. Scroll down to find the section labeled Membership or Billing.
   • This section shows your current plan (Medium Member or Friend of Medium), your next billing date, and your payment method.
4. Click the button that says Cancel membership or Manage subscription.
   • Medium will prompt you with a warning explaining that you will lose access to member-only content at the end of your current billing period.
5. Confirm your cancellation by clicking the final confirmation button.
   • Medium will ask if you want to give feedback before you leave. This is optional. Providing feedback helps Medium improve, but you can also skip it.
   • Your access will end at midnight on the last day of your current paid period. You will not be charged again after that date.
6. Screenshot the confirmation message immediately.
   • Save this as proof that you cancelled. Keep it for at least 90 days in case Medium charges you by mistake or you need to dispute a charge.
   • At Stopee, we recommend storing a copy of this screenshot in your email or cloud storage as well.

Warning: After you cancel, you will still have access to all member content until the end of your paid period. Medium will not cut off access the moment you click cancel. This is standard practice, so do not worry if you can still read stories after cancelling. Your subscription simply will not renew.

How to cancel Medium if you subscribed through apple

If you subscribed to Medium using the Medium app on your iPhone or iPad, and you paid through Apple, your subscription is tied to your Apple ID, not your Medium account. This means you must cancel through Apple's system, not through the Medium app itself.

Many people make the mistake of trying to cancel inside the Medium app, then panic when they still get charged because the cancellation never goes through. Apple controls the billing, so Apple is where you cancel. Stopee guides thousands of Apple subscribers through this process every month, so follow these steps exactly.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
   • Find Settings in your home screen or by swiping down and searching.
2. Tap your Apple ID name at the very top of the Settings menu.
   • You will see your name, email, and phone number displayed.
3. Select Subscriptions from the menu options.
   • You may need to scroll down to find it.
   • If you do not see Subscriptions, check under iTunes & App Store instead, then tap your Apple ID and choose View Apple ID, then look for Subscriptions.
4. Look for Medium in the list of active subscriptions.
   • You will see your plan name (Medium Member or Friend of Medium), your renewal date, and the price.
5. Tap Medium to open the subscription details page.
   • This page shows your billing history and next renewal date.
6. Tap Cancel subscription at the bottom of the page.
   • Apple will ask you to confirm the cancellation and may offer a discount to keep you subscribed. Ignore the offer if you want to cancel.
7. Confirm that you want to cancel by tapping the final confirmation prompt.
   • Your Medium subscription will end at the end of your current paid period.
   • You will receive an email confirmation from Apple within a few minutes.
8. Take a screenshot of the confirmation screen showing the cancellation date.
   • Save this proof in case you need to dispute any future charges.

Pro tip: If you ever subscribed to Medium on the website and later installed the Medium app and subscribed again through Apple, you now have two active subscriptions. You must cancel both separately: one through your Medium account settings and one through Apple. At Stopee, we have helped customers discover hidden duplicate subscriptions costing them money every month.

How to cancel Medium if you subscribed through google play

If you subscribed to Medium using the Medium app on your Android phone or tablet, and you paid through Google Play, your subscription is managed by Google, not by Medium. You must cancel through Google Play, or your subscription will keep renewing automatically.

The steps are slightly different from Apple, but the principle is the same: the payment platform controls the cancellation, not the app itself. Follow these steps carefully to avoid mistakes.

1. Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
   • Look for the Play Store icon on your home screen or in your app drawer.
2. Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner of the Play Store screen.
   • This is usually a circular image with your name or initial.
3. Select Manage subscriptions or Subscriptions from the menu.
   • This will show all active subscriptions linked to your Google account.
4. Find Medium in your active subscriptions list.
   • You will see your plan type, renewal date, and monthly or annual charge.
5. Tap Medium to open the subscription details.
   • This page shows your payment method and billing history.
6. Tap Cancel subscription at the bottom of the page.
   • Google Play may ask you why you are cancelling or offer you a discount. You can provide feedback or skip the survey.
7. Confirm your cancellation in the final popup window.
   • Your subscription will end on the last day of your current billing period.
   • You will receive a confirmation email from Google Play.
8. Screenshot the confirmation page for your records.
   • Store this proof for at least 60 days to defend yourself if Google or Medium charges you again by mistake.

Warning: If you have a Google Play credit balance, your subscription charge will draw from that balance first, then from your linked payment method. Cancelling your subscription does not recover any unspent credit, so check your balance before cancelling if you have added credit recently.

What happens after you cancel Medium

Cancellation can feel anticlimactic, which is actually a good thing. You should not face obstacles or delays after you press cancel. Here is what the timeline looks like after you take action.

Your access and your account after cancellation

The moment you click cancel, your future renewal is stopped. However, you will retain full member access to Medium for the remainder of your current paid period. If your next billing date is 20 April and you cancel on 10 April, you will still read member stories and access audio narrations until 20 April at 11:59 PM.

On 21 April, your account automatically downgrades to the free tier. You will still own your account and your profile will remain active. You can log in, read free stories, and browse public articles. Your reading history, saved stories, and publications you follow are all preserved. At Stopee, we have seen customers reactivate subscriptions months later and find all their data intact.

Your free account will not be deleted automatically. If you want to completely erase your presence on Medium, you must manually delete your account in settings. Cancelling the subscription and deleting the account are two separate actions.

When your next charge should stop appearing

Your final charge should appear on your next scheduled billing date. If you cancel before that date arrives, no new charge will show up. For example, if your renewal date is the 15th of each month and you cancel on the 10th, your last charge appears on the 15th as planned, but no charge appears on the 15th of the following month.

Check your bank or credit card statement 3 to 5 days after your subscription should have ended. If a charge still appears in that window, contact Medium or your payment processor immediately. At Stopee, we recommend flagging unexpected charges within 14 days so you can dispute them under Malaysia's Consumer Protection Act 1999 if necessary.

Refunds and how to claim money back if Medium keeps charging

If Medium or your payment processor charges you after you cancelled, you have consumer rights on your side. Malaysia's Consumer Protection Act 1999 protects you from unfair billing practices and recurring charges that were not authorised.

When Medium must refund you

If Medium charges your card after your cancellation confirmation, that charge is technically unauthorised. You did everything correctly, and they continued to bill you anyway. In this case, you have three options: contact Medium's support, dispute the charge with your bank, or escalate to Malaysia's Federal Trade Description Authority (FTDA) if Medium refuses to refund.

Pro tip: Before you dispute, give Medium 5 business days to process your refund request. Send a clear, polite email to Medium's support stating your cancellation date, your confirmation number (if you have it), and the charge you want reversed. Keep a copy of everything you send.

1. Gather proof of your cancellation.
   • This includes your cancellation confirmation screenshot, the email from Medium or your payment processor, and your bank statement showing the unwanted charge.
2. Contact Medium's support team via their help center at help.medium.com or through your account settings.
   • Explain that you cancelled your subscription on a specific date and received a confirmation, but were charged anyway.
   • Request a full refund of the erroneous charge.
   • Set a deadline of 7 business days for Medium to respond.
3. If Medium does not refund you within 7 days, contact your bank or credit card issuer.
   • File a chargeback or dispute the transaction.
   • Provide your bank with your cancellation proof, Medium's refusal (if applicable), and the charge in question.
   • Most banks will refund you within 30 days if you have evidence of cancellation.
4. If your bank declines the dispute, escalate to the FTDA under the Consumer Protection Act 1999.
   • The FTDA can investigate unfair billing practices and compel Medium to refund you plus interest.
   • You do not need a lawyer to file a complaint with the FTDA.

Your consumer rights under malaysia's consumer protection act 1999

Malaysia's Consumer Protection Act 1999 gives you explicit rights when dealing with recurring subscription services. These rights exist regardless of where Medium is headquartered or what their terms of service say. At Stopee, we remind every subscriber that no company can override Malaysian consumer law.

What the act guarantees you

The Consumer Protection Act 1999 protects you from unfair contract terms, misleading marketing, and automatic renewal traps. Specifically, it ensures that any subscription service must make cancellation as easy as signup. If Medium makes cancellation impossible or deliberately confusing, they violate the act.

The act also requires that you receive clear confirmation of any charge before it hits your account. If Medium charges you without sending a reminder at least 14 days before renewal, and you cancelled but were charged anyway, you have grounds to file a complaint with the FTDA and claim a full refund plus compensation.

If you believe Medium has violated your rights, you can lodge a complaint with the FTDA online at ftda.gov.my or by phone at 1-300-22-5500. The FTDA will investigate at no cost to you.

Common mistakes people make when cancelling Medium

Cancellation anxiety is real, and most mistakes happen when subscribers rush through the process without checking their work. The good news is that every mistake we see at Stopee is preventable if you slow down and follow a clear checklist.

Mistake 1: cancelling in the wrong place

The most common error is cancelling through the Medium app when your subscription is tied to Apple or Google. You click cancel in the app, feel satisfied, and then get charged again next month because you never actually cancelled with your payment processor.

Always verify where you subscribed first. Check your last bank statement. If it says "Apple" or "Google", you must cancel there, not in the Medium app. At Stopee, we recommend taking a screenshot of your payment method before you start cancelling, so you know exactly where to go.

Mistake 2: cancelling on the exact day of renewal

Cancelling on your renewal date is cutting it too close. If your renewal is 15 April at 2:00 PM and you cancel at 1:00 PM the same day, Medium's system might still process the charge before your cancellation takes effect. You will end up paying for another month and then have to request a refund.

Always cancel at least 24 to 48 hours before your renewal date. This gives the system time to process your cancellation and prevents accidental charges. At Stopee, we suggest setting a phone reminder 5 days before your renewal date so you never forget.

Mistake 3: not saving your cancellation confirmation

You clicked cancel, saw a message that said "Subscription cancelled", and then closed the browser tab. Two months later, Medium charges you again, and you have no proof you ever cancelled. Without screenshots or email confirmations, disputing the charge becomes much harder.

Every time you cancel, take a screenshot of the confirmation screen. Save the confirmation email from Medium, Apple, or Google. Keep these files for at least 90 days. If Medium charges you again, you will have proof that you cancelled and can defend yourself to your bank or the FTDA.

Mistake 4: confusing cancellation with account deletion

Cancelling your Medium subscription does not delete your account. You can still log in and read free content. If you want to completely erase your profile, reading history, and all your data from Medium's servers, you must separately delete your account through settings. Some subscribers cancel the subscription and assume the account is also gone, then panic when they can still log in.

Cancellation and account deletion are two different actions. Do one or both depending on what you want. At Stopee, most subscribers just cancel the subscription and keep the free account inactive. You never know when you might want to read a free story on Medium later.

Steps to take right now before you forget

The best time to cancel Medium is not when panic sets in on the day before renewal. The best time is right now, while you are reading this guide. Here is your checklist to complete today.

Medium's contact information and how to reach support

Medium does not maintain a physical office or phone support line in Malaysia. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and operates primarily through online support channels. This means you cannot visit a local office or call a Malaysian support number to cancel or resolve billing issues.

How to contact medium's support team

Your primary contact method with Medium is through their online help center at help.medium.com. You can submit questions and billing disputes through this portal. Medium's support team typically responds within 3 to 5 business days, though response times can vary.

If you have a copyright notice or legal matter, Medium's designated agent address is held on file with the U.S. Copyright Office. For consumer complaints about billing, start with the help center. If Medium does not respond or refuses your refund request, escalate to Malaysia's FTDA under the Consumer Protection Act 1999.

Escalation path if Medium will not help

• First: Email Medium's support team through help.medium.com with your cancellation proof and refund request. Wait 7 days for a response.
• Second: If Medium does not refund you, file a chargeback or dispute with your bank. Provide your bank with your cancellation screenshots and the unwanted charge.
• Third: If your bank declines the dispute, lodge a complaint with the Federal Trade Description Authority (FTDA) at ftda.gov.my or call 1-300-22-5500. The FTDA can compel Medium to refund you under the Consumer Protection Act 1999.
• Fourth: If the FTDA does not resolve your claim within 60 days, you can pursue small claims in the Malaysian courts at no cost for disputes under RM5,000.

At Stopee, we have helped consumers navigate all four of these escalation steps. You have legal backing at every stage, and companies like Medium know this. Most refund disputes are resolved at step two (the bank chargeback) without you needing to involve the FTDA.

Why taking action today matters more than you think

Every month you delay cancelling Medium is another RM24 or RM71 that leaves your account. That is RM288 to RM852 per year on a subscription you might not even use. For many Malaysian households, this money could cover groceries, utilities, or go toward savings.

Subscription creep is real, and it happens slowly enough that you barely notice until you look at your bank statement and realise how many unused services you are paying for. Taking 10 minutes right now to cancel Medium is one of the quickest financial wins you can achieve today.

Stopee has helped thousands of consumers cancel unwanted subscriptions, recover refunds, and regain control of their monthly spending. Whether you are cancelling Medium because you no longer read it or because the cost no longer fits your budget, your decision is valid and within your rights as a consumer. Follow the steps in this guide, keep your cancellation proof, and move forward knowing you made the right choice.