Manage Freelancer.Com

How to cancel your freelancer.com account and reclaim your unused funds

What freelancer.com is and why you might cancel

Freelancer.com is a global marketplace where employers post projects and freelancers bid to win work. You can hire contractors for one-off tasks, run design contests, or manage long-term team members. The platform charges membership fees for upgraded access, project promotion add-ons, and bidding features.

Many New Zealand users subscribe to Freelancer.com to find contractors or secure freelance income. However, you might cancel if the membership fees no longer justify your usage, if you've found alternative platforms that better suit your needs, or if you simply want to reduce subscription costs. Whatever your reason, Stopee is here to guide you through the cancellation process step by step.

When cancellation makes sense

You should consider cancelling if you're not actively bidding or hiring, if you prefer competitor platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, or if monthly fees are eating into your project margins without delivering enough qualified leads. Cancelling stops future charges immediately while preserving your account history, project records, and messages-a clean break without data loss.

What you'll keep after cancellation

Your profile, past projects, client feedback, and messages remain on Freelancer.com even after you cancel. You simply lose access to paid features like priority bidding, featured project listings, and contest upgrades. Any unused credits in your account balance can be withdrawn or refunded within set timeframes.

Freelancer.com membership plans and pricing in NZD

Freelancer.com offers tiered memberships and à la carte upgrades. Membership prices vary by plan and billing frequency but are not displayed publicly until you log in. Project and contest upgrades carry fixed NZD prices you can see upfront.

Membership and upgrade pricing breakdown

Membership costs accumulate quickly if you renew monthly. Annual plans typically offer better value but lock you in for 12 months. Stopee recommends checking your current plan details in your account settings before cancelling so you understand exactly what you're being charged and when your next renewal date falls.

How to cancel your freelancer.com membership

Cancellation methods depend on whether you subscribed via the web platform or through Apple App Store or Google Play. Both routes are straightforward once you know where to look.

Cancel via the freelancer.com website

This is the quickest and most reliable way to cancel your membership. You'll access your account settings and remove the recurring charge in under five minutes.

1. Open Freelancer.com in your browser and log in with your email and password.
2. Click your profile icon or avatar in the top right corner and select Settings.
3. Navigate to the Membership tab on the left sidebar.
4. Locate your active membership plan and click the Cancel button next to it.
   • If you don't see a cancel button, your membership may have already lapsed or you may be on a free account.
5. Freelancer.com will ask you to select a cancellation reason from a dropdown menu. Choose the option that best reflects your situation.
6. Review the cancellation summary and confirm your decision.
7. Your membership remains active until the end of your current billing period. After that date, your account reverts to the free tier and you will no longer be charged.

Pro tip: Screenshot or note your current plan end date before confirming cancellation. This date is your deadline to withdraw unused funds or request a refund.

Cancel an app store subscription

If you subscribed through your iPhone, iPad, or Android device, you must cancel via that platform's subscription manager, not through Freelancer.com itself.

1. For Apple App Store subscriptions:
   • Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
   • Tap your name at the top and select Subscriptions.
   • Find Freelancer.com in the list and tap it.
   • Tap Cancel subscription and confirm.
   • Apple will process the cancellation immediately; your access ends at the next renewal date.
2. For Google Play subscriptions:
   • Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
   • Tap your profile icon in the top right and select Manage subscriptions.
   • Find Freelancer and tap Cancel subscription.
   • Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm. Google will deactivate your recurring charge at the next renewal.

Warning: App Store and Google Play subscriptions are managed separately from your Freelancer.com web account. Cancelling one does not automatically cancel the other. If you subscribed on both platforms, you must cancel both independently.

Stopee recommends logging into your Freelancer.com account on a computer after cancelling via an app store, just to verify that no active web membership remains.

What happens to your account after cancellation

Cancellation doesn't delete your profile or erase your work history. Instead, you lose paid privileges and revert to a basic free account, but your data stays intact unless you request full account deletion.

Your paid features and account access

Paid membership benefits-such as featured project listings, priority bid placement, and contest upgrades-stop working at the end of your billing period. Your free account will still let you view your profile, past projects, client messages, and earnings history indefinitely.

However, you will no longer be able to post featured projects, bid on contests with upgrades, or access exclusive membership tools like advanced analytics or guaranteed response guarantees. If you have active contracts or ongoing milestone payments, those continue to be governed by Freelancer.com's terms and payment schedules, regardless of your membership status.

Your funds, data, and how long they stay available

Any credits or deposits in your Freelancer.com account balance remain there. You can withdraw them to your bank account or PayPal, or request a refund to your original payment method within set timeframes. Your profile, messages, and project history are retained permanently unless you request account deletion.

Stopee strongly advises withdrawing or refunding unused credits within 30 days of cancellation. After longer periods, platforms sometimes impose restrictions or fees on account dormancy.

Refunds and your right to reclaim unused funds

Freelancer.com allows you to refund or withdraw unused account credits, but the process and timeline depend on how you paid and when you request it.

How refunds work for deposits and credits

Any funds you deposit into your Freelancer.com account (for example, NZ$50 to bid on projects) but don't spend can be requested back. Milestone payments and transaction fees, however, are generally not refundable once the work begins.

• Unused deposits remain in your account balance indefinitely.
• You can request a refund to your original payment method at any time.
• PayPal refunds typically process within one year of the original payment date; after that, the funds may only be withdrawn to your Freelancer account or a connected bank account.
• Credit card refunds follow your card issuer's chargeback windows, usually six months to one year.
• If you miss these windows, you can still withdraw funds to a bank account added to your profile.

How to request a refund or withdrawal

1. Log in to Freelancer.com and go to your Wallet or Earnings section.
2. Click Withdraw next to your account balance.
3. Select your withdrawal method: bank transfer, PayPal, or Freelancer credit.
4. Enter the amount you wish to withdraw and confirm.
5. Processing times vary: PayPal payments typically arrive within 3 to 5 business days, while bank transfers may take up to 7 to 10 days depending on your bank.

Pro tip: Freelancer.com may apply a small withdrawal fee (usually 1-2%) to bank transfers. Always check the fee estimate before you confirm the transaction.

Your consumer rights under new zealand law

New Zealand's Consumer Guarantees Act protects you in many situations, but its protections for services like Freelancer.com are limited. Understanding your rights helps you decide whether to escalate a dispute if the company refuses a refund.

Does the consumer guarantees act apply to freelancer.com

The Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) typically does not apply to services supplied for business or commercial purposes. Because Freelancer.com is used primarily by self-employed contractors and small business owners, not by consumers buying for personal use, the CGA's automatic 14-day cooling-off right does not apply.

However, if Freelancer.com misrepresents its services-for example, guaranteeing a certain number of bids or job leads that it fails to deliver-you may have grounds to dispute charges under the CGA or Fair Trading Act. Stopee recommends documenting any misrepresentation in writing before requesting a refund.

When to escalate a refund dispute

If Freelancer.com refuses to refund you and you believe the company has breached its terms or misled you, you can:

• Request a chargeback through your credit card or PayPal if you paid within the relevant chargeback window (usually 60 to 180 days).
• File a complaint with the Commerce Commission if you suspect unfair contract terms or misleading conduct.
• Contact the Disputes Tribunal if your claim is under NZ$15,000 and you cannot resolve the matter directly with Freelancer.com.

Stopee has helped thousands of consumers recover funds by escalating disputes through these channels. Keep copies of your subscription receipts, cancellation confirmation emails, and any communication with Freelancer.com support as evidence.

Common mistakes to avoid when cancelling

Cancellation seems simple, but small oversights can leave you paying for months longer than intended or unable to recover unused funds. Take a moment to avoid these traps.

Mistakes that cost you money

• Cancelling too late: Your subscription renews on a specific date each month. If you cancel the day after renewal, you've already paid for the full month and will not get a refund. Log in today and check your renewal date, then set a phone reminder for the day before.
• Forgetting app store subscriptions: Many users cancel via the website but forget they subscribed through Apple or Google. Both continue charging independently. Verify your active subscriptions across all three: the Freelancer.com website, App Store, and Google Play.
• Not withdrawing credits in time: While unused deposits don't expire, payment method refund windows do. Request refunds to your original payment method (PayPal or credit card) as soon as you cancel; after 12 months, you lose that option.
• Ignoring outstanding invoices or fees: If you have unpaid milestone amounts or suspended contracts, Freelancer.com may hold your balance until those are resolved. Check your account for outstanding items before requesting a refund.

Your checklist before and after cancellation

Use this checklist to ensure you cancel cleanly and don't miss any refunds or important steps.

Before you cancel

1. Log in and note your current membership plan name and renewal date.
2. Check your account balance in the Wallet section. Note any unused credits.
3. Review your active projects or contests to ensure none are mid-milestone or awaiting payment.
4. Verify whether you subscribed via the website, Apple App Store, or Google Play (check all three).
5. Take a screenshot of your account settings showing your membership details.
6. Download or save any important project files or client contact information you may need later.

After you cancel

1. Confirm via email that your cancellation request was received and processed.
2. Set a reminder for one day before your current billing period ends to check that you are no longer charged.
3. Within 30 days, log back in and withdraw or refund any unused credits to your bank account or PayPal.
4. Check your bank or PayPal statement 5 to 10 business days later to verify the withdrawal succeeded.
5. If you subscribed via an app store, log into that platform and confirm the subscription shows as cancelled.
6. Uninstall the Freelancer.com app from your phone if you no longer use it, to avoid accidentally re-subscribing.

Why thousands of new zealand users trust stopee

Cancelling subscriptions shouldn't require a university degree in fine print. Stopee exists to cut through jargon and dark patterns so you stay in control of your money and your time. We've guided thousands of New Zealand consumers through cancellations on Freelancer.com and hundreds of other platforms-helping them reclaim refunds, avoid surprise charges, and understand their rights.

Stopee combines step-by-step instructions with real consumer law advice tailored to New Zealand. Whether you're a freelancer simplifying your toolkit or an employer cutting costs, Stopee makes sure you know exactly what to expect before, during, and after cancellation.

Next steps after you cancel

Once you've cancelled Freelancer.com, explore alternative platforms that might better suit your needs. Upwork, Fiverr, and local New Zealand job boards like Seek and TradeMe offer different fee structures and user bases. Stopee also has detailed cancellation guides for these platforms if you decide to streamline your subscriptions further.

Your time and money matter. Stopee is here to make sure you're not locked into services that no longer serve you. Visit Stopee.com today for cancellation guides, refund tips, and consumer rights advice-all written in plain English with your New Zealand rights front and centre.

How to contact freelancer.com if you have questions

Freelancer.com's registered office is located in Sydney, Australia. The company does not maintain a dedicated postal address in New Zealand, so communication typically occurs via email or through your account dashboard.

Contact options

• In-app support: Log in to Freelancer.com, click the Help or Support icon, and submit a ticket. This is the fastest route for account and billing questions.
• Email support: Freelancer.com provides support email addresses within your account settings under Help and Support.
• Live chat: Some account types may access live chat during business hours (Sydney time, typically 9 AM to 5 PM Australian Eastern Time).

When you contact Freelancer.com with a refund or cancellation question, keep your message concise and include your account email, user ID, and the date of the transaction in question. Request a written response so you have proof of their reply. If the company does not respond within 10 business days, escalate to the Commerce Commission or file a chargeback through your payment provider.

Stopee has supported thousands of consumers navigate subscription cancellations with confidence. Your cancellation from Freelancer.com is one step toward taking back control of your spending. For further guidance or to cancel other subscriptions, return to Stopee.com anytime.