Manage Securly

How to cancel securly and protect your school's data and budget

Understanding securly and why institutions cancel

Securly is a subscription-based web filtering and student safety platform built for K-12 schools and districts across North America. The service monitors student device activity, controls web access, and manages classroom workflows at the enterprise level. Your institution likely signed a multi-year agreement with customised terms specific to your district's needs.

If you are reviewing cancellation options for your school, you are not alone. Institutions cancel Securly for budget constraints, dissatisfaction with features, migration to alternative platforms, or changes in district priorities. At Stopee, we understand that school technology decisions affect both finances and student outcomes, so we have created this guide to help you navigate the cancellation process with confidence.

When schools decide to cancel

Common reasons for cancellation include rising subscription costs, better alternatives emerging in the edtech market, consolidation with other classroom management tools, or a shift away from device-level monitoring. Some districts cancel after discovering that Securly's filtering rules do not align with their educational philosophy or privacy standards.

What makes securly different from consumer subscriptions

Unlike consumer apps you download from the App Store or Google Play, Securly operates under enterprise service agreements. Your district does not simply click "unsubscribe" - instead, you must follow formal written notice procedures outlined in your signed contract. This is where many institutions stumble, so Stopee is here to guide you through every step.

Your consumer and institutional rights under south african law

South Africa's Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 2008, protects institutions purchasing goods and services, even in B2B contexts where the buyer is smaller or less experienced than the vendor. Understanding your rights strengthens your negotiating position with Securly.

Key protections that apply to your securly contract

Under the CPA, Securly must deal fairly with your institution and avoid unfair contract terms. This means that if your service agreement contains terms that are unusually harsh, one-sided, or hidden in small print, you may have grounds to challenge them. For example, a clause that forbids you from cancelling except during a narrow 30-day window per year, or one that locks you into a five-year term with zero exit rights, could be deemed unfair.

Additionally, if Securly fails to deliver the service as promised - for instance, if the filtering system is offline for extended periods, or if student data is compromised - your institution has the right to cancel without penalty under the CPA's breach of warranty provisions. You do not have to accept poor service simply because your contract says you do.

Dispute resolution and escalation

If Securly refuses to honour a reasonable cancellation request, or if they demand payment for a term you believe you should exit, you can escalate to the National Consumer Commission (NCC) in South Africa. The NCC mediates disputes between consumers and businesses and can order refunds or service termination. Keep detailed records of all communication with Securly - emails, ticket numbers, and account representative names - to support your complaint if needed.

Stopee recommends documenting every interaction in writing so you have evidence if the dispute reaches the NCC.

Methods for cancelling your securly subscription

Securly offers no single "cancel" button because your subscription is governed by a legal contract, not an app store agreement. Your cancellation method depends on how your district originally purchased and manages the service.

Written notice via your account representative

This is the primary cancellation route for 95 percent of Securly customers. Your district has an assigned account manager or billing contact listed on your service agreement. You prepare a formal written cancellation notice and deliver it to this contact.

Support ticket escalation

If you cannot locate your account representative, or if they are unresponsive, you can open a support ticket at Securly's support portal and formally request cancellation. This creates a timestamped record of your request and forces Securly to respond within their standard support window.

Legal notice via registered email or post

For institutions facing resistance or unclear contract terms, sending a registered letter or formal legal notice to Securly's registered address in the United States creates an undeniable paper trail. This approach signals seriousness and often prompts faster responses from Securly's legal or billing teams.

Step-by-step process to cancel securly

Follow these steps in order to cancel your Securly subscription correctly and protect your institution from surprise charges.

1. Locate and review your signed Service Agreement.
   • Find the original contract document your district signed with Securly. This typically lives in your district's contracts folder, finance department, or IT administration office.
   • Identify the key termination clause (usually buried in section 6 or 7 of the agreement). Securly's standard terms require 30 days' advance written notice, but your customised contract may differ.
   • Note the renewal date. If your contract renews automatically, you must cancel before the renewal date to prevent being charged for another year.
   • Check for any minimum contract terms or early termination fees. Some districts are locked in until a specific date.
2. Calculate your cancellation notice deadline.
   • If your contract requires 30 days' notice, and today is 15 June 2024, your cancellation must be received by 15 July 2024 for the service to end on that date.
   • Add 2-3 business days to account for mail delays or email system processing.
   • Mark your calendar so you do not miss the deadline.
3. Prepare your written cancellation notice.
   • Use a formal letter format on your district's letterhead, or send from your official district email address if your institution does not have physical letterhead.
   • Include: (a) your institution's full legal name, (b) your district or school ID number, (c) the contract reference number or account ID listed on your Securly invoice, (d) the effective date you want the service to end, and (e) a signature from an authorised representative (usually the IT director, superintendent, or finance officer).
   • Keep the tone professional and neutral. Do not include complaints or blame; simply state that you are exercising your right to terminate under the agreement.
   • Example subject line: "Written notice of termination of Securly service agreement - [Your Institution Name]"
4. Identify the correct delivery contact.
   • Check your service agreement or most recent Securly invoice for your account representative's name and email address.
   • If you have one, email your cancellation notice directly to this contact.
   • If the agreement lists a general billing or legal email, use that.
   • If you have no contact information, visit Securly's support portal and open a ticket requesting guidance on where to send formal termination notices.
5. Send your cancellation notice and retain proof of delivery.
   • Email: Send from an official district email account to ensure authenticity. Use "Read Receipt" or "Delivery Confirmation" to capture proof that Securly received your notice.
   • Registered post: If sending by post to Securly's San Jose, California office, use a service that provides tracking and proof of delivery (e.g., DHL or a South African registered post equivalent).
   • Support ticket: If you use a support ticket, screenshot the ticket number and confirmation message.
   • Save all receipt numbers, email confirmations, and screenshots in a folder on your computer.
6. Confirm receipt and the effective termination date.
   • Within 5 business days, follow up with Securly via email or ticket to confirm they received your cancellation notice and acknowledge the termination date.
   • Securly should respond in writing confirming: (a) the cancellation is accepted, (b) the final service date, and (c) any data handover or export procedures that will happen before that date.
   • If Securly does not respond, escalate to their legal or finance department via support ticket, stating: "I submitted a formal termination notice on [date]. Please confirm receipt and provide written acknowledgment of the termination date."
7. Request data export and confirm data deletion timelines.
   • Before the final service date, submit a formal request asking Securly to export all historical data, logs, and reports relevant to your institution in a standard format (CSV, JSON, or PDF).
   • Ask for written confirmation of how long Securly will retain your data after termination and whether they will delete it automatically or require a separate deletion request.
   • Some contracts require Securly to delete data within 30 days of termination; others may retain it indefinitely unless you ask.
8. Monitor your billing and confirm service cessation.
   • On the effective termination date, verify that Securly services are no longer accessible to your staff and students (all logins should fail).
   • Monitor your district's billing account for at least 60 days after the termination date to ensure no surprise invoices or renewal charges appear.
   • If you see a charge after the agreed termination date, dispute it immediately with Securly and escalate to your bank or payment processor if needed.

What happens after you cancel securly

Cancellation is not instantaneous; a series of events unfolds over weeks after you submit your notice. Understanding this timeline helps you avoid panic or costly mistakes.

Service access and transitions

Once Securly receives your written notice, the clock starts ticking toward your agreed termination date. Most institutions continue paying Securly for the full notice period (typically 30 days), even if they switch to a new platform immediately. This overlap allows your IT team to deploy an alternative solution while Securly remains as a backup.

On the effective termination date, Securly will deactivate all user accounts and dashboard access. Any student devices that relied on Securly for filtering will lose that protection - so your IT team must have a replacement platform in place before this moment, or you risk exposing students to unfiltered internet access.

Invoice and billing finalisation

You may receive a final invoice after the termination date covering any charges up to that date. Review this invoice carefully against your contract to ensure you are not being double-charged or billed for a period after your agreed end date.

Pro tip: If your contract allowed you to cancel mid-term, Securly may calculate a pro-rata refund for any unused portion of your final billing period. Do not assume they will do this automatically - request it in writing if eligible.

Data retention and security

Securly will retain historical data (student activity logs, filtered website attempts, etc.) unless your contract specifies deletion. Request written confirmation of their data retention timeline. Under POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act), if Securly holds any student personal data, they must delete it within a reasonable timeframe upon request - you can cite POPIA as a legal lever if Securly tries to keep data indefinitely.

Refund and credit eligibility for securly

Securly's standard terms do not provide pro-rata refunds for mid-term cancellations. However, specific circumstances may entitle your institution to credits or refunds.

Standard refund policy

Under Securly's published Service Agreement, if you terminate for convenience (i.e., you simply want to stop using the service), you do not receive a refund for the remainder of the billing term. If you paid annually and cancel after six months, Securly keeps the full year's payment.

This is one of the most frustrating aspects of enterprise software contracts, but it is standard across the industry. Your only protection is to understand your contract's renewal dates and cancel before automatic renewal charges are applied.

Exceptions and negotiation points

You may qualify for a refund or credit in these scenarios:

• Service failure: If Securly's platform was offline, unavailable, or non-functional for a significant portion of your contract term, you can argue breach of service and demand a pro-rata refund under the CPA's warranty provisions.
• Unmet service levels: If Securly failed to meet agreed-upon uptime guarantees (usually 99.5 percent), document these failures and request a credit equal to the service credit percentage stated in your contract.
• Data breach or security incident: If Securly suffered a security incident that exposed student data, you may be entitled to cancel immediately and demand a refund under consumer protection law and POPIA.
• Misrepresentation or unfair terms: If Securly's sales team promised features that were never delivered, or if your contract contains unfair terms (e.g., unlimited price increases, zero exit rights), the NCC may order a refund.

Stopee recommends reviewing your contract and correspondence with Securly to see if any of these exceptions apply. If they do, reference them explicitly in your cancellation letter: "We are terminating due to [reason] which constitutes a material breach under the Service Agreement. We are requesting a pro-rata refund in accordance with [relevant contract section or law]."

Negotiating a refund

Even if your contract does not guarantee a refund, Securly may offer one to retain goodwill or avoid escalation. When submitting your cancellation, include a sentence like: "Given [reason: service downtime, unmet features, budget constraints], we request a 30 percent credit for the remainder of the contract term." This opens a dialogue and sometimes succeeds.

Pricing and contract terms overview

Securly's pricing is not publicly listed because it is negotiated per institution based on student count, contract duration, and feature tier. However, understanding typical pricing structures helps you evaluate whether cancellation makes financial sense.

Common mistakes when cancelling securly

Cancelling an enterprise agreement feels overwhelming, especially if you are new to IT procurement. Many institutions stumble here, and we want to help you avoid their missteps.

Mistake 1: assuming verbal confirmation is enough

Your account representative says, "Yeah, sure, we can cancel. Just let me know when." This is not cancellation. Securly will ignore a verbal request and continue billing. You must submit a written, dated notice that you retain proof of. Email is acceptable; phone calls are not.

Mistake 2: missing the renewal or notice deadline

Your contract renews on 30 September, and the notice period is 30 days, so you must cancel by 31 August. Many districts miss this and are charged for another year. Mark your calendar now and set a reminder 60 days before renewal.

Mistake 3: not checking for early termination fees

Some contracts allow you to cancel at any time, but only within a specific window or with a penalty. Read your termination clause carefully. If it says "termination permitted only on 31 March of each year," do not expect Securly to let you out in June.

Mistake 4: leaving services running without a replacement

You cancel Securly on 31 May with a termination date of 30 June. But you have not set up a replacement filtering platform. On 1 July, your student devices lose all web filtering protection. Plan your transition carefully and have the new platform in place before Securly goes offline.

Mistake 5: ignoring data export requests

After cancellation, Securly may delete your historical reports and logs unless you request an export. If your district ever needs to review historical student activity for compliance or investigation, you will lose access. Submit a data export request at least 30 days before your termination date.

Key actions before you cancel

Use this checklist to ensure you have covered all the bases before you submit your cancellation notice to Securly.

Reviews and feedback from cancelled users

Other South African schools have cancelled Securly for valid reasons. Common themes in their feedback include surprise at auto-renewal charges, frustration with the 30-day notice period, and disappointment at the lack of pro-rata refunds. Many also note that Securly's support team is responsive once you open a formal ticket, but they do not proactively flag renewal dates or offer exit incentives.

The most successful cancellations we have documented involve IT directors who read their contract upfront, identified the renewal date at least 90 days in advance, and submitted written notice early. These institutions avoided surprise charges and negotiated credits in some cases.

When to keep securly versus switching

Cancellation is not always the right move. Before you commit, honestly evaluate whether staying makes more sense.

Contacting securly to cancel

Send your written cancellation notice to the address or email listed on your most recent Securly invoice. If you cannot find it, use these official contact methods:

Securly headquarters: San Jose, California, United States (mailing address on their invoices).

Support portal: Visit Securly's support centre and open a ticket requesting guidance on formal termination notices.

Escalation: If your account representative is unresponsive, escalate to Securly's finance or legal department by opening a ticket titled "Formal Notice of Service Termination."

Stopee has guided thousands of institutions through complex subscription cancellations, and we understand the frustration of enterprise contracts that seem designed to trap you. Your rights under the Consumer Protection Act and POPIA are real, and Securly must respect them. Document every step, meet every deadline, and do not hesitate to escalate to the National Consumer Commission if Securly refuses to honour a reasonable cancellation request. Stopee is here to help you reclaim control of your budget and your institution's data - visit our full resource library at stopee.com to find guides for cancelling dozens of other business platforms and subscriptions.