Manage Wpml

How to cancel WPML and understand your refund rights in south africa

What is WPML and who operates it

WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin) is a subscription-based platform that empowers you to build and manage multilingual WordPress websites without needing to hire separate development teams. If you operate a WordPress site and need to serve content in multiple languages, WPML handles the translation workflow, integrates with professional translation services, and manages your multilingual content across your entire site.

OnTheGoSystems Limited operates WPML and sells annual subscriptions directly through the WPML website. You may also purchase WPML through Apple's App Store or Google Play if you prefer in-app billing, though those subscriptions are managed separately by Apple and Google, not by WPML itself.

Understanding WPML's subscription model

When you subscribe to WPML, you commit to an annual billing cycle that auto-renews unless you take action to disable it. The service includes access to translation controls, site management features, and a yearly allocation of AI translation credits depending on your plan tier. Your subscription also covers updates and technical support for the 12-month period you've paid for.

Why people cancel WPML

You might cancel because you've finished your multilingual project, switched to a different translation tool, reduced your site's language scope, or found the pricing doesn't fit your budget anymore. Whatever your reason, understanding the cancellation process-and your rights-ensures you avoid unwanted charges and recover your money if you're entitled to it.

Your consumer rights in south africa when cancelling subscriptions

South Africa's Consumer Protection Act (CPA) grants you specific rights when you purchase services online, and WPML's refund policy interacts with these protections.

Cooling-off rights under the CPA

Under the Consumer Protection Act, you typically have a cooling-off period of 7 to 14 days for distance contracts (purchases made online without face-to-face contact). This right allows you to cancel within that window and receive a refund, provided the service hasn't been fully delivered or consumed. However, WPML's terms may include exemptions or reference international law, so always check the exact language in your subscription agreement.

How WPML's refund policy exceeds minimum requirements

WPML offers a 30-day, no-questions-asked refund on web-based subscriptions. This is significantly more generous than the CPA's minimum cooling-off period, which means you have almost a month to evaluate whether WPML is right for you. If you request a refund within those 30 days, WPML will cancel your subscription and process your money back in EUR (Euro), which will then convert to ZAR (South African Rand) at your bank's exchange rate.

WPML pricing and plan comparison in south african rand

Understanding the cost structure helps you decide whether WPML remains worth the investment, and informs your refund strategy if you're unhappy with the service.

Current WPML pricing (converted to ZAR)

Understanding currency conversion and hidden fees

WPML publishes prices in EUR (Euros), and the ZAR amounts above are approximations based on mid-market exchange rates (~R18.85 per EUR). Your actual charge in Rand depends on your payment processor's exchange rate on the day you pay, plus any bank fees for international transactions. Before you commit to WPML, confirm the final ZAR amount with your payment provider so you're not surprised at checkout.

How to cancel WPML on the web (account-based subscription)

If you subscribed directly through WPML's website using a credit card or bank transfer, you cancel through your WPML account settings. This process takes five minutes and gives you several options depending on your timeline and refund eligibility.

Step-by-step: disable auto-renewal and keep access until expiry

1. Sign in to your WPML account using your registered email and password.
2. Navigate to your account settings or dashboard (usually accessed via a profile icon or "My Account" menu).
3. Look for a "Subscriptions," "Renewal," or "Billing" section within account settings.
4. Find the "Change Renewal" option next to your active subscription.
   • Click or tap this option to open renewal settings.
   • Select the toggle or button that disables automatic renewal.
   • Confirm the change (you may receive an email confirmation).
5. Your subscription remains active for the remainder of your paid period. Once that period expires, your access stops and you are not charged again.

Pro tip: If you're happy with WPML but just want to pause, disabling auto-renewal is the gentlest option. You keep access for the rest of your year, and you can always re-subscribe later.

Step-by-step: request a refund within 30 days

1. Sign in to your WPML account.
2. Go to account settings or the support/help section.
3. Look for a "Refund Request," "Return," or "Support" link and click it.
   • If you cannot find a direct link, use WPML's contact form on their website and mention "refund request" in the subject line.
4. Submit your refund request form, providing your subscription ID and the reason for cancellation (optional but helpful).
5. WPML processes your refund and cancels your subscription simultaneously. The refund is credited back to your original payment method in EUR.
6. Allow 5-10 business days for the credit to appear in your bank account, depending on your bank's processing speed.

Warning: You only have 30 days from your original subscription or renewal date to qualify for this full refund. After 30 days, WPML may refuse the refund or offer a partial one if you cite a technical or service issue. Check your invoice date to confirm your refund eligibility window.

How to cancel WPML in-app subscriptions (iOS and android)

If you purchased WPML through Apple's App Store or Google Play, you cannot cancel through WPML's website. Apple and Google handle your billing and cancellation directly, and WPML has no ability to process refunds for those purchases.

Cancelling on iOS (Apple app store)

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap your name at the top of the Settings screen.
3. Tap "Subscriptions."
4. Find WPML in the list of active subscriptions and tap it.
5. Tap "Cancel Subscription" and confirm your cancellation.
   • Apple may offer you a discount to keep the subscription. Decline if you want to cancel completely.
6. Your subscription ends on the next renewal date. You retain access until that date, then it stops.

Pro tip: If you cancel within 14 days of your original purchase, Apple typically refunds the full amount automatically. After 14 days, Apple's refund policy becomes stricter, so contact Apple Support directly if you believe you're entitled to a refund.

Cancelling on android (Google play)

1. Open the Google Play app on your Android phone or tablet.
2. Tap your profile icon (usually top-right corner).
3. Tap "Payments and subscriptions" or "Manage subscriptions."
4. Tap "Subscriptions."
5. Select WPML from the list.
6. Tap "Cancel subscription" and follow the on-screen prompts to confirm.
   • Google may offer you a retention discount. Choose "Cancel anyway" if you're certain.
7. Your subscription stops at the next renewal date, and you lose access immediately.

Warning: Google Play's refund window is typically 48 hours from purchase. If you're outside that window, Google's refund policy is discretionary, though you can request one by explaining the issue. In-app purchases fall under Google's terms, not WPML's 30-day policy.

What happens to your access and content after cancellation

Cancelling WPML is stressful because you worry about losing your translated content. Here's exactly what happens and what you can do to protect yourself.

Your content remains on your website

When your WPML subscription expires or you cancel, your multilingual content does not disappear from your WordPress site. The translated pages and posts you created remain live on your server. WPML is a translation management tool, not a hosting service, so your actual website files and databases are not deleted when your subscription ends.

Features and tools you lose access to

You lose the ability to translate new content, edit existing translations using WPML's editor, manage language versions, or use AI translation credits. Translation services (DeepL, Google Translate, Microsoft Translator) become unavailable in your WPML interface, though any translations you've already published on your site remain live.

Support and updates also stop, so if you encounter a bug or security issue, WPML won't provide assistance unless you re-subscribe.

Your data is retained for a reasonable period

WPML retains account data and your subscription history for a reasonable period after cancellation, typically several months to a year. This allows you to re-subscribe and recover your translation settings without starting from scratch. If you want to delete your account entirely for privacy reasons, contact WPML support directly to request permanent data deletion.

WPML refund policy and translation credit exceptions

WPML's refund terms are straightforward for subscriptions but have specific rules around translation credits and professional services.

Full refund eligibility (within 30 days)

You qualify for WPML's full 30-day refund if you purchased a subscription directly through WPML's website. The refund covers the total subscription cost and is credited to your original payment method in EUR. Your bank then converts EUR back to ZAR at its prevailing rate.

Translation credits and partial refunds

Automatic translation credits (AI-powered translations from DeepL, Google, or Microsoft) are generally non-refundable because WPML pays those third-party providers upfront for your usage. If you purchase 90,000 AI credits and use 50,000, the remaining 40,000 are lost if your subscription ends.

Professional Translation Credits (PTC), which connect you with human translators, include a quality guarantee. If WPML's translation vendor delivers substandard work and cannot resolve your concerns, WPML may offer a partial or full refund for those credits even after the 30-day window.

Pro tip: Before spending AI credits, calculate whether you'll use them within your subscription period. If you're unsure whether WPML is right for you, wait until after the 30-day refund window before purchasing large credit packages.

Common mistakes when cancelling WPML

Cancellation feels intimidating when money and your website are at stake. Here are the errors Stopee sees most often-and how to avoid them.

Forgetting to disable auto-renewal before the 30-day window closes

Many subscribers assume they can cancel anytime, then wake up to a surprise renewal charge on day 31. If you're on the fence about WPML, turn off auto-renewal immediately so you're not automatically charged again. This gives you the full year to use the service without worrying about a hidden second charge.

Trying to cancel in-app subscriptions through WPML's website

If you subscribed on iOS or Android, WPML's website cannot touch your subscription. Attempting to cancel there wastes time. You must go directly to Apple or Google to stop the charges. Stopee recommends taking a screenshot of your WPML confirmation email noting the App Store or Google Play purchase, then using that as proof when you contact Apple or Google support for a refund.

Not requesting a refund within 30 days and hoping for a reversal later

After 30 days, WPML is under no obligation to refund you, even if you contact them weeks or months later. Once the window closes, your only option is to appeal to your bank's chargeback process (if the charge was fraudulent or unauthorized), which is slow and uncertain. Stopee advises marking your calendar with the 30-day deadline and submitting a refund request a few days before expiry if you're unsure.

Ignoring currency conversion rates when checking your refund

WPML refunds in EUR, so the ZAR amount you receive may differ from what you originally paid in Rand. If you paid R1,866 and the EUR-to-ZAR rate has shifted, your refund might be R1,800 or R1,920. This is normal currency fluctuation, not a scam, but it's disorienting if you don't expect it. Check your bank statement to confirm the refund amount is reasonable based on current rates.

After you cancel: checklist and next steps

Once your cancellation is confirmed, follow these steps to protect your website and plan ahead.

Immediate actions (within 24 hours)

• Back up your entire WordPress site, including all database files and translation data. Use a backup plugin (UpdraftPlus, Duplicator) or your hosting provider's backup tool.
• Export any translation logs, glossaries, or custom language packs you created, so you have a copy outside WPML if you need to migrate to another tool later.
• Check that your published translated pages still display correctly on your live website (they should, but verify).
• If you used WPML's language switcher, confirm it's still visible and functional for your site visitors.

Short-term planning (within 1 week)

• If you plan to keep managing multiple languages on your site, research alternative translation plugins (Polylang, TranslatePress) and test one in a development environment before fully switching.
• Save your refund confirmation email from WPML in a dedicated folder, along with your bank statement showing the credit. Keep these for at least 2 years in case of disputes.
• If you subscribed in-app and received a refund from Apple or Google, verify the refund cleared in your account within 5-10 business days.

When to cancel WPML: reasons and alternatives

Stopee helps you decide whether now is the right time to cancel by showing you the main reasons people leave WPML and the alternatives available to you.

Reasons to cancel

• Budget cuts: WPML's annual fee (starting at R735) becomes unaffordable when your business is scaling down or you have competing priorities.
• Simpler needs: If your site only needs 2-3 languages and WPML's advanced features are overkill, a simpler plugin like Polylang saves you money.
• Manual translation: If you're translating content yourself or hiring external contractors, you may not need WPML's editor and translation integrations.
• Technical issues: Compatibility problems with your theme or plugins, or poor support responses, sometimes make staying frustrating.
• Switching platforms: If you're moving your site to a different platform (Shopify, Wix) that includes multilingual features natively, WPML becomes redundant.

WPML alternatives to consider

Stopee recommends trying Polylang or TranslatePress in a staging environment before cancelling WPML, so you can compare feature parity and ensure your content exports cleanly.

Contact information and escalation

If WPML refuses your refund claim or your cancellation doesn't process correctly, you have consumer protection options in South Africa.

WPML's official contact address

OnTheGoSystems Limited (WPML's operator) is located at the address listed on WPML's official "Contact Us" page on their website. Before pursuing a formal complaint, email their support team at the contact address shown there, or use their in-app support ticketing system. Document your communication and include your subscription ID, invoice date, and refund request details.

Escalating to consumer protection authorities

If WPML ignores your refund request or disputes your cancellation claim unfairly, you can escalate to South Africa's National Consumer Commission (NCC) under the Consumer Protection Act. The NCC investigates complaints about unfair business practices and can compel companies to honour their refund obligations. File a complaint through the NCC's website (www.thencc.org.za) or contact them directly.

Your bank's chargeback process is another fallback if you believe WPML charged you fraudulently after cancellation. Contact your bank's dispute department and provide evidence of your cancellation request and confirmation email.

Final summary and next steps

Cancelling WPML is straightforward if you follow the steps in this guide: disable auto-renewal in your account settings, request a refund within 30 days if you're unhappy, or let your subscription expire without renewal if you want to keep paying as you go. For in-app subscriptions, cancel directly through Apple or Google, not through WPML itself. Your published translations remain on your site after cancellation, so your content is safe.

South Africa's Consumer Protection Act gives you rights beyond WPML's 30-day refund policy, and Stopee encourages you to use them if the company refuses to honour a legitimate refund claim. Keep your invoice and refund confirmation for your records, and don't hesitate to escalate to the NCC if WPML behaves unfairly.

Whether you're cancelling for budget reasons, switching to another tool, or simply taking a break, Stopee has guided thousands of consumers through subscription cancellations with confidence and clarity. Visit Stopee.com for step-by-step cancellation guides for thousands of other services, and use our checklists to ensure you never pay for something you no longer use. You deserve control over your subscriptions and your money.