·6 min readfree trialcancellationsmart alerts
Free Trial Traps: How to Avoid Auto-Charges
Free trials quietly become paid subscriptions. T-1 and T-3 alerts let you take control before any charge.
Most services convert trials automatically. The reminder email never arrives — or it lands in spam. A month later you spot an unfamiliar charge on your statement.
The problem: human memory
Remembering five different trial end dates isn't realistic. The solution: write the end date into the app and get T-1 / T-3 alerts.
Practical flow
- Add the trial to SubGuard the moment it starts. Enter the end date.
- When the T-3 alert hits, evaluate: are you actually using it?
- Act on the T-1 alert: keep it or cancel.
- Quiet hours keep nighttime undisturbed.
Where do you actually cancel?
For App Store trials: Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. For web trials: the service's Account / Billing page. SubGuard links you to the right place straight from the alert.