Shopify’s free trial offers a great opportunity to test out their platform, but canceling before charges kick in is important if you decide it’s not for you.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to cancel your Shopify free trial, share some key things to do beforehand, and provide insights on making the most of the trial period if you’re still on the fence.
What To Do Before Cancelling Your Shopify Free Trial?
Before hitting that cancel button, there are a few crucial steps you should take:
- Back up your store data: Even if you’re not planning to continue with Shopify, the work you’ve done setting up products, collections, pages, etc., could be valuable down the road. I recommend exporting all your store data as CSV files. Go to Settings > Export and download CSVs for products, customers, orders, and any other relevant data. Store these backups safely in case you want to import them to another platform later.
- Remove payment information: Double-check that you’ve deleted any credit card or payment details from your account settings. This prevents any accidental charges if you forget to fully cancel your payments. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments and remove any saved payment methods.
- Cancel third-party app subscriptions: If you installed any paid apps during your trial, be sure to cancel those subscriptions separately. Some may continue billing even after canceling Shopify. Review your installed apps and cancel or delete any you don’t need.
- Transfer custom domains: If you purchased a domain through Shopify, consider transferring it to another registrar before canceling. This allows you to keep the domain for future use. Go to Online Store > Domains to start the transfer process.
- Make note of your login credentials: Though you’re canceling now, you may want to revisit your store later. Securely save your Shopify login email and password, just in case.
Taking these steps ensures you don’t lose any valuable work or data and prevents any unexpected charges down the road. Now, let’s look at how to actually cancel your trial.
Step-By-Step Guide To Cancel Shopify Free Trial
Here is a step-by-step guide to cancel your Shopify free trial:
Step 1: Log into your Shopify admin dashboard
Step 2: Go to Settings, located at the left bottom of the dashboard.
Step 3: Click on Plan from the left sidebar.
Step 4: Select “Cancel trial” from the plan page.
Step 5: A pop-up window appears; click on continue.
Step 6: Choose a reason for canceling from the dropdown menu and answer the question asked. Answering the question is an option; you can continue even without doing so.
Step 7: Click “Continue”
Step 8: Click on “Deactivate store.”
And that’s it! Your store will be deactivated, and your trial will be canceled. Shopify makes the process fairly straightforward.
One important note: If you selected a paid plan during your trial period, you’ll need to manually pause or deactivate your store using the steps above to avoid being charged. The trial doesn’t automatically end if you’ve chosen a plan.
Does Shopify Charge After A Free Trial?
In my experience, Shopify does not automatically charge you when the free trial ends. If you haven’t selected a paid plan, your store simply becomes inaccessible until you choose one.
However, if you did select a plan during the trial, billing will begin as soon as the trial period is over. That’s why canceling before the trial ends is crucial if you don’t want to continue.
Shopify sends reminder emails as the trial nears its end, but I always recommend setting your calendar reminder as well, just to be safe.
What Happens After Canceling Shopify Free Trial?
Once you cancel, here’s what you can expect:
- Your store becomes inaccessible to you and your customers
- You lose the ability to process orders or make changes
- Your store data is retained by Shopify for 2 years
- You can reactivate within that 2-year period by selecting a paid plan
- After 2 years, all data is permanently deleted
So you do have a safety net if you change your mind within those two years. But after that, there’s no recovering your store data.
What Is A Shopify Free Trial?
The Shopify free trial is a 3-day period where you can use the platform’s features at no cost. It starts the moment you sign up, not when you begin working on your store.
During the trial, you can:
- Set up your online store
- Add products
- Customize your theme
- Install apps
- Configure shipping and tax settings
However, you can’t sell products or process payments until you select a paid plan. The trial is meant for setting up and exploring the platform.
Making The Most Of Your Shopify Free Trial
If you’re still in your trial period and on the fence about canceling, here are some tips to get the most value:
- Set clear goals: Before starting, outline exactly what you want to accomplish during the trial. This helps you stay focused and evaluate if Shopify meets your needs.
- Explore all key features: Don’t just stick to the basics. Test out more advanced features like discount codes, abandoned cart recovery, and analytics to see Shopify’s full capabilities.
- Try the mobile app: A lot of store management happens on the go. Download the Shopify mobile app to see how it fits your workflow.
- Test customer support: Submit a support ticket or use the live chat to gauge response times and helpfulness. Good support is crucial for your business.
- Customize your theme: Spend time personalizing a theme to match your brand. This gives you a realistic preview of your potential store.
- Add real products: Don’t just use placeholder data. Add some of your actual products to see how they look and function in the store.
- Simulate the customer experience: Go through the entire buying process as a customer would. This helps identify any friction points.
- Evaluate app integrations: If there are specific tools you need, check if they integrate well with Shopify during the trial.
By thoroughly testing these aspects, you’ll have a much clearer picture of whether Shopify is the right fit for your business before deciding to cancel or continue.
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Conclusion: Cancel Shopify Free Trial In Just 8 Steps!
Canceling your Shopify free trial is straightforward, but it’s important to take the right steps beforehand to protect your data and prevent any unexpected charges. Remember, you have a 2-year window to reactivate if you change your mind, but it’s always best to make an informed decision during the trial period.
Whether you decide to cancel or continue with Shopify, the free trial offers valuable insights into the platform’s capabilities. Use it wisely to determine if Shopify aligns with your eCommerce goals and needs.
