The New York Times has historically been one of the harder subscriptions to cancel. For years, you had to call or chat with a retention agent who would cycle through discount offers before processing your request. That's changed. NYT now lets most digital subscribers cancel directly through their account settings online, no phone call or chat required.
The catch: the online cancellation flow still pushes retention offers at you, and the "keep my subscription" button is always more prominent than the "continue cancelling" one. But you can click through it in about two minutes.
Cancel online (fastest method)
- Go to myaccount.nytimes.com and log in
- Click Subscription Overview
- Click Cancel next to your subscription
- NYT will show you retention offers (discounts, plan changes). Click Continue to cancel to skip each one
- Confirm the cancellation
- You should receive a confirmation email. If you don't, check your spam folder and screenshot the confirmation screen
This works for most digital subscriptions billed directly through NYT (credit card, debit card, PayPal).
Cancel by chat or phone
If the online option isn't available for your subscription type (some older plans, home delivery, or corporate subscriptions), you'll need to contact NYT directly.
Chat: Go to help.nytimes.com, scroll to the bottom, and click Contact us to start a live chat.
Phone: Call 1-800-591-9233 (US number). From Australia, you'll need to dial +1 800 591 9233 via an international call or use a VoIP service. Hours: Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm ET, weekends 7am to 3pm ET.
Both chat and phone will involve a retention agent. They'll offer you discounts before processing the cancellation. Be direct.
"I'd like to cancel my subscription. My decision is final and I'm not interested in any offers or discounts. Please process the cancellation."
If they offer a discount (they will): "No thank you. Please cancel."
If they offer a second discount (they probably will): "I've already declined. Please process the cancellation now."
Cancel if you subscribed through Apple or Google
If you signed up via the NYT app on your phone, your billing likely goes through Apple or Google rather than NYT directly. In that case, cancelling on the NYT website won't stop the charges.
iPhone/iPad: Settings > your name > Subscriptions > The New York Times > Cancel Subscription
Android: Google Play Store > profile icon > Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions > The New York Times > Cancel
App Store cancellations are immediate and don't involve retention agents. If you're unsure who bills you, check whether the charge on your bank statement says "Apple" or "Google" rather than "NYT" or "New York Times."
The retention offers (what to expect)
NYT runs a predictable sequence of offers when you try to cancel. Based on user reports from late 2025:
- First offer: A reduced rate, typically around US$2/week (billed as US$8 every 4 weeks)
- Second offer: A steeper discount, around US$1/week for 12 months
- Online self-cancel best offer: US$1/week for 12 months is often presented immediately when you cancel through your account settings, without needing to negotiate
If you actually want a cheaper rate rather than a full cancellation, the online self-cancel flow tends to surface better deals than calling or chatting. One Reddit user reported getting US$1/week online while being offered only US$2/week by phone.
NYT bills in 4-week cycles, not monthly. US$25 every 4 weeks works out to roughly US$325 per year (about A$500 at current exchange rates), not US$300. The 4-week billing cycle means you pay 13 times a year instead of 12. It's a small difference, but it adds up.
Current pricing (USD)
| Plan | Intro Price | Standard Price | Billing Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Access | US$1/week | US$25/4 weeks (~US$6.25/week) | Every 4 weeks |
| News only | US$1/week | US$17/4 weeks (~US$4.25/week) | Every 4 weeks |
| Games only | US$1/week | US$10/4 weeks (~US$2.50/week) | Every 4 weeks |
| Cooking only | US$1/week | US$5/4 weeks (~US$1.25/week) | Every 4 weeks |
| Family (All Access) | varies | US$35/4 weeks | Every 4 weeks |
All prices are in USD. Your bank will convert at the current exchange rate plus any foreign transaction fee your card charges. At the time of writing, US$25 is roughly A$38.
The intro rates (typically US$1/week for 6 months to 1 year) are for new subscribers only. Once the intro period ends, the price jumps to the standard rate automatically. NYT sends a notification before the increase, but it's easy to miss.
Your access continues until the end of your current billing period. No prorated refunds. Your account, saved articles, cooking recipes, and game streaks (including Wordle) are retained, so you can resubscribe later without losing them. Free content (limited articles, Wordle, Connections, and Strands) remains accessible without a subscription.
Free alternatives for Australian readers
If you subscribed for general news rather than NYT-specific content like Wordle or Cooking, there are strong free options:
- ABC News (abc.net.au): Free, no paywall, no subscription. Covers Australian and international news.
- The Guardian Australia (theguardian.com/au): Free, reader-funded, no paywall. Strong international coverage with an Australian edition.
- SBS News (sbs.com.au): Free. Good for world news and Australian multicultural coverage.
- Wordle and games: If games are the main reason you subscribe, Wordle, Connections, and Strands are actually free without a subscription. The paid Games subscription adds the full Crossword archive, Spelling Bee, and other puzzles.
That's one international subscription handled. What else is quietly charging you in USD?
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See what you're paying forChris Raad
Chris is the founder of Subtracker. He built this tool after experiencing the pain of discovering thousands of dollars in unused SaaS sprawl just before tax time.