Scribd has a cancel flow that's been reported to the Dark Patterns Tip Line. After you click "Cancel Subscription," the next screen shows how many days you have left on your billing period. It looks like a confirmation page. It isn't. There's a second button buried at the bottom of that page, and if you miss it, your subscription stays active. People have paid months extra because of this.
Before you cancel: Scribd vs Everand
Scribd rebranded its ebook and audiobook service to Everand in 2023, but the Scribd brand still exists for documents and SlideShare. One subscription covers all three. You can cancel from either scribd.com or everand.com. The steps are the same.
How to cancel (web browser)
You cannot cancel from the Scribd or Everand mobile apps. You need a web browser.
- Go to scribd.com and sign in
- Click your profile icon (top right) and select Your account
- Scroll to the Subscription section
- Click Cancel Subscription (or End My Membership on older account pages)
- You'll see a screen showing your remaining days. This is not the confirmation. Scroll down and click the button to continue
- Scribd will offer you a discounted plan or a pause. Click Continue cancelling at the bottom of each screen
- Complete the feedback survey and confirm
The cancel flow has multiple screens designed to slow you down. The first screen after clicking cancel shows your remaining billing days and looks like a successful cancellation. It isn't. You need to scroll down and click through 3-4 more screens of retention offers, plan downgrades, and feedback questions. On mobile browsers, the "Continue cancelling" link is below the fold on every screen. If you stop at any point thinking you've cancelled, you haven't.
If you subscribed via the App Store or Google Play
If you signed up through Apple or Google, Scribd can't cancel for you. You need to cancel through the store:
iPhone/iPad: Settings > your name > Subscriptions > Scribd/Everand > Cancel
Google Play: Play Store > profile icon > Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions > Scribd/Everand > Cancel
You keep access to all Scribd, Everand, and SlideShare content until the end of your current billing period. No prorated refund. Any documents you've uploaded to Scribd remain on the platform unless you delete them manually. Downloaded ebooks and audiobooks through Everand stop working once your subscription expires (they're DRM-protected). Your account stays active with free, limited access to Scribd documents.
Current pricing
Scribd bills in USD for web signups and AUD through the App Store. The plans changed in August 2025 with the shift to "unlock" based tiers.
| Plan | USD (web) | AUD (App Store) | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $11.99/mo | $13.99/mo | 1 premium title unlock/mo + Scribd documents + SlideShare |
| Plus | $16.99/mo | $26.99/mo | 3 premium title unlocks/mo + everything in Standard |
| Deluxe | $28.99/mo | US only | 5 premium title unlocks/mo + everything in Standard |
The "unlocks" system replaced Scribd's old unlimited reading model. Each unlock gives you permanent access to one premium ebook or audiobook for as long as your subscription is active. Non-premium titles (a smaller catalogue) are still available without using an unlock.
That App Store markup on the Plus plan is significant. If you're paying $26.99 AUD through Apple, you could cancel and resubscribe on the web at $16.99 USD (~$27 AUD) for 3x the unlocks. Not much savings there, but worth checking which payment method you're on.
The throttling history
Scribd originally launched as "unlimited reading" for a flat monthly fee. In practice, heavy readers found their access throttled mid-cycle. Books would become unavailable, audiobook listening would be restricted, and the catalogue would shrink the more you used it. Scribd never officially acknowledged this, but it was widely reported.
The current unlock system is more honest about what you're getting. One premium title per month on Standard is not a lot, but at least you know the limit upfront.
Free alternatives
If you mainly read popular fiction and non-fiction, you can likely replace Scribd for free:
- BorrowBox (free with any Australian library card). Ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. Run by Bolinda, an Australian company. Get a library card from your local council if you don't have one.
- Libby (free with a library card). Huge catalogue. Popular titles can have 4+ week wait lists, but the selection is excellent.
- Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org). Over 70,000 free public domain ebooks. Great for classics.
- Open Library (openlibrary.org). A lending library from the Internet Archive. Borrow one book at a time for free.
For documents specifically, most of what's on Scribd's document library is user-uploaded content that can be found elsewhere with a search engine. You don't need a subscription for that.
Refunds
Scribd offers refunds if you contact support within 30 days of a charge. Email help@everand.com. If you were charged because you thought you'd cancelled but hadn't completed the full cancel flow, mention that specifically.
One subscription down. But if Scribd slipped past you, what else is quietly renewing?
Most people find 3-5 subscriptions they forgot about when they actually look. Upload a bank statement to Subtracker and see every recurring charge in 2 minutes. No bank login. No manual entry. $12.99 once.
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.