How to Cancel The Economist 2026 — Is $22/Month for One Magazine Worth It?
Updated March 2026 • 5 min read
The Economist is genuinely excellent journalism. But at $22/month ($264/year) after the intro rate, it's one of the most expensive single publications you can subscribe to. Most people subscribe during a promo ($1/week), read for a few weeks, then the unread issues pile up while the full rate kicks in.
⚠️ The intro rate trap: The Economist advertises "$1 per week for 12 weeks" ($12 total). After 12 weeks, it auto-renews at the full rate — $22/month or ~$5.50/week. That's a 5.5x price increase that happens automatically.
The Economist Pricing
- Intro rate: $1/week for 12 weeks ($12 total)
- Digital only: $21.99/month ($264/year)
- Digital + Print: $30.99/month ($372/year)
- Espresso app: $4.99/month (daily briefing only)
How to Cancel The Economist
- Log in at economist.com
- Click your profile → Manage subscription
- Click Cancel subscription
- Navigate through retention offers (they'll likely offer the intro rate again)
- Confirm cancellation
Cancel by Phone
Call 1-800-456-6086 (US) or email customerserviceamericas@economist.com. Phone cancellation often results in better retention offers.
Cancel via App Store
- iPhone: Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions → The Economist → Cancel
- Android: Google Play → Payments & subscriptions → The Economist → Cancel
The Honest Assessment
When The Economist IS worth it:
- You actually read most of each weekly issue
- You need global perspective for work (finance, consulting, policy)
- You listen to the excellent audio edition during commutes
- You use The Economist Espresso daily briefing
When to cancel:
- You have 4+ unread issues stacking up
- You skim the headlines but don't read articles
- You subscribed for the intro rate and now it's $22/month
- You can get the same info from free sources
Free Alternatives
- The Economist Espresso (free articles): Limited free content available without subscription
- Reuters: Free, global news coverage comparable in depth
- BBC World Service: Free, excellent global analysis
- Foreign Affairs (limited free): Deep policy analysis, some free articles
- Library access: Many libraries offer free digital access to The Economist through PressReader
- The Economist podcasts: Free — The Intelligence (daily), Babbage (tech), Money Talks (finance)
💡 The library hack: Many public libraries offer free digital access to The Economist through apps like PressReader, Libby, or their own digital magazine collections. Check your library's website — you might be able to read The Economist for free with your library card.
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