How to Cancel NY Times Subscription (2026) — Skip the Chat Maze

Updated 2026-02-14 · 5 min read

The New York Times makes cancellation intentionally difficult. You can't cancel online with a button — they force you into a live chat where agents try to retain you with 4-5 different offers. At $17/month ($25 for All Access), it adds up. Here's how to get through it fast.

⚠️ No Cancel Button: Unlike most subscriptions, NYT has NO self-service cancel option. You must chat with a live agent. The chat is designed to take 10-15 minutes as they cycle through retention offers.

How to Cancel NY Times (Fastest Method)

Go to NYT Help → Cancel
Click "Chat with us" at the bottom
When connected, paste: "I'd like to cancel my subscription immediately. My decision is final and I'm not interested in any offers or discounts."
They'll offer a discount — respond: "No thank you. Please process the cancellation."
They'll try 2-3 more times — keep saying "Please just cancel."
Get a confirmation email before closing the chat

NYT Retention Offers (In Order)

Expect these offers during the chat:

$4/month for 12 months (down from $17) — most common first offer
$2/month for 6 months — if you decline the first
$1/week for 1 year — essentially $4.33/month
Free Games/Cooking/Wirecutter access — bundled extras
$0.50/week for 1 year — the "last resort" offer (~$2/month)

💰 Want the Discount? If you actually enjoy the NYT but hate the price, the cancel flow is the BEST way to get a deal. The $2/month offer is not available anywhere else. Cancel, take the offer, set a reminder to cancel again in 12 months when the promotional rate expires.

Subscribed Through Apple/Google?

If you signed up through the App Store or Google Play:

iPhone: Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions → NY Times → Cancel
Android: Play Store → Profile → Payments → Subscriptions → Cancel
No chat required! App Store subscriptions bypass NYT's retention flow entirely

📱 Pro Tip: If you resubscribe in the future, subscribe through the App Store instead of NYT directly. It costs the same but you can cancel instantly without chatting.

Free Alternatives to NY Times

Library card access: Many libraries provide free NYT digital access — check your local library website
Archive.today: Read individual articles without a subscription
AP News: Free, non-paywalled news coverage
Reuters: Free international news, strong factual reporting
The Guardian: Free, reader-supported (optional donations)
Google News: Aggregated headlines from all sources, free

NYT Wordle/Games Without a Subscription

If you're only keeping NYT for Wordle or Games:

Wordle is free — you don't need a subscription to play the daily Wordle
NYT Games subscription is separate ($5/month) — cancel the news subscription separately
Free alternatives: Quordle, Wordle clones, NYT Mini crossword (free daily)

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Quick Cancel Guide: Nytimes Subscription

Direct cancel link + step-by-step instructions