Cancel History Today the easy way

Overview

History Today is a UK-based monthly history magazine and digital archive aimed at scholars, students and history enthusiasts. It publishes articles, reviews and a searchable archive of past issues.

Offerings

The publisher sells print subscriptions, digital app subscriptions and access to an online archive. Some offers include a 3 month trial that renews as an annual subscription if not cancelled.

Company facts

Official subscription information is available at History Today subscriptions and frequently asked questions at History Today FAQ.

Web (account management)

1. Go to https://www.historytoday.com/subscription/subscribe.
2. Log in with your username and password.
3. Open subscription settings and choose Cancel or Manage Auto-renewal.
4. Save a screenshot of confirmation and keep the confirmation email.

iOS app (Apple subscriptions)

1. Open the Apple App Store on your device and go to your subscriptions.
2. Select the History Today app subscription and choose Cancel Subscription.
3. Keep the Apple confirmation email or screenshot. Notify History Today by email if you want a registered-proof trail.

Android app (Google Play)

1. Open Google Play Store - Menu - Subscriptions.
2. Select the History Today subscription and Cancel.
3. Keep the Google Play confirmation email or screenshot. Send notice to [email protected] for an extra record.

Phone

1. If your subscription began by phone, call the number you used or the number printed on any paperwork. History Today does not publish a central phone number for cancellations.
2. Ask for email confirmation and note the agent name and time of call.

Email

1. Send an email to [email protected] stating: your full name as on the subscription, full postal address, subscriber/account number and a clear sentence: "Please cancel my History Today subscription and confirm by return email."
2. Keep a copy of the sent email and any reply.

Post (registered letter)

1. Write a signed letter including your full name exactly as on the subscription, full postal address and subscriber/account number.
2. Send by registered post to: History Today, Crown Way, CF14 3UZ Cardiff, United Kingdom.
3. Keep the Royal Mail registered post receipt and any delivery confirmation.

Cooling-off period (14 days for distance purchases)

If you bought your subscription online or by post you have a 14 day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Within 14 days you can cancel for any reason and receive a full refund, including delivery charges unless you chose a more expensive delivery option. Refunds must be made within 14 days of the trader being informed of cancellation. See Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

End of commitment or rolling monthly

For monthly rolling subscriptions you must give 30 days notice before the next billing cycle. For offers with a 3 month trial the minimum commitment is 3 months before standard renewal unless you cancel before renewal. This is stated in the published subscription offers such as the 3 month trials that renew to annual plans.

Price increase

If History Today increases the price mid-contract and your contract allows termination for price rise, you may cancel and request a refund for the unused portion. Check your subscription terms and retain the notice of price increase as proof. Applicable law - Consumer Rights Act 2015 for unfair terms and protections from disproportionate penalty clauses.

Death of subscriber

If the subscriber has died, the subscription may be cancelled by the executor or a close family member. Provide a copy of the death certificate and the subscriber's identifying details. History Today does not publish a precise list of accepted documents; provide the death certificate and a copy of proof of address for the requester when possible.

Legitimate ground and accepted reasons

History Today accepts cancellations for standard reasons such as change of address, death and within-cooling-off cancellations. The exact list of acceptable documentary proof is not published by History Today; for cancellations that rely on legal rights cite the relevant regulation when you send documentation. When cancelling under statutory rights include: subscription details, proof of purchase and the supporting document (for example death certificate or price increase notice).

Applicable laws

Cooling-off: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Rights on cancelling subscription contracts: Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 - cooling-off rights.

Before you cancel: negotiate

History Today does not publish standard retention offers publicly. There are no publicly reported discounted retention offers found in the research. If you want to attempt retention negotiation, email [email protected] or contact via account management and ask for a retention rate or switch to an annual plan. Use this script: "I want to cancel my subscription. Before I decide, do you have a retention offer or can you switch me to an annual rate? My subscriber number is [number]." Keep email replies as proof.

What cancelling will save you - yearly calculations

Use the actual plan prices below to compute annual savings if you cancel.

• App Subscription monthly price: £4.49. Annual equivalent: £4.49 x 12 = £53.88 per year. Annual price listed: £39.99. If you cancel a monthly pay-as-you-go app subscription and instead had the annual price available, cancelling the monthly saves: £53.88 - £39.99 = £13.89 per year when switching to annual.
• Digital archive one-year (one-off payment): £70 per year. Cancelling this saves £70 per year.
• Digital archive + Print one-year: £105 per year. Cancelling this saves £105 per year.
• Print subscription starting price: from £65 per year. Cancelling this saves from £65 per year.

Examples of computed saving:

• If you cancel the Digital archive + Print annual at £105 you save £105 in the next 12 months: "£105.00 per year saved".
• If you switch from monthly app at £4.49 to annual at £39.99 you save "£53.88 - £39.99 = £13.89 per year" compared to remaining on monthly.

For detailed subscription offers see History Today archive subscriptions and History Today app edition.

Key consumer laws

United Kingdom consumer protections relevant to subscriptions include the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, which give a 14 day cooling-off right for distance and off-premises contracts, and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which confirms cooling-off rights for subscription contracts. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be performed with reasonable care and skill and bans unfair contract terms.

Refunds and time limits

If you cancel during the 14 day cooling-off period the trader must reimburse all payments, including delivery costs (unless you selected a more expensive delivery option), within 14 days of being informed of cancellation. Reimbursement must be made by the same payment method used for the transaction. See Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 - section 261.

How to escalate

If the trader refuses or delays a lawful refund, complain in writing to History Today first and keep copies. If unresolved, contact Citizens Advice for guidance and then escalate to the appropriate sector ombudsman where relevant. For card payments, consider Section 75 or a chargeback via your card issuer if eligible. The Competition and Markets Authority flags hard-to-cancel subscriptions and unclear auto-renewal as potential unfair practices.

Access and final issues

After cancellation you may lose access to the digital app and archive at the end of the paid period. If you cancelled during a cooling-off period you may be entitled to immediate deactivation and a full refund for payments made. Keep screenshots of any decision or confirmation from History Today.

Final billing and refunds

If you are due a refund under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 the refund must be issued within 14 days using the same payment method you used. If History Today deducts for handling beyond necessary inspection, the deduction must be explained and lawful under regulations. Save bank statements and refund confirmations.

Re-activation

To restart a subscription use the subscription pages: https://www.historytoday.com/subscription/subscribe. Re-activation will trigger the chosen billing and any trial offers may not apply a second time.

Follow this checklist to cancel cleanly and protect your rights.

• Locate your subscriber/account number and the email used to subscribe.
• Choose your cancellation method: account web, email, registered post, or app store.
• If cancelling for a statutory reason, collect supporting documents (proof of purchase, death certificate, price increase notice).
• Send the cancellation and keep proof: screenshot, sent email copy, Royal Mail registered receipt.
• Note the date you sent the cancellation and expected refund deadline (14 days for distance sales).
• If no reply, send a follow-up and then escalate to Citizens Advice if unresolved.
• For card payments consider asking your card issuer about chargeback or Section 75 if eligible.