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Single-Use Cards

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Break the Cycle—How To Cancel Philo

Ashley Ferraro, Product
Feb 12, 2024
 • 
10
 Min Read
Manage Your Subscription Payments With Virtual Cards

Launched in 2017, Philo is a streaming service that offers over 70 channels, including A&E, AMC, and MTV. With its affordable pricing, Philo has gained a dedicated following among cord-cutters, amassing over 800,000 subscribers as of 2021.

However, you may decide to drop Philo for reasons such as budget cuts, favorite content missing, or wanting to try a different streaming platform. If this is the case, refer to our guide on how to cancel Philo. It will outline the steps you should take to end your subscription effectively and without incurring additional charges.

Note that the content in this guide is current as of December 2023. Please visit the official Philo website or contact customer support for the latest information. 

A back-shot photo of a couple browsing a movie library on TV
Source: Cottonbro Studio

How To Cancel Philo TV via the Official Website

The Philo cancellation process depends on how you’ve signed up and who bills you for the service. If you’ve purchased your subscription directly from Philo, you can cancel on the website as follows:

  1. Visit your Philo account page through a browser.
  2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Cancel my subscription.
  3. Select your reason for canceling (optional).
  4. Click Complete cancellation to confirm your decision. 

You’ll continue to have access to Philo’s content until the end of the billing cycle. After that, your subscription will be fully deactivated, and you won’t be charged further. 

Note that canceling your Philo subscription doesn’t remove all your account or billing information from the database. If you want to remove your name, email address, and phone number from Philo’s system, you should delete your account within the Philo account settings. You should also click Remove payment info on your account page to erase your payment card details.  

How To Cancel a Philo Subscription on iOS

If you’re billed through Apple and want to cancel a Philo subscription on your iPhone or iPad, proceed as follows:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap your name at the top.
  3. Go to Subscriptions.
  4. Select Philo, then tap Cancel Subscription at the bottom of the screen.

How To Cancel Philo on Android Devices

If you’re billed through Google Play and you want to cancel a Philo subscription on your Android phone or tablet, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Google Play app on your device.
  2. Tap your profile picture.
  3. Select Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions
  4. Select Philo from the list of subscriptions.
  5. Tap Cancel Subscription and follow the provided instructions to complete the cancellation process.
A photo of a TV placed on a table displaying a movie title
Source: Jens Kreuter

How To Cancel Philo on Roku  

You can also cancel your Philo subscription via a Roku device by completing the steps below:

  1. Press the home button on your Roku remote.
  2. Highlight the Philo channel and press the Star (*) button on your remote.
  3. Select Manage Subscription.
  4. Click Cancel Subscription and follow the prompts.
  5. Confirm the cancellation by clicking Done

How To Cancel Philo Through Amazon

If you’re billed for Philo by Amazon, below are the instructions on how to cancel your subscription:

  1. Sign in to your Amazon account.
  2. Select Memberships & Subscriptions.
  3. Click App Subscription Settings.
  4. Find Philo in the list of subscriptions and select it.
  5. Select Turn off auto-renewal from the Actions drop-down menu.
  6. Confirm by clicking Turn off auto-renewal again.

Is Philo Easy To Cancel?—What You Should Know

According to some users, canceling Philo may not always be as straightforward as signing up for it. Some customers claimed to have been charged after canceling their subscription, with some reportedly having to contact their bank to block future Philo charges.

While these excessive charges might have occurred due to honest errors, this is not always the case. Some subscription merchants may intentionally complicate the process, hoping you will keep paying for your subscription. Some of the methods they use, called "dark patterns," include:

  • Making the cancellation button inconspicuous
  • Requiring you to call or chat with customer support to cancel
  • Offering various discounts to entice you to keep your membership

If you’re not careful enough, you may miss a key step in the cancellation process and get charged for another month of a service you don’t want. Although vigilance is always recommended, you can also pay for subscriptions with virtual cards from Privacy and ensure no unwelcome charges can sneak through.

A virtual card is linked to an actual funding source but masks your financial information with temporary card numbers at checkout. Besides protecting your financial data, a virtual card by a comprehensive virtual card provider like Privacy comes with advanced settings that can help you keep your expenses under control.

A close-up photo of a man’s hand holding a blue credit card
Source: Aukid Phumsirichat

Keep Unwelcome Charges at Bay With Privacy Virtual Cards

Privacy Virtual Cards provide safety and control to your online transactions, whether you’re using them to pay for another streaming platform like Amazon Music, Apple TV, and Apple Music, or a news source like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

Once you link a debit card or bank account to Privacy, you can request and generate two types of Privacy Virtual Cards—find out more in the following table:

Type of Card How It Works
Single-Use Cards These cards expire minutes after the first transaction is completed. They are perfect for purchases on unfamiliar websites and those you don’t plan on buying from again. 
Merchant-Locked Cards These cards “lock” to the first vendor you purchase from and can be used repeatedly. They are ideal for merchants you frequently shop from and your favorite subscription services like Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, and YouTube Premium

You can also pause or close your Privacy Cards at will without impacting the linked bank account or debit card. This feature is helpful when you want to stop subscriptions. Privacy will decline all transactions on closed or paused cards so you don’t have to worry about unwanted charges during or after the cancellation process. 

By setting spending limits on your Privacy Virtual Cards, you can define how much subscription merchants can charge you. Privacy will block all charges that surpass the designated limit.

How To Set Up Privacy

To become a Privacy user, complete the steps below:

  1. Register
  2. Enter the details required to verify your identity
  3. Link a funding source—debit card or bank account
  4. Request and create Privacy Virtual Cards

After registering, you’ll get access to the browser extension and mobile app to streamline online payments and card management. The Privacy Browser Extension enables fast and seamless transactions by auto-populating your virtual card details at checkout. It’s available for popular browsers such as:

The Privacy mobile app, available for Android and iOS, enables you to generate and manage virtual cards on the go.

Privacy Pricing

Privacy offers three plans—Personal, Pro, and Premium. The Personal plan is free for domestic transactions, includes 12 virtual cards per month, and lets you enjoy all the above-discussed benefits. Discover how much the paid plans cost and what features they include in the table below:

Pricing Plan Cost per Month Number of Virtual Cards per Month Benefits
Pro $10 36
  • Everything in Personal

  • Fee-free international transactions

  • Priority support

  • 1% cashback on eligible purchases (totaling up to $4,500 per month)

Premium $25 60
  • Everything in Pro

Privacy — Seamless & Secure Online Card Payments
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