A contract renews quietly, and you only notice with the next debit. It happens to almost everyone, because every contract has a different term and a different notice period. The good news: in Germany, the rules for consumers have become much simpler in recent years.
The most important rule since 2022
For many contracts concluded since 1 March 2022, the Fair Consumer Contracts Act (Gesetz für faire Verbraucherverträge) says:
- The initial term may be no longer than two years.
- After that, the contract may only continue for an indefinite period.
- From then on you can cancel at any time with a notice period of no more than one month.
This applies, for example, to gyms, magazine subscriptions and many memberships. For older contracts, the old rules may still apply, meaning longer automatic renewals. In that case, check your contract.
Notice periods by type of contract
Mobile phone, internet and landline
During the minimum term (usually 24 months) you are bound. After that you can cancel monthly with one month's notice. Tip: cancel or renegotiate in good time before the minimum term ends, because there are often cheaper offers for the same plan.
Electricity and gas
On the default supply tariff (Grundversorgung) you can cancel with two weeks' notice. For special contracts, whatever the contract says applies. If the supplier raises prices, you usually have a special right to cancel. The deadline for this is in the price increase notice, so don't file those letters unread.
Gym
For new contracts the rule above applies: after the initial term, you can cancel monthly. According to case law, moving house alone is usually not a reason for extraordinary cancellation; a longer illness can be, if you can prove it.
Insurance
Many insurance policies run for one year and renew unless you cancel at least three months before they expire. For car insurance it is usually one month before expiry, so 30 November for policies that follow the calendar year. After a claim or a premium increase, there is often a special right to cancel.
Streaming and digital subscriptions
Netflix, Spotify and similar services can usually be cancelled monthly. Watch out for annual and trial subscriptions: they often renew automatically if you don't cancel before they expire.
The cancellation button
Since July 2022, anyone who lets you sign contracts online must also offer a clearly visible cancellation button online, often labelled “Verträge hier kündigen” (cancel contracts here). After clicking, you receive a confirmation. Save it.
How to cancel properly
- Work out the deadline: when does the term end and how long is the notice period? That tells you by when the cancellation must reach the provider.
- Cancel completely: name, address, customer and contract number, the desired end date (“at the earliest possible date”) and a request for written confirmation.
- Send it in a way you can prove: via the cancellation button, email with confirmation or registered mail, depending on what the contract requires.
- Keep the confirmation and check that nothing is debited afterwards.
How much you can save
Go through your bank statements from the last three months once and mark everything that is debited regularly. Many people find subscriptions they forgot about long ago, or plans that have been too expensive for years. Just two forgotten subscriptions at EUR 10 each add up to EUR 240 a year. How to keep an eye on your spending overall is explained in the guide Keeping a household budget.
What do your contracts really cost you? In Subscription and Contract Manager the app turns every subscription into a clear monthly amount and shows your costs per month and per year. You see the last day to cancel sorted by urgency, and you get the cancellation letter as a PDF. There is also a savings check with a list of commonly forgotten subscriptions. No bank connection, no cloud: your contracts stay encrypted on your device. One-time purchase with no subscription.
Frequently asked questions
Does a cancellation have to be in writing?
That depends on the contract. For many contracts, text form is enough, so an email works too. What matters is that you can prove it was received.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
With newer contracts, usually not much: after the initial term you can cancel monthly anyway. With older contracts and some insurance policies, however, the contract runs for another year.
Can the provider refuse my cancellation?
They don't have to accept a cancellation made on time; it takes effect anyway. Don't be unsettled by retention offers, and insist on the confirmation.
Do these rules also apply to businesses?
Most of the rules above protect consumers. For contracts between businesses, what the contract says is what mainly applies.
Never miss a deadline again
The Subscription and Contract Manager works out for each contract the last day you can cancel, and sorts everything by urgency with a deadline traffic light. You enter your contracts yourself or import them from an Excel or CSV table (name, amount, billing cycle), with a preview before anything is added. The app creates the cancellation letter with your customer and contract number for you; you send it yourself. You can add the deadlines to your phone calendar. The app runs offline with no subscription, and your data stays on your device. If you also want to plan your budget, Budget & Payday Studio fits well alongside it.
This article gives a general overview of the legal situation for consumers in Germany (as of October 2026) and is not legal advice. Your contract and the current laws are what count. The consumer advice centres (Verbraucherzentralen) can help with questions.