Can I get a refund for unused time after canceling Copilot?

By default, no, GitHub's billing docs state that **no refunds are issued for unused time in the current cycle**. Exceptions: (1) if your personal Copilot plan is replaced by a Business/Enterprise seat you're auto-refunded the prorated remainder; (2) during the April, May 2026 Pro/Pro+ plan-limit changes GitHub explicitly refunded the current month (monthly) or the remaining term (annual); (3) support frequently grants a one-time courtesy refund if you can show you didn't use the service. UK/EU users may also invoke the 14-day right of withdrawal.

How do I cancel a free trial on GitHub?

Open **Settings → Billing & licensing**, find the trialing product (Copilot, Enterprise, or a Marketplace app), click **Manage subscription** and choose **Cancel**. Cancelling a free trial **prevents future charges but does not refund payments already processed**. For a GitHub Marketplace app trial, cancelling ends access immediately rather than at the end of the cycle. Do this at least 24 hours before the trial ends, auto-renew runs the moment the trial expires.

Why am I still being charged after cancelling GitHub?

Three usual culprits: (1) the cancellation was started but never confirmed, check for the confirmation email and re-check **Settings → Billing & licensing → Payment history**; (2) you cancelled an organization plan but a separate personal Copilot subscription is still active (they're billed separately); (3) the support ticket is open but unresolved. Open a fresh ticket at support.github.com/contact under **Billing & Payments → Copilot → Cancellation**, include the prior ticket number, and ask your bank to block further charges from GitHub if support doesn't respond within 7 days.

How do I cancel my GitHub subscription if I no longer have access to the account?

First try **Account Recovery** at https://github.com/account-recovery with the email on file. If that fails, open a ticket at support.github.com/contact under **Account → Account access** and include the billing email, last 4 digits of the card, and an invoice number from your bank statement. In parallel, ask your card issuer or PayPal to block future GitHub charges, Reddit users with unanswered tickets have used this combo successfully. Mark the most recent charge as unauthorised only if support has gone silent for over 30 days.

Is there a cancellation fee for GitHub?

No. GitHub charges no cancellation or early-termination fee on personal plans, Team, or Copilot, you simply stop being billed at the next renewal. Enterprise contracts may have an annual commitment, in which case mid-term cancellation doesn't always trigger a refund but doesn't add a penalty either. The only cost of cancelling late is the current month/year you've already paid for, which GitHub's default policy does not refund.

What if GitHub support ignores my cancellation request?

Multiple community reports describe billing tickets going 30+ days without a reply. Counter-measures, in order: (1) re-submit a fresh ticket under **Billing & Payments → Copilot → Cancellation** referencing the silent ticket number; (2) publicly @githubsupport on X, they triage faster from there; (3) ask your card issuer to block future GitHub charges and dispute the most recent one as a service-cancellation issue; (4) if you paid via PayPal, cancel the recurring billing agreement directly in PayPal under Settings → Payments → Automatic Payments.

REFUND GUIDE

How to Get a GitHub Copilot Refund After Renewal.

Here's what GitHub actually owes you, what their policy quietly says, and how to escalate if they ignore the request.

Last verified 15 Jun 2026 against GitHub’s own Terms · UK, US, and EU rights covered below

The short answer

GitHub's default position is that cancellation stops future billing but does not refund the remainder of the current cycle, you keep access until the period you've already paid for ends. Exceptions exist: if your Copilot personal plan is replaced by a Business/Enterprise seat you get a prorated refund automatically, and during the April, May 2026 Copilot plan changes GitHub offered a Cancel-and-refund button in Billing settings. For one-off refunds (unused months, billing errors, accidental renewals) open a ticket at support.github.com/contact under Billing & Payments; consumer-law refunds (UK/EU 14-day right of withdrawal) apply if you have not used the service.

Or let yoink chase the refund.

30 seconds to set up. yoink emails GitHub, cites the policy, escalates if ignored, and surfaces the win when the money lands.

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What GitHub actually says

“No refunds are issued for unused time in the current cycle.”
, verbatim from GitHub’s terms

Pro-rata refund: noStatutory cooling-off: 14 days in UK + EU on new subs

How long does a GitHub refund take?

Most merchants agree to a straightforward refund within 1 to 3 working days of a well-written email request. Once agreed, the money itself takes another 3 to 5 working days to land, that part is card-network processing and no merchant can skip it. If nothing has arrived 10 working days after a written “refund approved”, reply on the same thread asking for the ARN (acquirer reference number), which your bank can trace.

What you can claim

The law where you live is the strongest hook, lead with it when you contact the company.

United States

Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA)
Dispute any credit-card charge in writing within 60 days.
For US credit-card payments, the FCBA gives you 60 days from the statement date to dispute a GitHub charge in writing. Your card issuer is required to investigate and may withhold the disputed amount during the process.
California ARL refund right
Refund if cancel was blocked or unclear.
If GitHub made it hard to cancel under California ARL, you’re entitled to a refund of charges taken since the obstruction. Multiple class actions (including against Adobe + Hulu) have set the precedent.

Worldwide

Card-issuer chargeback
Visa/Mastercard chargeback works everywhere they do.
Open a chargeback for “subscription not cancelled” or “services not as described”, your bank initiates, GitHub has ~45 days to defend. Works regardless of where GitHub is headquartered.
PayPal Buyer Protection
If you paid via PayPal, open a dispute.
PayPal’s Buyer Protection covers “item not as described”, applies to services that didn’t deliver. Resolution typically within 20 days.

Rights in other regions (United Kingdom, European Union)

United Kingdom

Section 75, Consumer Credit Act
Credit card issuer is jointly liable. £100-£30,000.
For UK credit-card charges between £100 and £30,000, your card issuer is jointly liable with GitHub for any breach. Call your bank, say “Section 75 claim”, send evidence. Usually resolved in 2-4 weeks.
Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013
Full refund within the 14-day window.
Inside 14 days of starting any GitHub subscription, you’re entitled to a full refund of any payment taken, no questions, no policy override.
Citizens Advice + Trading Standards
For repeated bad-faith refusals.
Free escalation lane: file with Citizens Advice (08082231133), they pass it to Trading Standards. Slow (8-12 weeks) but creates a paper trail GitHub can’t ignore.

European Union

Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU
14-day withdrawal across all EU member states.
EU-wide statutory right to withdraw and recover any payment within 14 days of subscription start. Mirrored in local law in every EU country.
ECC-Net cross-border escalation
EU Consumer Centre network mediates against EU sellers.
If GitHub is based in another EU country, your local European Consumer Centre will mediate the dispute for free. List of national contacts at commission.europa.eu.

The 4-step refund email

Email the right address
Use support@github.com, the route yoink has verified actually gets read for GitHub.
Use a clear subject line
Subject: Refund Request, [your account email]

Send this body

Hi GitHub team,

I'm requesting a refund of the recent charge on my subscription, account [your account email].

Under the FTC's Click-to-Cancel rule, cancellation must be available through a channel as simple as the one I signed up through. Please confirm by reply that the refund will be processed to my original payment method.

Best,
[your name]

Wait 7-14 days, then escalate
If you haven’t heard back in 14 days, escalate via the regional route above, a card-issuer chargeback works in every market.

Refund FAQ for GitHub

Go to **Settings → Billing & licensing → Licensing**, find the **GitHub Copilot** section, click **Manage subscription → Cancel subscription**, then confirm. You'll keep access until the end of the current billing cycle. For a refund of the unused time, you have to open a separate ticket at https://support.github.com/contact → **Billing & Payments → Copilot → Cancellation**. The virtual agent can sometimes refund immediately; otherwise escalate to a human. Annual plans are easier to refund (prorated remainder) than monthly.