The subscription business model has seen explosive growth in the last few years. In 2021, Americans spent $273 on subscription services per month, a 15% increase from $237 in 2018, according to a West Monroe report. Apple, an innovation powerhouse and a leader in the tech world, has capitalized on this model with Apple subscriptions. The company's popular subscription services include Apple Music, iCloud storage, and Apple One.

While these subscription plans offer convenience and flexibility, it is essential to manage them effectively to avoid unexpected charges. If you want to learn how to manage your Apple subscriptions on Mac effortlessly, refer to this practical guide. 

It will outline the steps you can take to find, cancel, and modify your subscriptions with ease. You'll also discover:

• How subscription management apps can help you stay on top of your subscriptions
• What their limitations are
• The most effective way to avoid unexpected charges from subscription services and other merchants

Note that the information in this guide was sourced in January 2024. Please visit the official Apple website for the most recent information.

How To Find Your Subscriptions on Mac

You can view all Apple subscriptions you purchased in the App Store on your Mac by following the steps below:

1. Go to the App Store app.
2. Click your name.
3. Select Account Settings.
4. Scroll down to Subscriptions.
5. Click Manage to view them.
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If you can't find a subscription you bought, proceed to your email and search for "receipt from Apple."

How To Cancel Apple Subscriptions on Mac

To cancel an Apple subscription on your Mac, follow these instructions:

1. Open the Apple App Store app.
2. Click your name or select Sign In if you can't see your name.
3. Select Account Settings.
4. Go to Subscriptions.
5. Click Manage.
6. Click Edit next to the subscription you want to cancel.
7. Select the Cancel Subscription option and follow the on-page prompts to complete the cancellation.
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After a successful cancellation, you will have access to the service until the end of your current paid period, and automatic charges will stop starting the next billing cycle. For subscriptions you purchased through a third party, follow that company's cancellation instructions to avoid further charges.

How To Change a Subscription Plan on Mac

If you want to switch to a different subscription plan on your Mac, here are the steps you should take:

1. Open the App Store app.
2. Click on your name in the lower-left corner or select Sign In if you can't find your name.
3. Navigate to Account Settings and sign in again if necessary.
4. Click Manage to the right of Subscriptions.
5. Select Edit.
6. Select a setting in the Options list.
7. Click Done.
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How To Share Subscriptions With Other Family Members

You can also share your subscriptions with other family members to save on costs. You can do so through Apple's Family Sharing feature by following the below steps:

1. Go to the App Store.
2. Click your name in the bottom-left corner, or click Sign In to log in to your account.
3. Select Account Settings and sign in again if prompted.
4. Scroll to the Manage section and click Manage.
5. Choose Share New Subscriptions, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the process.

Subscription Management Apps—How They Can Help

If you have several subscriptions, you probably know how overwhelming it can be to keep track of them. Juggling between managing multiple accounts, passwords, and subscription renewal dates can leave you vulnerable to incurring extra charges.

The good news is that you can consolidate all your subscriptions in one place using subscription management apps. Subscription management apps like Rocket Money, Bobby, and Trim allow you to link your financial accounts and gather information about your subscriptions in one place, including how much you're spending and when the subscriptions renew. The apps also offer additional features such as:

• Notifications before a subscription renewal date
• Budgeting tools to help you stay on top of your spending
• Ability to cancel subscriptions right from the app
• Spending trend analysis to help you identify where you can make potential savings

Potential Issues With Canceling Subscription Services

In most cases, canceling a subscription takes a few clicks or taps. However, some companies may intentionally complicate the cancellation funnel by requiring you to call their customer support, cancel in person, or mail in your cancellation request, which can be tedious and time-consuming. If you fail to complete the cancellation process on time, you may end up being charged for another month or year of a service you no longer want.

While you can use the cancellation services of subscription management apps, there are potential disadvantages you should be aware of. You often need to pay a fee to unlock the cancellation feature of these apps. Also, subscription management apps can’t always cancel a subscription for you, depending on a particular company’s cancellation requirements.

Luckily, you can take a more proactive approach to subscription management by using a Privacy Virtual Card to pay for subscriptions. A virtual card is connected to a real funding source but masks your financial information with random card numbers at checkout, protecting it from fraudulent expenses. A comprehensive virtual card provider like Privacy also offers additional card settings to help you avoid unexpected charges.

Enjoy Greater Financial Control With Privacy Virtual Cards

After connecting your bank account or debit card to Privacy, you can generate multiple virtual cards to pay for various subscriptions such as LinkedIn Premium, Amazon Music, and Tinder Gold. With Privacy, you have two types of virtual cards at your disposal, as you will learn in the table below:

If you want to manage your subscription payments more effectively, you can also set a spending limit and pause or close your Privacy Cards whenever you want without affecting the funding source. 

When you set a spending limit on your virtual card, you can limit or avoid overcharges—such as price hikes you weren’t informed of or being accidentally charged twice for the same month. Privacy will decline all transactions that exceed your preset limit. 

If you want to stop a subscription, you can pause or close the linked card, and Privacy will block all future charges on that card. This feature helps ensure unwelcome charges can't sneak through during or after the cancellation process. 

Privacy—Seamless, Convenient, and Easy To Use

Privacy also streamlines your transactions with the following additional features:

• Browser extension—The Privacy Browser Extension enables fast and seamless transactions by auto-completing your virtual card details at checkout. You can get it for popular browsers such as Safari, Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari iOS for iPhone and iPad users.
• Mobile app—You can install the Privacy mobile app on your Android or iOS device to manage your virtual cards from wherever you are. After enabling push notifications, the app will send you alerts whenever your card is charged or declined, helping you keep track of your account activity at all times.

Privacy's Signup Process and Pricing

To get started with Privacy, you only need to take the following steps:

1. Register
2. Provide the information required to verify your identity
3. Link a debit card or bank account
4. Request and generate your first Privacy Virtual Card
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Depending on your needs, you can choose from three plans—Personal, Pro, and Premium. The table below outlines the cost and included benefits for each plan: