How to cancel Adobe (and avoid the early termination fee surprise)

Cancel in your Adobe account

1. Sign in at account.adobe.com and open Plans and payment.
2. Select Manage plan for the plan you want to cancel, then select Cancel your plan.
3. Check the plan details and select Continue to cancel, pick a reason and select Continue, then review the details and select Confirm cancellation.
4. Have more than one plan? Adobe says each one must be cancelled separately.
5. Look for Adobe's confirmation email, or check your account's plans page to verify.

If it won't let you cancel

1. Adobe says you can't cancel while a payment is processing or has a problem. Wait 24 hours and try again.
2. Bought through Apple, Google or another reseller? Adobe says to cancel with that provider.

Why it can feel hard to leave

In June 2024 the FTC referred, and the Justice Department filed, a complaint alleging Adobe pushed people toward the "annual paid monthly" plan as a pre-selected default while burying the early termination fee in small print or behind hover icons.

The complaint also alleged Adobe's cancellation process was designed to be difficult, with numerous pages online and resistance, dropped calls and transfers when people contacted customer service.

In March 2026 the Justice Department announced a proposed $150 million settlement ($75 million in civil penalties and $75 million in free services). It requires Adobe to clearly disclose the fee before enrolling people and to provide easy ways to cancel. Reuters reported that Adobe denied wrongdoing.

The psychology: the monthly price that hides a yearly contract

A price shown "per month" feels like a monthly commitment. That's partitioned pricing: we judge the small number in front of us, not the contract behind it (Morwitz, Greenleaf & Johnson, 1998). If the default plan is the annual contract and the exit fee sits in small print, most people find out only when they try to leave.

Your defense: for any "/mo" price, ask two questions before paying: is this a monthly plan or a yearly one paid monthly, and what does leaving in month three cost?

If you’re still being charged

The FTC’s advice: keep a copy of your cancellation request and notes about any calls, then watch your statements. If a company keeps charging you after you cancelled, dispute the charge with your credit or debit card company, and report the problem at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to your state attorney general.

Common questions