What happens to my data after I cancel?

If you downgrade to the Free plan, all your data is preserved and your account stays active — no charges beyond the final invoice. If you proceed to close the account entirely, all data including apps, API keys, and channel configurations is permanently and irreversibly deleted with no recovery possible.

Will I receive a refund for unused days in my billing period?

No. Ably does not offer pro-rata refunds. Your paid plan remains active until the end of the current billing cycle, and a final invoice is issued at the start of the following month covering the full package fee plus any usage charges.

Can I reactivate my account after cancelling?

If you only downgraded to Free (without closing the account), you can upgrade again at any time. If you fully closed the account, the deletion is permanent and irreversible — you would need to create a new account.

Can an admin cancel on behalf of the account owner?

No. Only the account owner role can downgrade billing or close the account. Admin and standard users cannot initiate cancellation. If you need to transfer ownership first, that must be done before attempting cancellation.

How do I cancel an Enterprise plan?

Enterprise cancellation is not self-serve. You must consult your individual contract terms or contact your Ably Customer Success Manager directly, as committed-use agreements may have specific termination clauses.

Do I have to close my account, or is downgrading to Free enough?

Downgrading to Free is sufficient to stop all charges — no further steps are required unless you specifically want all your data permanently deleted. The Free plan is genuinely free and lets you keep your apps and configuration intact.

How to Cancel Ably (2026)

Ably plans start from $0.00/month. Follow our 7-step guide to cancel your subscription in about 5 minutes — with tips to avoid retention offers.

Updated: April 2026

from €0.00/month

Medium

Estimated Time:5 minutes

Cancel Method:Website

Log in to your Ably dashboard

Go to https://ably.com/accounts/any and sign in with your credentials. Note: only the account owner can cancel — admin and standard users cannot downgrade billing or close the account.

Open the Account menu and go to Billing

Click the 'Account' dropdown in the dashboard navigation, then select 'Billing' from the menu.

Click 'Downgrade' and select the Free plan

On the Billing page, click the 'Downgrade' button, then select the 'Free' package. This stops future charges. Your paid plan remains active until the 1st of the following month, when a final invoice is issued covering the full package fee plus any usage from the current month.

Wait for your final invoice to be settled

The downgrade does not take effect until the 1st of the next month. You must wait for the final invoice to be paid before you can proceed to full account closure. Downgrading to Free alone stops all billing — account closure is only needed if you want all data permanently deleted.

Go to My Settings to close your account

Navigate to https://ably.com/users/edit (My Settings). If you use SSO login (Google/GitHub), you must first disconnect it and set a password before closure is allowed.

Start account closure

Scroll down to the section labeled 'Want to delete your profile?' and click the 'Start' button.

Confirm and click 'Close Account'

Review the list of accounts shown on the 'Close Your Ably Account' page, then click 'Close Account' to permanently and irreversibly delete all data including apps, API keys, channels, and configurations.

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FAQ

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