When You Have Two of Everything: Dealing with Duplicate Subscriptions

Imagine, if you will, that you walk into a bakery and buy a loaf of sourdough bread. You pay the baker, take your bread, and go home. Simple, right? Now, imagine that a week later, a different baker shows up at your front door, hands you an identical loaf of sourdough, and demands payment. Then, the original baker shows up at your back door with another loaf and charges your credit card automatically.

In the real world, you would notice this immediately. You would be drowning in sourdough. You would shout, “Stop bringing me bread! I have enough carbohydrates to last through the next ice age!”

But in the digital world, this happens all the time. It is entirely possible—and shockingly common—to be paying for the exact same service twice (or even three times) without realizing it. You might be paying for HBO Max through your cable provider and through an appAn app (short for application) is a program that helps you do specific tasks on your smartphone, tab... More on your iPad. You might be a premium subscriber to Spotify via iTunes and via Spotify’s own websiteA website is a collection of interconnected web pages or digital content that are accessible via the... More.

If you suspect you are unwittingly funding the retirement yachts of multiple tech CEOs for the exact same service, do not panic. You are not losing your memory, and you are certainly not alone. You have simply fallen into the “Duplicate Trap,” and today, we are going to climb out of it.

The Mystery of the $219 Monthly Bill

Here is a statistic that might make you spit out your coffee: Research shows that while most people think they spend about $86 a month on subscriptions, the actual average is closer to $219.

Where is that extra money going? Often, it’s vanishing into the digital abyss of duplicate accounts.

The problem isn’t that you clicked “Buy” too many times because your finger slipped. The problem is that the internetThe Internet is a vast network of computers and other electronic devices connected globally, allowin... More has built a very confusing maze where three different cashiers are trying to sell you the same ticket.

The “Three Paths” to a Subscription

To understand how you ended up with two subscriptions to “Paramount+” (or whatever service holds the rights to NCIS this week), you have to understand that there isn’t just one way to buy things anymore.

There are generally three distinct paths to subscribing, and they do not talk to each other:

1. Direct from the Source: You go to Netflix.com on your computer, type in your credit card number, and buy a subscription.
2. The Apple App StoreApp Store is a digital shop on your phone, tablet, or computer where you can find, download, and upd... More (The iPhone Path): You download"Download" means saving something from the internet onto your device—like your phone, tablet, or c... More the Netflix app on your iPad. Apple asks, “Do you want to subscribeSubscribe is an action taken by users to receive regular updates or access to content from a particu... More?” You scan your face or tap your finger, and Apple charges you, then passes the money to Netflix.
3. The Google Play StoreThe Google Play Store is an online marketplace for digital content, including apps, games, movies, m... More (The AndroidAndroid is a type of operating system—like the brain of a device—that runs on many smartphones a... More Path): Similar to Apple, but for Samsung, PixelA pixel is like a tiny dot that helps make up the pictures you see on your phone, computer, or TV. T... More, or other Android phones. GoogleGoogle is a multinational technology company known for its internet-related products and services, i... More charges you and passes the money along.

Here is the kicker: If you subscribe via Path #2 (Apple), and then later log in on your computer and subscribe via Path #1 (Direct), the systems often do not realize you are the same person. They just see two checks coming in and assume everyone is happy.

Playing Detective: How to Spot the Double-Dip

Now that we know how the crime was committed, it is time to look for evidence. You don’t need a magnifying glass, but you do need your reading glasses and perhaps a soothing cup of tea.

Step 1: The Paper Trail (Your Bank Statement)

The most honest document in your life is your monthly bank or credit card statement. It does not care about your feelings; it only cares about facts.

Scan your statement for recurring charges. You are looking for identical amounts (e.g., $14.99) appearing twice in the same month. However, the names might look different.

• The Direct Charge: Will look like NETFLIX.COM, NYT.COM, or AMAZON PRIME.
• The Middleman Charge: Will look like APPLE.COM/BILL, ITUNES, GOOGLE*Svcs, or ROKU*WarnerMedia.

If you see Disney+ charged on the 5th of the month, and APPLE.COM/BILL charged on the 15th for the same amount, you likely have a duplicate.

Step 2: The Device Check (Finding the “Master List”)

Did you know your phone has a secret list of everything you are paying for? It’s true. It is buried deep in the settings menu, likely guarded by a digital dragon, but we can get to it.

If you have an iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the Settings app (the grey gear iconAn icon is a small graphical symbol used to represent an object, action, or concept in a digital int... More).
2. Tap your name at the very top of the screen.
3. Tap Subscriptions.
4. Voila! A list of active charges. If you see a service here that you also pay for directly by credit card, you have found the culprit.

If you have an Android phone:

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top right.
3. Tap Payments & subscriptions, then tap Subscriptions.

The Golden Rule: Deleting the App Does NOT Cancel the Bill

If you take only one thing away from this article, let it be this section.

Many people believe that if they press and hold the wiggling app icon on their screen and delete it, the subscription vanishes with it. This is false.

Think of it like a magazine subscription. If you throw the magazine in the trash the moment it arrives, the publisher does not know you are mad at them. They assume you love the magazine and will keep billing you.

Deleting the app removes the icon from your phone. It does absolutely nothing to the financial agreement you made with Apple or Google. You must go into the settings (as described above) and hit “Cancel Subscription.”

How to Fix the Mess (And Maybe Get Money Back)

So, you found a duplicate. You’ve been paying for “Premium Peacock” twice since 2022. First, take a deep breath. Second, follow these steps.

Cancel the “Middleman” Subscription First

Usually, it is easier to keep the direct subscription (the one billed directly by the website) and cancel the one going through the App Store.

1. Go back to that Subscriptions list on your phone.
2. Tap the duplicate service.
3. Tap Cancel Subscription.
4. Confirm it. The phone might try to guilt-trip you (“Are you sure? You’ll lose access to season 4 of The Crown!”). Be strong. Tap Confirm.

The “Can I Have My Money Back?” Question

Technically, yes. Both Apple and Google have refund request pages.

• For Apple: Search for “Report a Problem Apple” in your web browser. Log in, select “Request a refund,” and choose “I intended to purchase this once.”
• For Google: Search for “Request a refund on Google Play.”

Will it work? Sometimes. They are usually forgiving if you catch it quickly (within a month or two). If it’s been running for three years, you might only get the last few months back. But hey, that’s better than a sharp stick in the eye.

Prevention: The “One Email” Strategy

To ensure you never again fund a duplicate yacht for a streamingStreaming refers to the process of transmitting or receiving multimedia content, such as audio, vide... More executive, try to stick to the “One Email” rule.

Always use the exact same emailEmail, or electronic mail, is a digital communication tool that allows users to send and receive mes... More address for every single signup. Often, duplicates happen because you used JohnDoe@gmail.com on your phone and John.Doe@yahoo.com on your laptop. If the emails match, the system is smart enough to say, “Hey, you already have this!”

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn’t the App Store know I already bought this on my computer?

Because Apple and the service provider (like Netflix or The New York Times) don’t always share data perfectly. Apple cares about what you buy through Apple. They don’t have access to your credit card statement to see what you bought elsewhere.

I cancelled the subscription, but the app is still on my phone. Is that okay?

Yes! The app is just a viewer. Now that you’ve cancelled the duplicate payment, you can usually sign out of the app and sign back in using the login details for the correct account you kept.

What is a “Free Trial” trap?

This is a classic way duplicates start. You sign up for a free trial on your phone to watch one movie, then forget about it. Meanwhile, you have a paid account on your TV. Always set a calendar reminder to cancel a trial the day before it ends.

I see a charge for “GOOGLE*Services” but I don’t know what it is.

This is a generic label. You must check your Google Play account (as shown in Step 2 above) or check your email for a receipt from Google to see exactly which app is charging you.

Your Next Steps

You have learned how the subscription sausage is made. You know about the three paths, the “middleman,” and the myth of deleting apps.

Take 10 minutes this weekend to sit down with your bank statement and your smartphone. Audit your digital life. You might find nothing—in which case, congratulations on your impeccable financial hygiene. But you might find an extra $15 a month leaking out of your account. And that’s enough to buy a very nice, real loaf of sourdough bread.