Alexis Kestler
Hey friend! So you‘re thinking about canceling your Discord Nitro subscription, huh? Well, you‘ve come to the right place. As a hardcore Discord user myself, I totally get it. Nitro is awesome, but sometimes you wanna take a break from the monthly charges.
Not to worry! Canceling Nitro is quick and painless if you know the steps. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to cancel recurring billing, remove your payment method, and prevent being charged again.
I‘ll also give you the inside scoop on Discord Nitro, when you might want to cancel, and some great free alternatives you can use instead. Read on to empower yourself as a savvy, cost-conscious Discord user!
What Exactly is Discord Nitro? A Quick History
For those new to Discord, it‘s a free chat app that started back in 2015 and has over 150 million monthly active users today. It‘s insanely popular with gamers thanks to great voice, video, and text chat.
Discord‘s mission has always been about connecting people. So in January 2017, they launched Nitro – a premium subscription to support the app and unlock some cool bonus perks.
Let‘s do a quick rundown of what you get with those Nitro plans:
Nitro Classic ($4.99/month):
- Custom animated emoji
- Larger file upload size (50MB vs 8MB)
- Custom profile badge
- Animated avatar
Nitro ($9.99/month):
- Everything in Classic
- Ability to boost servers
- Increased server upload size (100MB vs 50MB)
- Higher quality screen share (1080p vs 720p)
- Animated emoji everywhere
Nitro is totally optional, but it‘s a great way to step up your Discord game if you‘re a power user. You can choose monthly billing or save with an annual plan.
Over 2 million people use Nitro today! But even hardcore fans might change their minds later on. Let‘s talk about…
When You Might Want to Cancel Discord Nitro
Here are the most common reasons you may want to cancel your Nitro membership:
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The free trial ended – Discord often runs Nitro promotions where you can try it free for 1 month. But then you‘ve got to cancel before the next bill date if you don‘t want to be charged.
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You claimed a special offer – Like last summer when Nitro was free for 3 months for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate users. These offers require a valid payment method on file, so you‘ve got to cancel before it expires.
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You don‘t use Nitro enough – No judgement if the perks weren‘t as life changing as you expected. $4.99/month adds up, so cancel anytime it‘s no longer worth it.
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You‘re taking a break from Discord – Canceling Nitro doesn‘t delete your account. You can resubscribe anytime you return.
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You lost access to a shared family plan – Bummer, but now you‘ve gotta cancel to avoid surprise charges.
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Time for a new payment method – To update your payment info, you‘ve got to cancel the old one first. But no need to resubscribe if you‘re done with Nitro.
No matter why you need to cancel, doing it is quick and easy. But be sure to check your billing date in User Settings and cancel a few days before, so you don‘t get charged again.
Now, let‘s get into the step-by-step process!
Step 1: Open Desktop Discord and Go to Settings
First things first – you can only manage Nitro through the Discord desktop app, not mobile. Download it if you haven‘t already:
Once installed, open ‘er up! In the bottom left corner you‘ll see a little gear icon – click it to get to User Settings.
This is your portal to everything account related, including managing that Nitro subscription.
Step 2: Select "Subscriptions"
In the left sidebar of User Settings, click on "Subscriptions" under the Billing header.
This shows your current Nitro plan, when you‘ll be billed again, and that juicy "Cancel" button.
But before we click it, let‘s talk perks!
Dissecting Discord Nitro Benefits
Before you ditch Nitro entirely, let‘s break down everything you stand to lose. Really consider if you still value certain perks enough to keep paying!
Custom Emojis
One major Nitro draw is those dank custom emoji. Non-Nitro plebs are limited to plain old Discord‘s default emoji set.
But with Nitro, you can upload your own .png or .gif emoji to servers you have permission on. This unlocks a whole new world of expressive meme potential!
Nitro Classic subscribers get 50 custom emoji slots, while full Nitro members get 200. So if you‘re an emoji fanatic, going back to zero may be rough.
Larger File Uploads
Free Discord users are limited to 8MB file uploads. Nitro Classic bumps that to 50MB, while full Nitro allows whopping 100MB uploads.
So if you frequently share big videos, images, or other files through Discord, downgrading could be a big pain. Sure, you could use external sites, but Discord‘s seamless upload is hard to beat!
Animated Avatar
Basic Discord users are stuck with static avatar icons. But with Nitro, you unlock custom animated avatars! This little luxury lets you express your personality with an avatar bringing your emotions to life.
It‘s a modest perk, but one that makes your Discord experience feel more vibrant overall.
Server Boosts
Full Nitro subscribers can boost servers which unlocks extra perks for the whole community. Things like…
- Higher quality audio for music bots
- Custom server banners
- More emoji slots
- Higher user limit
- HD video streaming
It‘s a nice way to give back to your favorite communities. And those servers will be sad to see you go if you were boosting!
Enhanced Streaming
Nitro increases your streaming resolution from 720p to 1080p so your video quality is extra crispy. For gamers especially, this can give your viewers a much better experience.
It also upgrades your screenshare from 15fps to 30fps for buttery smooth visuals. Definitely something to consider if you stream often directly through Discord.
So that covers the main features you‘ll lose when canceling Nitro! Now let‘s get into how to actually cancel it.
Step 3: Click the Cancel Button
Under "Your Subscription" in the Subscriptions tab, click the red cancel button.
This will open a popup confirming your cancellation.
Step 4: Confirm Cancellation
The popup will confirm when your current subscription period ends. This is when you‘ll lose Nitro access, but don‘t worry – you can use benefits until then!
Click "Next", then "Yup, Cancel Nitro" on the confirmation screen. Boom – you‘re done! The recurring subscription is now canceled.
Now let‘s remove your payment method so you don‘t get charged again down the road…
Removing Your Payment Method
Once canceled, follow these steps to fully remove your payment method from Discord:
- Return to User Settings > Billing
- Click "Edit" on your payment method
- Select "Delete Payment Method"
- Confirm deletion
And you‘re all set! With no recurring sub and no payment info, Discord can‘t charge you anymore.
Kick-Butt Alternatives to Discord Nitro
Don‘t think you have to lose all the killer Nitro perks entirely. There are some solid free alternatives out there! For example:
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Emoji servers – You can join public Discord servers dedicated to sharing emoji you can use elsewhere. Genius!
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GIF makers – Create your own animated avatar using Giphy or other similar tools. Get that personal flair without paying!
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Google Drive – Upload and share big files through Drive or Dropbox instead of Discord.
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Support servers directly – Rather than global boosts from Nitro, you can donate to specific servers you love for perks.
While not perfect substitutes, these options let you regain some swag without spending.
Answering Your FAQs About Canceling Nitro
Let‘s go over some common questions about canceling your subscription:
Will I lose Nitro benefits immediately after canceling?
Nope! You‘ll have full access until the end of your current billing period when cancellation takes effect.
Can I rejoin Nitro in the future?
Absolutely. Canceling closes your subscription, but your account remains open to rejoin anytime.
What if my billing date already passed?
If you didn‘t cancel in time and got charged, you can contact Discord support for a refund.
Are there penalties for canceling early?
Discord won‘t penalize you at all for canceling, even mid-billing cycle. You simply lose benefits at the next bill date.
Can I cancel on mobile?
Unfortunately no – you have to use the desktop app and follow the steps outlined above.
Will my server boosts immediately stop?
No, any active boosts will remain until their subscription period ends naturally.
Hopefully this clears up any concerns about canceling your subscription!
Closing Thoughts on Discord Nitro
Like I said up top, Nitro rocks! It can really enhance your enjoyment of Discord when you‘re an active user. I‘ve subscribed on and off for years myself.
But I totally get the need to step back from any recurring charges when you‘re not getting full value from the subscription. Especially with everyone tightening budgets lately amidst the pandemic and economic uncertainty. Saving $10 here and there adds up.
So don‘t feel bad about canceling Nitro, even temporarily! Now you know exactly how to do it the right way.
You‘ve got this, champ! Ditch Nitro with no strings attached. And let me know if any other questions come up!
