GAIA GPS Auto Renew Warning

My subscription runs out in June. I also was not using it. Since the acquisition, Gaia has gone downhill IMO. Who wants a subscription to Outside+??? CalTopo is easier to use.

I was able to cancel the renewal on the Gaia GPS website

Good move to check your account and stop auto renewal.  Gaia has a gotcha policy of automatically charging for a new year unless you specifically stop it in advance.  I didn’t even remember that I had tested Gaia a year ago, so it was a complete surprise when I learned that they charged my credit card.

I don’t know how this could be a surprise to anyone in 2023. Virtually every subscription service automatically charges for renewal without warning, including BPL. You approve it in the fine print.

Very easy to cancel before your subscription renews.  Under My subscriptions:

try talking to your bank customer service

I had them cancel something once.  They were better able to communicate with vendor.

I have an annual Freedom Plan for my inReach subscription from Garamin.  Garmin services sent me an email one month my service will renew, alerting me of the fact.  That’s appropriate, giving me a chance to cancel.  Gaia did not.  They are trying to gouge $40 for a service I don’t use.  They may get away with it, we’ll see.  But it is dishonest as far as I’m concerned.

I received an email on April 22 from GAIA telling me my renewal would happen on May 22 (which it did).

I just checked my emails for one from GAIA telling me in advance that my subscription would be renewing.  I did not find one.  So, if their policy is to alert customers in advance, that’s good, and perhaps my experience was unusual.  I also checked my credit card statement from a year ago and my initial subscription was for $31.99.  So not only did they renew my subscription, they raised the price by 25%.

I did check my email from them a year ago and they did promise, “Your subscription is  both easy to cancel and satisfaction guaranteed.”  So if they stand by that promise I expect they will agree to not charge me.

Gaia GPS is screwy with subscriptions. I can’t make any account changes on the phone app other than email. As Bruce stated to make a subscription change requires going to the website.

Good news.  My credit card company, after a 2nd review, found “we are now able to resolve this disputed transaction in your favor.”

It took awhile and I had to persist in disputing this charge.  But if most people don’t fight junk fees and unauthorized charges the companies that bill them still benefit.

The auto renew thing is pretty standard. Some warn you ahead, some don’t. I make it a habit to put the auto renew date on my calendar to remind myself to cancel if I do not want to continue. I don’t allow myself to be dependent on them sending a renewal warning. I try to always pay with PayPal… I can go to the PayPal web page and stop auto payment… that way, I don’t have to depend on the vendor’s web page to be able to stop auto renewals…