One-Time Free Sample or Subscription? How to Check Before You Submit Payment Details

It is a one-time sample only if you get the item with no future charge and no enrollment. It is a subscription if your card will be charged automatically after a trial or on a renewal cycle. A negative-option plan means inaction counts as agreement to be charged.

Federal law requires sellers using these plans to disclose material terms before collecting billing information. They must also obtain express consent and provide a simple cancellation method, described by the FTC business blog in its summary of negative-option obligations.

Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on September 30, 2026.

What free must disclose

Shipping and handling can turn a free sample into a paid order. FTC Free Guides require all receipt-and-retention conditions, including shipping or handling charges, to appear clearly at the outset near the offer. An asterisk footnote alone is not sufficient, as stated in the text of 16 CFR 251.1.

Compare two checkouts. One shows sample price, shipping cost, and no renewal beside the order button. The other shows free in large type and places charge terms behind a link.

Choose only the first type of disclosure. Read the area around the payment button, not only the banner. Look for words such as renewal, continue, enroll, membership, or billing.

If you cannot find price and timing there, stop.

Is it a trial that converts?

Before giving payment details, find the trial length, post-trial price, and first billing date. Confirm whether silence means enrollment and note the exact cancellation steps. FTC consumer guidance lists these checks and advises keeping copies and reviewing statements, explained in FTC guidance on free trials and auto-renewals.

Common conversion phrases include converts to, then a monthly price, and cancel before a date to avoid charges. A one-time sample uses different language, such as one per household or while supplies last, with no card required. If a card is required, assume recurring billing until the page proves otherwise.

Do not rely on a preselected checkbox or implied agreement. Click or type a clear yes to renewal terms only when you want them. Save that screen before you submit.

Five checks before you enter card details

Use this quick screen before you type card numbers. It takes less than a minute and catches most conversions. If any item is missing, do not submit payment details.

Search the page for terms, renew, and cancel, then read those lines. Missing terms mean missing consent.

• Trial length and end date are printed near the button.
• Post-trial price and first charge date are stated.
• Silence rule is clear: what happens if you do nothing.
• Cancel method is specific: where, how, and by when.
• Total due today, including shipping, is shown with no renewal hidden elsewhere.

Save proof you can use later

Save a screenshot or printout of the offer, terms, and confirmation page. Keep the confirmation email and note the date, amount, and cancellation deadline. Store files where you can find them if a charge appears.

Check bank and card statements on a set day each month. Flag small charges from unfamiliar names, since trials often bill under a parent company name. Early review gives you time to act before the next cycle.

If an unwanted charge appears

Audit bank and credit-card statements for recurring charges you did not approve. To stop automatic debits, contact both the company and your bank. Stopping payment does not erase amounts you owe, and banks may charge a stop-payment fee.

The CFPB describes these steps in CFPB guidance on stopping automatic payments. Write down cancellation dates, representative names, and confirmation numbers. Check the next two statements for the same charge under a slightly different name.