Cancel intercept

The only window you control

On iOS, subscribers manage billing through Apple. On Android, through Google Play. Your app can only influence what happens before they leave your interface.

Cancel intercept replaces the direct jump to store cancellation with your own save screen. Ask why they are leaving. Offer an alternative. Only then let them proceed if they insist.

Most apps skip this entirely. They link straight to RevenueCat management URL or store settings. That is why 68% of cancel attempts go unchecked with no save offer at all.

Ask why before you offer

A short survey before offers does two things. It gives you churn reason data for product decisions. And it creates a pause that reduces impulsive cancels.

Keep it to one screen and one question. Too many steps and people abandon the flow entirely.

• Too expensive: offer downgrade or time-limited discount
• Not using enough: offer pause or show usage tips
• Missing a feature: offer support chat or roadmap context
• Temporary break: offer pause subscription up to 90 days

Which offers to show first

Pause is the highest-margin save. The subscriber stays in your ecosystem and often returns at full price. Downgrade saves MRR at a lower tier instead of zero.

Discount saves MRR at reduced margin. Use it when pause and downgrade will not work, not as the default first offer. Leading with a discount trains subscribers to cancel for deals.

Why in your app beats email here

Cancel intent peaks at the moment of the tap. An email 24 hours later catches a completely different mindset. The save screen inside your app hits maximum intent.

If they still cancel after declining all offers, optional email follow-ups within 48 hours give you a second chance. But the primary save happens in-app, at the tap.

Implementation without rebuilding billing

Wire your cancel button to the Redchurn SDK instead of opening the store directly. The SDK shows a native sheet with your configured offers, tracks outcomes, and only proceeds to store cancellation if the subscriber declines everything.

Your existing paywall, RevenueCat entitlements, and purchase flow stay unchanged. Offers, copy, and styling update from the dashboard without a new app release.

Measuring save rate

Track saves by offer type, churn reason, and channel. Compare pause vs downgrade vs discount conversion. Cut offers that never convert and double down on what works.

A 5% save rate on 200 monthly cancel attempts at $10 ARPU is $100 MRR saved every month. Small percentages on high volume add up fast.