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SiriusXM

siriusxm.com

Last verified by @andrewt

streamingsubscriptions

Common Tasks

Cancel your subscription (the legendary gauntlet)

  1. 1You CANNOT cancel online — SiriusXM intentionally requires a phone call
  2. 2Call 1-866-635-2349, available Mon–Fri 8am–11pm ET, Sat 8am–8pm ET, Sun 9am–6pm ET
  3. 3Navigate the phone tree — say "cancel" at each prompt to avoid being redirected
  4. 4Expect 2–4 transfer attempts and multiple retention offers before reaching a cancellation agent
  5. 5State clearly "I want to cancel my subscription effective today" and ask for a confirmation number
  6. 6Write down the confirmation number — SiriusXM has been known to continue charging after cancellation requests without it
Note: FTC has taken action against SiriusXM for this cancellation process. If charged after cancellation, dispute with your bank using your confirmation number and file a complaint at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Negotiate a lower rate

  1. 1Call the same cancellation number and begin the cancel process
  2. 2When offered a retention deal, counter-offer — agents have authority to offer 3–6 months at $0 or significant discounts
  3. 3Common retention offers include 3 months for $1 or 50% off for 6 months
  4. 4If the first agent's offer is poor, hang up and call back — different agents have different offers

Pause instead of cancel

  1. 1Call customer service and request a "Listening Pause" (up to 3 months)
  2. 2Your rate and subscription are preserved during the pause
  3. 3Better than cancelling if you want to return — reactivation can be at higher rates

Watch Out For

  • ⚠

    No online cancellation

    SiriusXM is one of the last major subscription services requiring a phone call to cancel — a deliberate friction strategy. The FTC fined them $7M in 2023 for this practice but the phone-only requirement remains.

  • ⚠

    Excessive hold times and transfers

    Callers are routinely transferred 2–4 times and placed on hold, increasing abandonment. The intent is to outlast your patience.

  • ⚠

    Bait-and-switch introductory rates

    Trial rates (often $1–5/month) auto-convert to full price ($22–25/month) with minimal notice, sometimes buried in a single email.

  • ⚠

    Confusing "All Access" vs streaming-only plans

    Multiple tiers with overlapping names are designed to make comparisons difficult. "Platinum" includes streaming; "All Access" does too, but earlier plans called different things did not.

  • ⚠

    Continuation charges after cancellation

    Multiple consumer reports and FTC complaints document SiriusXM continuing to charge after a cancellation call. Always get a confirmation number.

Hidden Value

  • ✓

    Retention discounts are substantial

    Calling to cancel almost always yields a significant offer — $1 for 3 months, or 50%+ off. Loyalty to the full price is unnecessary.

  • ✓

    Hardware is lifetime-activated

    A SiriusXM radio in your car is typically activated once; if you reactivate later, you often get a better rate than new customers.

  • ✓

    Military discount

    Active duty and veterans qualify for 25% off. Call and ask — it's not advertised in the account UI.