🎯 How to Use SubKiller
Complete step-by-step guide to finding and canceling your hidden subscriptions
🔒 Privacy First: All processing happens in your browser. Your bank data never leaves your device or gets sent to our servers. You're in complete control of your financial information.
🚀 Getting Started
SubKiller analyzes your bank statements to automatically detect recurring subscription charges. Here's what you'll need:
What You Need:
- Bank Statements: Last 6-12 months of transaction data
- File Formats: CSV, Excel (.xlsx/.xls), or PDF statements
- Multiple Sources: You can combine different banks, PayPal, credit cards
- 5 Minutes: The entire process takes just a few minutes
💡 Pro Tip: The more data you provide (longer time period, multiple accounts), the more accurate the detection will be!
📥 Step 1: Download Your Bank Data
1
Log into Your Online Banking
Access your bank's website or mobile app and navigate to your transaction history or statements section.
2
Export Your Transactions
Look for options like "Export", "Download", or "Export to CSV/Excel". Choose a date range of at least 6 months for best results.
🏦 Most UK Banks
Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest
- CSV download available
- Usually in Statements section
- Date range selection
💳 PayPal
PayPal Activity Export
- Activity → Statements
- Download CSV format
- Great for online subscriptions
💳 Credit Cards
Amex, Visa, Mastercard
- Monthly statement PDFs
- CSV export if available
- Catches subscription charges
⚠️ Common File Formats:
- CSV: Most common and works best
- Excel: .xlsx and .xls files supported
- PDF: We'll extract transaction data automatically
📤 Step 2: Upload Files to SubKiller
1
Go to SubKiller
Visit SubKiller and you'll see the file upload area in the center of the page.
2
Upload Your Files
Either drag and drop your files onto the upload area, or click "Browse Files" to select them. You can upload multiple files at once!
3
Check the File Summary
You'll see a summary showing:
- Files: Number of files uploaded
- Transactions: Total transactions found
- Recurring: Will show after analysis
- Monthly Spend: Will show after analysis
✅ Multiple File Types: You can mix and match CSV, Excel, and PDF files in the same analysis. SubKiller will automatically merge and deduplicate similar merchants across all your accounts.
🔍 Step 3: Analyze Your Results
1
Adjust Detection Settings (Optional)
In the "Detection Settings" panel, you can fine-tune:
- Min repeats: How many times a charge must repeat (default: 2)
- Max variance: Days of flexibility for "monthly" charges (default: 4)
- Amount tolerance: Percentage variation allowed in amounts (default: 5%)
2
Click "Analyze"
Hit the blue "Analyze" button and SubKiller will process your data using advanced algorithms to detect recurring patterns.
3
Review Your Results
You'll see a table with detected subscriptions showing:
- Merchant: The company charging you
- Pattern: Recent charge dates and amounts
- Avg Amount: Average charge amount
- Frequency: Monthly, Annual, or "Needs Review"
- Confidence: How sure we are this is a subscription (0-100%)
📊 Understanding Confidence Scores:
- 80-100%: Very likely a subscription - investigate immediately
- 60-79%: Probably a subscription - worth checking
- 40-59%: Possible subscription - review the pattern
- Below 40%: Unlikely to be a subscription
✂️ Step 4: Cancel Unwanted Subscriptions
1
Review Each Subscription
Go through your detected subscriptions and decide:
- Keep: Click "Mark as Keep" for subscriptions you want
- Cancel: Click "Cancel Steps" for unwanted subscriptions
2
Get Cancellation Instructions
For each subscription you want to cancel, SubKiller provides:
- Portal Links: Direct links to cancellation pages
- Email Templates: Pre-written cancellation emails
- Phone Numbers: Customer service contacts
- Step-by-step Guide: Detailed cancellation instructions
3
Take Action Immediately
Don't delay! Many subscriptions have specific cancellation windows. Follow the provided steps right away to avoid future charges.
4
Keep Records
Save confirmation emails and take screenshots of cancellation confirmations. This protects you if charges continue.
💰 Pro Feature: Upgrade to Pro for unlimited results, PDF cancellation checklists, and direct vendor links. The Pro features often pay for themselves with just one canceled subscription!
🔧 Troubleshooting
❌ "No results found"
- Try lowering "Min repeats" to 2
- Increase "Max variance" to 7 days
- Make sure you have at least 3-6 months of data
- Check that your file contains debit/outgoing transactions
📄 File won't upload
- Supported formats: CSV, XLSX, XLS, PDF only
- File size limit: 50MB per file
- Try saving Excel files as CSV if having issues
🔍 Missing obvious subscriptions
- Some subscriptions have irregular timing (e.g., yearly with trial periods)
- Check the "Potential" category - these need manual review
- Very new subscriptions (less than 2 charges) won't be detected
💳 Wrong amounts detected
- Some services change prices over time
- Currency conversion can cause amount variations
- Look at the "Pattern" column to see actual charge amounts
💰 Maximizing Your Savings
🎯 Beyond Just Canceling
- Negotiate: Contact services to request discounts before canceling
- Downgrade: Switch to cheaper plans instead of canceling entirely
- Annual Savings: Some services are cheaper when paid annually
- Family Plans: Combine with family/friends for better rates
🔄 Regular Monitoring
- Monthly Reviews: Run SubKiller monthly to catch new subscriptions
- Set Alerts: Monitor your bank statements for new recurring charges
- Trial Tracking: Keep a list of free trials and their end dates
📊 Track Your Success
- Calculate Savings: Add up monthly amounts of canceled subscriptions
- Annual Impact: Multiply by 12 to see yearly savings
- Reinvest Wisely: Put savings into high-yield accounts or investments
🎉 Average SubKiller User Saves:
- £180-£400 per year in canceled subscriptions
- 3-7 forgotten subscriptions discovered
- 5 minutes to potentially save hundreds of pounds