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United Kingdom · CAP Code · SaaS and D2C

Subscription auto-renewal claims on UK landing pages — CAP literacy

“Start free”, “£9.99/month”, “cancel anytime” — subscription landing pages stack billing promises that consumers read as one offer. CAP Code rules on clarity, substantiation and contradiction expect the headline, checkout, and terms to tell the same story. Inventory literacy only — not ASA clearance.

Claim lines to inventory separately

• Free trial length — “7-day free trial”, “first month free”.
• Post-trial price — monthly/annual fee after trial ends.
• Auto-renewal — “renews automatically unless cancelled”.
• Cancellation ease — “cancel anytime”, “no commitment”, “one-click cancel”.
• Intro pricing — “£1 for 30 days then £29.99/month”.

Each line may be objective if consumers rely on it. Log them in separate register rows — see claim register template.

What consumers are likely to assume

CAP assesses likely interpretation. A hero “Try free — no card required” may be read as:

• No charge until the user actively upgrades.
• Clear notice before the first paid renewal.
• Simple cancellation without a retention call.

If checkout silently stores a card and bills on day eight, the hero and the flow contradict — rule 3.9. If “cancel anytime” requires email-only cancellation buried in FAQ, inventory the gap.

Relation to free trial vs money-back modules

Subscription pages often combine:

• Trial-to-paid auto-renewal (this guide).
• Money-back guarantees if the product also promises refunds.
• Countdown timers on “offer ends tonight” trial pricing.

Inventory each module independently. A free scan surfaces urgency and savings flags on the live URL — try free scan.

Evidence checklist (hold before publish)

1. Checkout screen recording — what the user sees before payment details.
2. Renewal notification emails/SMS — if you promise advance notice, show samples.
3. Subscription terms PDF — renewal date logic, price changes, cancellation path.
4. Account settings screenshots — where cancel lives in-product.
5. Price after intro — if hero shows intro price, state full price nearby.

Common landing-page gaps

• Hero: “Free forever” — checkout requires annual prepay.
• “Cancel anytime” — terms require 30 days’ written notice.
• Trial CTA — no mention that plan auto-renews at full price.
• B2B SaaS: “No credit card” on marketing site — sales-assisted contracts bill differently.

Agency handoff habit

When the client owns billing UX, your register should still inventory marketing claims on the URL you ship. Hand off gaps with evidence columns empty — see claim substantiation. CiteBefore does not test checkout; it inventories what the page states.

Questions

Is auto-renewal wording an objective CAP claim?

Yes, when consumers are likely to read it as a binding promise about how and when they will be charged. CAP expects material subscription terms — price after trial, renewal date, cancellation steps — to be clear and consistent with the headline offer.

How is auto-renewal different from a money-back guarantee?

Auto-renewal describes future billing behaviour. Money-back guarantees describe refund rights if you are unhappy. Inventory them as separate register rows with different evidence columns.

Does CiteBefore clear subscription claims?

No. CiteBefore inventories claim text and flags gaps. You hold checkout flows, terms, and cancellation UX evidence. Not ASA clearance.

Try free scan Pricing

Informational only. Not ASA clearance. More guides: /guides/.