Subscription Management
Modern consumers juggle an average of 12+ subscriptions—streaming services, software, meal kits, beauty boxes, and more. ACP enables AI agents to help users manage this complexity, optimize spending, and take control of recurring purchases.
The Subscription Problem
Today’s subscription landscape creates challenges:
- Subscription fatigue: Too many services to track
- Hidden costs: Small charges add up unnoticed
- Cancellation friction: Intentionally difficult processes
- Renewal surprises: Forgotten trials that convert to paid
- Overlap and waste: Paying for similar services
💸
The average American spends $219/month on subscriptions but estimates they spend only $86. That’s $1,600/year in “forgotten” subscriptions.
How ACP Transforms Subscription Management
Scenario: Subscription Audit
The Problem: You have no idea how much you’re spending on subscriptions or which ones you actually use.
With ACP:
User: "Can you help me figure out all my subscriptions? I feel
like I'm paying for things I don't use."
AI: "I can help audit your subscriptions. I'll need to check your
connected payment methods. Looking now...
📊 SUBSCRIPTION AUDIT REPORT
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
💳 Found 14 active subscriptions
💰 Total monthly spend: $247.86
💰 Annual spend: $2,974.32
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
STREAMING & ENTERTAINMENT - $65.96/month
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
✓ Netflix (Premium) $22.99 Last used: Yesterday
✓ Spotify (Family) $16.99 Last used: Today
⚠️ HBO Max $15.99 Last used: 47 days ago
⚠️ Disney+ $13.99 Last used: 62 days ago
❌ Apple TV+ $9.99 Last used: 6 months ago
SOFTWARE & PRODUCTIVITY - $62.97/month
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
✓ Microsoft 365 Family $12.99 Last used: Today
✓ Adobe Creative Cloud $54.99 Last used: 3 days ago
❌ Grammarly Premium $12.00 Last used: 4 months ago
HEALTH & FITNESS - $44.98/month
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
⚠️ Peloton App $12.99 Last used: 21 days ago
✓ Headspace $12.99 Last used: Yesterday
❌ MyFitnessPal Premium $9.99 Last used: 5 months ago
⚠️ Calm $14.99 Last used: 35 days ago
SHOPPING & DELIVERY - $53.97/month
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
✓ Amazon Prime $14.99 Last used: Today
⚠️ Instacart+ $9.99 Last used: 28 days ago
✓ DoorDash DashPass $9.99 Last used: 5 days ago
NEWS & MEDIA - $19.98/month
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
✓ NYTimes $4.00 Last used: Today
❌ Wall Street Journal $9.99 Last used: 3 months ago
⚠️ The Athletic $5.99 Last used: 40 days ago
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
🔴 IMMEDIATE SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES:
Unused (❌) - Cancel to save $31.98/month ($383.76/year):
• Apple TV+ ($9.99) - Not used in 6 months
• Grammarly ($12.00) - Not used in 4 months
• MyFitnessPal ($9.99) - Not used in 5 months
Duplicate services:
• Headspace + Calm = $27.98/month for meditation
Recommendation: Keep Headspace (used more), cancel Calm
Savings: $14.99/month ($179.88/year)
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
💰 POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVINGS: $563.64
Want me to help cancel the unused subscriptions?"
User: "Yes, cancel the unused ones"
AI: "I'll initiate cancellations for the 3 unused subscriptions:
1. Apple TV+ ($9.99/month)
⏳ Processing cancellation...
✓ Cancelled! Access continues until Dec 28
2. Grammarly Premium ($12.00/month)
⏳ Processing cancellation...
✓ Cancelled! Access continues until Jan 3
3. MyFitnessPal Premium ($9.99/month)
⏳ Processing cancellation...
✓ Cancelled! You keep free tier access
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
✓ 3 SUBSCRIPTIONS CANCELLED
💰 Monthly savings: $31.98
💰 Annual savings: $383.76
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
What about the duplicate meditation apps (Headspace + Calm)?
I recommend keeping Headspace since you use it more."
User: "Cancel Calm too"
AI: "Cancelling Calm...
✓ Calm subscription cancelled
Access continues until Jan 15 (end of billing period)
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
📊 UPDATED TOTALS:
Previous monthly spend: $247.86
New monthly spend: $201.89
Monthly savings: $45.97
Annual savings: $551.64
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
I also noticed you have both HBO Max and Disney+ that you
rarely use. Would you like me to pause them instead of
cancel? Some services allow pausing for up to 3 months."Scenario: Smart Resubscription
The Problem: You cancelled a service but now need it back, and you want the best deal.
With ACP:
User: "I want to resubscribe to HBO Max, there's a show I want
to watch"
AI: "Before you resubscribe, let me check for deals...
🎬 HBO Max Current Offers:
Option 1: Standard Plan
• Price: $15.99/month (with ads)
• No current promotions
Option 2: Ad-Free Plan
• Price: $15.99/month
• ⭐ Winback offer available: $11.99/month for 3 months
(You qualify because you cancelled recently)
Option 3: Annual Plan
• Price: $149.99/year ($12.50/month effective)
• ⭐ 22% savings vs monthly
Since you mentioned wanting to watch a specific show—
what show is it? I can check how long it might take
to watch so we choose the right option."
User: "The White Lotus Season 3"
AI: "The White Lotus Season 3:
• Episodes: 8
• Runtime: ~60 minutes each
• Release: Weekly (ends in ~2 months)
Recommendation: Take the winback offer ($11.99/month)
for 3 months. You'll finish the show and pay $35.97 total
instead of $47.97 at regular price.
Want me to resubscribe with the winback offer?"
User: "Yes"
AI: "Resubscribing to HBO Max...
✓ HBO Max Ad-Free reactivated
✓ Winback pricing applied: $11.99/month for 3 months
✓ Access restored immediately
📅 I've set a reminder for you:
'HBO Max winback period ends' - March 15
I'll ask you then if you want to:
• Continue at regular price ($15.99/month)
• Switch to annual ($12.50/month effective)
• Cancel again
Enjoy The White Lotus! 🏝️"Recurring Purchase Optimization
Scenario: Auto-Replenishment Management
The Problem: Subscribe & Save programs require manual management, and you end up with too much or too little product.
With ACP:
User: "I have a bunch of Amazon Subscribe & Save items but the
timing is always off. I either have too much or run out."
AI: "Let me analyze your Subscribe & Save setup...
📦 YOUR SUBSCRIBE & SAVE ITEMS
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
❌ TIMING ISSUES DETECTED:
1. Tide Pods (42ct) - Every 1 month
• Average usage: 35 days based on order history
• Status: You're accumulating backlog
→ Recommendation: Change to every 5 weeks
2. Coffee (2lb bag) - Every 2 months
• Average usage: 3 weeks based on orders
• Status: You frequently order extra bags
→ Recommendation: Change to every 3 weeks
3. Dog Food (30lb) - Every 6 weeks
• Timing looks correct ✓
4. Vitamins (90ct) - Every 3 months
• Timing looks correct ✓
5. Paper Towels (12 rolls) - Every 2 months
• Average usage: 6-7 weeks
• Status: Slight accumulation
→ Recommendation: Change to every 7 weeks
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
💰 PRICE OPTIMIZATION:
Your Tide Pods are $23.99 - I found a better deal:
• Costco (via Instacart): $19.99 for same quantity
• Savings: $4/month, $48/year
Want me to:
1. Adjust all timing recommendations?
2. Switch Tide to Costco delivery?
3. Both?"
User: "Both please"
AI: "Making changes...
✓ SUBSCRIBE & SAVE UPDATED:
• Tide Pods: Cancelled (switching to Costco)
• Coffee: Changed from 2 months → 3 weeks
• Paper Towels: Changed from 2 months → 7 weeks
✓ NEW SUBSCRIPTION CREATED:
• Costco (via Instacart) - Tide Pods 42ct
• Frequency: Every 5 weeks
• Price: $19.99 (was $23.99)
• First delivery: This Thursday
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
💰 Estimated annual savings from optimization: $73.60
📦 Reduced product waste and clutter
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════"Scenario: Meal Kit Optimization
The Problem: Meal kit subscriptions are expensive and inflexible, but you like the convenience.
With ACP:
User: "I'm spending $280/month on HelloFresh but it's too much
food and too expensive. Is there a better option?"
AI: "Let me analyze meal kit options for you...
📊 YOUR CURRENT HELLOFRESH PLAN:
• Plan: 4 servings, 4 recipes/week
• Cost: $280/month ($70/week)
• Per serving: $4.38
ISSUES IDENTIFIED:
• You skip 1-2 weeks per month (based on history)
• Some meals go uneaten
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
🍽️ ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:
1. HelloFresh Downgrade
• 2 servings, 3 recipes/week
• Cost: $144/month ($36/week)
• Per serving: $6.00 (higher per-serving but less waste)
→ Monthly savings: $136
2. Home Chef (better flexibility)
• Same 4 servings, 4 recipes
• Cost: $240/month ($60/week)
• Per serving: $3.75
• Advantage: Easy skip/pause, more customization
→ Monthly savings: $40
3. Dinnerly (budget option)
• 4 servings, 4 recipes/week
• Cost: $196/month ($49/week)
• Per serving: $3.06
• Trade-off: Simpler recipes, less variety
→ Monthly savings: $84
4. Hybrid Approach (my recommendation)
• HelloFresh: 2 recipes/week ($72/month)
• Meal prep: 2 recipes from ingredients ($50/month est.)
• Total: ~$122/month
→ Monthly savings: $158
The hybrid approach gives you convenience when you want it
but builds in flexibility. Want me to explain how to set
that up?"
User: "Tell me more about the hybrid approach"
AI: "Here's how the hybrid meal kit approach works:
📅 WEEKLY MEAL PLAN STRUCTURE:
Mon-Tue: HelloFresh meals (planned, easy)
Wed-Thu: Meal prep recipes (I'll help plan)
Fri-Sun: Flexible (leftovers, dining out, etc.)
SETUP STEPS:
1. Downgrade HelloFresh
• Switch to: 2 servings, 2 recipes/week
• New cost: $72/month
• I can make this change now
2. Weekly Meal Planning
• Each Sunday, I'll suggest 2 simple recipes
• Based on what's on sale at your grocery store
• I'll create a shopping list
3. Automated Grocery Order
• I'll order ingredients from Instacart
• Timed to arrive Monday
• Average cost: $40-50/week
EXAMPLE WEEK:
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
HelloFresh (auto-delivered):
• Mon: Tuscan Chicken
• Tue: Beef Tacos
Self-Prep (ingredients ordered):
• Wed: Sheet Pan Salmon + Veggies ($12 ingredients)
• Thu: Pasta Primavera ($8 ingredients)
Weekend: Flexible
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Monthly cost: ~$122 vs your current $280
Annual savings: $1,896
Ready to set this up?"
User: "Yes, let's do it"
AI: "Setting up your hybrid meal plan...
✓ Step 1: HelloFresh Downgraded
• Old plan: 4 servings, 4 recipes ($70/week)
• New plan: 2 servings, 2 recipes ($18/week)
• Effective: Next delivery
✓ Step 2: Weekly Planning Enabled
• I'll message you every Sunday at 10 AM
• With 2 recipe suggestions based on:
- What's on sale
- Your cooking history
- Dietary preferences
✓ Step 3: Instacart Integration Ready
• Connected to your preferred store (Whole Foods)
• Delivery slot: Mondays 5-7 PM
📅 This Sunday, I'll send your first meal plan!
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
💰 PROJECTED MONTHLY SAVINGS: $158
🍳 Same convenience, more flexibility
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════"Trial Management
Scenario: Free Trial Tracking
The Problem: You sign up for free trials and forget to cancel before being charged.
With ACP:
User: "I want to try Masterclass but I always forget to cancel
free trials"
AI: "I can help you try Masterclass risk-free!
📺 MASTERCLASS FREE TRIAL
• Trial length: 7 days
• After trial: $120/year ($10/month billed annually)
TRIAL PROTECTION PLAN:
I'll do the following:
1. ✓ Start your free trial now
2. ✓ Set reminders on days 3, 5, and 6
3. ✓ Day 6: Ask if you want to continue or cancel
4. ✓ Auto-cancel if you don't respond by day 7
This way you can try it stress-free. If you love it,
we'll keep it. If not, it cancels automatically.
Start free trial with protection?"
User: "Yes please"
AI: "Starting Masterclass trial...
✓ MASTERCLASS FREE TRIAL ACTIVATED
📅 Your trial timeline:
• Today (Day 1): Access granted
• Dec 18 (Day 3): I'll check in
• Dec 20 (Day 5): Reminder + usage check
• Dec 21 (Day 6): Decision day
• Dec 22 (Day 7): Trial ends, billing starts
⚡ AUTO-CANCEL ENABLED
If you don't confirm you want to keep it by Day 6,
I'll cancel automatically. You won't be charged.
Classes I recommend based on your interests:
• Gordon Ramsay: Cooking Techniques
• Neil Gaiman: The Art of Storytelling
• Chris Hadfield: Space Exploration
Enjoy exploring! I'll check in on Day 3. 🎓"[Day 3 check-in]
AI: "Masterclass trial check-in (Day 3 of 7):
📊 YOUR TRIAL ACTIVITY:
• Classes started: 2
• Watch time: 4 hours 23 minutes
• Bookmarked: 5 classes
Looks like you're enjoying it! You've watched Gordon Ramsay
and started Neil Gaiman.
At this pace, is Masterclass worth $10/month to you?
Options:
A) Probably keeping it (I'll skip Day 5 reminder)
B) Still deciding (I'll check in again Day 5)
C) Already know I want to cancel (I'll cancel now)"
User: "B, still deciding"
AI: "Got it! I'll check in again on Day 5.
Pro tip: The Chris Hadfield space class and Annie Leibovitz
photography class are both highly rated. Might help you
decide if the variety is worth it for you.
Talk to you in 2 days! 🚀"[Day 6 - Decision day]
AI: "⚠️ MASTERCLASS TRIAL - DECISION DAY
Your trial ends tomorrow. Here's your usage summary:
📊 TRIAL STATISTICS:
• Total watch time: 9 hours 45 minutes
• Classes completed: 1 (Gordon Ramsay)
• Classes in progress: 3
• Classes bookmarked: 8
💭 ANALYSIS:
At 9+ hours in 6 days, you're an active user. The content
you've bookmarked would take ~40 hours to complete.
💰 VALUE CALCULATION:
• Cost: $120/year ($10/month)
• Your pace: ~50 hours/year estimated
• Cost per hour: $2.40
(Compare to: Average online course is $50-200)
DECISION TIME:
A) Keep Masterclass ($120/year)
→ First charge: Tomorrow
→ Cancel anytime for prorated refund
B) Cancel now
→ Access ends tomorrow
→ You can always resubscribe later
C) Need more time?
→ Some users get 14-day extension by chatting with support
→ I can try to get you an extension
What would you like to do?"
User: "A, keep it"
AI: "Great choice!
✓ MASTERCLASS SUBSCRIPTION CONFIRMED
• Plan: Annual ($120/year)
• First charge: Tomorrow, Dec 22
• Next renewal: Dec 22 next year
📅 RENEWAL REMINDER SET:
I'll remind you 2 weeks before renewal to assess
if you're still using it enough.
Happy learning! 🎓"Price Protection
Scenario: Subscription Price Monitoring
The Problem: Subscription prices increase and you don’t notice until you see your credit card bill.
With ACP:
AI: "⚠️ PRICE CHANGE ALERT
Netflix has announced a price increase effective next month:
Your plan: Premium
Current price: $22.99/month
New price: $24.99/month
Increase: $2/month ($24/year)
OPTIONS:
1. Accept the increase
No action needed
2. Downgrade to Standard
New price: $15.99/month
You lose: 4K streaming, 4 screens → 2 screens
Save: $9/month ($108/year)
3. Switch to competitor
• Max (formerly HBO Max): $15.99/month
• Disney+ Premium: $13.99/month
• Apple TV+: $9.99/month
Note: Content libraries differ
4. Annual prepay (lock in current rate)
Some services offer this—checking Netflix...
❌ Netflix doesn't offer annual plans
Based on your 4K TV and 3 user profiles, I recommend
keeping Premium. The $2 increase is relatively small
for your usage.
What would you like to do?"
User: "Keep it but let me know if there's ever a better deal"
AI: "Got it! I'll monitor for deals.
✓ Netflix Premium: Keeping at new $24.99 rate
✓ Price monitoring: Enabled
I'll alert you if:
• Netflix offers promotional pricing
• A competitor launches a compelling offer
• Your usage drops significantly
FYI: Netflix sometimes offers returning customer discounts.
If you ever want to try leaving, I can help time it to
maximize your chances of getting a winback offer."Key Benefits Summary
| Traditional Subscription Management | With ACP |
|---|---|
| Manual tracking in spreadsheets | Automatic detection and monitoring |
| Forgetting unused services | Usage analysis and recommendations |
| Difficult cancellation processes | One-command cancellation |
| Surprise price increases | Proactive price change alerts |
| Forgotten free trials | Trial protection with auto-cancel |
| No price optimization | Active deal and promotion finding |
| Reactive management | Proactive recommendations |
💰
Average ACP users save $400-600/year on subscriptions through better visibility, automated cancellations, and price optimization.
Next Steps
Explore more use cases:
- Consumer Shopping - Everyday purchases
- B2B Procurement - Business purchasing
- Voice Commerce - Hands-free subscription management