Source: iMore/ Rene Ritchie

Nintendo Switch Online gives you access to an ever-expanding library of classic NES games, as well as access to online features for some of the best Nintendo Switch games, and the Nintendo Switch Online voice chat app. If you do not love the service, it might be time to cancel even with all the features. Follow these steps and get back to your blissful off-the-grid gaming experience.

Products used in this guide

How to cancel your Nintendo Switch Online membership

Cancelling from your Switch console

1. Launch the Nintendo eShop on your console.

2. Click on your user icon in the upper right corner.

   

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3. Scroll down to Nintendo Switch Online.

4. Select Turn Off Automatic Renewal. To cancel, you’ll need to do this up to 48 hours before the end of the trial or current billing period to avoid getting charged for another month or year.

   

   Source: iMore

5. Select Turn Off to view details about your Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

6. Seleck OK.

   

   Source: iMore

Cancelling from a web browser

1. Log in to your account on Nintendo’s website by clicking the red box in the upper right corner.

2. Once you’ve logged in, click on your avatar in the top right corner.

   

   Source: iMore

3. A panel will come in from the right. Click Settings.

4. The User Info screen will display. Click Shop menu on the left.

   

   Source: iMore

5. Your payment information and current Nintendo Account balance will display. Scroll down and click on Your Subscriptions.

6. This window will appear. Click on Check Nintendo Switch Online membership status.

   

   Source: iMore

7. Your current plan will display. Click Turn Off Automatic Renewal. That’s it. You’ve done it.

   

   Source: iMore

Please keep in mind that you still get to use the Nintendo Switch Online service for the amount of time you’ve already paid for. So, if you paid for an entire year for either an individual or family plan, turning off automatic renewal just means you won’t get charged for another year, but you’ll stay with the membership until it expires.

If you chose to do the trial or go month-to-month, you’ll still be able to finish the trial period or the month(s) you’ve paid for. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a way to get a prorated refund from Nintendo for the service.

Why you should keep it

Nintendo has taken away the online capabilities for almost all games and now locked it behind a paywall. However, let’s consider a few things here on why you should still keep your subscription.

Nintendo Switch Online is still way cheaper than both PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold membership. For PlayStation Plus, it’s either $10 a month, $25 for three months, or $60 for a full year. Xbox Live Gold offers membership for $10 per month or $60 a year.

Nintendo’s pricing starts at $4 a month or $20 for the entire year. If you go for a family plan, that’s $35 for the year, and you can include up to eight accounts in it (less than $5 a person if you fill it up).

Nintendo has taken away the online capabilities for almost all games and now locked it behind a paywall.

While the main reason to have Nintendo Switch Online is to play online with others, that’s not the only reason. Without the service, you’ll lose access to your Save Data Cloud backups, so you’ll need to transfer save data back and forth manually if you use multiple consoles. Your game save data will once again only get stored on system memory.

Nostalgia always plays a factor in why we want or buy certain things, especially in regards to Nintendo, and Nintendo Switch Online provides members with the virtual Nintendo Entertainment System. It’s like the NES Classic but better since you can play these old-school classics online with friends for brand new experiences. Plus, you get cool exclusive offers, such as access to buy NES controllers for your Switch or fresh in-game Splatoon 2 gear.

Other helpful items to enhance your gaming experience

For the full Switch experience, you’ll want to invest in the best accessories. Here are some of the top contenders.