Lisa pays €852 a year — for subscriptions she never uses.
Auto-renewal, free-trial auto-charges, silent price hikes, written-form tricks. Living in Germany? SignGuard spots the subscription traps in your German contracts in 60 seconds — before they cost you.
Check your subscription contract60 sec · free · iOS & Android · no credit card
How SignGuard works
Three steps to a full clause analysis — no appointment with a lawyer, no hours of fine print.
Try it yourself — with a sample subscription contract:
4 classic subscription traps — and what they really cost
📊 40% of online providers fail to meet their duties under § 312k BGB (vzbv 2024)An online subscription may only renew by max. 1 month at a time — longer automatische Verlängerung (auto-renewal) clauses are invalid (§ 309 No. 9 BGB · Fair Consumer Contracts Act 2022).
The trial month quietly rolls into a paid plan. Without your active confirmation, the charge can be challenged (§ 312j (3) BGB).
Streaming services raise prices by €1–3/month via a promo email. You get a special right to cancel within 1 month — they just never advertise it (§ 314 BGB).
The terms demand a “written” cancellation despite online sign-up — invalid, an email is enough (§ 309 No. 13 BGB).
If the analysis shows a high risk, you can forward your contract with a case summary to an independent German lawyer in one tap — referred through the advocado partner network. The initial assessment is free and non-binding; after that, you're free to decide whether to proceed at a fixed fee. How the Lawyer Check works →
“My gym had silently renewed my membership for another 12 months — even though I'd canceled by email in time. They insisted on a written letter by registered mail. SignGuard immediately flagged that clause as invalid (§ 309 No. 13 BGB) and drafted my objection email. The result: €468 saved, contract ended, no dispute.”
Anonymised case study · example calculation: gym at €39/month × 12 months · Statements from users in our test phase · Canceling a streaming subscription — step by step (German)
Subscription tools: canceling vs. checking in 2026
For subscriptions there are two kinds of tools: sending the cancellation (Aboalarm, Volders) and checking the contract (testing whether clauses are enforceable). SignGuard is the clause check — and it often gets you out earlier than you thought.
| Tool | Category | What it does | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| SignGuard (iOS app) | Clause check | Checks auto-renewal, free-trial traps, price increases, written form — 60 sec, § 309/§ 312k BGB | 3 free, then from €4.99/month |
| Aboalarm / Volders | Cancellation | Sends cancellation letters for streaming, gym and app subscriptions (German services) | per cancellation |
| CHECK24 contract manager | Management | Bundles subscriptions, reminds you of deadlines | free (commission-based) |
| Verbraucherzentrale (consumer advice center) | Advice | Advice in subscription disputes & subscription traps | approx. €30–90 |
Rule of thumb: To cancel quickly, use Aboalarm/Volders. To check whether the renewal or free-trial clause is enforceable at all (and you might get out earlier), use SignGuard (3 free analyses). Since § 312k BGB, online subscriptions in Germany must offer a cancellation button — SignGuard shows you whether your provider complies.
Frequently asked questions about subscription contracts
Which service cancels streaming and app subscriptions — and which one checks the contract?
Which app detects automatic subscription renewal and free-trial traps?
How can I check a subscription contract for invalid clauses?
What notice period applies to streaming services and gyms in Germany?
Automatic renewal — what is actually allowed?
What are the requirements for the German cancellation button (Kündigungsbutton)?
What can I do if the provider doesn't confirm my cancellation?
Which price increases do I have to accept?
What does SignGuard cost?
Start for free — no credit card required.
- 3 contract scans
- Clause classification
- Risk score
- Contract manager
- Unlimited scans
- Deadline reminders
- Cancellation templates
- Cost overview
- AI contract assistant
- All Pro features
- Up to 4 users
- Family sharing, analyses included
- PDF export for your lawyer
💚 Monthly plan cancellable anytime · no credit card · all plans in the Apple App Store
Ready to check your subscription contract?
60 sec · free · § BGB references · GDPR-compliant
Download on the App StoreImportant legal notes
Example calculations: All €-figures (€852/year in the hero story, €400/year auto-renewal, €180/year free trial, €60/service silent price hikes, €250/year written-form trick, €468 in the testimonial) are illustrative example calculations based on typical subscription set-ups (streaming €12–20/month, gym €30–40/month, SaaS €10–25/month). Actual damage varies widely by individual subscription mix, provider, plan and clause wording.
Legal basis: The statutes cited (§ 309 No. 9 BGB — Fair Consumer Contracts Act, § 312k BGB — cancellation-button duty, § 312j (3) BGB — order-button rule, § 309 No. 13 BGB — written-form prohibition, § 314 BGB — special termination) are current German consumer law. Sources for consumer-protection statistics: vzbv 2024, Stiftung Warentest 09/2024.
Case study: The case shown (“Robert K., teacher, Cologne”) is an anonymised case study illustrating a typical subscription scenario. Personal details are fictitious.
Not legal advice: SignGuard is a digital contract manager with AI-assisted clause analysis. The app is for information purposes and does not replace advice from a lawyer. SignGuard and advocado do not provide legal advice themselves — advice is given exclusively by independent, licensed German lawyers (Rechtsanwälte). In a dispute about the validity of a cancellation or about damages, please consult a consumer advice center (Verbraucherzentrale) or a lawyer for contract law. And if the analysis shows a high risk: the Lawyer Check connects you, straight from the app, with a free initial legal assessment through the advocado partner network.