Nintendo Switch Online gives you access to an ever-expanding library of classic NES and SNES 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 subscribers pay a little more for the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, they can even gain access to N64 and Sega Genesis titles.
However, if you do not love the service, it might be time to cancel even with all these features. Follow these steps and get back to your blissful off-the-grid gaming experience.
Cancelling from your Switch console
Cancelling Nintendo Switch Online is rather easy to do. You can do it from your Switch or from a web browser. In this section, we'll take you step by step through the cancellation process on Switch.
- Launch the Nintendo eShop on your console by clicking on the orange shopping bag icon on the Switch's main menu.
- Click on your profile icon in the upper right corner.
- Scroll down to Nintendo Switch Online.
- 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. This goes for both the base subscription and the base subscription plus the Expansion Pack which gives subscribers access to N64 and Sega Genesis games.
- Select Turn Off to view details about your Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
- Select OK.
Cancelling from a web browser
- Log in to your account on Nintendo's website by clicking on Log in / Sign up in the upper right corner.
- Once you've logged in, click on your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Under Nintendo Switch Online, click Manage.
- Select Turn Off Automatic Renewal.
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 choose 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. But, unfortunately, there is no way to get a prorated refund from Nintendo for the service.
Why you should keep Nintendo Switch Online
While you might be tempted to get rid of your Nintendo Switch Online subscription, we recommend holding onto it for several reasons, especially if you play your Switch regularly.
Online access: Just like Xbox and PlayStation games, Nintendo's online capabilities for almost all Nintendo Switch games are locked behind a paywall. So, to get access to the online aspects of the best Nintendo Switch games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you'll need a subscription.
Save Data Cloud backups: But online play isn't the only reason to get this membership. 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. Cloud backups also help you out if your Switch happens to get lost, broken, or stolen since games compatible with cloud saves will back up save data to your account that you can access on a new Switch.
Retro games and other perks: Additionally, there's a ton of nostalgia with a subscription. Nintendo Switch Online provides members with the virtual Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. This means subscribers get access to a list of SNES and NES games. 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 retro controllers for your Switch or fresh in-game Splatoon 2 gear.
Good pricing: Nintendo Switch Online is still way cheaper than PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold membership. PlayStation Plus is either $10 a month, $25 for three months, or $60 for an entire year. Xbox Live Gold offers membership for $10 per month or $60 a year.
Family and Individual plans: 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). Sure, the Expansion Pack is a bit pricier at $50 a year for individuals and $80 a year for family plans, but you get everything from the base subscription as well as access to Nintendo 64 games, Sega Genesis games, and the Happy Home Paradise DLC for Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
An impressive screen and other improvements
The newest member of the Nintendo Switch family is the OLED model, which incorporates new and improved features to the system, including a larger OLED display, a more stable kickstand for tabletop play, a LAN port, and an upgraded 64GB of internal storage. It's the classic Nintendo Switch, but better.
