Tracking software subscriptions before they renew
15 subscriptions free.
Software subscriptions pile up. A tool for a project two years ago, an annual plan someone bought to save 20%, a domain renewing on a card that belongs to a former employee. Monthly charges are visible on the statement. Annual renewals arrive once, in one big lump, often with only a short email warning.
Step 1: Build the list
Find subscriptions by checking:
- Company card and bank statements for the last 12 months (annual plans only appear once a year, so look back a full year)
- Expense reports from staff
- Your email for "receipt", "invoice", "subscription", "renewal"
- Your password manager or single sign-on dashboard
- Domain registrar and hosting accounts
Step 2: Record what matters
| Field | Why |
|---|---|
| Product and plan | What you're paying for |
| Cost and billing cycle | Monthly or annual, and the amount |
| Renewal date | When the next charge lands |
| Cancellation deadline | Some annual plans need notice before renewal |
| Seats | How many you pay for vs how many people use it |
| Owner | Who decides whether to keep it |
| Payment method | Which card, and whose |
| Login owner | Who holds the admin account |
Step 3: Set reminders for annual plans
For annual subscriptions, a reminder 30 to 45 days before renewal gives time to review usage, ask for a better price or cancel. If the contract requires notice, set reminders against the notice deadline.
For monthly subscriptions, a quarterly review is usually enough.
Step 4: Review before each renewal
Ask:
- Is anyone still using it?
- Are we paying for more seats than we need?
- Would a cheaper plan do?
- Is there overlap with another tool?
- Will the price go up at renewal?
Domains and SSL deserve special care
A lapsed domain can take your website and email offline, and expired domains can be bought by someone else. Turn on auto-renew at the registrar, keep the payment card current, and still track the date yourself.
Ownership when people leave
When someone leaves, check which subscriptions are on their card or tied to their login. Move them to a company card and a shared admin account. Otherwise, renewals fail or keep charging a card you can't access.
Using Renew Clock for software
Add each subscription as an item with its renewal or notice date, owner and notes. Import a list from a spreadsheet in one go. Set reminders like 45, 30 and 7 days before for annual plans. When it renews, mark it renewed and it rolls forward a year. Starter adds Slack and Teams reminders, which suit teams that already discuss tools there.
A quarterly fifteen-minute review
Once a quarter, sort the list by renewal date and look at the next 90 days. For each item, confirm the owner still wants it, the seat count is right and the card on file is valid. Then scan for anything that appeared on the card statement but isn't on the list yet, and add it. This small routine catches most surprise renewals before they happen.
Questions
Do you connect to my bank to find subscriptions?
No. You add subscriptions yourself or import a spreadsheet. We never ask for bank access.
Should I track free tools?
Only if they hold important data or might start charging. Otherwise, keep the list for things that cost money or would hurt to lose.