A charge labeled “TP-Link Global Inc” on your bank or credit card statement is almost always a recurring subscription fee from TP-Link, the networking and smart-home device maker. It usually traces to one of three services: Tapo Care (cloud storage for Tapo cameras), Kasa Care (cloud storage for Kasa cameras), or HomeShield (router security and parental controls). If you don’t remember signing up, the most common explanation is a 30-day free trial that converted to a paid plan automatically. The billing descriptor still reads “TP-Link Global Inc” because that was one of the company’s corporate entities before it merged into TP-Link Systems Inc. in October 2024, and some payment processors haven’t updated the name.
Which Subscription Is Billing You
Match the amount on your statement to one of these three services.
- Tapo Care starts at $3.49 per month or $34.99 per year and includes 30-day cloud video history and snapshot notifications for Tapo cameras. New users get a 30-day free trial through the Tapo app that converts to a paid plan if not canceled.1TP-Link. Tapo Care
- Kasa Care covers Kasa Cam products and bills monthly or annually. Free trials automatically roll over to a monthly Premium Plan after 30 days if a credit card is on file.2Kasa Smart. Kasa Care Service Agreement
- HomeShield adds security and parental controls to TP-Link routers and Deco mesh systems. Advanced Parental Controls run $2.99 per month or $17.99 per year; Security+ is $4.99 per month or $35.99 per year; and the Total Security Package is $69.99 for the first year. A one-month free trial is available for the lower tiers.3TP-Link. HomeShield Subscription Service
All three renew automatically until you cancel, so a charge can appear months after you last actively used the device.
How to Cancel
Canceling means turning off auto-renewal on the platform where you originally subscribed. Your subscription stays active through the current billing period, and no further charges are added after that.
For Tapo Care, iOS users on iOS 14 or later go to Settings, tap their name, then Subscriptions. Android users open the Play Store, tap Profile, then Payments & Subscriptions, then Subscriptions, and select Tapo Care. If you paid with PayPal or a credit card directly through TP-Link, sign in at tapo.tplinkcloud.com and cancel there.4TP-Link. How to Cancel Tapo Care Subscription
Kasa Care works the same way. iOS subscribers cancel through Apple ID subscription settings; Android and web subscribers cancel through the Kasa web portal. You can’t downgrade a Kasa Care plan directly. You have to cancel auto-renewal, let the current period end, and then subscribe to the plan you want.5TP-Link. How to Cancel Kasa Care Subscription
HomeShield is managed through the TP-Link Tether app or the Deco app, depending on your hardware. Because fees are billed through your iTunes or Google account, cancellation follows the standard app-store subscription steps.6TP-Link. HomeShield Service Agreement
Will You Get a Refund
Generally, no. TP-Link treats Tapo Care and HomeShield fees as prepaid, so canceling stops future charges but doesn’t refund the current billing period.4TP-Link. How to Cancel Tapo Care Subscription Monthly Kasa Care follows the same approach, though annual Kasa Care subscribers may be entitled to a prorated refund on cancellation.2Kasa Smart. Kasa Care Service Agreement
In practice, TP-Link has made one-time exceptions. In a Better Business Bureau complaint from a consumer who had trouble canceling online, the company first cited its “subscription fees are non-refundable” policy and then issued a refund after the complaint was escalated.7BBB. TP-Link Systems Inc Complaints If you’re seeking a refund, contacting TP-Link support directly and, if that fails, filing a BBB complaint is a reasonable path.
If You Don’t Recognize the Charge at All
If you don’t own a Tapo camera, Kasa camera, or TP-Link router, and no one in your household does either, the charge may not be a legitimate subscription. TP-Link does not charge for technical support, and the company warns that fraudulent websites sometimes impersonate TP-Link to sell fake services. If someone claiming to be from TP-Link contacted you, asked for remote access to your computer, and then billed you, that was likely a scam. TP-Link has stated that “at no time should an agent ever ask for a payment for support or services.”8TP-Link. Notice of Fraudulent and Non-TP-Link Affiliated Websites
One consumer report on TP-Link’s community forum described being transferred from what looked like the official TP-Link site to a third party who took remote control of the user’s computer and charged $99. A TP-Link representative confirmed the charge was a scam.9TP-Link Community. Community Forum – Fraudulent Charge Report
To dispute a charge you believe is fraudulent, call your bank or credit card issuer and ask for a chargeback. You can also report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. TP-Link’s official U.S. support line is 866-225-8139, and suspected fraud can be reported to ussupportteam@tp-link.com.8TP-Link. Notice of Fraudulent and Non-TP-Link Affiliated Websites
Why the Descriptor Still Says “TP-Link Global Inc”
Before October 2024, TP-Link’s international business outside mainland China ran through an entity called TP-Link Global, headquartered in Singapore, while TP-Link USA operated separately from Irvine, California. That October, the two merged into TP-Link Systems Inc., now the single U.S.-headquartered parent for the company’s regional offices worldwide.10BusinessWire. TP-Link Systems Inc Establishes Global Headquarters in the United States Charges billed before or shortly after the merger can still carry the old “TP-Link Global Inc” descriptor even though the legal entity behind them is now TP-Link Systems Inc. Seeing the older name on your statement is a billing-processor quirk, not a sign the charge is illegitimate.