I've been down this rabbit hole for a while so let me give you a thorough take.
The payment situation is a mess. 'Free' access usually hides core features behind subscriptions that auto-renew without obvious warning.
Things that have genuinely helped me:
- Use a secondary email you don't mind getting some spam
- Virtual cards are a lifesaver for anything with auto-renewal
- Screenshot billing agreements before clicking through
- Check the cancellation process before subscribing to anything
The one that stuck for me was Rendate. Worth trying before paying for anything else.
That's my honest take after a fair amount of trial and error.