You've stopped playing. Maybe you've already deleted the game, and now an email says a fee is coming. Atay Games' cash matches run on Skillz, operated by Firy Inc (NYSE: FIRY, formerly SKLZ), so its rules decide how you close or delete a Skillz account and what happens to the money in it. This is the order that keeps the most of it.
Withdraw first, then ask Skillz to close the account. Skillz says to send "a support ticket via the in-game contact center" or email support@skillz.com from your account email with the subject "Skillz Account Deletion." Deleting the app closes nothing. After six months without a tournament, "a monthly maintenance fee of $2.00" can come out of your balance.
Disclosure: Atay Games makes games that run on Skillz, which runs accounts, withdrawals and player support for cash play. Only moving to a new phone? Don't close anything: here's how to move your account.
What do Skillz's rules say about closing an account and the $2 fee?
In 2026, Skillz closes accounts only through support: "a support ticket via the in-game contact center" or an email to support@skillz.com with the subject "Skillz Account Deletion." Its User Terms allow a $2.00 monthly maintenance fee after six consecutive months without entering a tournament (section 8.7) and return a closed account's funds under the normal withdrawal rules (section 8.6).
Six passages decide how leaving works. Here they are, quoted exactly as Skillz publishes them, grammar included.
| Document | Article ID or section | Text last edited (as published) | Retrieved | Exact words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skillz help: How do I close my account? | 30884677772564 | Dec 11, 2024 (page updated Aug 15, 2026) | Sep 26, 2026 | You can send in a support ticket via the in-game contact center shown below or write into our support team directly via email at support@skillz.com. If writing in via email you will be required to use the email associated with your Skillz account and ensure the subject line is Skillz Account Deletion. |
| Skillz help: Why did I receive a notification of a maintenance fee? | 360057419731 | Sep 19, 2024 | Sep 26, 2026 | After being inactive on the Skillz platform for 6 months or more, you may incur a monthly maintenance fee of $2.00. This fee is always deducted from your in-app balance, always starting with Bonus Cash first. |
| Same article | 360057419731 | Sep 19, 2024 | Sep 26, 2026 | no maintenance fee will be collected if your account balance is $0. · after 12 months or more of inactivity, Skillz reserves the right to close your account. |
| Skillz User Terms | §8.7 Account Monthly Maintenance Fee | Updated as of May 22, 2025 | Sep 26, 2026 | After five or more months of inactivity you will be notified by email that if your Account remains inactive for one more month, the Monthly Maintenance Fee will be deducted from your Account each consecutive month after that that it remains inactive. · if your Account has no funds and has been inactive for twelve or more consecutive months, your Account may be closed. |
| Skillz User Terms | §8.6 Closing Accounts; Forfeiture of Funds | Updated as of May 22, 2025 | Sep 26, 2026 | If you close your Account, funds in your Account will be returned subject to the terms of Section 8.5. |
| Skillz User Terms | §8.4 Bonus Funds | Updated as of May 22, 2025 | Sep 26, 2026 | If you do not enter a Cash Competition within a continuous 60 day time period, all Bonus Funds in your account will be forfeited. |
Notice the two 12-month rules. The help article says that after a year of inactivity, "Skillz reserves the right to close your account," and it names no balance condition. Section 8.7 of the terms is narrower: it says an account may be closed "if your Account has no funds" and has been inactive that long. Neither document says money left in a closed account is paid out automatically.
What we checked. On September 26, 2026, we pulled all 119 English articles in Skillz's help center through its public API. Four cover closing an account or the fee: two for standalone games like ours and two for Skillz's separate Skillz Arena app, whose fee article (edited July 5, 2026) still says $2.00. Since its first archived copy in October 2024, the close-account article has offered both the ticket and the email route.
Older Skillz documents, including its 2022 Privacy Policy, describe other menu paths for closing an account. The help article above is the current one, so follow it.
What happens to your balance if you just delete the app?
It stays put. Apple says deleting an app "removes it and its data from your iPhone," but your money lives on your Skillz account, which "syncs across any Skillz games you are logged into." The terms promise a warning email after five months, and Skillz's 2025 annual report says the fee is charged "beginning in the seventh month of inactivity."
Deleting or offloading the game on iPhone, or uninstalling it on Android, removes the app, not the account. The balance, the inactivity clock and the fee rules all stay with Skillz. App Store reviews of Skillz's own app, dated 2022 to 2024, describe exactly that: players deleted their games, then got fee emails months or years later and struggled to close the account.
In plain words, the fee is $2.00 a month, taken from your in-app balance, "always starting with Bonus Cash first," and never from a $0 balance. Skillz also says: "No charge will ever be made to your method of payment (credit/debit card or PayPal) without your consent." A September 2026 review worried the $2 would hit their card over and over. By Skillz's own wording, it comes out of the balance instead.
Our reading: "Bonus Cash first" rarely protects real cash. Section 8.4 forfeits all Bonus Funds after "a continuous 60 day time period" without a cash competition. An account only reaches the fee after six months without any tournament, so its Bonus Cash is usually long gone by then. More on how Bonus Cash works.
Skillz reports the fee as its own revenue line: maintenance fee revenue of $1.26 million in 2025 and $2.02 million in 2024, according to its FY2025 Form 10-K.
What does a $7 balance lose if you leave it?
Most of it. In our worked example, $7.00 left alone falls to $1.00 by month 9. The example assumes $7.00 of real cash, all of it eligible to withdraw, no Bonus Cash and no tournaments after month 0. Skillz says the fee "may" apply, so this shows the case where it does.
An Idle $7.00 Balance, Month by Month
| Choice | Month 7 | Month 8 | Month 9 | Month 10+ | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leave it alone | $5.00 | $3.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 or $0 (Skillz doesn't say whether a partial fee is taken) | $0 to $1.00 |
| Withdraw at month 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5.50 (the help center's $1.50 charge under $10; the terms allow up to $2.00, which would leave $5.00) |
| Play a free Ⓩ match before month 6, then at least once every six months | $7.00 | $7.00 | $7.00 | $7.00 | $7.00 (any Bonus Cash is still forfeited after 60 days without a cash match) |
Keeping the account instead?
Skillz's fix is simple: "To avoid the monthly maintenance fee, simply log in and play a free match using our virtual Ⓩ currency." A phone reminder every five months covers it. A free match won't save Bonus Cash, though. If other idle apps need sorting too, work through the full phone clean-up checklist.
Why withdraw first anyway?
Skillz's fee article used to go further. Archived copies from September 2023 to June 2024 told players to "withdraw your remaining real cash balance before requesting to close your Skillz account." They added: "For closed accounts, any remaining balance will be deducted in full after 2 months of inactivity following account closure."
Those lines are gone from the version Skillz last edited on September 19, 2024. Today's terms say a closed account's funds "will be returned subject to the terms of Section 8.5." Withdrawing first avoids the question either way.
How do you get your money out before you close?
Withdraw before you close. In 2026, Skillz sends withdrawals up to your total deposits back to your card or PayPal, oldest deposit first, and U.S. winnings above that by paper check. Its help center lists "a $1.50 charge for any withdrawals under $10," and any withdrawal forfeits all your Bonus Cash.
Leaving Skillz in Four Steps, in This Order
Before you start
- Your Skillz username.
- The email on your account. Skillz's account-info article says it's under Account, then Personal Info, in the game's main menu; labels vary by game.
- A screenshot of your balance.
- Any prepaid card you deposited with. Skillz says: "If you don't have this card, your withdrawal may be forfeit."
The withdrawal, step by step
- Open the game and tap Withdraw. Skillz says you can withdraw "by tapping Withdraw on the main menu," and "The withdrawal screen will show how much of your balance is eligible." Deposits count only once they've been played: "Deposited funds must be played in matches before they're eligible for withdrawal."
- Unplayed deposit? If you're closing because you want to stop playing, don't play just to unlock it. Ask in your closure request what happens to it; Skillz doesn't publish an answer.
- Withdraw everything eligible in one go. The help center lists "a $1.50 charge for any withdrawals under $10," and section 8.5 of the terms allows "up to $2.00." One withdrawal beats several small ones.
- Know where it goes. Up to your total deposits, money goes back to the card or PayPal you used, "in order of oldest to newest deposits made." U.S. winnings above that come by paper check: "We tell our players to expect their withdrawals in 4-6 weeks." If your withdrawal screen offers a U.S. bank transfer through Aeropay, Skillz says standard transfers usually arrive in under 24 business hours. The terms allow up to 90 days. For the full split, see where each dollar of a withdrawal lands.
- Leave Bonus Cash behind. "Bonus cash cannot be withdrawn, and is forfeited when you make a withdrawal."
- Wait until it lands. Keep the withdrawal ID from your confirmation email, because Skillz's contact article asks for it. Skillz doesn't say what closing does to a pending withdrawal, so close after the money arrives. If you can't wait, list the withdrawal ID in your closure request.
Skillz's own steps are in its withdrawals article, and our withdrawal fee index compares its charge and payout times with other cash-game apps.
How do you ask Skillz to close your account?
As of September 2026, Skillz's close-account article offers "one of two ways": a support ticket from inside the game, or an email to support@skillz.com. The email must come from "the email associated with your Skillz account," with the subject line "Skillz Account Deletion." Skillz says it doesn't offer phone support, and it doesn't publish how long closure takes.
Pick one route. Both need the same subject line.
- In the game: open the game's in-app help or support and submit a ticket. Skillz's article calls this the "in-game contact center" and says to "change the subject to Skillz Account Deletion." It describes a Menu button and a Contact Support option, but labels vary by game and version, so look for Help, Support or Contact Support. Skillz's contact article says replies appear under Support Messages.
- By email: write to support@skillz.com from the email on your account, with the subject exactly "Skillz Account Deletion."
Copy this closure request
Subject: Skillz Account Deletion Username: [your Skillz username] Email on the account: [the address you signed up with; send from this address] Games I've played with this account: [game names] Request: Please close my Skillz account. Balance: [My balance is $0.00] OR [I withdrew $__ on [date], withdrawal ID ____] Anything left: [e.g., $__ in unplayed deposits] Please tell me what happens to it. Messages: Please stop marketing emails and texts to this email and phone number. Please confirm by reply when the account is closed.
Fields follow Skillz's contact form (help 203685879) and its closure article (30884677772564). Never send a full card number, your password or your Social Security number in a ticket.
Three things not to do
- Don't delete the app first. The in-app route needs it.
- Don't send the request from a different email address. The article requires the one on your account.
- Don't open a new account later to "start fresh" without asking support. Section 7.3 of the terms bars "more than one registered account with the same personal information."
What happens after you ask?
In 2026, Skillz doesn't publish a closure timeline or a confirmation step. Its terms say you "forfeit the right to use Digital Assets," such as Z, when the account ends, and should uninstall its software. Its Privacy Policy says it may keep information "in our archival files," and California residents have a separate right to request deletion.
Watch for a reply. Check the app's support messages and your email, and answer in the same thread. Skillz publishes no timeline for closing an account, so we won't guess one. If nothing comes back, see the last section below.
Know what goes with the account. Z, trophies and other "Digital Assets" end with it (sections 10.3 and 11 of the User Terms). Section 11 also asks you to "promptly uninstall and delete all copies of the Software" once the account ends.
Then delete the app. On iPhone, Apple's steps are: "Touch and hold the app on the Home Screen or in App Library. Tap Remove App, then tap Delete App. Tap Delete to confirm." On Android, uninstall the game you installed from our site. Do it for every Skillz game you had.
Does closing your account erase your data?
Closing isn't erasing. Skillz's Privacy Policy (effective June 13, 2022) says "we reserve the right to retain in our archival files any information we remove from or change in our active databases." It adds that "it may not be technologically possible to remove every record." California residents have "The Right to Request Deletion of personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions." Use the request methods in the policy itself.
What if you come back or play other Skillz games?
Might you come back? Skillz doesn't publish a way to reopen a closed account. An empty account isn't charged the fee, so leaving a $0 account open is an option. Ask support before signing up again, because a second account can get you banned.
Other Skillz games. Skillz says one username and password work to "log into any Skillz-enabled game, on any device." Our reading: expect closing to cover every Skillz game you use that login in. Confirm with support if you play others. Closing also doesn't change what you won this year; see how taxes on Skillz winnings work.
Is closing your account the way to take a break from cash play?
It's the only way Skillz documents. On September 26, 2026, we found no deposit-limit, cool-off or self-exclusion setting in any of Skillz's 119 English help articles or its User Terms. If play has stopped being fun, close the account, turn off marketing messages, and call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), NCPG's free, confidential helpline.
That's what Skillz publishes, not necessarily all that support can do. If you want to stop, say so plainly. Withdraw what's eligible, then tell support in your closure request that you're closing to stop playing, and ask what happens to anything left. Don't play more matches to unlock a deposit or to use up Bonus Cash.
Stop the pull-back messages. Unsubscribe using the link in any Skillz email. Skillz's Bonus Cash article describes a marketing consent box under Account, then Personal Info; untick it if your game shows one. Reply "STOP" to any Skillz text (section 1.7 of the terms and its texting terms). Skillz says it may still send emails about your account.
Keeping other games on your phone? Here's how to set limits on the games you keep.
If play stops feeling optional
The National Council on Problem Gambling's National Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738). You can call or text, or chat at ncpgambling.org/chat. NCPG says it's free, confidential and available 24/7.
When should you contact support, and what can't anyone promise?
Write to Skillz support after a fee email, a withdrawal past its "4-6 weeks" estimate or an unanswered closure request. As of September 2026, Skillz says "we do not offer phone services at this time," so use a ticket or email. Nobody can promise how fast an account closes or what happens to money left in it.
- After the month-5 email, if you'd rather close than keep playing free matches.
- If a withdrawal runs past Skillz's stated window. The help center says "expect their withdrawals in 4-6 weeks"; the terms allow up to 90 days. Include the withdrawal ID and the exact amount.
- If a closure request gets no reply. Answer in the same thread rather than opening a new ticket.
What no one can promise. No one, including us, can promise how Skillz handles a specific account, how long it takes, or what happens to money left in it. Skillz decides under its terms.
If money is genuinely in dispute after support answers, section 14.1 of the User Terms requires a written Notice of Dispute, and section 14.5 says claims "must be filed within one year." This is general information, not legal advice.
Not sure where to start? Our contact page can point you the right way. We can't close, refund or change a Skillz account ourselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting the Skillz app close my account?
No. Deleting a game removes the app from your phone, but your Skillz account and balance stay with Skillz. Skillz says closing an account means contacting support by in-app ticket or by email to support@skillz.com, with the subject "Skillz Account Deletion." Withdraw and close first, then delete the app.
How much is the Skillz inactivity fee, and when does it start?
It's $2.00 a month. Skillz's terms allow it once you haven't entered a tournament for six consecutive months, and its annual report says charges begin in the seventh month. It comes out of your in-app balance, Bonus Cash first, and is never taken from a $0 balance.
How do I avoid the fee without closing my account?
Play a free match. Skillz says "To avoid the monthly maintenance fee, simply log in and play a free match using our virtual Ⓩ currency." Do it at least once every six months. A free match won't save Bonus Cash, though: that's forfeited after 60 days without a cash competition.
Can I close my Skillz account with money in it?
You can ask, but withdraw first. Skillz's terms say that if you close your account, the funds "will be returned subject to the terms of Section 8.5," the normal withdrawal rules, which allow up to 90 days. Bonus Cash can't be withdrawn, and Z is lost when an account ends.
Can I reopen a closed Skillz account?
Skillz doesn't publish a way to reopen one. If you might play again, a $0 balance isn't charged the fee, so leaving an empty account open is an option. Don't sign up again with your old details without asking support first: Skillz's terms don't allow more than one account with the same personal information.
Does closing my account delete my data?
Not necessarily all of it. Skillz's Privacy Policy says it may keep information "in our archival files" to resolve disputes, troubleshoot problems and enforce its terms. California residents have a separate right to request deletion of personal information, "subject to certain exceptions," using the methods in that policy.
Sources
- Skillz help center (Players), How do I close my account?, article 30884677772564 (in-game ticket or email, subject Skillz Account Deletion; text last edited December 11, 2024, page updated August 15, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center (Players), Why did I receive a notification of a maintenance fee?, article 360057419731 ($2.00 monthly fee after 6+ months, Bonus Cash first, none at $0, free match avoids it, 12-month closure right; text last edited September 19, 2024), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center (Skillz Arena), Why did I receive a notification of a maintenance fee?, article 50570432578708 (fee still $2.00; edited July 5, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, How do withdrawals work?, article 203685739 (routing, 4-6 weeks, played-once rule, Bonus Cash forfeited, $1.50 under $10; text last edited February 2, 2026, page updated August 5, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, Skillz + Aeropay: Secure Bank Transfers Made Easy, article 37471978518676 (U.S. only; standard ACH usually under 24 business hours; text last edited June 18, 2025, page updated September 22, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, Can I deposit with a prepaid gift card?, article 115001140043 (text last edited February 4, 2025), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, Can I use my Skillz account for multiple games?, article 203685909 (balance syncs across games; text last edited April 2, 2020, page updated August 19, 2023), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, How can I contact you?, article 203685879 (form fields, withdrawal ID, Support Messages, no phone support; text last edited October 4, 2024), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.skillz.com
- Skillz help center, How does Bonus Cash work, and how can I get more of it?, article 203685769 (marketing consent box; page updated July 2, 2026), and How can I change my account information?, article 204373175 (Account, then Personal Info; August 17, 2025), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.skillz.com
- Skillz, User Terms and Conditions of Service (Updated as of May 22, 2025), sections 1.7, 7.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 10.3, 11, 14.1 and 14.5, retrieved 2026-09-26, skillz.com/legal
- Skillz, Privacy Policy (Effective Date June 13, 2022), section 10 and Annex 1, retrieved 2026-09-26, skillz.com/privacy-policy
- Skillz Inc., Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025 (filed March 31, 2026), Revenue note (fee recognized "beginning in the seventh month of inactivity") and Disaggregation of Revenue (maintenance fee revenue $1,260 thousand in 2025, $2,016 thousand in 2024), retrieved 2026-09-26, sec.gov
- Internet Archive Wayback Machine, snapshots of Skillz help article 360057419731 (September 25, 2023, March 4, 2024, June 18, 2024 and November 13, 2024) and of article 30884677772564 (October 8, 2024), retrieved 2026-09-25, web.archive.org
- Apple, Remove or delete apps from iPhone (iPhone User Guide, iOS 27), retrieved 2026-09-26, support.apple.com
- National Council on Problem Gambling, 1-800-MY-RESET announcement (January 29, 2026), retrieved 2026-09-26, ncpgambling.org
- Apple App Store, customer reviews of Skillz: Compete & Win Cash (player experience only, paraphrased; reviews dated May 10, 2022, February 10, 2023, February 17, 2024 and September 20, 2026), read 2026-09-25, apps.apple.com
- Atay Games first-party check: all 119 English articles in the Skillz help center, pulled through the public help-center API and searched for closure, inactivity, fee, reopening, deposit-limit and self-exclusion language, September 26, 2026 (four articles cover closing or the fee; none documents limits or self-exclusion).
About this guide. This is general information based on Skillz's public help center, User Terms, Privacy Policy and FY2025 Form 10-K as retrieved on September 26, 2026, and Skillz can change them at any time. It is not legal or financial advice. We haven't run a test closure, so we don't show screenshots or exact button names, and labels can differ by game version. The $7 example is ours, built from Skillz's published rules. Skillz decides account closures, withdrawals and fees under its terms. Cash play is optional, 18+ and depends on where you live. For free, confidential help, call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738) or chat at ncpgambling.org/chat.
Staying or Going?
Still playing? A free match every few months keeps the fee off an idle balance. Done for good? Withdraw, then close. Cash play is optional, 18+ and depends on where you live.
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