🔍 What Happened
If you previously cancelled the Google Ads addon — or if your Agency plan already includes it at no extra cost — you may have noticed a $199 charge on a recent invoice. This was caused by a billing system migration that inadvertently reset addon status for a subset of accounts. The charge is not the result of any action you took, and you are eligible for a full refund.
🧾 How to Check Your Invoice
Before requesting a refund, confirm the unexpected charge by reviewing your most recent invoice:
- Log in to your Search Atlas account.
- Click your profile icon in the top-right corner and select Billing.
- Open your latest invoice and look for a line item labeled Google Ads Addon or OTTO Google Ads.
- Note the date and amount of the charge — typically $199 per billing cycle.
If you see this line item and meet any of the criteria below, you qualify for an automatic refund:
- You previously cancelled the Google Ads addon.
- You are on an Agency plan that already includes the addon at no additional cost.
- You never manually activated or used the Google Ads addon.
💬 Requesting Your Refund
Our team is proactively identifying and refunding all affected accounts, but you can speed things up by reaching out directly:
- Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform.
- Type human teammate to be connected with a live support agent.
- Mention Google Ads addon refund and include your account email or workspace name.
A teammate will verify your account, confirm the incorrect charge, and process your refund. Most refunds appear on the original payment method within 5–7 business days, depending on your bank or card issuer.
🛡️ Preventing Future Charges
We are rolling out a permanent fix that zeroes out the addon cost for all accounts that already include it free. In the meantime, here is what you can do to make sure the addon stays off:
- In the left sidebar, navigate to Ads → Launchpad.
- Check whether the Google Ads addon shows as Active or Enabled.
- If it is active and you did not enable it, use the chat widget to let us know. We will disable it and flag your account so the charge does not recur.
For Agency-plan customers, no action is needed on your part — the addon is included in your plan and the backend fix will remove the charge automatically on your next billing cycle.
📌 Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be refunded for multiple months of incorrect charges?
Yes. If you were charged more than once due to this issue, our team will calculate the total and refund every incorrect charge.
I cancelled the addon in 2023. Why did it reappear?
The billing migration reset cancellation flags for a small group of accounts. Your cancellation is now being honored again, and you will not be charged going forward.
Does this affect my OTTO SEO or other Search Atlas features?
No. This issue is limited to the Google Ads addon billing line. All other subscriptions, features, and data in your account are unaffected.
How long does the refund take?
Once processed, most refunds appear within 5–7 business days. If you do not see the credit after 10 business days, reach out via the chat widget and we will follow up with your payment provider.
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.