🔍 Why Was I Charged During My Free Trial?
Search Atlas offers a free trial period, and in most cases you will not be billed until the trial ends. However, a charge may appear on your statement earlier than expected for one of the following reasons:
- Trial start date: Your free trial period is calculated from the exact date and time you activated your account — not from the date you first logged in. If a few days passed between sign-up and active use, the billing date may feel earlier than anticipated.
- Plan activation via payment link: If you paid through a payment link during the trial, billing begins immediately and the trial ends. Upgrading or switching plans from the dashboard (Billing → Plans) during the trial does not charge immediately — the new plan's features apply right away, the trial keeps its original end date, and billing starts when the trial ends.
- Authorization hold: When you enter your card details, your bank may place a temporary authorization hold. This is not a real charge and typically disappears within a few business days, depending on your bank.
- Currency conversion: If your account is billed in USD but your bank account operates in another currency, the converted amount may look different from what you expected.
📋 How to Check Your Billing Details
Before requesting a refund, it helps to confirm exactly what you were charged and when. You can review your billing history by logging in to your Search Atlas account, clicking your avatar in the top-right corner, and opening Billing (Billing page). If you are unable to locate your charge details within the platform, our support team can look up this information on your behalf.
If the charge date aligns with your plan activation or the end of your trial window, the charge is expected. If you believe the charge is genuinely incorrect, proceed with a refund request.
💰 How to Request a Refund
Search Atlas reviews refund requests on a case-by-case basis. To give your request the best chance of a quick resolution, have the following information ready before contacting support:
- The exact charge amount and date it appeared on your statement
- The last four digits of the card that was charged
- A brief explanation of why you believe the charge was incorrect
- Any screenshots of the charge from your bank or card statement
Once you have this information, reach out to our support team. A member of our team will review your account, confirm the charge details, and process any eligible refund in accordance with our billing policies.
🗑️ How to Remove Your Credit Card Information
If you have more than one saved card, you can remove one yourself from your Search Atlas billing settings (avatar → Billing → Plans & Top-ups tab, payment method section): open your payment methods, click Remove on the card, and confirm Yes, remove card. You can also use Set as primary to choose which card is used by default. Please note:
- The Remove button only appears when more than one card is saved — the last/only card on file cannot be removed this way. To replace it, add a new card first via Add Payment Method, set it as primary, and then remove the old one. Alternatively, contact our support team to remove the only card on file.
- Removing your card may affect your active subscription status — our team can clarify the impact before making any changes.
- Have your account email address and the last four digits of the card ready when you reach out.
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.