🔍 Overview
This article explains what to do if you were charged on a date different from what was agreed, or if HyperDrive Credits promised to you have not appeared in your account. Both issues are fully resolvable — this guide walks you through what to check and how to get them fixed quickly.
💳 Why You May See an Unexpected Charge
Unexpected charges most commonly occur in the following situations:
- Billing date agreements not reflected in the system: If a billing deferral or custom charge date was discussed with a teammate, it must be manually applied to your account. If this step was missed, your default billing cycle runs as scheduled.
- Dual account setups: If you have more than one Search Atlas account (for example, a personal account and a team or agency account), charges may process on one account while credits or agreements are tied to the other.
- Subscription renewal timing: Renewals process automatically based on the date your plan was originally activated, which may differ from any verbally or informally agreed date.
None of these scenarios means you have been permanently overbilled. Charges applied outside of an agreed window are flagged as disputes and can be reviewed and corrected by our billing team.
🎁 Why HyperDrive Credits May Not Have Appeared
HyperDrive Credits are applied manually by our team after a qualifying action — such as an upgrade, promotional agreement, or onboarding incentive. Credits can be delayed or missing for the following reasons:
- Applied to the wrong account: If you manage two accounts, credits may have been added to a different account than the one you are actively using.
- Not yet processed: There may be a short delay between the agreement and the credit application, especially if the request was made close to a weekend or holiday.
- Agreement not yet logged: In some cases, a verbal or chat-based agreement may not have been formally recorded in the billing system in time.
✅ What to Check Before Contacting Support
Before reaching out, please take a moment to do the following:
- Confirm which account was charged. Log in to each account you manage and check the Billing section from the top-right avatar (Account Menu). Note that Settings and Billing are separate items in the avatar dropdown. Note the account email address associated with each.
- Check your HyperDrive Credits balance. From the top-right avatar, go to Billing → Plans & Top-ups (Billing) to view your Hyperdrive Credits quota. Check all accounts if you have more than one.
- Locate any written confirmation. If you received an email, in-app message, or chat transcript confirming a specific billing date or credit amount, have it ready. This speeds up the resolution process significantly.
- Note the charge date and amount. For billing disputes, having the exact charge date and amount on hand will allow our billing team to locate and review the transaction quickly.
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.