🧭 Overview
When a client you manage under your agency wants to take full ownership of their Search Atlas account, you can detach their child account from your agency and transfer billing responsibility directly to them. Once detached, the account becomes a fully independent Search Atlas account and the client will manage their own subscription and billing going forward.
✅ Before You Begin
Review the following checklist before starting the detachment process:
- You must be the Agency Owner to perform this action. Sub-users and team members do not have permission to detach child accounts.
- Notify your client in advance. Once the account is detached, they will need to enter their own billing details immediately to avoid service interruption.
- Confirm the client's email address on file is one they actively use — Search Atlas will send them a billing setup notification to that address.
- Outstanding invoices. Ensure there are no unpaid balances on the child account before initiating the transfer.
🪜 Step-by-Step: Detach a Child Account
- Log in to your Search Atlas agency account.
- Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform to open the account menu.
- Select Team Members from the dropdown. This will take you to /settings.
- Navigate to the Child Accounts section within the settings page.
- Locate the client account you want to convert and click on it to open the account details.
- Select the Detach Account option (you may be prompted to confirm the action).
- Review the confirmation prompt — this will display the client's account name, associated email, and a note that billing responsibility will transfer to the client.
- Click Confirm Detach to complete the process.
Once confirmed, the child account is immediately removed from your agency dashboard and converted into a standalone Search Atlas account.
💳 What Happens to Billing After Detachment
Billing is automatically transferred to the client's account upon detachment. Here is what to expect:
- The client will receive an email prompting them to add a payment method and select a subscription plan directly with Search Atlas.
- Your agency will no longer be charged for that account from the next billing cycle.
- If the detachment occurs mid-cycle, charges already processed for that period will not be automatically refunded — contact support if you believe a credit adjustment is appropriate.
- The client's existing data, projects, campaigns, and settings are fully preserved. Nothing is deleted during the detachment process.
👤 What the Client Needs to Do
After you complete the detachment, share the following steps with your client so they can take ownership smoothly:
- Check the inbox of the email address associated with their Search Atlas account for a billing setup notification.
- Click the link in the email to log in or create a password for their now-independent account.
- Go to the account menu (person icon, top-right) → Billing and add a valid payment method.
- Select the subscription plan that fits their needs.
- Confirm their subscription to restore full access to all features.
Until the client completes billing setup, their account may be placed in a restricted state. Encourage them to complete this process as soon as possible after detachment.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
- Will the client lose any of their data? No. All projects, reports, keywords, and campaign data are retained after detachment.
- Can I re-add a detached account to my agency later? Yes. The client can be re-invited as a child account in the future by sending a new agency invitation from your dashboard.
- Can I transfer ownership to a different email address at the same time? No. Email or ownership changes must be handled separately within the client's account settings after detachment is complete.
- What if the Detach Account option is not visible? Verify you are logged in as the Agency Owner. If the option is still missing, contact support for assistance.
💬 Need Help?
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.