🔍 Understanding Why Double Billing Happens
Duplicate charges in Search Atlas most commonly occur in one of the following situations:
- Subscription processed on two payment methods — for example, both Shopify and a credit card on file.
- Multiple subscriptions created in the same account — this can happen when a plan upgrade does not apply correctly and a second subscription is generated in our billing system.
- Quota top-ups bundled into a Stripe subscription — one-time top-up charges are occasionally included in a recurring billing cycle instead of being processed separately.
- Upgrade not applied but charge still processed — if a plan upgrade fails partway through, you may be charged without the new plan activating.
All of these scenarios are recognized billing issues our team actively investigates and resolves. If you believe any of these apply to your account, follow the steps below.
🧾 Step 1 — Identify the Charges in Question
Before contacting support, gather the following information so our team can resolve your case quickly:
- Log in to your Search Atlas account and navigate to the top-right avatar (Account Menu) → Billing.
- Note the dates, amounts, and descriptions of every charge you believe is incorrect.
- Check whether charges appear on more than one payment method (e.g., both a credit card and a platform integration like Shopify).
- Identify any add-ons — such as OTTO SEO extra site top-up charges or user seat fees ($35/month per seat) — that you did not knowingly authorize.
- Note any upgrade you attempted that may not have activated correctly.
Having this list ready will allow our billing team to locate the exact transactions in our system and process your case without delays.
❌ Unauthorized Add-On and User Seat Charges
Two charge types are commonly flagged as unauthorized:
- OTTO SEO extra site charges — OTTO SEO is included in every Search Atlas plan (Starter includes 1 site, Growth 2, Pro 4, Agency 10). Additional OTTO sites beyond your plan's included amount are billed as a paid top-up. If you did not intentionally add extra sites, the top-up may have been activated during a trial, a plan change, or an account configuration step.
- User seat charges ($35/month per seat) — Additional user seats are billed monthly. If a seat was added in error or by another team member, this charge can be reviewed and reversed.
Our team can verify when each add-on or seat was activated, confirm whether authorization was recorded, and issue a refund if the charge was applied in error. Refunds for unauthorized charges are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and typically processed within 5–10 business days back to your original payment method.
⬆️ Upgrading Your Plan While a Refund Is Pending
You do not need to wait for a refund to be finalized before upgrading your plan. Here is how to handle both at the same time:
- Inform our support team that you want to upgrade to Growth (or another plan) alongside your billing dispute.
- Our team can apply any confirmed refund amount as a credit toward your new plan, reducing your next invoice rather than issuing a separate payment back to your card — if you prefer that option.
- Alternatively, the refund can be returned to your original payment method and the upgrade can be processed independently.
- Once the upgrade is confirmed active in your account, you will receive the features and limits of your new plan immediately.
If a previous upgrade attempt was charged but not applied, our team will ensure the correct plan is activated and that any duplicate charge from that failed upgrade is refunded.
⏳ What to Expect After You Report a Billing Issue
- Initial review: Our billing team will locate all transactions associated with your account across payment methods.
- Duplicate charge confirmed: A refund will be initiated to your original payment method, or applied as account credit — whichever you prefer.
- Unauthorized add-on confirmed: The add-on will be removed from your plan going forward, and the charge reviewed for a full or partial refund.
- Refund timeline: Most refunds appear within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or card issuer.
- Plan upgrade: Processed at the same time as your billing resolution, with no additional delay.
You will be kept informed at each step. If you were previously promised a reimbursement that was not delivered, please mention this when you contact support — our team will locate the original commitment and prioritize your case.
🛡️ How to Prevent Duplicate or Unauthorized Charges
- Review your top-right avatar (Account Menu) → Billing page monthly to confirm only expected charges are listed.
- Before starting a plan upgrade, confirm the new plan has activated before closing the browser or navigating away.
- If you manage multiple accounts or workspaces, ensure each account is linked to only one active subscription.
- Remove any payment method integrations (e.g., Shopify) you no longer use to avoid charges being routed through multiple processors.
💬 Contact Support to Resolve Your Case
Billing disputes, refund requests, and plan upgrades require account-level access that only our team can action. 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.
Please share the list of charges you identified in Step 1, and mention if a reimbursement was previously promised. This allows us to prioritize your case and resolve it as quickly as possible.