🔍 Overview
Billing errors can happen in rare cases — for example, an unexpected Top-Off charge, a duplicate subscription fee, or an add-on billed after a plan change. This article explains the most common charge types, how to verify whether a charge is correct, and the exact steps to request a refund for any unauthorized or incorrect amount.
📄 Common Causes of Incorrect Charges
Understanding where unexpected charges typically come from helps you describe the issue clearly when you contact our team:
- Top-Off charges: Automatically applied when your account exceeds its included credit quota. If your usage did not exceed the quota, the Top-Off may have been triggered in error.
- Duplicate base subscription: Can occur during plan upgrades, re-checkout flows, or billing-system migrations, resulting in two active subscription lines for the same period.
- Add-on charged after cancellation: An add-on such as OTTO Google Ads may continue to bill for one cycle if the cancellation was not processed before the next billing date.
- Incorrect plan pricing: Legacy accounts occasionally experience pricing mismatches when migrated to the updated billing system.
- Annual quota billed twice: A known edge case where annual subscribers were charged a duplicate quota fee at renewal.
✅ What Qualifies for a Refund
Search Atlas will review and refund charges that meet any of the following criteria:
- You were billed for a service you did not activate or request.
- A duplicate charge appears on the same invoice or across two consecutive invoices for the same item.
- A Top-Off was applied despite your usage remaining within the plan quota.
- An add-on was billed after you cancelled it and before the next billing cycle began.
- Your account was migrated and the new price does not match your agreed plan rate.
Refund requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Charges that reflect genuine usage overages or services actively consumed are generally not eligible for refunds.
🗂️ How to Check Your Invoices
Before contacting support, locate the specific charge so you can share the details with our team:
- Log in to your Search Atlas account.
- Click your profile icon in the top-right corner and select Billing.
- Open the Invoices tab to view a full list of past charges.
- Click any invoice to see a line-by-line breakdown, including subscription fees, add-ons, and Top-Off amounts.
- Note the invoice date, line-item name, and the exact amount you believe is incorrect.
🛠️ How to Request a Refund
Once you have identified the charge, follow these steps to submit your refund request:
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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.
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Provide the following information so our team can investigate quickly:
- The invoice date(s) in question (e.g., May and June invoices).
- The name of the charge or line item (e.g., Top-Off, OTTO Google Ads add-on, duplicate base subscription).
- The amount charged and the amount you expected to be charged.
- Any relevant context, such as a recent plan change, cancellation, or billing migration.
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Our billing team will investigate the charge, confirm whether a refund is applicable, and process it if approved — typically within 5–10 business days depending on your payment method and bank.
⏱️ Refund Processing Times
Once a refund is approved, the timeline for it to appear depends on how you pay:
- Credit or debit card: 5–10 business days to appear on your statement.
- PayPal or other payment methods: Timelines vary; allow up to 10 business days.
If you do not see the refund after 10 business days, contact our team again with your original case reference number.
🛡️ How We Prevent Billing Errors
Search Atlas actively monitors for billing anomalies. Known issues — such as duplicate subscription charges during billing migrations and incorrect add-on pricing for legacy accounts — have been identified, fixed, and remediated for affected customers. If you were part of an affected group, our team may already have your refund in progress. Reach out to confirm the status of your account.
💬 Need Immediate 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.