## 🔍 Why Was I Charged During My Free Trial?

Search Atlas offers a **7-day free trial** on select plans. However, a charge may appear on your statement in the following situations:

- **Card authorisation hold:** When you enter your payment details at checkout, your bank may place a temporary authorisation hold to verify the card. This is not a real charge and typically disappears within 3–5 business days.
- **Trial already used:** The free trial is available **once per account**. If you have previously used a free trial, your new subscription will be billed immediately from the start date.
- **Pending cancellation status:** If your account was in a pending cancellation state when you re-subscribed, the checkout may have displayed a free trial offer that did not apply to your account. In this case, a charge is processed at signup.
- **Plan or billing cycle mismatch:** Some promotional plans or checkout flows may not include a free trial. Always confirm the trial terms shown on the final checkout screen before completing your purchase.

## ✅ Am I Eligible for a Refund?

Refund eligibility depends on the specific circumstances of your charge. As a general guideline:

- If you were charged immediately and the checkout screen clearly showed a **7-day free trial** that should have applied to your account, you may be eligible for a refund.
- If your account had already used a free trial previously, the charge is expected and a refund would not typically apply.
- If the charge is a **temporary authorisation hold** from your bank, no refund is needed — the hold will be released automatically.

Our support team reviews each refund request individually and will confirm your eligibility based on your account history.



## 📋 What Information to Have Ready

To help our team resolve your request as quickly as possible, please have the following details available before reaching out:

- The **email address** associated with your Search Atlas account
- The **date and amount** of the charge you are disputing
- A screenshot of the checkout screen showing the free trial offer (if available)
- The name of the **plan or promotion** you signed up for

## ⏱️ How Long Does a Refund Take?

Once a refund is approved, processing times vary depending on your payment method and bank:

- **Credit or debit card:** Typically 5–10 business days to appear on your statement.
- **Temporary authorisation holds:** Released automatically within 3–5 business days without any action required.

You will receive confirmation from our team once a refund has been issued on our end.



## 💬 How to Request a Refund

Our support team is ready to review your case and process a refund if you are eligible. 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.