💰 Refund Policy & Requests

💰 Refund Requests for Unused Subscriptions Explained

🔍 Why You May Have Been Charged Some customers purchase what they believe is a one-time webinar or event package, but are inadvertently enrolled in a recurring Search Atlas subscription. This typically happens when a promotional webinar offer is bundled with — or transitions into — a monthly or annual subscription plan at checkout. Common reasons this occurs include: - A webinar registration that included a trial or subscription as part of the offer - An auto-renewal that activated after a promotional period ended - A checkout flow where subscription terms were included alongside a one-time product 📋 How to Identify Your Charges Before contacting support, gather the following information to speed up your refund review: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account and navigate to Billing or Subscription Settings. 2. Check your plan name, billing cycle, and the date your subscription started. 3. Review your email inbox for any confirmation emails from Search Atlas or Stripe — these will show what plan was purchased and when. 4. Check your bank or credit card statement for the charge amount and dates. Charges of $99 per month indicate an active recurring subscription. ✅ What Our Refund Policy Covers Search Atlas reviews refund requests on a case-by-case basis. While we do not guarantee refunds for all past charges, we take disputes seriously and will investigate any situation where a customer was charged for a plan they did not knowingly activate or use. Key things to know about our refund policy: - Unused subscription time may be eligible for a partial or full refund depending on the circumstances. - Multiple recurring charges for an account with no usage history are given priority review. - Webinar-only purchases that were incorrectly converted to subscriptions are treated as billing errors and escalated accordingly. - Refund eligibility and the number of charges that can be refunded are assessed by our billing team during review. 🚫 Important: Cancel Your Subscription First If you do not want to continue being charged, cancel your subscription immediately before or during your refund request. Submitting a refund request does not automatically cancel your plan. 1. Log in to Search Atlas. 2. Go to Settings → Billing → Subscription. 3. Select Cancel Plan and follow the prompts to confirm cancellation. Once cancelled, your access will remain active until the end of the current billing period, and no further charges will occur. 📩 How to Submit a Refund Request To request a refund review for unexpected or unused subscription charges, follow these steps: 1. Gather your billing details: charge dates, amounts, and the email address linked to your account. 2. Note the reason for your request — for example, that you believed you were purchasing a webinar package, not a subscription. 3. 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. 4. Share your account email, the number of charges you are disputing, and any relevant context about your original purchase. Our team will review your account activity, verify usage, and escalate to our billing specialists if a refund is warranted. Response times may vary, but escalated billing cases are prioritised. ⚠️ Avoid Filing a Credit Card Dispute Before Contacting Us We strongly encourage you to contact our support team before filing a chargeback or dispute with your bank or credit card provider. Filing a dispute while a refund review is in progress can complicate or delay the resolution. Our team is committed to resolving legitimate billing issues fairly and promptly. 💡 Tips to Prevent Future Unexpected Charges - Always review the checkout confirmation page carefully for any subscription terms before completing a purchase. - Check your inbox for post-purchase emails that outline your plan details and renewal dates. - Set a calendar reminder to review your subscription status after any promotional or trial period ends. - Regularly audit your Billing section inside Search Atlas to confirm your active plan. 🙋 Still 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.

🔄 Fixing Publisher Mismatch and Order Refunds

🔍 What Is a Publisher Replacement Mismatch? A publisher replacement mismatch occurs when a replacement publisher does not meet the requirements of your original order. ✅ What You Should Do 1. Review the replacement publisher against your original order requirements. 2. If the replacement does not meet those requirements, do not accept it. 3. Contact support to report the mismatch and request a refund for the affected order. 💰 What to Include in Your Request Have the affected order details ready and explain how the replacement publisher differs from your original requirements. Our team can review the mismatch and advise on the refund. 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.

💳 Refund Request After Service Access Failure

🔍 Overview If you were charged for a Search Atlas subscription or service but were unable to log in or use the platform, you may be eligible for a refund. This article explains what information to gather, how to check your billing details, and how to contact our team to resolve the issue quickly. ⚠️ When a Refund May Apply A refund request is typically valid when all of the following are true: - You were successfully charged (a payment appears in your bank or card statement). - You were unable to access the platform or a specific feature during the billing period. - You reported the access issue within a reasonable timeframe. - The access failure was caused by a platform error, not a local issue such as a forgotten password or browser problem. 🛠️ Step 1 — Verify the Charge in Your Billing History Before contacting support, confirm the charge details inside Search Atlas so our team can locate it instantly. 1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform. 2. Select Billing from the dropdown menu. 3. Open the Invoices tab to view all charges, dates, and amounts. 4. Open the Activity Log tab to see a timeline of billing events. 5. Note the invoice number, charge date, and amount — you will need these when speaking with our team. 🔎 Step 2 — Check Whether the Access Issue Is Resolved Sometimes access problems are caused by temporary platform issues that are fixed quickly. Before requesting a refund, try the following: - Clear your browser cache and cookies, then reload the platform. - Try a different browser or an incognito/private window. - Check that your subscription status shows as active under Billing → Plans & Top-ups. - If you share access with team members, ask your account owner to verify your seat is still active under avatar → Team Members. If the issue persists after these steps, proceed to contact our support team. 📋 Step 3 — Gather the Information Our Team Will Need To process your refund request as fast as possible, have the following ready before opening the chat: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account. - The invoice number or charge date from the Invoices tab. - A brief description of the access problem you experienced (e.g., unable to log in, report tool not loading, feature returning an error). - The dates and times when you tried to use the platform and were blocked. - Any error messages you saw on screen, if applicable. 💬 Step 4 — Contact Our Team to Submit Your Request Refunds cannot be processed through the billing settings panel — they must be reviewed and approved by our billing team. 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. Our team will verify the charge, confirm the access failure on our end, and initiate the refund if it qualifies. Approved refunds are typically returned to your original payment method within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or card provider. 💡 Tips to Avoid Future Billing Issues - If you ever experience an access problem, report it immediately via the chat widget — do not wait until the next billing cycle. - Enable billing notifications so you are alerted the moment a charge is processed. - Bookmark the Billing → Activity Log tab to monitor charges in real time. - If you need to pause usage, contact our team before your renewal date to discuss options.

💰 Refund a Webinar-Originated Subscription Charge

🔍 Understanding How This Charge Appeared Search Atlas occasionally partners with webinar hosts and online events to offer platform trials. If you registered for a webinar that included a Search Atlas promotion, a subscription may have been activated on your behalf — sometimes without a clear reminder that recurring billing would begin. These charges typically appear as $99 per month on your card statement and will continue until the subscription is cancelled. If you never intended to use the platform, you are entitled to request a refund and cancel the account. 📋 Before You Contact Support — Gather These Details Having the following information ready will help our team process your refund as quickly as possible: - The email address used to register for the webinar or create the Search Atlas account - The number of charges you have been billed (check your bank or card statement) - The charge dates and amounts for each transaction - The name of the webinar or event where you first encountered Search Atlas, if you remember it 🛑 How to Cancel Your Subscription Immediately To stop future charges right away, follow these steps inside your Search Atlas account: 1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform. 2. Select Billing from the dropdown menu. 3. Open the Plans & Top-ups tab. 4. Click Manage Subscription and follow the prompts to cancel your active plan. Cancelling your subscription will prevent any further billing. It does not automatically trigger a refund — you must request one separately through our support team as described below. 💬 How to Request a Refund Our billing team reviews refund requests on a case-by-case basis. Customers who were charged through a webinar promotion and never actively used the platform are generally eligible for a full or partial refund of recurring charges. To submit your refund request, 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 charge details you gathered in the step above so our team can locate your account and initiate the refund without delay. ⏱️ What to Expect After You Request a Refund - Our team will verify the charges against your account history in our billing system. - Approved refunds are processed back to your original payment method. - Depending on your bank, funds typically appear within 5–10 business days after the refund is issued. - You will receive confirmation once each refund has been processed. ⚠️ Important Notes - If you have been charged multiple times, please list every transaction clearly when you contact support — our team can request refunds for all eligible charges in a single case. - If you no longer have access to the email address associated with the account, mention this in the chat so our team can locate your account by payment details instead. - Disputing charges directly with your bank before contacting us may delay the resolution. We recommend reaching out to our support team first. 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.

💡 Refund Requests for Unresolved Issues

💳 Understanding refund reviews If a Search Atlas issue has remained unresolved, you can request a review of the related charges. Refund decisions depend on the specific circumstances, billing records, service usage, and the steps taken to resolve the issue. A refund is not automatic because an issue was reported, a feature did not meet expectations, or time was spent troubleshooting. Each request is reviewed individually and may apply to specific billing periods or charges. 📝 What to include in your request Provide clear details so the team can investigate efficiently: - Your Search Atlas username or account ID, so the team can verify the account the charges were made on - The affected project, site, feature, or subscription - A description of the unresolved issue and when it began - Steps you took to resolve it, including relevant scans, settings, or support conversations - The billing periods or transactions you want reviewed - The outcome you are requesting, such as a full or partial refund 🔎 How your request is reviewed 1. The team verifies your account and the charges involved. 2. They review the reported issue, account activity, and troubleshooting history. 3. They determine whether the issue affected the paid service and whether a refund or adjustment is appropriate. 4. You receive an update through the platform with the review outcome and any next steps. ⚙️ Check these items first Before submitting a request, confirm that the issue is still occurring and review the relevant settings and activity in the platform for the feature involved. If the issue involves billing, identify the exact charge and billing period rather than requesting a refund for an unspecified amount. Canceling a subscription prevents future charges but does not automatically refund previous charges. 💬 Submit a refund request Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate. Explain that you are requesting a refund review for an unresolved service issue and include the information listed above. 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.

💰 Understanding Refund Requests for Ranking Declines

🔍 Overview We understand how frustrating it can be when your website rankings or organic visibility decline, especially after investing time and resources into your SEO strategy. This article explains Search Atlas's position on refund requests related to ranking performance, what factors influence rankings, and how to get the right support to resolve project or data issues quickly. 📊 Why Rankings Fluctuate Search engine rankings are influenced by a wide range of factors that exist outside any SEO platform's direct control. Before attributing a decline to a tool or feature, it is important to consider the following common causes: - Google algorithm updates: Core and spam updates can shift rankings significantly across entire industries overnight. - Competitor activity: Increased content output or backlink acquisition from competitors can push your positions down. - Technical site issues: Server downtime, crawl errors, or changes to your site's structure can impact indexation and rankings. - Content changes: Edits to on-page content, metadata, or internal linking on your site may affect how Google evaluates relevance. - Seasonal trends: Some niches experience natural ranking shifts tied to seasonal search demand. Search Atlas provides data, recommendations, and automation to support your SEO strategy — but rankings are ultimately determined by search engines, not by any third-party tool. 🛠️ What to Do If You Suspect a Platform Issue If you believe a specific feature or action within Search Atlas has negatively affected your project or data, follow these steps before submitting a refund request: 1. Review your project settings: Confirm that the correct domain is selected and that your tracked keywords are up to date within your project configuration. 2. Review keyword position history: Look for specific dates when declines began to correlate with any changes made inside or outside the platform. 3. Document the issue: Note the specific features involved, dates of change, and any error messages you encountered. This helps our team investigate and resolve your case faster. 4. Contact support promptly: If you have encountered a platform issue you cannot resolve on your own, reach out to the support team as soon as possible to avoid compounding delays. Have your project name, the exact error message (if any), and the date the issue began ready when you escalate. 💡 Search Atlas's Refund Policy for Ranking Declines Search Atlas does not offer refunds based on organic ranking or visibility changes alone. This policy exists because rankings are determined by search engines and are subject to external factors — including algorithm updates, competitor activity, and site-level changes — that are outside the control of any SEO platform. Access to Search Atlas's tools, data, and features remains fully available regardless of how a site's rankings perform during a subscription period. If you believe your refund request is related to a billing error or a platform malfunction rather than organic ranking performance, please contact our support team with the following information ready: - Your account or project name - The specific issue or error you encountered - The date(s) the issue occurred - Any relevant screenshots or error messages Our team will review your case and respond as quickly as possible. 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.

💳 Unexpected Charge After Cancelling Your Subscription

🔍 Why Was I Charged After Cancelling? We understand how frustrating it is to see a charge after you believed your subscription was cancelled. There are a few common reasons this can happen: - Cancellation timing: If your cancellation was processed after your billing renewal date, the charge for that billing cycle may have already been applied. Cancellations stop future renewals but do not automatically reverse a charge that was processed on or just before the cancellation date. - Duplicate subscription: In rare cases, a technical issue may have created a duplicate subscription on your account — meaning a second subscription was active even after you cancelled the original one. Our engineering team has identified and resolved several instances of this, and affected customers are eligible for a refund. - Add-on billing: Some add-ons (such as OTTO Google Ads) are billed separately from your main subscription. Cancelling your base plan does not automatically cancel active add-ons. If an add-on was still active, it may have generated a charge independently. - Annual plan renewal: Annual subscriptions renew as a single lump-sum payment. If your cancellation request was submitted close to the renewal date, the payment may have already been captured before the cancellation took effect. ✅ What You Should Do First Before reaching out to our team, take a moment to check the following inside your Search Atlas account: 1. Go to Avatar (top-right corner) → Billing → Services tab (Active Services) and confirm that your subscription status shows as Cancelled. You can filter by status to view cancelled/inactive services. 2. Check whether any add-ons (such as OTTO Google Ads or other extras) are still listed as active under the Services tab in Billing. 3. Review the charge date on your bank or card statement and compare it to your cancellation confirmation date. 4. Check your email inbox for a cancellation confirmation from Search Atlas. If you did not receive one, your cancellation may not have been completed successfully. 💡 Am I Eligible for a Refund? Refund eligibility depends on the specific circumstances of your charge. Here is a general guide: - Duplicate subscription charge: If our system created a second subscription after your cancellation due to a technical error, you are fully eligible for a refund. Please contact our support team so we can investigate and process this for you. - Charge processed on the renewal date before cancellation: Depending on how close to the renewal date your cancellation was submitted, our team will review your case and work with you toward a fair resolution. - Add-on charged after base plan cancellation: If an add-on continued billing after your main plan was cancelled and you were unaware it needed to be cancelled separately, please reach out so our team can review and assist. - Intentional annual renewal: If your account renewed as expected under an active annual plan and you did not cancel before the renewal date, a refund may not apply — but our team is happy to review your situation. 🛠️ How to Request a Refund Our support team can investigate your charge, confirm whether it was applied in error, and process a refund where applicable. To get the fastest resolution, please have the following information ready before you reach out: - The exact charge amount and the date it appeared on your statement - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account - Any cancellation confirmation you received (email or screenshot) - The last four digits of the card that was charged 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. ⚙️ How to Make Sure Your Cancellation Is Complete To avoid unexpected future charges, follow these steps to confirm your cancellation was fully processed: 1. Log in to Search Atlas and go to Avatar (top-right corner) → Billing → Services tab (Active Services). 2. Confirm your subscription status displays as Cancelled or Inactive. 3. Check that all add-ons are also cancelled — each add-on must be cancelled individually. 4. Save or screenshot your cancellation confirmation page for your records. 5. Look for a cancellation confirmation email and save it in a safe place. If your billing page still shows an active subscription after you have gone through the cancellation steps, do not wait — contact our support team right away so we can resolve this before your next billing date.

💰 Refund Requests After Trial Period Explained

🔍 Overview If you signed up for a Search Atlas free trial, had trouble finding the cancellation option, and are now wondering whether you qualify for a refund, this article explains exactly how our trial and refund process works — and what steps to take. 🗓️ How the Free Trial Works Search Atlas offers a 7-day free trial on eligible plans. During this period you can explore the platform at no charge. Once the trial ends, your selected plan is billed automatically unless you cancel beforehand. - The trial lasts 7 days from the date you sign up. - You will not be charged during the trial window. - Cancelling before the trial ends prevents any charge from being applied. - If you cancel during the trial, your account remains accessible until the trial period concludes — you are not locked out immediately. ❌ How to Cancel Your Subscription You can cancel your Search Atlas subscription directly from within the platform without contacting support. Follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right corner. 3. Navigate to Billing → Plans & Top-ups. 4. Select Manage Subscription and follow the on-screen prompts. 5. You will receive a confirmation once cancellation is processed. If you previously cancelled but would like to continue using Search Atlas, you can reactivate your account at any time from the same Billing section. 💳 Refund Eligibility Refund decisions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The following factors are typically considered: - When you cancelled — whether cancellation happened during or after the trial period. - Usage — how much of the platform was accessed during the billing cycle. - Billing date — how recently the charge was applied. While we cannot guarantee a refund in every situation, our team is committed to reviewing your case fairly. If you believe a charge was applied in error or you experienced genuine difficulty cancelling, please reach out — we want to make things right. ⚠️ Common Reasons Charges Occur After a Trial - The trial period expired before cancellation was completed. - The cancellation flow was not fully completed — always look for a final confirmation message. - The account was reactivated after a previous cancellation. ♻️ Already Cancelled? Here Is What Happens Next If you have already cancelled your subscription: - Your account access continues until the end of the current paid period. - You will not be billed again after cancellation is confirmed. - You can reactivate at any time if you change your mind. 🛠️ Need Help With a Refund Request? Our support team can review your account, verify your cancellation date, and process eligible refunds. 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. When you reach out, it helps to have the following ready: - The email address associated with your account. - The date you signed up and the date you cancelled. - A brief description of the difficulty you experienced.

💳 Manage Billing Disputes, Refunds, and Plan Changes

🔍 Understanding Your Charges Before submitting a dispute or refund request, it helps to review exactly what you have been billed for. Charges on your account may come from several sources: - Core subscription plan – your monthly or annual plan fee - Usage-based add-ons – billed separately from your core plan - Other add-ons – additional features or seat expansions that may auto-renew unless cancelled You can review your billing details inside the platform under your account settings, where charges are listed with the date, amount, and the product each relates to. 💳 How to Request a Refund for Disputed Charges If you believe you have been charged incorrectly or for services you did not intend to purchase, our billing team can review your account and process an adjustment. To open a refund request: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to your billing settings and note the specific charges and amounts you are disputing. 3. Contact our support team directly (see below) and share the charge details, dates, and amounts in question. 4. Our billing team will review your account and, if the refund is approved, return the amount to the original payment method on file. Our billing team reviews every refund request individually. If you have experienced repeated or unexpected charges, have your invoice details ready when you reach out so the team can locate the transactions quickly. ⬇️ How to Downgrade Your Subscription Plan If you want to move from a higher-tier plan to a lower-tier plan, you can request a plan change at any time. Check your billing settings for self-serve plan management options. If a downgrade option is not available directly in your dashboard, our support team can apply the change on your behalf. Important: Downgrading your plan may reduce the number of projects, keywords, or features available to you. Review the plan comparison page before confirming to make sure the new plan covers your needs. 🚫 How to Cancel Auto-Renewing Add-Ons Some add-ons renew automatically each billing cycle unless you cancel them. To stop future charges, check your billing settings for options to manage or cancel active add-ons. If you are unable to locate a cancellation option in your dashboard, our support team can assist you directly. 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.

💳 Refunds, Non-Renewal, and Data Export Requests

🔍 Overview If you have experienced service failures, unauthorized automated changes, or simply wish to end your subscription, Search Atlas has a clear process for handling refund requests, cancellations, non-renewals, and data exports. This article walks you through each step so your request is handled as quickly as possible. 💳 How to Request a Refund Refund eligibility depends on your subscription type and the nature of your concern. To submit a refund request: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with our support team. 4. Clearly state that you are requesting a refund and include: your account email, subscription plan name (e.g., Growth Annual), the date of your most recent charge, and a brief description of the service issue that prompted the request. Our team will review your case against our refund policy and respond with next steps. Annual subscription refunds that involve unresolved service failures are treated as priority escalations. 🚫 How to Cancel Auto-Renewal To prevent your subscription from renewing automatically on its next billing date, contact our support team who can process a non-renewal request on your behalf: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. State that you would like to cancel auto-renewal on your account and provide your account email and current subscription plan name. 4. Our team will confirm the cancellation and you will receive confirmation that auto-renewal has been disabled. Your access to the platform will continue until the end of your current paid period. Cancelling renewal does not automatically trigger a refund — submit a separate refund request if needed (see section above). ⏸️ How to Suspend Automated AI Actions If OTTO SEO or any AI-powered automation is making changes to your live site that you did not authorise, contact our support team immediately so we can intervene and pause automated activity at the account level: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Provide your account email, the affected site or project name, a description of the unauthorized changes observed, and the approximate date and time they occurred. Note on AI Image Replacement: If images on your site were replaced without your explicit approval, this constitutes an unauthorized automated change. Contact our team as described above so we can stop further changes and review what occurred. If applicable, document the affected URLs and any before/after details to help expedite the investigation. 📦 How to Request a Data Export If you need a copy of your account data — for example, prior to cancelling your subscription — our support team can assist with processing a data export request: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. State that you are requesting a data export and provide your account email and a description of the data you need (e.g., project reports, keyword rankings, audit history). Our team will confirm what data is available for export and provide it in the appropriate format. We recommend submitting this request before your subscription ends to ensure continued access to your information during the process. 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.

💳 Understanding Refunds for Past Subscription Charges

💡 Overview If you believe a past subscription charge — such as a May billing — does not reflect the value you received from Search Atlas, our team is here to help. This article explains how our refund process works, what information you'll need, and how to get your case reviewed quickly. 📋 Our Refund Policy at a Glance Search Atlas evaluates refund requests on a case-by-case basis. While we do not offer automatic refunds for expired billing periods, we take every concern seriously — especially when a customer feels the platform did not perform as expected. - Eligibility: Refund requests are reviewed individually and considered based on the nature of the issue reported. - Timeframe: Requests related to a specific billing month should be submitted as soon as possible. The sooner you reach out, the faster we can investigate. - Evidence helps: Providing specific details about what did not work as expected strengthens your case and speeds up the review process. 🛠️ What to Do If You Believe You Were Incorrectly Charged 1. Gather your details. Note the exact charge amount, the billing date, and a clear description of the issues you experienced with the platform. 2. Document the problem. If features were not working as advertised, screenshots, screen recordings, or written examples of the issue are very helpful for our team. 3. Contact our support team directly. Our team can review your account history, verify the reported issues, and escalate your case to billing for a formal decision. ⚠️ A Note on Chargebacks We understand that initiating a chargeback through your bank may feel like a fast solution, but we strongly encourage you to contact our support team first. Here is why: - Chargebacks can take weeks to resolve and may result in your account being suspended during the dispute period. - Our support team can often resolve billing concerns much faster — sometimes within the same business day. - A direct resolution keeps your account and data fully intact. We are committed to making things right. If Search Atlas did not deliver what was promised during your subscription period, we want to know about it and address it fairly. 📝 Information to Have Ready When You Contact Us - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account - The charge amount and approximate billing date (e.g., May charge of $199) - A clear description of the features or functionality that did not work as expected - Any supporting screenshots or documentation of the issue 💬 How to Reach Our Support Team 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. Our team will review your account, investigate the reported issues, and work with you toward a fair resolution as quickly as possible.

💸 How to Request a Refund for Unused Months

This article explains how to request a refund if you were charged for one or more months during which you did not use your Search Atlas account. Refunds involving billing adjustments require review by our support team, but the steps below will help you prepare and submit your request as smoothly as possible. 📍 What to Prepare Before Reaching Out Before contacting support, gather the key details that will allow the agent to locate your account and review your billing history quickly. Having this information ready will help your request be processed as efficiently as possible. - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account - The plan name or subscription tier you are on - The specific month or months for which you are requesting a refund - A brief explanation of why the account went unused during those months 🛠️ Step-by-Step 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. If you no longer have access, note the email address associated with the account — you will need it. 2. Identify your subscription details: the plan name, the billing email address on the account, and the specific month(s) for which you are requesting a refund. 3. Note a brief explanation of why the account went unused during those months, as the agent may ask for context. 4. Contact our support team and provide your account email, the specific month(s) you did not use the account, and your explanation for the refund request. 5. The support agent will review your account activity and billing history and advise you on next steps. ✅ What to Expect Once you have contacted support with the details above, an agent will review your account and billing history and let you know the outcome of your request. Be sure to keep a record of your support conversation for follow-up if needed. If you do not receive a response within a reasonable timeframe, reach out again and reference your original conversation. 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.

💰 Understanding Prorated Refunds After Cancellation

📋 Overview If you've recently cancelled your Search Atlas subscription and believe you're entitled to a refund for unused time, this article explains how our refund policy works, what to expect after cancellation, and how to get help if you need it. ❓ What Is a Prorated Refund? A prorated refund is a partial refund for the portion of your billing cycle you did not use after cancelling your subscription. For example, if you cancel halfway through a monthly billing period, a prorated refund would cover the remaining unused days. At Search Atlas, prorated refunds are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are not automatically issued upon cancellation. Our team reviews each request individually to determine eligibility. ✅ Who May Be Eligible for a Refund? While we cannot guarantee refunds in all situations, the following factors are taken into account when reviewing a request: - Length of time since cancellation — Requests submitted promptly after cancellation are more likely to be reviewed favourably. - Usage during the billing period — Accounts with minimal usage may have stronger grounds for a partial refund. - Reason for cancellation — Technical issues, onboarding difficulties, or platform compatibility concerns are taken seriously by our team. - Subscription type and billing cycle — Monthly and annual plans are assessed differently. 🚫 What Is Typically Not Refundable? The following situations are generally not eligible for a prorated refund: - Accounts that have been actively used throughout the billing period. - Cancellations made after a significant portion of the billing cycle has passed with substantial usage. - Promotional or heavily discounted plan purchases, unless otherwise stated at the time of purchase. - Add-on products or one-time purchases such as Press Releases, which follow a separate refund process. 📝 How to Request a Prorated Refund 1. Cancel your subscription first — If you haven't already, cancel your plan through the Billing section of your Search Atlas account. Make sure you complete the cancellation flow fully so our system logs your cancellation reason. 2. Gather your account details — Have your registered email address, your plan name, and your cancellation date ready before reaching out. 3. Contact our support team — 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. Provide your account details and clearly explain the reason for your refund request. 4. Wait for a decision — Our billing team will review your request and respond with a decision. If a refund is approved, it is typically processed within 5–10 business days and returned to your original payment method. ⚠️ Important: Verify Charges After Cancellation In rare cases, a billing charge may occur after a cancellation has been processed. If you notice an unexpected charge following your cancellation, please contact our team immediately. We treat these situations as a high priority and will investigate and resolve them promptly. To report an unexpected post-cancellation charge, 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. 💡 Tips to Avoid Billing Issues - Always confirm that your cancellation was successful by checking for a cancellation confirmation message or email. - Take a screenshot of your cancellation confirmation for your records. - Monitor your payment method for any charges in the billing cycle following cancellation. - If you are unsure whether your subscription was fully cancelled, log back into Search Atlas and check your Billing settings before your next renewal date. 🙋 Still Need Help? If you have questions about your specific situation or need help with a refund request, our team is here to 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.

💰 Requesting a Refund Under a Policy Exception

🔍 Overview Search Atlas has a standard no-refund policy for subscription fees. However, we recognise that exceptional circumstances — such as a verified, unresolved product bug that prevents you from using the platform — may qualify for a policy exception refund. This article explains the criteria and how to get your request in front of the right team. ✅ When a Policy Exception May Apply A refund exception is considered on a case-by-case basis. The following conditions generally support eligibility: - Verified product bug: A technical issue has been confirmed by our engineering team that directly prevents core platform functionality from working for your account. - Unresolved for an extended period: The bug remained unresolved despite active escalation, leaving the product unusable for your account. - Active subscription during the affected period: You were billed for one or more subscription periods during which the issue made the product unusable. - Documented communication: You reported the issue through the platform's support chat and received acknowledgement from the Search Atlas team. Meeting these conditions does not guarantee a refund, but it does make your case eligible for formal review and exception approval. 📋 How to Submit a Refund Exception Request To request a policy exception refund, please have the following ready before reaching out to our support team: - The dates on which the bug was first reported and any subsequent follow-ups - Confirmation messages or acknowledgements you received from our support team - A description of the affected features and how they prevented you from using the platform - The billing periods impacted by the issue - Your account email address and subscription plan details Once you have this information ready, reach out to our support team. Providing complete details upfront helps ensure your request is handled as efficiently as possible. ⏱️ What Happens After You Submit Once your request is received, a support team member will review the details you have provided and assess whether your situation qualifies for a policy exception. If your case meets the relevant criteria, it will be escalated internally for approval consideration. You will be informed of the outcome through the support chat. Please note that all refund policy exception decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and approval is not guaranteed. The review process may take some time depending on the complexity of the case. 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.

💳 Understand Charges After Downgrade or Cancellation

🔍 Why Did I Get Charged After Downgrading or Cancelling? If you recently downgraded your plan or cancelled your subscription and still received a charge, a few known billing scenarios may explain what happened: - Timing of the downgrade: If your downgrade was processed after your billing cycle had already renewed, the charge for the previous plan may have gone through before the change took effect. - Duplicate subscription: In rare cases, a plan change can create a second active subscription in our billing system, resulting in an unexpected charge. - Add-ons not cancelled separately: Some add-ons — such as OTTO top-up credits — may have a separate billing cycle from your main plan. Cancelling your core subscription does not always automatically cancel these add-ons. - Cancellation not fully processed: Occasionally, a cancellation request may not reflect immediately across all parts of the platform. If your dashboard still shows an active plan after you cancelled, the change may not have completed successfully. 📧 About Cancellation Confirmation Emails If you cancelled your plan and received a confusing confirmation email — for example, one with a subject line about a charge failure or unexpected wording about your plan status — this may be a display issue with the cancellation notification. The content of the email does not necessarily reflect the actual status of your account. To confirm your current plan and billing status, log in to your Search Atlas dashboard and check the Billing section. ✅ How to Verify Your Account Status 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right corner and select Billing. 3. Review your current plan, any active add-ons, and your next billing date. 4. If you see an active plan or add-on that should have been cancelled, note the details before contacting support. 💰 How to Request a Refund Search Atlas reviews refund requests on a case-by-case basis. If you were charged unexpectedly after a downgrade or cancellation, you may be eligible for a full or partial refund. To submit a refund request: 1. Gather the details of the charge — the amount, the date it appeared, and the payment method used. 2. Log in to Search Atlas and open the live chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 4. Provide the charge details and explain what happened. Our team will investigate and confirm whether a refund is applicable. Refunds, when approved, are typically returned to your original payment method within 5–10 business days depending on your bank or card provider. 🛑 How to Confirm Your Cancellation Went Through To make sure your cancellation is fully processed and no future charges will occur: - Check your Billing page in the dashboard — your plan should show as cancelled or downgraded to Free. - Look for a cancellation confirmation email in your inbox. Keep in mind that the subject line or body of this email may occasionally contain incorrect wording; what matters is your in-dashboard status. - If your dashboard still shows an active paid plan after cancelling, contact our support team immediately so we can manually verify and correct your subscription status in the billing system. 🛠️ Still Seeing Unexpected Charges? If you continue to see charges after confirming your cancellation, or if you are unsure whether a specific add-on has been cancelled, do not wait for the next billing date — reach out right away so our team can stop any further charges and review your account. 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.

💳 Unexpected Charges After Canceling Your Account

🔍 Why You May See a Charge After Cancellation If you've noticed a charge from Search Atlas after canceling your account, we understand how frustrating this is. In rare cases, charges can appear after cancellation due to one of the following reasons: - Subscription reactivation: A new subscription was created on your account — sometimes triggered by a promotional offer, a team member action, or a platform event — after your original cancellation. - Add-on or top-up billing: Certain add-ons (such as OTTO top-ups) may have been set to bill separately and were not automatically removed at the time of cancellation. - Duplicate subscription: In some cases, a billing transfer or account migration may have generated a second active subscription alongside a canceled one. - Canceled invoice re-triggered: A known issue could cause a payment attempt to fire on an invoice that should have been voided at cancellation. ✅ What You Should Do First Before contacting support, take a few moments to review your account details. This will help our team resolve your case faster: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to your avatar in the top-right corner and go to Billing (tabs: Plans & Top-ups, Services, Invoices, Activity Log). 3. Check whether any active subscriptions or add-ons are listed under your billing section. 4. Note the date and amount of the unexpected charge from your bank or card statement. 5. Check your registered email for any subscription confirmation or reactivation emails around the charge date. 💡 Common Scenarios Explained Charged months or over a year after cancellation: This is most commonly caused by a duplicate subscription being created — often without the customer's awareness — during a platform migration or promotional period. Even though your original account was canceled, a second subscription may have become active independently. Charged for OTTO or an add-on only: Some add-on services (like OTTO top-ups) operate on a separate billing cycle. If the cancellation flag was not applied correctly to these services, they may continue to charge monthly even after your main subscription ends. Charged after a special offer or promotion: Promotional offers sometimes involve a new checkout flow. If you interacted with a promotional page — even to decline — a new subscription may have been initiated in error. 💰 Refund Policy for Erroneous Charges Search Atlas does not intend to charge customers for services they are not actively using. If a charge occurred on a genuinely canceled account with no active service, you are eligible to request a refund. Our billing team reviews each case individually and aims to resolve refund requests promptly. To make your refund request as smooth as possible, have the following ready when you contact us: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account - The date(s) and amount(s) of the unexpected charge(s) - Confirmation of when you originally canceled (e.g., a cancellation confirmation email) 🛠️ How to Get This Resolved Our support team has direct access to your billing history and can identify exactly what triggered the charge, cancel any unintended active subscriptions, and process an eligible refund on your behalf. 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. 🚫 How to Prevent This in the Future To make sure your account is fully closed and no future charges occur: - After canceling, request a written confirmation from our team that all subscriptions and add-ons have been deactivated. - Check your bank or card statement in the 30 days following cancellation to confirm no charges appear. - If you have multiple team members on your account, confirm that no one else has reactivated a plan under your organization. - If you receive any promotional emails after cancellation, do not click checkout links unless you intend to resubscribe.

💳 Unexpected VIP June Invoice and Refund Guide

🔍 Why Did You Receive a VIP June Invoice? Some customers who participated in the VIP Challenge promotion received a June invoice even though their main Search Atlas plan appears cancelled or inactive. This can happen for one of the following reasons: - A VIP Challenge subscription was created separately from your main plan and was not cancelled at the same time. - A billing record existed in our payment system (Stripe) that was not yet linked to your visible account, causing the charge to process without a matching active plan showing in your dashboard. - A previous account migration or email transfer left a lingering VIP upgrade active on an old account. In short: the charge is real, but it is not always easy to spot because the VIP subscription can exist independently of your main login. This is a known issue our engineering team has addressed. 📋 How to Check Your Account Status 1. Log in to Search Atlas at your usual login URL. 2. Navigate to Avatar (top-right icon) → Billing (Billing) to review any active subscriptions and recent invoices. 3. If your billing section shows no active plan but you have received an invoice, this confirms a mismatched billing record — your charge may still be recoverable. 4. Check your email inbox for any receipts from Stripe or Search Atlas that reference a VIP or VIP Challenge plan to confirm the exact subscription that was billed. ✅ What to Do If You Were Charged Unexpectedly If you believe you were charged for a VIP subscription you intended to cancel, follow these steps to get it resolved quickly: 1. Do not dispute the charge with your bank yet. A bank dispute (chargeback) can delay resolution and may affect your account standing. Contact us directly first — we can issue a refund faster. 2. Gather the following information before reaching out: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account - The invoice number or charge amount shown in your receipt - The date of the charge - Any confirmation of cancellation you received (a screenshot or email is helpful) 3. Open the live chat widget and request a refund review. Our billing team can look up your Stripe record directly, even if the subscription is not visible in your dashboard. ⏱️ How Long Does a Refund Take? Once our team confirms the charge and approves your refund, processing times are as follows: - Credit or debit card: 5–10 business days to appear on your statement, depending on your bank. - Stripe credit: Applied immediately to your account if you have an active plan. You will receive a confirmation email from Stripe once the refund has been initiated. 🛡️ How to Prevent Future Unexpected Charges To make sure all subscriptions are fully cancelled and no further charges occur: - After cancelling, always check Avatar (top-right icon) → Billing (Billing) and confirm that all listed plans — including any promotional or add-on plans — show a cancelled or inactive status. - Look for a cancellation confirmation email. If you did not receive one, the cancellation may not have completed successfully. - If you participated in the VIP Challenge or any limited-time promotion, confirm that the promotional subscription was cancelled separately from your main plan, as these can be independent billing items. 💬 Still Need Help? If your invoice is not showing in your dashboard, you are unable to locate a cancellation confirmation, or you simply want a billing team member to review your account directly, we are here to 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.

💰 Golden Loops Promo Prorated Refund Explained

🔍 Overview If you purchased the Golden Loops promotional offer on top of an existing annual Search Atlas subscription, a prorated refund may have been arranged to account for any overlap or pricing adjustment. This article explains what to expect and what information to have ready when following up on your refund status. 📋 What Is the Golden Loops Promotional Offer? The Golden Loops offer was a limited promotional package available to existing Search Atlas customers, added on top of a current annual plan. In some cases, customers were informed that a prorated refund would be issued to offset the cost difference resulting from adding this promotional offer. 💳 What Is a Prorated Refund? A prorated refund is a partial refund calculated based on the unused portion of a billing period. If you were charged for overlapping services or if your plan value changed as a result of adding the Golden Loops offer, the prorated amount reflects the fair credit or refund owed for that difference. ⏳ Refund Processing Prorated refunds tied to the Golden Loops promotional offer are handled on a case-by-case basis by our billing team. Because this requires a manual backend action, there is no self-serve way to trigger or accelerate the refund — it must be initiated and verified internally. ⚠️ What If My Refund Has Not Arrived? If your prorated refund has not yet appeared on your account or original payment method, please escalate to our support team. To help us locate and action your case as quickly as possible, please have the following ready: - Your account email address and workspace/project name - The date you purchased or were enrolled in the Golden Loops promotional offer - Any confirmation or communication you received regarding the prorated refund (e.g., a message from our team confirming the refund) - Your original payment method (card type and last four digits, if applicable) 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.

💰 Free Trial Refund Process

📋 Overview If you started a 7-day free trial and were charged despite being ineligible, you can request a refund. Our billing team reviews each case and may approve an exception. Refunds are issued to the original payment method and typically appear within 5–10 business days. 🔍 Verify Your Trial Eligibility Before requesting a refund, confirm the following: - You have not previously used a free trial on this or any associated account. - Your account does not have a past-due or cancelled subscription that would disqualify you. - No custom deal or promotion was applied that overrides the standard trial terms. 🛠️ Request a Refund 1. Gather your charge details: date, amount, and currency (e.g., $236 CAD on June 18). 2. 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. 3. Provide the charge details and state that you believe you were ineligible for the free trial. 4. Our billing team will review your account history and trial eligibility. 5. If approved, the refund will be processed to your original payment method. ⏱️ Refund Timeline Approved refunds typically reflect in your account within 5–10 business days, depending on your financial institution. 🛡️ Prevention Tips - Check your subscription status before starting a trial to ensure no pending cancellations or past-due balances exist. - Review the checkout page carefully — if it shows a free trial but you have used one before, you may not be eligible. - Monitor your payment method for unexpected charges after trial sign-up. ❓ Need Further 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.

💳 Refund for Charge During 7-Day Free Trial

📋 Understanding the Issue Some customers have reported being charged immediately after starting a 7-day free trial instead of at the end of the trial period. This can happen due to a billing system timing issue that our engineering team has addressed in recent updates. If you were charged during your trial window you are eligible for a full refund. ✅ Eligibility for Refund You qualify for a refund if: - You started a 7-day free trial - You were charged before the trial ended - The charge occurred within the trial period Our specialized billing team processes these refunds promptly once verified. 🛠️ How to Request a Refund To get your refund processed: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform 2. Type human teammate to connect with our support team 3. Provide your account email and the date you started your trial 4. Mention that you were charged during the 7-day free trial window Our team will verify your trial start date and the charge timestamp then process a full refund to your original payment method. ⏱️ Refund Timeline After the refund is processed it may take several business days to appear in your account depending on your financial institution. The refund will be issued for the full amount charged. 🔧 System Improvements Our engineering team has deployed fixes to prevent premature charges during free trials including deferring plan upgrade charges until the trial ends and resolving onboarding subscription conflicts that blocked trial access. 💬 Need Further 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.

🛠️ Resolve Failed Cancellation and Request Refund

✅ Verify Cancellation Status Check your account history to confirm the subscription was canceled. In the human-agent case, the account showed cancellations on June 22 and June 26. If you see a similar record, the cancellation was processed but a charge may still have occurred. 💰 Request a Refund If you were charged after a confirmed cancellation, contact support to submit a refund request to the billing team. Provide the charge amount, date, and any cancellation confirmation details. The agent in the real case refunded $199 to the original payment method with an expected 5–10 business day timeframe. 🗑️ Delete Your Account After the refund is processed, you can request full account deletion. The human agent completed both the refund and account deletion in the same interaction. 💬 Contact Support for 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.

💡 Understanding Refund Eligibility for Pre-Cancellation Charges

📋 Why Your Charge Was Not Refunded If you cancelled your subscription but still received a bill, the charge was likely processed before your cancellation took effect. Our system processes payments based on the billing cycle date, not the cancellation request date. When a payment is successfully captured prior to cancellation, it falls outside the refund eligibility window defined in our refund policy. 🔍 How Billing Timing Works Your subscription renews automatically on the same date each month or year. If you request cancellation after that renewal date has passed, the charge for that period has already been processed. For example, if your billing date is the 11th of each month and you cancel on the 23rd, the charge from the 11th covers service through the next billing cycle and is not eligible for a refund. 📜 Refund Policy Summary Refund requests must be submitted within the eligibility window specified in our refund policy. Charges that were successfully processed before a cancellation takes effect do not qualify for refunds, as the service was available and active during that billing period. The policy applies consistently to all customers to ensure fair and transparent billing practices. ✅ What You Can Do To avoid unexpected charges, cancel your subscription several days before your next billing date. You can view your billing cycle date in the subscription or billing section of your account. After cancellation, you will retain access until the end of the current paid period, but no further charges will occur. 💬 Need Further 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.

💰 Refund Post-Trial Renewal Charge

🔍 Identify the Charge Check your invoice and email associated with the charge. In this case the charge was a post-trial renewal for the account neeldas1209@gmail.com with invoice number KDTOCLZW-0004. 🛑 Cancel the Subscription Log in to your Search Atlas account, go to Billing > Subscription, and cancel the active plan. This prevents any future renewals. 📩 Request a Refund 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. Provide the invoice number and request a refund for the post-trial charge. ⏱️ Refund Timeline Once approved, the refund is processed to the original payment method. Refunds typically reflect within 5–10 business days.

💸 Refund and Stop Recurring Indexer Top-Up Charges

📋 Gather Your Invoice Details Locate the invoice reference for the charge you want refunded. You can find this in your billing history or the receipt email. Have the invoice number ready (for example, #62669) before you contact support. 🛠️ Contact Support to Request the Refund 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. Provide the invoice reference and clearly state that you previously canceled the Indexer top-up subscription but the charge has reappeared. ✅ Refund Processing and Confirmation The support agent will file a refund request on your behalf. Once approved, you will receive confirmation with the refund amount, the refund method (original payment method), and the expected timeframe — typically 5–10 business days for the funds to appear. 🔒 Verify the Recurring Charge Is Canceled After the refund is granted, ask the agent to confirm that the recurring top-up has been fully disabled on the backend so no future charges occur. If you notice any new Indexer top-up charges later, repeat the steps above with the new invoice reference.

💳 Resolve Unexpected Growth Plan Charges

🔍 Why Did I See an Unexpected Growth Plan Charge? If you are on an annual Starter plan but noticed a separate charge for a Growth plan subscription, this is a billing dispute our team can investigate and resolve on your behalf. Unauthorized or unintended charges between plan tiers are reviewed case by case by our billing team. Because this requires a review of your account history and payment records, it cannot be resolved through self-serve account settings alone — you will need to contact our support team directly. 📋 What to Have Ready Before You Reach Out To help our team resolve your case as quickly as possible, please gather the following before escalating: - The exact charge amount and the date it appeared on your bank or card statement. - Confirmation of which plan you intentionally signed up for (e.g. your original purchase email or receipt for the annual Starter plan). - A brief description of what happened — for example, when you first noticed the charge and whether you recall any plan change prompts. - Your Search Atlas account email address. ⏳ What to Expect Once you contact our team, a billing specialist will review your account history to verify whether the Growth plan charge was authorized. If the charge is confirmed as unintended, our team will process the appropriate resolution, which may include a refund and removal of the unintended subscription. You do not need to take any action in your account settings before speaking with us. 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.

💡 Get Refund for Unwanted Annual Auto-Renewal

🛑 Cancel the Subscription First Open the billing section of your account and locate the active annual subscription. Use the cancel option to stop future charges. This step is required before a refund can be considered. 📋 Request a Refund After canceling, contact support through the chat widget to submit a refund request. Reference the 3-day annual allowance policy and provide the invoice number if available. The support team will file an internal request and escalate it to the billing team for review. ⏱️ Wait for Approval The billing team will evaluate the request based on the timing of the renewal and your eligibility. If approved, the refund will be processed to your original payment method. It may take several business days for the funds to appear in your account. ✅ Confirmation You will receive a notification once the refund has been approved and initiated. No further action is needed on your part. 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.

Dispute Unauthorized Recurring Subscription Charges

🔍 Understanding How Search Atlas Subscriptions Work Search Atlas offers monthly subscription plans that renew automatically on your billing date. When you enter payment details and complete a purchase, you may be enrolling in a recurring subscription. It is important to review the checkout page carefully before completing any purchase, as billing terms are disclosed at the point of sale. ⚠️ Common Reasons Customers Are Surprised by Recurring Charges - Recurring billing after initial purchase: Some purchases include ongoing platform access that renews on a recurring basis. - Trial conversions: Free or discounted trials may automatically convert to paid subscriptions if not cancelled before the trial ends. - Missed cancellation confirmation: Submitting a cancellation request does not always guarantee it was processed — always look for a confirmation email. 📋 Steps to Take Before Requesting a Refund 1. Check your billing history. Log in to Search Atlas and review your account's billing section to see past transactions, including the dates and amounts of each charge. 2. Confirm your current subscription status. Verify whether an active subscription is attached to your account and what plan it is. 3. Review your original purchase emails. Locate the receipt or confirmation email from the date of your first payment. This will show the plan type and any recurring billing terms disclosed at checkout. 4. Cancel your subscription if you do not wish to continue. Cancel before your next renewal date to prevent additional charges. Look for the cancellation option within your account's billing settings. 💰 Requesting a Refund for an Unauthorized Recurring Charge If you believe you have been charged for a subscription you did not knowingly authorize, you can request a review of the charge by reaching out to the support team through the chat widget. When you reach out, please have the following ready to help the team review your case efficiently: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account - The date(s) and amount(s) of the charge(s) in question - Any relevant purchase or cancellation confirmation emails you received The support team will review your account history and work with you to resolve the dispute. 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.

💡 Understanding Refund Requests and Subscription Cancellations

🔍 Overview We understand how stressful it can be when you believe your website's SEO performance has declined. This article explains Search Atlas's position on refund requests related to SEO damage claims, how our tools interact with your accounts, and the steps to cancel your subscription if you choose to do so. ⚙️ How Search Atlas Tools Work Search Atlas is a data and optimization platform. Our tools provide recommendations, analytics, and automation to support your SEO strategy. It is important to understand the following: - Search Atlas does not directly modify your website or Google Business Profile (GBP) without your action. Any changes applied through our platform are initiated by you or a member of your team. - Google penalties and ranking fluctuations are determined entirely by Google's algorithms. Search Atlas has no ability to cause, trigger, or influence a Google penalty. - GBP suspensions or flags can result from a wide range of factors, including guideline violations, listing quality issues, or Google's own internal review processes — none of which are controlled by Search Atlas. - We strongly recommend reviewing Google's official guidelines for GBP and organic search to identify potential compliance issues on your end. 📊 Our Refund Policy Search Atlas subscriptions are governed by our Terms of Service, which you agreed to at sign-up. Key points regarding refunds include: - Refunds are not issued for SEO performance outcomes. SEO results depend on many variables — including your website's existing health, content quality, competition, and Google's ever-changing algorithm — that are outside of Search Atlas's control. - Damage claims attributable to Search Atlas require documented evidence that a specific platform action directly caused a verifiable, measurable harm. General ranking drops or GBP issues do not qualify as platform-caused damage. - Subscription fees already billed are generally non-refundable once the billing period has begun, in accordance with our Terms of Service. - If you believe there is a specific, documented technical error on our part, our support team will review your case individually. 🛠️ Steps to Cancel Your Subscription If you decide to cancel your Search Atlas subscription, you can request cancellation by contacting our support team. To ensure a smooth process, please have the following information ready: - Your account email address - The name of the subscription plan you wish to cancel - Any specific reason for cancellation (optional, but helpful) 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.

💡 Resolve Ghost OTTO AI Top-Up Charges

🔍 Identify the Problem Some customers report being invoiced monthly for OTTO AI top-up charges they never subscribed to. These "ghost" charges do not appear in the billing portal or under any active add-on in the platform. The issue is linked to a known billing-system bug (SPE-809/QPB-714) where phantom top-up events are generated and invoiced even though no OTTO AI usage or subscription exists. 📋 Gather Your Invoice Details Before contacting support, collect the following information for every suspicious invoice: - Invoice numbers (e.g. 54247, 54248, 54249, 74993) - Invoice dates and amounts - The email address used for your Search Atlas account - Any alternate email addresses you may have used - Your full name as it appears on the account Having these details ready speeds up the verification and refund process. 🛠️ Request a Refund via Support Because ghost charges are not visible in the self-serve billing area, you must open a support case so the billing team can investigate the underlying bug ticket and issue a refund. 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Provide the invoice numbers, dates, amounts, and your account email(s). 4. Mention that you suspect a "ghost OTTO AI top-up charge" and reference bug tickets SPE-809 / QPB-714 if asked. The support agent will escalate the case to the Tier 2 / Billing team, who will verify the charges against the bug records and process a full refund. In the documented case, a refund of $456 covering four erroneous invoices was granted and confirmed within the same conversation. ✅ What to Expect After Submitting - The billing team reviews the invoices against the known bug. - If verified, the refund is marked "Granted / Full" and processed back to your original payment method. - You will receive a confirmation message with the refund amount and the invoices covered. - Refund timing follows your payment provider's standard processing window (typically 5-10 business days). 🛡️ Prevent Future Ghost Charges The engineering team has resolved the root-cause bugs (QPB-714 and related tickets). However, if you notice any new unexpected OTTO AI invoices: - Do not assume they are legitimate — verify in the billing portal first. - If they are absent from the portal, open a chat immediately and reference this article. - Keep a record of all invoice numbers for faster resolution. 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.

💡 Understanding Refund Requests for SEO Results

🔍 Why Rankings May Not Have Improved Before requesting a refund, it's worth understanding the most common reason SEO tools don't deliver visible ranking gains: content was created but never published. Search engines can only rank pages that are live on your website. If you used Content Genius to generate articles but never published them — for example, because your site runs on Wix and does not support the WordPress sync integration — those articles have had no impact on your rankings. Other factors that affect results include the age of your domain, the competitiveness of your target keywords, the consistency of on-page optimisations, and whether technical fixes recommended by OTTO were actually applied. SEO improvements typically take three to six months of consistent action to appear in ranking data. 📋 Search Atlas's Refund Policy — Key Points Search Atlas's billing team evaluates every refund request individually. Based on the platform's standard policy, the following positions apply: - No guarantee of results: Search Atlas provides tools and data to support your SEO strategy. Ranking improvements depend on how those tools are used and are not guaranteed. - Non-refundable one-time services: Press releases and cloud stacks are final-sale purchases. Once ordered and delivered, these costs are not eligible for refunds. - User action is required: Subscriptions give you access to the platform. If generated content was not published, optimisations were not applied, or recommendations were not acted on, this is considered user inaction and is taken into account during a refund review. ⚙️ What Happens During a Manual Account Audit When a refund is requested, the support team carries out a manual audit of your account. This review checks: 1. Whether Content Genius articles were published on your live website. 2. Whether OTTO on-page recommendations were deployed. 3. Whether your CMS (e.g. Wix, Squarespace) is compatible with available integrations such as WordPress sync. 4. The volume and type of services used since your subscription started. The outcome of this audit directly informs whether a partial or full refund is escalated to the billing team, or whether an alternative resolution is offered instead. 🛠️ Steps to Take Before Submitting a Refund Request Taking these steps first can both improve your results and strengthen your case if you do proceed with a request: 1. Publish your Content Genius articles. If your site is on Wix or another platform without direct sync, export the content and publish it manually through your CMS. 2. Apply OTTO recommendations. Log in to OTTO and work through the on-page optimisation tasks that have not yet been deployed. 3. Review your keyword targets. Confirm that the keywords you are tracking are realistic for your domain authority and are being targeted on published, indexed pages. 4. Check indexation. Use the platform's indexing tools to verify that your published pages are being crawled and indexed by Google. 5. Allow sufficient time. If you have recently published content or applied fixes, allow at least 60 to 90 days before evaluating ranking movement. 💬 How to Submit a Formal Refund Request If you have reviewed the points above and still wish to request a refund, contact the support team directly through the platform. An agent will conduct an account audit and escalate your case to billing. Be ready to provide: - The approximate date your subscription started. - A description of the actions you took inside the platform (content created, optimisations applied, etc.). - Details of any specific services purchased, such as press releases or cloud stacks. - Your website platform (e.g. WordPress, Wix, Shopify). If a full refund is not approved, the billing team may offer alternatives such as a free platform month or a credit toward future services. 📊 Alternatives to Cancelling Your Subscription If your goal is to start seeing results rather than to cancel, consider asking the support team for a guided account review. Agents can identify exactly which steps have not yet been completed and help you build a realistic action plan based on your site and niche. Many accounts that show no ranking improvement have simply not yet published or deployed the content and fixes the platform recommended. 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.

💸 Request Refund for Unexpected Post-Trial Charge

🔍 Understand the Charge If you were charged after a free trial without actively subscribing, the charge may be linked to an active OTTO project on your account. Even if you did not complete signup, an OTTO project can trigger billing. 🛠️ Remove or Deep-Freeze Your OTTO Project Before requesting a refund, ensure no OTTO projects are active: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation). 3. Locate any active OTTO projects. 4. Either delete the project or use the deep-freeze option to stop all associated billing. This step is required to prevent future charges and qualify for a refund. 💬 Request a Refund via Support Once the OTTO project is removed or frozen, contact support to initiate the refund: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to connect with a support agent. 3. Provide your account email and mention the unexpected post-trial charge. 4. Confirm that you have removed or deep-frozen the OTTO project. The agent will submit a refund request using the standard template. ⏱️ Refund Details and Timeline After approval, you will receive confirmation with the following details: - Refund Amount: Full amount charged (e.g., $199) - Refund Method: Original payment method - Expected Timeframe: Refunds typically reflect within 5–10 business days 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.

💸 Refund Unintentional Top-Up Charge

🛑 Cancel Add-Ons in Billing To stop further charges, remove the unwanted add-ons from your subscription. 1. Sign in to the platform. 2. Open the Billing section. 3. Locate the active add-ons on your current plan. 4. Cancel each add-on you did not intend to purchase. 📝 Request a Refund After cancelling the add-ons, initiate a refund for the unintentional charge. 1. 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. 2. Provide the following details: the charge amount ($511), the date of the charge, and a brief explanation that the top-up was triggered accidentally while resubscribing. 3. The support agent will file a refund request and escalate it to the Billing and Accounts team for approval. ⏱️ Refund Processing Time Once approved, the refund is issued to the original payment method. Refunds typically reflect within 5–10 business days. ⚠️ Known System Issues Our engineering team has identified and resolved several related billing bugs that could cause duplicate or ghost top-up charges, including issues with idempotency keys, legacy billing tasks, and recurring top-up stacking. If you notice any further unexpected charges, please contact support immediately.

💳 Fix Billing Overcharge After Cancelling Add-On

🔍 Overview If you cancelled an add-on but your account is showing a charge higher than expected — or your account status shows Past Due — this article explains why this happens and what steps to take to resolve it quickly. ⚠️ Why Is the Charge Higher Than Expected? This issue typically occurs when an add-on subscription is cancelled through the Search Atlas dashboard, but the cancellation is not fully synchronised with our payment processor (Stripe) in time for the next billing cycle. As a result, Stripe may attempt to collect the full amount including the add-on fee, rather than the reduced plan-only amount. Common scenarios that can trigger this: - The add-on was cancelled close to the billing renewal date, leaving insufficient time for the cancellation to propagate to Stripe. - A known edge case in our billing system where add-on subscriptions were not always terminated in Stripe when the main subscription was cancelled or modified from the dashboard. - A billing migration or system update that affected how cancellations were processed during a specific window of time. For example, if your plan is $199/month and your add-on is also $199/month, you may see a charge attempt of approximately $398 even after cancelling the add-on. This is not intentional, and our team can correct it. 📋 What "Past Due" Means for Your Account When a payment attempt fails or an unexpected charge triggers a declined transaction, your account may be flagged as Past Due. This does not necessarily mean you owe the full disputed amount. It means our system detected an unsuccessful payment and is waiting for resolution. While your account is Past Due: - Access to certain features may be temporarily restricted. - Stripe may retry the charge automatically within a few days. - No additional late fees are applied by Search Atlas. ✅ Steps to Resolve the Overcharge 1. Confirm your cancellation is recorded in Search Atlas. Log into your account and navigate to Avatar (top-right corner) → Billing. Verify that the add-on no longer appears as an active subscription. 2. Check the charge amount in your payment history. Under Avatar (top-right corner) → Billing → Invoices, review the most recent invoice to confirm which line items were billed. 3. Do not attempt to re-cancel or modify your plan repeatedly. Multiple cancellation attempts in quick succession can sometimes create duplicate actions in Stripe. Leave the plan as-is while you contact support. 4. Contact our support team immediately. Our team can verify the cancellation on the Stripe side, cancel any pending retry attempts, and issue a refund for any overcharged amount. 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. 💡 What Information to Have Ready To help our team resolve your case as quickly as possible, please have the following ready before opening the chat: - The date you cancelled the add-on - The expected charge amount vs. the amount attempted - A screenshot or reference number from your bank or Stripe receipt (if available) - Your account email address 🛡️ Our Commitment to Billing Accuracy Search Atlas has identified and resolved the underlying technical issues that caused add-on cancellations to not always sync correctly with Stripe. These fixes have been deployed as part of our billing system updates. However, if you were affected during the period when these edge cases were active, our team will make it right with a full review and refund where applicable. We do not charge customers for services they have cancelled, and any confirmed overcharge will be refunded promptly. 🔄 How to Prevent This in the Future - Cancel add-ons at least 3–5 days before your billing renewal date to allow time for the cancellation to fully process. - After cancelling, check your Top-right corner (avatar) → Billing the following day to confirm the add-on no longer appears as active. - If your account unexpectedly shows Past Due after a cancellation, contact support right away rather than waiting for the next billing cycle.

💳 Check Your AI Premium Refund Status

💡 What Is an AI Premium Top-Up Refund? AI Premium top-ups give you extra credits for generating content and running AI-powered features in Search Atlas. If you purchased a top-up and requested a refund—whether due to an accidental charge, a duplicate purchase, or a billing issue—you can track the status of that request through a few simple steps. 📊 How to Check Your Refund Status Currently, refund requests for AI Premium top-ups are processed by our billing team. To check on the status of a refund you have already requested, follow these steps: 1. Check your email inbox. After submitting a refund request, you should receive a confirmation email. Keep this for your records and note any reference number provided. 2. Review your original payment method. Depending on your bank or card issuer, refunded amounts may take additional time to appear on your statement after approval. 3. Reach out to our support team. For the most up-to-date status on your refund, use the contact instructions at the bottom of this article. ⏱️ Understanding Refund Processing Times Refund processing involves two stages: - Internal review: Our billing team reviews your refund request, verifies the transaction, and approves the refund. - Payment processor and bank: Once approved, the refund is sent to your original payment method. Your bank or card issuer then processes the credit back to your account. Total processing time varies depending on your bank or card issuer. Weekends and holidays are not counted as business days and may extend the overall timeline. 🛠️ What to Do If Your Refund Is Delayed If your refund is taking longer than expected and you still do not see the credit on your statement, take these steps: - Contact your bank or card issuer. Ask them to check for any pending refunds linked to your account. Some financial institutions hold refunds for additional processing before posting them. - Verify the correct payment method. Refunds are always returned to the original payment method used for the purchase. Make sure you are checking the right card or account. - Reach out to our support team. If your bank confirms no pending refund, our team can provide proof of the refund transaction that you can share with your bank to help locate the funds. 🔑 Tips to Avoid Refund Delays To help your refund process as quickly and smoothly as possible, keep the following in mind: - Provide accurate details. When reaching out about a refund, have your account email, the date of the original purchase, the amount charged, and any reference number from your confirmation email ready so our team can locate your request 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.

💳 Dispute an Unauthorized Otto Sites Charge

🔍 Why Did I Get Charged for Otto Sites Top Off? Otto Sites Top Off is an add-on that activates additional OTTO-managed sites beyond your plan's included limit. Unexpected charges for this add-on are most commonly caused by one of the following: - Auto-renewal after self-service removal: In some cases, a known platform issue caused a deactivated Otto Sites Top Off to remain active in the billing system and continue charging even after removal. - Legacy billing migration: Customers moved from older pricing plans may have been charged at incorrect rates or received duplicate billing events during the transition. - Quota top-up accounting errors: A billing system issue affected quota top-up, upgrade, and seat accounting, leading to repeated or inflated charges for some accounts. - UNLIMITEDQUOTASOFEB promotion removal: When a limited-time unlimited quota promotion ended, some accounts were automatically switched to paid top-up plans without sufficient notice. ⚠️ Common Charge Scenarios You may have experienced one of the following situations: - A $199 or $200 charge appearing for Otto Sites Top Off that you did not knowingly activate. - The same erroneous charge repeating every month even after a refund was issued for a previous month. - A lump-sum balance reflecting multiple months of incorrect billing that has accumulated over time. - Charges continuing after you removed the add-on through the self-service settings. ✅ Steps to Take Right Now 1. Check your active add-ons: Go to the top-right corner (avatar) → Billing and confirm whether Otto Sites Top Off is listed as active. If it is and you did not intentionally enable it, do not wait — contact support immediately using the chat widget below. 2. Gather your charge details: Note the exact dates, amounts, and any invoice or transaction IDs for every charge you believe is unauthorized. This speeds up the review process significantly. 3. Do not attempt to cancel and re-subscribe to resolve the issue, as this can create additional billing complications. Let the support team handle corrections directly. 4. Contact support via live chat: 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. Share your charge dates and amounts so the team can locate your billing records and begin a refund review. 💰 Refunds: What to Expect Our billing team is authorized to review and issue refunds for charges that are confirmed to be erroneous. Here is what typically happens after you contact support: - The team will verify your billing history and cross-reference it against your plan settings and add-on activity. - If unauthorized charges are confirmed, a refund will be initiated. Refunds generally appear on your original payment method within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or card provider. - If the issue involved recurring incorrect charges, the team will also ensure the add-on is fully deactivated in the billing system — not just the front-end settings — to prevent future charges. 🛡️ How to Prevent This in the Future - Review your invoice each billing cycle. Log in to your account and check the billing section for any line items you do not recognize. - Confirm add-on removal is reflected in billing. After removing any add-on through self-service, check the next invoice to verify the charge no longer appears. - Monitor plan-change communications. If Search Atlas sends a notification about promotional pricing ending or plan changes, review it carefully to understand any impact on your billing. 💬 Still 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. Please have your billing dates and charge amounts ready so we can resolve your case as quickly as possible.

💰 Request Refund for Accidental Upsell Purchase

📋 Overview If you unintentionally bought additional content packs or upsells alongside your Platinum subscription, you can request a refund. Our team reviews these requests and processes approved refunds back to your original payment method within 5–10 business days. ✅ Eligibility Refunds are typically approved when: - The purchase was made by mistake - You only intended to keep the Platinum plan - The request is submitted promptly after the accidental purchase 🛠️ How to Request a Refund 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform 2. Type human teammate to connect with a support agent 3. Provide your account email and the order or invoice number for the accidental purchase 4. State that you only need the Platinum plan and request a refund for the extra packs ⏱️ Refund Timeline Once approved, the refund is issued to your original payment method. It usually appears within 5–10 business days, depending on your payment provider. 💡 Tips to Avoid Accidental Upsells - Review your cart carefully before confirming any purchase - Confirm only the Platinum plan is selected if that’s all you need - Use the order summary screen to verify items and pricing 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. Additional Notes Include the date of the purchase, the amount charged, and any relevant context such as a previous support conversation that may have led to the accidental purchase. Refunds are not automatic; each case is reviewed individually by the Billing and Accounts team as a policy exception.

💰 Refund for Charge After Cancellation

🛑 Verify and Cancel Your Active Subscription First, confirm that all subscriptions are fully cancelled in the dashboard. An active subscription will continue to bill until it is explicitly cancelled. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open the Billing page by clicking your Avatar (top-right) → Billing → Services (https://dashboard.searchatlas.com/billing). 3. Review the list under Active Services. 4. For each service you want to stop, click Cancel and confirm the cancellation. 5. After cancelling, the service should move to Cancelled Services and no further invoices will be generated. 🧾 Locate the Charge You Want Refunded Find the invoice for the charge that occurred after you cancelled. 1. In the Billing page, switch to the Invoices tab. 2. Identify the invoice date, amount, and invoice number (e.g., #76230). 3. Download or note the invoice details — you will need the invoice number when you contact support. 💬 Request a Refund via Live Chat Refunds are reviewed and processed by our specialized billing team. The fastest way to start the process is through the in‑app chat. 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom‑right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Provide the invoice number, the amount charged, and a brief explanation (e.g., "I cancelled on [date] but was charged on [date]"). 4. The agent will verify the cancellation timestamp and, if the charge was made after cancellation, submit a refund request on your behalf. ⏱️ Refund Timeline and Confirmation Once the refund is approved, you will receive a confirmation message in the chat with the following details: - Refund Amount — the full amount charged after cancellation. - Refund Method — original payment method (credit card, PayPal, etc.). - Expected Timeframe — refunds typically reflect within 5–10 business days depending on your bank or card issuer. The agent will also confirm that the subscription remains cancelled so no future charges occur. 🔍 Common Scenarios Covered - Charge appeared after you cancelled via the Billing > Services page. - Account showed as active even though you believed it was closed. - Trial ended and converted to a paid plan after you cancelled. - Top‑up or add‑on subscription was not cancelled along with the base plan. - Switching to a company account and the old personal subscription billed again. ✅ Quick Checklist Before You Chat - All services show as Cancelled in Active Services. - You have the invoice number and amount ready. - You know the date you cancelled and the date of the unwanted charge. Additional Notes If invoice status is Failed or Cancelled, no refund is needed — the pending authorization will drop off within 3–5 business days. A charge after cancellation is often a failed collection attempt, not a successful payment.

💰 Refund Policy for VIP and SEO Packages

📋 Overview of Our Refund Policy Search Atlas offers a clearly defined refund window for all add-on purchases, including the VIP package and group SEO package. Understanding this policy before purchasing helps you make confident decisions about your subscription. Refund eligibility is based on the date of purchase, not on whether the features have been used. Once the refund window has passed, purchases are considered final — regardless of onboarding status or feature usage. ⏱️ Refund Eligibility Window To be eligible for a refund on any Search Atlas package, your request must be submitted within 3 days of the original purchase date. This applies to: - The VIP package - The group SEO package - Any other add-on or upgrade purchased within your account Requests submitted after this window are outside our standard refund policy and are not automatically approved. ❓ What If I Haven't Used the Features Yet? Non-usage of a package or feature does not automatically qualify a purchase for a refund once the eligibility window has closed. Access to the features is granted at the time of purchase, not at the time of first use. Common scenarios that do not override the refund window include: - Purchasing a package before completing your onboarding - Not logging in or activating the features after purchase - Deciding the package is not the right fit after the window has passed We strongly recommend reviewing all package details and confirming your needs before completing a purchase. 🔍 How to Check Your Purchase Date You can verify the date of any package purchase by checking the billing confirmation email sent to you at the time of purchase, or by reviewing your payment records. If you are unsure of your exact purchase date, our support team can look this up for you when you reach out. 📝 How to Submit a Refund Request (Within the 3-Day Window) If your purchase is within the eligible refund window, follow these steps to submit your request: 1. Contact our support team through the platform. 2. Provide your account email address, the package name, and the date of purchase. 3. Our team will review your request and confirm eligibility. Please have your billing details ready to help our team process your request as quickly as possible. 🔄 Requesting a Review for Out-of-Window Refunds If your refund request falls outside the 3-day policy window, you are not automatically entitled to a refund — however, you may still submit a request for manual review by our billing team. Exceptions are not guaranteed but will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 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.

💰 Guest Post Refunds: Stuck or Rejected Orders

📋 Understanding Refund Eligibility Guest post orders may qualify for refunds when placements are rejected by publishers or remain stuck in progress without resolution. Refunds are issued as HyperDrive credits (HDC) to your account balance. The system now includes automated refund actions for rejected placements, but some cases still require manual review by our team. 🔍 Checking Your Order Status Review the status of each placement in your guest post orders. Look for placements marked as rejected, stuck in pending review, or showing no progress after an extended period. The View Status table now includes a Refunded column to help you identify which placements have already been credited. 🛠️ Using Self-Service Refund Options When a publisher rejects a placement, the Alternatives Drawer may appear with options to choose a replacement site or request an HDC refund. If you see a "Refund HDC" action, select it to trigger an automatic credit refund. For orders placed before this feature launched, or if the option does not appear, proceed to the next step. 📬 Reporting Stuck or Rejected Orders If your selection page from the email notification fails to load, or if you have orders with rejected or stalled placements that show no refund option, gather the order numbers and details of the affected placements. Include whether any placements went live successfully. 💬 Requesting Manual Review 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. Provide the order numbers and a summary of which placements were rejected or are stuck. Our team will verify each placement and process eligible refunds as non-recurring HyperDrive credits. 💡 Refund Details to Know Refunds are issued at the wholesale cost of the placement, not the retail price charged, so margins are not refunded. Credits are added as non-recurring HDC and can be used for future guest post orders. Once processed, the Refunded column in your order status will update to reflect the credit.

💳 Resolve Subscription Charges and Refund Disputes

💡 Overview If you believe you've been charged incorrectly — whether due to duplicate charges, stacked top-ups, or an inability to cancel — this article explains why these issues can occur and the exact steps to get them resolved quickly. Our billing and support teams take overcharging seriously and will work to make it right. 🔍 Why Unexpected Charges Can Occur Billing errors across multiple periods are rare but can happen in a few specific situations: - Duplicate subscriptions: In some cases, a migration or account change may generate more than one active subscription in the same account, resulting in being billed twice. - Stacked recurring top-ups: Automatic top-ups (used to replenish credits) may stack on top of your base subscription instead of being consolidated, leading to higher-than-expected charges. - Incorrect plan pricing: A legacy plan or a custom deal may not have been applied correctly at the billing level, causing you to be charged at a higher rate. - Cancellation not processed: If a cancellation request was submitted but not confirmed by the system, charges may continue into subsequent billing periods. ⚙️ What Information to Have Ready Before reaching out, gathering the following details will help our team investigate and resolve your case as fast as possible: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account - The approximate dates of each charge you believe is incorrect - The amounts charged in each billing period - Any confirmation emails or screenshots related to cancellation attempts - Your expected plan type and agreed pricing, if applicable 🛠️ Steps to Request a Refund or Dispute a Charge 1. Log in to Search Atlas. Access your account so our team can verify your identity and pull up your billing history directly. 2. Open the live chat widget. Click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Request a human agent. Type human teammate in the chat to be connected with a member of our support team. 4. Describe the issue clearly. Share the billing dates, amounts charged, and any cancellation attempts you made. The more detail you provide, the faster our team can act. 5. Allow time for investigation. Our billing team will audit your Stripe account, identify the root cause (such as duplicate subscriptions or stacked top-ups), and confirm which charges qualify for a refund. 6. Refund confirmation. Once approved, refunds are processed back to your original payment method. Processing time depends on your bank or card provider, but typically takes 5–10 business days to appear. 📊 What Happens During the Investigation When you report a multi-period billing dispute, our team will: - Review all active and past subscriptions linked to your account in our billing system - Identify any duplicate subscriptions, incorrectly applied plans, or stacked top-up charges - Cross-reference your cancellation requests against system logs to confirm whether a cancellation was processed - Calculate the total overcharged amount across all affected billing periods - Process a full or partial refund based on the findings 🚨 If You Could Not Cancel Your Subscription If you attempted to cancel but continued to be charged, please mention this explicitly when you contact our team. Include any dates you tried to cancel and the method you used (e.g., in-app settings, a previous chat). Our team will verify the cancellation status and ensure your subscription is fully terminated alongside processing any eligible refunds. 🙋 Still Have Questions? 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.

💳 Resolving Unexpected Recurring Charges After Cancellation

🔍 Overview Some customers have reported being charged after receiving confirmation that their billing had been cancelled or a refund had been issued. This article explains why this can happen, what steps to take, and how our team will resolve it for you. ⚠️ Why Charges May Continue After a Refund or Cancellation In most cases, unexpected recurring charges after a cancellation are caused by one or more of the following known issues: - Stacked recurring top-ups: Following a billing system migration, some accounts had multiple "Recurring Top-Up" charges bundled into their subscription incorrectly. These charges continued to fire each billing cycle even after a refund was issued. - Add-on charges not fully deactivated: Certain add-ons — such as OTTO top-ups or Google Ads integrations — were not fully removed from the subscription during migration, causing them to re-bill automatically. - Old payment method still active: For accounts migrated to our new billing system, the previous default card may still be on file and continue to be charged even after a new card was added or the account was updated. - Refund issued without subscription cancellation: In some cases, a refund was processed manually but the underlying subscription or add-on was not cancelled, allowing the charge to recur in the next billing period. 📋 What Information to Gather Before Contacting Support To help our team resolve your issue as quickly as possible, please have the following ready when you reach out: - Your account email address and account ID - The invoice numbers for all disputed charges (for example: LENSRESR-0004, LENSRESR-0005, LENSRESR-0006) - The dates and amounts of each unexpected charge - Any previous confirmation you received stating that billing would stop or a refund would be issued (for example, a chat transcript or reference number) - The name or last four digits of the card that was charged 🛠️ Steps Our Team Will Take to Resolve Your Case Once you contact support, here is what you can expect: 1. Verification: Our billing team will confirm your account history and cross-reference all disputed invoices against your subscription records. 2. Charge investigation: We will identify the root cause — whether it is a stacked top-up, an unremoved add-on, or a lingering payment method — and stop any future charges immediately. 3. Refund processing: All confirmed erroneous charges will be refunded. Refunds typically appear on your statement within 5–10 business days, depending on your card issuer. 4. Confirmation provided: You will receive written confirmation of each refund processed and confirmation that the recurring charge has been fully cancelled. 🚫 How to Prevent This From Happening Again While our engineering team is actively fixing the underlying billing issues, you can take the following steps to protect your account: - Request written confirmation: Any time a refund or cancellation is agreed upon, ask the support agent to confirm the specific invoices, amounts, and the cancellation of the underlying subscription or add-on. - Check your billing settings: After a cancellation, log in to your Search Atlas account and review the Billing section (Avatar in the top-right → Billing → Plans & Top-ups) to confirm that all add-ons and recurring top-ups show as inactive. - Monitor your next billing cycle: After a cancellation is confirmed, check your bank or card statement on your next expected billing date to ensure no new charge has appeared. - Update your default payment method: If you have changed your card details, verify in the Billing section that the new card is set as your default and the old card has been removed. 💬 Need Immediate Help With a Disputed Charge? If you have been charged after a cancellation or refund was confirmed, our billing team is ready to help you right away. 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 have your invoice numbers and account details ready so we can process your refunds without delay.

💰 Understanding the Search Atlas Refund Policy

🔍 Overview Search Atlas offers a 48-hour refund window from the date of your charge. If you believe you were billed incorrectly — or if your signup experience did not match what was communicated to you — this article explains your options and how to get the right outcome quickly. 📋 How the Standard Refund Policy Works Our refund policy is straightforward: - Eligible window: Refund requests must be submitted within 48 hours of the charge date. - How to request: Contact our support team via the live chat widget inside the platform within that window. - Outside the window: Requests submitted after 48 hours are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are not automatically approved. ⚠️ What to Do If You Were Charged Unexpectedly If you were charged immediately after signup but expected a free trial or a different billing arrangement, this is treated as a billing discrepancy — not a standard late refund request. Here is what you should do: 1. Do not wait. Contact support as soon as you notice the unexpected charge, even if more than 48 hours have passed. 2. Gather your details. Have your account email, the charge amount, and the date of the transaction ready before you reach out. 3. Explain what was promised. Clearly describe what you were told during signup — for example, that a 30-day trial was included — so our team can investigate the discrepancy. Our team has a dedicated Internal Billing Issue escalation path for situations where the charge does not match what was communicated at the point of signup. These cases receive priority review. 🕐 Refund Requests Outside the 48-Hour Window If the standard 48-hour window has passed and your situation does not involve a billing discrepancy, please be aware of the following: - Refunds outside the policy window are not guaranteed and are evaluated individually. - Factors our team considers include: account activity, the reason for the request, and whether any misleading information was provided during signup. - Decisions are typically communicated within 2–3 business days of your request being reviewed. We take every request seriously, especially in cases where the billing experience did not match your expectations at signup. ❌ What Is Not Covered The following situations are generally not eligible for a refund: - Requests submitted after 48 hours where no billing discrepancy is involved. - Partial-month refunds for unused time after an active subscription period. - Charges on accounts with significant platform usage during the billing period in question. 💡 Tips to Avoid Billing Surprises - Review the plan details and billing terms on the checkout page before completing signup. - Check your email inbox for a billing confirmation immediately after subscribing — this confirms what plan and price you were enrolled in. - If anything on the confirmation does not match what you were told, contact support right away while you are still within the 48-hour window. 🛠️ How to Submit a Refund Request 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Describe your situation, including the charge amount, date, and the reason for your request. 4. Our support team will confirm receipt and let you know the next steps. 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.

💳 Fix a Duplicate Account Charge and Refund

🔍 Why Duplicate Accounts Happen A duplicate account is most often created when you sign in with a different method than the one used to set up your original subscription. The most common trigger is clicking Sign in with Google when your active account was registered with an email and password — or vice versa. Search Atlas treats each login method as a separate identity, which can cause a second account to be created and a new subscription charge to be applied. Common scenarios include: - Your original account is tied to an email/password login, but you later clicked Sign in with Google using the same email address. - A team member or you accidentally registered a brand-new account instead of logging into the existing one. - A browser autofill or SSO prompt completed a new sign-up without a clear confirmation step. ⚠️ What Happens When a Duplicate Account Is Created When a second account is created, Stripe — the payment processor Search Atlas uses — may generate a new subscription and charge your card immediately. This results in two active subscriptions running in parallel, even though you only intended to have one. You remain fully charged for both until one is cancelled and a refund is issued. ✅ How to Resolve a Duplicate Account Charge Search Atlas support can cancel the duplicate subscription and process a refund for the unwanted charge. To get this resolved as quickly as possible, please have the following information ready before contacting support: - The email address of your active (correct) account — the one you want to keep. - The email address of the duplicate account — the one that was charged in error. - The charge amount and approximate date of the unwanted transaction (for example, $399 charged on a specific date). - The last four digits of the card that was charged, if known. Once our team confirms your identity and locates both accounts in Stripe, they will: 1. Cancel the subscription on the duplicate account immediately. 2. Issue a full refund for the erroneous charge to your original payment method. 3. Confirm that your active subscription remains untouched and in good standing. Refunds typically appear on your statement within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or card issuer. 🔒 How to Prevent This from Happening Again Once your accounts are merged and the duplicate is cancelled, follow these steps to avoid the issue recurring: - Always use the same login method — if you signed up with email and password, always log in that way. Do not switch to Google Sign-In unless instructed by support. - Bookmark your login page and go directly to it rather than clicking external links or social login prompts. - Add team members the correct way — instead of creating separate accounts for colleagues, go to your avatar (top-right corner) → Team Members (URL: /settings) and invite them from within your existing account. - If you ever see an unexpected charge from Search Atlas, contact support immediately before attempting to log in again, to avoid creating further duplicate sessions. 👥 Managing Your Team Under One Account You do not need multiple accounts to give colleagues access to Search Atlas. Your subscription includes team seat management built into the platform. To add or remove team members: 1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform. 2. Select Team Members from the dropdown menu. 3. Enter your colleague's email address and assign their role. This keeps everyone under a single billing account and prevents accidental duplicate subscriptions. 💬 Still 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.

💳 Refund and Cancel Duplicate Account Charges

🔍 Identify Duplicate Accounts If you see a charge you do not recognize, you may have more than one active account under the same email address. Check for any additional accounts you may have created previously. 🛑 Cancel the Extra Account Once you locate the duplicate account, cancel the subscription on that account to prevent future charges. This can typically be done in the account or billing settings of the duplicate account. 💰 Request a Refund After canceling the duplicate account, contact the Billing team to request a refund for the unrecognized charge. Provide the invoice number and amount charged. Refunds are usually processed within 5–10 business days. ✅ Confirm Refund Completion You will receive a confirmation once the refund is granted. The refund will appear on your original payment method within the standard processing window. 📞 Need Further Assistance? 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.

💳 How to Request a Workshop Refund

Overview If you attended a Search Atlas workshop and experienced issues that affected your experience, you may be eligible for a refund. This article explains how to reach our team to discuss your situation and submit a refund request for review. What You Will Need Before Submitting To help our team process your request as quickly as possible, have the following information ready: - The name of the workshop and the date you attended - The email address tied to your Search Atlas account or purchase - A brief description of the specific issue you experienced The more detail you provide upfront, the faster our team can review and resolve your request. How to Submit Your Refund Request 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account at the platform you normally use. 2. Contact our support team directly through the platform. 3. Share your workshop name, attendance date, and a clear description of the issue you experienced. 4. Our team will confirm receipt of your request and provide guidance on next steps based on your specific situation. Refund eligibility and processing timelines are determined by our team on a case-by-case basis after reviewing the details of your request. 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.

💳 Refund Policy for VIP Tickets and Training Purchases

💳 Understanding Our Refund Policy Search Atlas offers refunds for VIP tickets and training purchases made on the same day, subject to specific conditions. This article explains when you're eligible for a refund and how to request one. ✅ Refund Eligibility You may be eligible for a same-day refund if: - Your purchase was completed today (the same calendar day as your refund request) - You purchased VIP summit tickets or training courses - You have a valid reason for the refund (such as a change in circumstances or client cancellation) - You have not yet accessed or downloaded significant training materials Refunds requested after the same day of purchase may still be considered on a case-by-case basis, but are not guaranteed. ❌ Non-Refundable Items The following purchases are typically non-refundable: - Training materials already downloaded or accessed - VIP benefits already redeemed or used - Purchases made more than one business day ago - Bundles or discounted packages with special terms 📋 How to Request a Refund Follow these steps to submit a refund request: 1. Open the live chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the Search Atlas platform 2. Type human teammate to connect with a member of our team 3. Provide your account email address associated with the purchase 4. Clearly explain the reason for your refund request 5. Include the date and time of purchase if possible 6. Mention the specific VIP ticket or training course you purchased Our team will review your request and respond within 24 hours with a decision. 🔄 Refund Processing Time If your refund is approved: - The refund is processed immediately after approval - Credit card refunds typically appear within 3–5 business days - Your access to VIP benefits and training materials will be revoked 🎯 Tips for a Smooth Refund Request - Submit quickly: Same-day refund requests have the highest approval rate - Be specific: Include the email address used for purchase and exact item names - Explain your situation: Brief context helps our team process requests faster - Check your spam folder: Our response may end up in your email spam filter ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Can I transfer my VIP ticket to another person instead of requesting a refund? Yes. If you have a specific email address for the person who should receive your VIP benefits, contact our team via live chat and mention the transfer request. We can help move your benefits to a new email address. What if I purchased VIP but haven't used it yet? Same-day refunds are available for unused VIP tickets. Submit your request as soon as possible for the fastest approval. Are there any exceptions to the same-day refund rule? Our team reviews all refund requests individually. If you purchased more than one day ago, it's still worth submitting a request—we may approve it based on your circumstances. 📞 Need More 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.

🛠️ Refund Request and GSC Instant Indexing Plan Limitations

💰 Refund Eligibility Refunds are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If you signed up on May 27, 2026, and wish to cancel, 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. They will review your account and subscription details to determine eligibility. 🧩 Fixing Search Atlas and Elementor Conflicts Conflicts between Search Atlas and Elementor are typically caused by overlapping scripts or injected content. To resolve: 1. Open the AI content editor in Search Atlas. 2. Locate any auto-injected blocks or scripts added by the AI. 3. Remove the injected content manually. 4. Save and republish the page in Elementor. 5. Clear your site cache and test the page again. If the issue persists, contact support via the chat widget for further investigation. 🧹 Removing AI-Injected Content To remove unwanted content injected by the AI: 1. Go to the page or post in the Search Atlas AI editor. 2. Identify the injected sections — these are often labeled or appear outside your manual edits. 3. Delete or disable those sections. 4. Save changes and verify the front end. This prevents conflicts with builders like Elementor and ensures clean output. 📊 GSC Instant Indexing and Plan Limitations GSC Instant Indexing is available only on PRO plans and above. Starter plans do not include this feature. If you are on a Starter plan, the Instant Indexing button will appear inactive or return an error when used. To confirm your plan and GSC sync status: 1. Navigate to your OTTO project settings. 2. Check the GSC connection — it should show as “synced.” 3. Verify your current subscription tier under Billing. If you need Instant Indexing, upgrade to a PRO or higher plan. The feature cannot be enabled on Starter plans. 🔄 GSC Sync Status Your GSC is already synced with your OTTO project. No further action is needed for basic GSC data access. Instant Indexing requires a qualifying plan. 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.

💳 Still Charged After Canceling Your Account

🔍 Why This Happens When a subscription is canceled, a 30-day grace period is applied so you can continue accessing the platform while the cancellation is processed. In some cases, automatic payment collection or stored payment methods are not fully removed during this window, which can result in additional charge attempts even after cancellation is confirmed. Our engineering team has identified and resolved several related billing issues, including a fix to prevent the payment option from remaining active on canceled invoices and updates to ensure that canceled subscriptions correctly stop all automatic collections. If you are still seeing charges, the steps below will help you get this resolved quickly. ✅ What a Confirmed Cancellation Includes - Your subscription is marked as canceled in our system. - You retain access to the platform for up to 30 days from the cancellation date (grace period). - No further payments should be collected after cancellation is confirmed. - All stored payment methods and automatic invoice collections should be stopped. ⚠️ Signs Your Billing Was Not Fully Stopped - You received a charge or charge attempt after your cancellation was confirmed. - Your account still shows an active billing status in the platform. - You can see an unpaid or pending invoice that is still actionable. - A previous support representative confirmed your cancellation but the charges continued. 🛠️ How to Get This Resolved Because removing payment methods and stopping automatic collections requires action by our billing team on the backend, this issue cannot be self-resolved directly inside the platform. However, our support team can act on this quickly. Here is what to do: 1. Gather your cancellation confirmation. If a previous support representative confirmed your cancellation, note the date of that conversation and any reference details you have. This speeds up verification. 2. Note the charges in question. Check your bank or card statement for the amounts and dates of any charges that occurred after your confirmed cancellation date. 3. Contact support immediately via the chat widget. Our team will verify that your cancellation is valid, identify any remaining payment methods stored in the billing system, remove those payment methods, and stop all automatic collections on outstanding invoices. Once our billing team completes these steps, you will receive confirmation that all payment methods have been deleted and automatic collections have been stopped. If a charge was taken in error after a valid cancellation, raise this during the chat so the team can review eligibility for a refund. 💡 What Our Team Does on Your Behalf When our support agents handle this issue, they take the following backend actions that cannot be performed by customers directly: - Verify that the cancellation date and grace period are correctly recorded. - Identify any payment methods still stored in the billing system. - Delete all stored payment methods from the billing system. - Stop automatic collection attempts on all outstanding invoices tied to the canceled account. These actions are confirmed to you before and after they are completed. 📞 Need Help Now? 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.

🤖 AI Premium Quota Refund Eligibility and Status

Overview If you purchased an AI premium top-up and believe you are entitled to a refund, this article explains how the refund review process works and what to expect while your request is being evaluated. Because refund eligibility and policy details are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the billing team, this article focuses on how to escalate your request effectively rather than outlining specific policy thresholds that may vary. What Is an AI Premium Quota Top-Up? AI premium quota top-ups are one-time purchases that add extra AI usage credits to your Search Atlas account. These credits are consumed as AI tasks are run within the platform. How Refund Requests Are Reviewed Each refund request is reviewed individually by the Search Atlas billing team. Because eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis, there is no fixed set of criteria that guarantees approval or denial. The billing team will assess your specific situation and communicate the outcome — along with an explanation — directly to you. There is no self-serve refund status tracker in the platform at this time. If you have already submitted a request and have not received an update, it may still be actively under review. How to Submit or Follow Up on a Refund Request To submit a new refund request or follow up on a pending one, please reach out to our team. When you contact us, please have the following information ready to help the billing team locate your purchase and assess your situation as efficiently as possible: - Your Search Atlas account login (the username you use to sign in) - The approximate date of the top-up purchase - The amount charged for the top-up - A clear description of the issue or reason for the refund request - Any relevant error messages or screenshots, if applicable 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.

💰 Trial Cancellation Failure and Refund Exceptions

🔍 Overview If you attempted to cancel your Search Atlas trial but encountered a blank or frozen cancellation screen, you were not able to complete the cancellation through normal means. This is a known issue that can prevent the cancellation from registering in our system, resulting in an unexpected charge. If this happened to you, you may be eligible for a refund exception. ⚠️ What Happened A bug in the cancellation flow caused the cancellation screen to go black and become unresponsive for some users. Because the cancellation did not complete successfully, the system continued to process the subscription charge at the end of the trial period as scheduled. This was not intentional, and we understand how frustrating this experience is. ✅ Am I Eligible for a Refund? You may qualify for a refund exception if all of the following apply: - You were on a trial subscription with Search Atlas. - You attempted to cancel before your trial ended. - The cancellation screen went blank, froze, or did not confirm your cancellation. - You did not intend to continue with a paid subscription. Refund exceptions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Our team will verify the cancellation attempt against your account activity before approving a refund. 🛠️ How to Request a Refund Exception 1. Open the Search Atlas platform and log in to your account. 2. Click the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the screen. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our support team. 4. Explain that your trial cancellation screen went blank and you were unable to complete the cancellation. 5. Provide any details you remember, such as the date and time you attempted to cancel, the device or browser you were using, and any error messages you saw. 6. Our team will review your account and let you know if your refund exception is approved. ⏱️ How Long Does It Take? Once our team receives your request, we aim to review and respond as quickly as possible. Refund processing times after approval depend on your payment provider but typically take 5–10 business days to appear on your original payment method. 🛡️ How to Avoid This Issue in the Future If you ever attempt to cancel and the screen does not respond or confirm your cancellation, take these steps before your trial period ends: - Refresh the page and try again in a different browser such as Chrome or Firefox. - Clear your browser cache and cookies, then retry the cancellation. - If the issue persists, contact our support team immediately using the chat widget so we can cancel on your behalf before a charge occurs. Always look for a written confirmation message or email confirming your cancellation was successful. If you do not receive one, your cancellation may not have gone through. 💬 Still 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.

💳 Refund for Billing Overcharge After Plan Change

🔍 Overview When you upgrade your plan or cancel add-ons mid-cycle, the billing system recalculates your charges automatically. In some cases, a timing issue between your subscription change and the next billing event can result in a charge higher than expected. This article explains why overcharges happen and what to do if you believe you have been overcharged. ⚙️ Why Overcharges Happen Overcharges during a plan upgrade or add-on cancellation can occur when changes to your subscription are not fully reflected before the next billing event is processed. This may result in a charge that does not match what you expected to pay based on your new plan or canceled add-on. 📋 How to Verify the Overcharge Before contacting support, review your billing history to confirm the discrepancy. Check the charges on your account and compare them against the plan price you expected to pay after your upgrade or cancellation. Note the invoice date, amount charged, and expected amount before reaching out — this speeds up the resolution process. 🛠️ How to Request a Refund Our billing team reviews all overcharge refund requests and processes eligible refunds. Because resolving a billing overcharge requires a backend review of your account, you will need to contact our support team directly. When you do, please have the following information ready: - The amount you were charged - The amount you expected to be charged - The date(s) of the charge(s) - The plan you upgraded to and any add-ons you canceled - Any relevant invoice or transaction references visible in your billing history Having these details ready will allow our team to locate the discrepancy quickly and issue a refund if one is owed. 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.

💳 Understanding Subscription Refund Requests and Processing

📋 Overview If you've submitted a refund request for a subscription charge — including charges that occurred after a cancellation attempt — this article explains how the process works, what timelines to expect, and what you can do while your request is being reviewed. 🔍 How to Check Your Recent Billing Activity Before reaching out about a refund, you can review your charges directly in the platform by navigating to Avatar (top-right) → Billing (Activity Log / Invoices tabs). If you see a charge you didn't expect — for example, a renewal charge that occurred after you believed your subscription was cancelled — note the date, amount, and any invoice or transaction reference before contacting support. ⏱️ Refund Request Timelines Once a refund request is submitted, our team will review it and work toward a resolution. Processing times can vary depending on the nature of the charge, your payment method, and any additional verification required. Refund requests are not processed instantaneously — our team must verify the charge and confirm the relevant account history before a refund can be issued. We appreciate your patience during this process. ⚠️ Common Reasons Refunds May Take Longer In some cases, a refund may require additional review time. This can happen when: - A cancellation was initiated but not fully confirmed in our system before the billing cycle renewed. - There is a mismatch between your subscription dates and the charge in question, which requires manual reconciliation. - The charge is associated with a payment type or promotional offer that requires additional verification steps. - Multiple billing events occurred close together, such as a duplicate charge or an unexpected renewal, that need to be investigated as part of the same case. If your refund request falls into any of these categories, our team will reach out to you or note the resolution directly on your account once the review is complete. ✅ What You Can Do Right Now While your refund is being reviewed, here are a few steps you can take: - Confirm your cancellation status: Check your account settings to verify that your subscription has been fully cancelled and that no future renewals are scheduled. - Gather supporting details: Have the charge date, amount, and any transaction or invoice reference ready so our team can locate the relevant billing event quickly. - Be patient: Refund reviews involve manual verification steps. Contacting support multiple times about the same request will not speed up the process, but our team is actively working on it. 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.

💳 Dispute an Unintended Subscription Renewal Charge

🔍 Understanding Your Renewal Charge Search Atlas subscriptions renew automatically at the end of each billing cycle. If you were charged for a renewal you did not intend to continue, you may be eligible for a refund or cancellation. Our billing team reviews these requests on a case-by-case basis. This article explains what to have ready when you contact our team so your case can be reviewed as quickly as possible. ✅ Step 1 — Cancel Your Subscription to Stop Future Charges To prevent any additional future renewals, cancel your subscription from your account settings as soon as possible. If you are unsure where to find the cancellation option in your account, our team can guide you through the process when you reach out. 📄 Step 2 — Locate Your Billing Records Before contacting our team, gather the following information so your case can be reviewed promptly: - The exact charge amount and date as shown on your invoice or bank/card statement. - A copy or screenshot of the invoice for the renewal charge in question — check your registered email address for a billing receipt, or look in your account's billing or invoice history. - Your account email address and the name of the plan you were charged for (monthly or annual). ⚙️ What to Expect When You Escalate Once you contact our team with the above information, our billing team will review your specific situation. Having your invoice, charge date, and account details ready will help us process your request as efficiently as possible. Our team will advise you on the options available, which may include a refund, cancellation, or other resolution depending on your circumstances. 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.

💳 Resolving Free Trial Charges and Refund Requests

🔍 How Our Free Trial Works Search Atlas offers a free trial to eligible new accounts. Before your trial begins, you will see a clear summary of the terms — including the trial duration, what happens at the end of the trial period, and the plan you will be enrolled in if you continue. A valid payment method is required to activate the trial, but you should not be charged until the trial period ends. If you believe you were charged before your trial ended, or that a free trial was promised to you but not applied to your account, we want to make this right as quickly as possible. ⚠️ Common Reasons a Charge May Appear Unexpectedly - Trial not applied at signup: In some cases, a promotional trial offer may not have been correctly linked to your account during registration. - Trial period already ended: Charges are automatically applied once the trial window closes. If you did not cancel before the end date, your selected plan is activated. - Multiple accounts: Free trials are available once per customer. If a second account was created, it may not qualify for a trial and could be billed immediately. - Promotional code not entered: If your trial was tied to a specific promo code that was not entered at checkout, standard billing would apply. 📋 What Information to Have Ready To help our team resolve your dispute quickly, please gather the following before reaching out: 1. The email address used to create your Search Atlas account. 2. The date you signed up and the date you were charged. 3. The charge amount and the last four digits of the card that was billed. 4. Any promotional offer details you received — for example, a signup page URL, email, or promo code. 5. A screenshot of the charge from your bank or card statement, if available. 💡 Our Refund Policy for Disputed Trial Charges Search Atlas reviews each disputed charge on a case-by-case basis. If our team confirms that a free trial was promised and was not correctly applied to your account, a full refund will be issued for the charge in question. Refunds are typically processed within 5–10 business days and will be returned to the original payment method. Please note that refunds are not available for charges that occurred after a trial period ended without cancellation, or for charges on plans that have been actively used during the billing period. However, if you have concerns about any specific charge, our team is always willing to review your situation. 🗑️ Requesting Account Deletion If you would like your account permanently deleted along with your refund request, our support team can process both at the same time. Please be aware that account deletion is irreversible — all your projects, reports, and saved data will be permanently removed and cannot be recovered. Make sure to export any data you want to keep before submitting your deletion request. 🛠️ How to Get This Resolved Our support team handles all billing disputes and account deletion requests directly through the platform. To get started: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account (or the account associated with the charge). 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 4. Share the details listed in the section above so we can investigate and resolve your case as quickly as possible. 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.

🔄 How to Request a Refund in Search Atlas

🔍 Overview If you believe you are owed a refund for a charge, unused credit, or a failed purchase in Search Atlas, this article explains how the refund process works, what information you need to have ready, and how to connect with a human agent who can review and escalate your case. 💳 What Types of Refunds May Apply Search Atlas handles several types of refund scenarios. Understanding which category applies to your situation will help speed up the review process. Common examples include charges that were not applied as expected, orders that were not fulfilled, billing errors, or unintended subscription renewals. Because each case is unique, a human agent will need to assess your specific situation and determine eligibility. 📋 What to Prepare Before Contacting Support Because refund requests require human review, having the right information ready will help our team resolve your request faster. Before reaching out, gather the following: - Your account email address used to log in to Search Atlas. - The date of the charge you are disputing. - The amount charged and the payment method used. - A brief description of what happened and why you believe a refund is warranted. - Any relevant order IDs or transaction references visible in your billing history. 🚫 What the AI Support Agent Cannot Do The Search Atlas in-platform chat may initially be handled by an AI support agent. It is important to know that the AI agent cannot approve, process, or confirm refunds. If you have received any guidance from the AI suggesting a refund has been approved or denied, please disregard that response and request to speak with a human teammate directly. Only a human member of our team has the authority to review and action refund requests. 🔁 How to Escalate to a Human Agent To have your refund request reviewed by a real person on our team, reach out through the support chat and ask to be connected with a human teammate. Provide your account details and a clear description of your refund request, including any transaction references you have gathered. Our team will review your case and follow up with next steps, including any credits or adjustments to your account. 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.

💳 Understanding Our Refund Policy and Billing Disputes

💡 Overview We understand that unexpected charges can be frustrating. This article explains our refund policy, what options are available if you believe you've been charged in error, and how to avoid a credit card dispute — which can delay resolution for everyone involved. 📋 Our Refund Policy Search Atlas offers refunds under the following conditions: - Cancellation within the policy window: If you cancel your subscription and request a refund within the eligible window outlined in our Terms of Service, you may qualify for a full or prorated refund. - Billing errors: If you were charged incorrectly — for example, billed twice or charged after a confirmed cancellation — we will investigate and issue a correction promptly. - Outside the policy window: Refund requests made after the eligible period has passed are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Approval is not guaranteed, but our team is committed to finding a fair resolution. ❌ What Happens When You Cancel Your Account Cancelling your Search Atlas subscription stops future billing but does not automatically trigger a refund for the most recent charge. Here is what to expect: 1. Your account remains active until the end of the current billing period. 2. No further charges are made after cancellation is confirmed. 3. Any refund eligibility depends on when the cancellation was requested relative to the last charge date and our stated policy window. If you cancelled and were still charged after that date, please contact our support team immediately — this would be treated as a billing error and investigated right away. ⚠️ Before You File a Credit Card Dispute We strongly encourage you to reach out to our support team before initiating a chargeback with your card issuer. Here is why this matters: - Faster resolution: Our team can often resolve billing concerns within one business day. A chargeback process with your bank can take weeks. - Account standing: Chargebacks may result in account suspension while the dispute is under review. - Better outcome: Working directly with us gives you the opportunity to explain your situation and receive a fair, personalised review — something a card dispute process does not offer. We take every billing concern seriously and will always review your case with care. 🔍 How to Submit a Refund Request To request a refund or report a billing concern, follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our support team. 4. Provide the following details to help us resolve your case quickly: - The charge amount and date - The last four digits of the card that was charged - The reason for your refund request - Whether your account has been cancelled Our team will review your account history, verify the charge, and respond with next steps as quickly as possible. 🛠️ Common Billing Scenarios - Charged after cancellation: If your account was confirmed as cancelled before the billing date, this is treated as a billing error and we will issue a refund. - Forgot to cancel before renewal: We will review your request. While refunds outside the policy window are not guaranteed, we will do our best to find a resolution that works for you. - Charged for a plan you did not recognise: This may indicate an account access issue. Contact support immediately so we can investigate and secure your account. - Duplicate charge: If you were billed more than once for the same period, we will correct this and issue a refund for the duplicate amount. 💬 Need Help Now? If you have a billing concern or would like to discuss your refund eligibility, do not wait. 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.

💳 OTTO Top-Up Charges and Refund Requests

🔍 Overview Some customers have noticed recurring charges for OTTO top-ups — or continued plan billing — after cancelling their subscription or removing OTTO sites. This article explains why these charges can occur, what steps to take, and how our team can help resolve them quickly. ⚠️ Why Am I Still Being Charged After Cancelling? In a small number of cases, a known billing issue has caused OTTO top-up charges to continue after a subscription was cancelled or OTTO sites were deactivated. This is not expected behaviour. The root causes include: - Legacy billing records: Older accounts may retain billing line items that were not fully removed during cancellation. - Top-up removal flag not applied: A system flag designed to stop recurring top-up charges was occasionally not triggered correctly when a site was deactivated. - Duplicate billing events: In isolated cases, incorrect site pricing or duplicate billing events resulted in charges being applied more than once per cycle. These issues have been identified and resolved on the platform side. However, if you have already been charged incorrectly, our team can investigate and process a refund where applicable. 📋 What Charges May Be Affected The following types of charges may be involved in these billing disputes: - Monthly OTTO top-up fees that continued after you removed or deactivated OTTO sites. - Plan-level charges (for example, PRO plan billing) that persisted after your cancellation date. - Repeated identical charges appearing every billing cycle without a corresponding active subscription or add-on. ✅ Steps to Take If You See Unexpected Charges 1. Check your OTTO sites status. Go to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) in the left sidebar (or navigate to /seo-automation-v3) and confirm whether any OTTO sites are still listed as active. If you see active sites you did not intentionally keep, note their names. 2. Review your billing history. In your account settings, open the billing or invoices section and identify the dates and amounts of the charges in question. Take note of how many months the charge has appeared. 3. Contact our support team via live chat. Our team will verify your cancellation date, audit the billing events on your account, and determine which charges qualify for a refund. Refunds for confirmed erroneous charges are processed as quickly as possible. 💡 What to Expect From the Refund Process When you contact support with a billing dispute, here is what typically happens: - Our team reviews your account history to confirm the cancellation or deactivation date. - We identify all charges that occurred after that date and should not have been applied. - Eligible refunds are processed back to your original payment method. Processing time depends on your bank or card provider but is usually 5–10 business days. - We confirm with you once the refund has been issued. There is no limit on how far back we can investigate, so even if charges span several months, please reach out and our team will review the full history. 🛡️ How to Prevent This in the Future To reduce the risk of unexpected charges going forward: - After cancelling your plan or removing OTTO sites, check your next billing statement to confirm no further charges appear. - If a charge does appear in the following cycle, contact support immediately so it can be resolved before it repeats. - Keep a note of your cancellation confirmation or the date you removed OTTO sites — this makes the dispute process faster. 🙋 Still Have Questions? If you believe you have been incorrectly charged for OTTO top-ups or plan fees after cancellation, our team is ready to help review your account and issue any applicable refunds. 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.

💳 Charged After Cancellation — Refund Guide

🔍 Why This Happens In rare cases, a charge may appear on your account after you have cancelled your Search Atlas subscription. This is not intentional, and we take billing accuracy seriously. The most common causes include: - Orphaned subscriptions: During a billing system migration, some subscriptions were not fully cancelled in our payment processor (Stripe), even though the cancellation was recorded on our end. - Duplicate accounts created during an upgrade: Upgrading your plan (for example, switching from a monthly Growth plan to an annual Pro plan) occasionally created a second Stripe account, resulting in charges from both the old and new subscriptions. - Add-on charges not linked to your main cancellation: Cancelling your core subscription does not always automatically cancel paid add-ons (such as the OTTO Google Ads add-on). These can continue to bill independently if they were not explicitly cancelled. We have implemented automated safeguards to detect and prevent these scenarios going forward, and our team actively monitors for affected accounts. ✅ What to Do If You Were Charged After Cancelling 1. Locate your invoice details. Find the invoice number, charge amount, and date from your email receipt or your bank statement. For example: Invoice #125478, $882.00, charged on August 29, 2026. 2. Log in to Search Atlas. Even if your subscription is cancelled, you may still be able to access the platform to open a support chat. 3. Open the live chat widget. Click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 4. Share your details. Provide your invoice number, the charge amount, the charge date, and a brief description of when you cancelled. The more detail you share, the faster we can resolve your case. 💰 Refund Eligibility and Timelines If our team confirms that you were charged in error after a valid cancellation, you are eligible for a full refund of the incorrect charge. Here is what to expect: - Investigation: Our billing team will verify your cancellation date against our records and your Stripe billing history. This typically takes one business day. - Refund processing: Once confirmed, we issue the refund immediately. Refunds normally appear on your original payment method within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or card issuer. - Confirmation: You will receive an email confirmation once the refund has been issued. We do not charge any fees to process a refund, and there is no dispute process required on your end — simply contact us through the chat widget. 🛡️ How to Prevent This in the Future To make sure your cancellation is fully processed and no future charges occur, follow these steps at the time of cancellation: - Cancel all add-ons separately before cancelling your main subscription. Go to Settings → Billing → Add-ons and disable each one individually. - Request a cancellation confirmation. After cancelling, you should receive an email confirming the cancellation. If you do not receive one within a few minutes, contact support immediately. - Screenshot your cancellation confirmation screen. Keep a record of the date and any confirmation number shown on screen — this speeds up any future investigation. - Check your bank statement in the 30 days following cancellation to confirm no further charges appear. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions I no longer have access to the platform. How do I contact support? If your account is fully closed and you cannot log in, try accessing the platform login page at searchatlas.com — the chat widget is available on the login screen as well. Alternatively, log in with any active credentials and open the chat widget from the bottom-right corner. Will I need to raise a chargeback with my bank? Please contact us before raising a chargeback. We can resolve confirmed billing errors quickly and directly, which is faster than a bank dispute process and avoids potential complications with your payment method. What if I was charged for an add-on I did not know was still active? Add-on charges are still eligible for a refund review if you cancelled your main subscription and were not aware the add-on was billed separately. Share the details with our support team and we will investigate. 📞 Contact Support 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.

💳 Unexpected Charges After Cancellation Explained

🔍 Why This Happens If you are seeing charges on your bank statement after cancelling your Search Atlas subscription, this is almost always caused by one of the following situations: - Multiple active subscriptions on your account: In some cases, more than one subscription may have been created under the same account — for example, if a plan was restarted or upgraded before the previous one was fully cancelled. Each subscription bills independently, so cancelling one may leave another active. - Cancellation did not process fully: A cancellation request may appear confirmed on your end but fail to complete in our billing system. This is rare but can happen due to a technical error during the cancellation flow. - Billing cycle timing: If a charge occurs within hours of your cancellation, it may have been triggered at the start of a new billing cycle before the cancellation was processed. Charges that fall in this window are sometimes unavoidable and are typically eligible for a refund. ✅ What You Should Do First 1. Check your subscription status: Log in to Search Atlas, click your Avatar in the top-right corner, then navigate to Billing. Look carefully for more than one active subscription listed. If you see multiple entries, note them down. 2. Verify your cancellation confirmation: Check your email inbox for a cancellation confirmation message from Search Atlas. If you did not receive one, your cancellation may not have completed successfully. 3. Review your charge history: In the Billing section, review the list of recent charges. Compare the amounts and dates with your bank statement to identify which subscription or billing cycle each charge belongs to. 🛠️ How We Can Fix It Once you have gathered the information above, our team can take the following actions on your behalf: - Identify and cancel any duplicate or unintended active subscriptions linked to your account. - Confirm whether your original cancellation was processed correctly in our billing system. - Review any charges that occurred after your cancellation date and process a refund where applicable. We handle each billing dispute individually and aim to resolve them as quickly as possible. Having your charge dates and amounts ready when you contact us will help speed up the process. ⚠️ Important: Do Not Cancel Multiple Times Without Confirmation Attempting to cancel your subscription multiple times without waiting for confirmation can sometimes create additional entries in our billing system, which may lead to further unexpected charges. Always wait for a confirmation email before submitting another cancellation request. If you do not receive a confirmation within a few minutes, contact our team directly rather than repeating the cancellation steps. 💡 How to Prevent This in Future - Always save or screenshot your cancellation confirmation screen and email. - Check your Billing page after cancelling to confirm your subscription status shows as Cancelled or Inactive. - If you plan to switch plans or pause your account, contact our team first so we can guide you through the process without creating duplicate subscriptions. 🤝 Need Help Resolving a Charge? If you believe you have been charged incorrectly after cancelling, our billing team is ready to investigate and make it right. 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.

💳 Unexpected Charge After Subscription Cancellation

🔍 Why Did I Get Charged After Cancelling? If you see a charge on your account after cancelling your Search Atlas subscription, don't worry — there are a few common reasons this can happen. This article explains the most likely causes and the steps you can take to get it resolved fast. 📅 Common Reasons for a Post-Cancellation Charge - Billing cycle timing: Cancellations take effect at the end of your current billing period. If your billing date fell shortly after you submitted the cancellation request, the final charge may have already been scheduled and processed before the cancellation was applied. - Cancellation not fully confirmed: A cancellation is only complete when you receive a confirmation email or see a confirmed cancellation status in your account dashboard. If you closed the browser before finishing all the steps, the cancellation may not have been saved. - Add-on or legacy plan charge: Some accounts have separate billing lines for add-ons (such as OTTO Google Ads) or legacy plans that may process independently from your main subscription. Cancelling your core plan does not automatically cancel associated add-ons. - Billing migration issue: If your account was recently moved to a new billing system, a duplicate subscription or missed cancellation flag can occasionally result in an unexpected charge. Our team actively investigates and resolves these cases. - Multiple active subscriptions: In rare cases, two active subscriptions can exist on a single account, especially after plan changes or account transfers. If only one was cancelled, the second may still be billing. ✅ What to Do If You Were Charged Unexpectedly 1. Check your cancellation confirmation: Log in to your Search Atlas account and go to Avatar (top-right) > Billing (Billing page). Verify that your subscription status shows as Cancelled and note the effective cancellation date. 2. Review your billing history: In the same Billing section, look at your recent invoices to identify exactly which plan or add-on generated the charge and on what date. 3. Compare dates: Check whether the charge date falls before or after your confirmed cancellation date. If it falls after, this is likely an error that our team will need to investigate and refund. 4. Gather your details: Before contacting support, have the following ready: the charge amount, the date it appeared, the last four digits of the card charged, and your account email address. This speeds up the investigation significantly. 5. Contact support immediately: Reach out to our team as soon as possible so we can investigate and process any eligible refund promptly. ⏱️ How Long Does a Refund Take? Once our team confirms that a charge was made in error, refunds are typically processed within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or card provider. You will receive confirmation once the refund has been initiated on our end. 🛡️ How to Prevent This in the Future - Always complete every step of the cancellation flow and wait for a confirmation screen or email before closing the page. - If you have any add-ons (such as OTTO SEO, OTTO Google Ads, or additional user seats), cancel each one individually through the Billing section. - Take a screenshot of your cancellation confirmation for your own records. - Check your next billing date before cancelling to understand whether one final charge may still be due for the current period. 💬 Still Need Help? If you have reviewed the above and still believe you were charged in error, our billing team is ready to investigate and make it right. 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.

💳 Charged After Cancellation? Request a Refund

🔍 Overview If you see a charge on your account after cancelling your Search Atlas subscription, you may be entitled to a refund. This article walks you through how to confirm your cancellation is active, what information to gather, and how to escalate a refund request to our billing team — exactly as our support agents handle it. ⚠️ Why This Can Happen In some cases, a billing cycle may process shortly after a cancellation request if the cancellation was not completed before the renewal date. Our engineering team is actively working to prevent charges from occurring after cancellation. If you have been affected, our billing team can review your case and issue a refund where applicable. ✅ Step 1 — Confirm Your Cancellation Is Active Before requesting a refund, verify that your subscription has been successfully cancelled: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your Avatar (top-right) → Billing → Services in your dashboard, or navigate directly to: https://dashboard.searchatlas.com/billing (Services tab) 3. Under Active Services, check whether your plan still shows as active or whether it reflects a cancelled status. 4. If your plan is still active, cancel it now by following the cancellation steps shown on that page before proceeding. 📋 Step 2 — Gather Your Billing Details To help the billing team process your refund quickly, collect the following information before reaching out: - The invoice number for the charge you are disputing (found in your billing history) - The date of the charge - The amount charged - Confirmation of when you originally cancelled your subscription You can find your invoice history in the Billing section of your dashboard. 💬 Step 3 — Submit Your Refund Request Our billing team reviews refund requests on a case-by-case basis. Refunds are not processed automatically — you must contact support to initiate the review. 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. When you connect, share your invoice number, charge amount, and cancellation date so the agent can escalate your case to the billing team without delay. ⏱️ What to Expect After You Submit Once your request is escalated to our billing team: - The team will review your account and the charge in question. - If a refund is approved, it will be processed and you will receive confirmation via the chat conversation. - Refund processing times may vary depending on your payment provider, but you will be notified as soon as the refund is issued. 🛡️ Preventing Future Unexpected Charges To avoid being billed unexpectedly in the future: - Cancel your subscription before your next renewal date, not on the same day. - After cancelling, return to Active Services to confirm the cancellation is reflected in your account. - Take a screenshot or note the date of your cancellation confirmation as a record. Additional Notes Check your cancellation confirmation: Look in your inbox for a confirmation email from Search Atlas. A successful cancellation always generates a confirmation message. If you did not receive one, the cancellation may not have gone through. Also note: cancellation may have been applied to a service add-on rather than the base subscription.

💳 Unexpected $199 Charge After Cancellation Explained

🔍 Why This Happens In some cases, customers who canceled their Search Atlas subscription have reported seeing a $199 charge appear on their billing statement shortly after cancellation. This is not intentional. The charge is typically caused by a billing system timing issue — specifically, a duplicate or delayed subscription event that triggers a payment even after your account has been marked as canceled. Our engineering team has identified and resolved the root cause of this bug. However, if you were affected before the fix was deployed, the charge may still appear on your statement. 📋 Common Reasons for the Charge - Billing timing gap: Your cancellation was processed, but a scheduled billing cycle had already been queued and could not be stopped in time. - Duplicate subscription event: A known bug caused some accounts to generate a second base subscription charge during checkout or account status changes. - Account status conflict: In rare cases, an account flagged as past due triggered a re-billing attempt even after cancellation was confirmed. ✅ What You Should Do 1. Check your cancellation confirmation: Look for a cancellation email or in-platform notification confirming your subscription was ended before the charge date. 2. Note the charge date and amount: Find the exact date and amount on your bank or credit card statement. A screenshot is helpful. 3. Contact our support team immediately: Our team can verify your account history, confirm the charge was an error, and process your refund. 💰 Refund Policy for Erroneous Charges If the $199 charge occurred after a confirmed cancellation, you are entitled to a full refund. Search Atlas does not charge customers for periods following a valid cancellation. Once our team verifies the charge against your account history, the refund is processed promptly. Refund timelines depend on your payment provider but typically appear within 5–10 business days. You will receive confirmation of the refund once it has been issued. Please keep this confirmation for your records. 🛡️ How We Prevent This Going Forward Our engineering team has shipped targeted fixes to address the billing issues that caused these erroneous charges. These updates include: - Improved safeguards to prevent duplicate subscription events during checkout and account status changes. - Better synchronization between cancellation events and active billing queues. - Additional monitoring to catch and flag unexpected charge attempts on canceled accounts before they are processed. If you are a current subscriber, your billing should not be affected. If you notice any unexpected charges on an active account, please report them right away. 🙋 Still Seeing the Charge or Need a Refund? If you were charged $199 after canceling your subscription and need a refund or written confirmation, our team is ready to 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. Please have the following ready to speed up your request: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account. - The date you canceled your subscription. - The date and amount of the disputed charge. - A screenshot of the charge from your bank or card statement (optional but helpful).

💳 Refund Process for OTTO Top-Up and Subscription Overcharges

🔍 Verify Unexpected Charges Review your recent invoices in the billing section of your account. Look for OTTO site top-ups you did not order and any monthly subscription fees that appear after you intended to cancel. Note the invoice dates, amounts, and the number of OTTO sites listed. 📌 Gather Supporting Details Collect the following before contacting support: - Invoice numbers for the disputed months (for example, May and June). - Screenshots of the invoices showing the extra OTTO site charges and subscription fees. - A brief timeline of when you noticed the overcharges and any previous refund requests. 🚀 Open a Refund Request 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. Provide the invoice numbers, screenshots, and timeline you prepared. The support agent will verify the charges, confirm any duplicate OTTO sites or subscription fees, and escalate the case to the billing team for approval. ✅ Refund Processing and Confirmation Once the billing team approves the refund, the agent will process the full amount (for example, $650) and confirm the expected timeline: the refund typically appears in your account within 5–10 business days. You will also receive confirmation that your subscription has been canceled so no further charges will occur. 🔄 Confirm Cancellation and Monitor Future Invoices After the refund is processed, check your next billing cycle to ensure no new OTTO top-up or subscription charges appear. If any unexpected charge shows up, open the chat widget again and type human teammate for immediate assistance. 💰 Prevent Future Overcharges Regularly review your OTTO site count in the OTTO SEO section. Go to Left sidebar → OTTO SEO → All Sites to confirm only the sites you actively manage are listed. Remove any sites you no longer use to avoid unwanted OTTO top-up charges, since OTTO site top-ups are only added when you purchase them. Keep a record of your subscription plan and renewal date so you can cancel in advance if needed.

💳 Unauthorized Charge After Cancellation

🔍 Why You Might See a Charge If you cancelled your subscription but still see a pending or posted charge on your payment method, it usually means the billing system attempted to collect payment for the final invoice before the cancellation was fully processed. In many cases, that collection attempt fails and no money is actually taken from your account. ✅ Steps to Resolve 1. Check the transaction status on your bank or card statement. Look for labels like pending, failed, declined, or reversed. 2. Log in to your Search Atlas account and go to Billing > Invoices. Confirm whether the latest invoice shows Paid, Failed, or Cancelled. 3. If the invoice status is Failed or Cancelled, the charge was not collected and no refund is needed. The pending authorization on your card will typically drop off within 3–5 business days. 4. If the invoice shows Paid but you believe the subscription was already cancelled, take a screenshot of the invoice and your cancellation confirmation (email or in-app notice). 5. 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. Share the screenshots so we can verify and, if appropriate, issue a refund. 🛡️ Prevention Tips - Always wait for the on-screen confirmation message after clicking Cancel Subscription. - Save or screenshot the cancellation confirmation email for your records. - Review your billing page once a month to catch any unexpected invoices early. 📌 Key Takeaway A charge that appears after cancellation is often a failed collection attempt, not a successful payment. If the invoice shows Failed, no action is needed — the pending hold will disappear automatically. If it shows Paid, contact support with proof of cancellation for a quick resolution.

Requesting a Refund for an Unused Subscription Charge

Overview If you were charged for a Search Atlas subscription plan and have not used the service, you may be eligible for a full refund to your original payment method. Eligibility for a Refund Refund requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Billing and Accounts team. You are most likely to qualify if: - The charge was made recently and you have not actively used the subscription features since it was applied. - The charge relates to a standard subscription plan. If your account shows a pending cancellation status or a billing discrepancy, mention this when you contact support, as the team may be able to address it. What Happens After You Request a Refund Once your refund request is submitted and approved by the Billing and Accounts team: - The refund is processed to your original payment method. - Processing times vary depending on your bank or card provider — the support team can give more specific timing once they've reviewed your case. - The support team will keep you informed on the status of your request. Frequently Asked Questions Can I request a partial refund instead? Describe your specific situation when you contact us. The Billing and Accounts team will review your case and determine eligibility based on the details you provide. To have your refund reviewed, reach out to our support team through live chat with the charge amount, the date it appeared on your statement, and the plan name.

💳 Unexpected Subscription Charge Refund and Cancellation

Why Was I Charged? If you signed up for a demo, free trial, or promotional offer with Search Atlas, your account may have automatically converted to a paid subscription at the end of that period. This transition — and the billing date — is outlined in the terms presented during sign-up. Common reasons customers see an unexpected charge include: - A free trial ended and the account automatically converted to a paid plan. - A promotional or special offer included a paid subscription that activated after the trial window. - Payment details were entered during sign-up, triggering automatic billing at the close of the trial. Refund Eligibility Search Atlas reviews refund requests on a case-by-case basis. While we cannot guarantee a refund in every situation, we handle unexpected or disputed charges fairly and promptly. Factors we consider include: - How recently the charge occurred. - Whether the subscription features were used after the trial ended. - The type of plan or promotional offer you signed up for. Annual plan charges are reviewed with the same care, but we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible, as annual payments may have different processing timelines. Cancellation Does Not Automatically Trigger a Refund Cancelling your subscription stops future billing, but it does not automatically issue a refund for a charge that has already been made. These are two separate requests, and a refund must be requested directly with our support team. Get Help from Our Team Reach out to our support team through live chat with your account email, the charge amount, and the date it appeared on your statement — a teammate will confirm eligibility and guide you through the next steps.

💸 Request a Refund for a Trial Subscription

Refunds for Trial Subscriptions If you were charged for a trial subscription and believe you're eligible for a refund, our support team reviews these requests individually — there is no automatic refund button in your account. Cancelling your subscription stops future billing, but it does not by itself trigger a refund for a charge that has already occurred. These are two separate actions. To have your case reviewed, reach out to our support team through live chat. Have your account email and the charge date and amount ready — a teammate will take it from there and let you know the outcome.

💳 Requesting a Refund for Trial Charges

How Our Free Trial Works When you sign up for a free trial with Search Atlas, you receive access to the platform for a limited time. To activate the trial, a valid payment method is required on file. When You Will Be Charged When your trial ends, your subscription automatically converts to a paid plan. The first charge is processed on the day the trial expires — this is why a charge can appear even if you have not logged in or used the platform recently. Automatic conversion is a standard part of how free trials work across SaaS platforms. Common Reasons Unexpected Charges Happen - The cancellation was started but not completed. If you did not receive a cancellation confirmation, the cancellation may not have gone through. - The trial was cancelled after it ended. Cancellation must happen before the trial expiration date, not on the day of the charge. - Multiple accounts exist. You may have signed up with a different email address and cancelled the wrong account. Requesting a Refund If you believe you were charged in error after a trial period, we review every refund request individually, looking at your account history, any cancellation attempts, and the circumstances around the charge. To have your case reviewed, reach out to our support team through live chat with your account email, the date of the unexpected charge, and any steps you took to cancel prior to the charge.

🎟️ Duplicate Summit VIP Charge Refund Guide

🔍 What Happened Some customers were charged more than once for a Summit VIP ticket and, in some cases, the original resolution also involved implementation hours charges on the same account. If your statement shows unexpected charges related to your Summit VIP purchase or implementation hours, our team can review and process refunds for any amounts that should not have been collected. If your email or bank statement confirms more than one charge for the same item, you are not at fault and a refund for the duplicate charges can be processed by our support team. ✅ What Gets Refunded If duplicate charges are confirmed by our billing team, the extra charges are refunded to your original payment method. Only the legitimate charge for your VIP ticket or implementation hours is retained — any additional charges beyond what you were meant to pay are reversed. - Refund method: Original payment method (the card charged at checkout) - Refund type: Full refund for each confirmed duplicate or erroneous charge - Timeframe: Our support team will confirm the expected timeframe when they process your refund, as this can vary 🛠️ How to Get Your Refund Because duplicate charge refunds require verification against our billing records, this process must be initiated through our support team. To help us locate and process your refund as quickly as possible, please have the following information ready before you open the chat: 1. Your full name as it appears on your account 2. The email address associated with your Search Atlas account or used during checkout 3. The last 4 digits of the card(s) charged — if multiple cards were charged, include the last 4 digits of each 4. The number of charges that appeared on your statement, and whether any relate to implementation hours in addition to the Summit VIP ticket Once our team receives this information, they will locate the charges in our billing system and process refunds for every duplicate or erroneous transaction — including any implementation hours charges that should not have been billed. You do not need to contact your bank or open a dispute — our team handles this directly. To reach the support team, use the live chat widget in your Search Atlas dashboard or contact us through the Help Center. When you start the chat, let the agent know you have a duplicate Summit VIP charge (and/or implementation hours charge) so they can escalate your case to billing immediately. 📋 What to Expect After Submitting After our support team confirms the refund: - You will receive confirmation of the refund amount and the number of transactions reversed - The funds will be returned to your original payment method — ask the agent for the specific timeframe when you chat with them If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team via the live chat widget in your Search Atlas dashboard.

Request a Refund for an Accidental Subscription Charge

📋 Overview If a team member accidentally activated a paid subscription instead of a free trial, you may be eligible for a full refund. This article explains how to request a refund for an accidental subscription charge. ⚠️ Before You Begin Refunds are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. To be eligible, you should meet the following conditions: - The subscription was activated unintentionally (for example, by a team member who meant to start a free trial). - You have not actively used the paid plan features. - You are requesting the refund promptly after the charge occurred. 🛠️ Step 1: Cancel Your Subscription You must cancel your active subscription before a refund can be processed. Please cancel your current paid plan through your account's billing or subscription settings. Cancelling your subscription stops future charges and is a required step before any refund review can begin. 💬 Step 2: Submit a Refund Request Once your subscription is cancelled, contact our support team to request a refund. Our team will escalate your case to the appropriate review team for approval. When you reach out, have the following information ready to speed up the process: - The email address associated with your account. - The date the charge occurred. - A brief explanation of what happened (for example, a team member activated a paid plan by mistake). - Your invoice or charge details, if available. If you need further assistance, please contact our support team so we can review your case and process your refund request. 🔍 What Happens After You Submit Once your refund request is received, here is what to expect: - Your case is reviewed by a specialized billing team. - If approved, a full refund is issued to the original payment method on file. - You will be notified of the outcome through your support conversation. 💡 Tips to Avoid Accidental Charges - Before starting any trial or plan, confirm with your team whether a free trial option is available. - Review your billing and subscription settings together as a team before making subscription decisions. - Limit billing-related access to designated account administrators through your account's team or permissions settings.

🔗 LinkLab Order Refund to Original Payment Method

Overview If your LinkLab order was not fulfilled and you would like a refund to your original payment method instead of platform credits, you may be eligible for a full cash refund. This article explains what qualifies and walks you through the steps to get the process started. When You May Be Eligible for a Cash Refund If Search Atlas did not fulfill your LinkLab placement, you may be entitled to a refund to your original payment method rather than platform credits. The following conditions generally apply: - Your LinkLab placement was not delivered within the promised timeframe. - You specifically requested a cash refund (not platform credits) at the time of your complaint. - You can reference your order number when contacting support. Important: The standard refund policy may issue credits rather than a cash refund. However, if Search Atlas failed to fulfill your placement, exceptions can apply — including a full refund to your original payment method. This requires escalation to the billing team. How to Request Your Refund To initiate a cash refund for an unfulfilled LinkLab order, follow these steps: 1. Gather your order details: Locate your LinkLab order number and any confirmation emails related to the order. 2. Contact Search Atlas support: Reach out to the support team directly. Clearly state that your LinkLab order was not fulfilled and that you are requesting a refund to your original payment method. 3. Request billing team escalation: Explicitly ask the support agent to escalate your case to the billing team for a cash refund. Agents can submit this escalation on your behalf — make sure to confirm this step has been taken before ending the conversation. 4. Provide your order number: Share your order number with the agent so they can locate and verify your order status quickly. 5. Follow up if needed: If you do not receive a confirmation or update within a reasonable timeframe, reply to the same support thread referencing your order number and escalation request to keep the case moving. What to Expect After Escalation Once your case is escalated to the billing team: - The billing team will review your order and confirm whether the placement was unfulfilled. - If approved, a full refund will be processed to your original payment method. - You will receive a confirmation once the refund has been issued. Processing times may vary depending on your bank or card provider. If you have questions about the status of your refund or need further assistance, please chat with our support team using the chat icon at the bottom of this page — we're happy to help.

💳 Refunds for Duplicate Summit Offer Charges

📌 Overview During special promotions like the Summit event, you may be presented with several offers as you move through the checkout process. Each offer is a separate product with its own price. Because these offers are presented one after another, some customers accept more than one without realizing the charges are cumulative rather than a single bundled price. This article explains why you may see multiple receipts and how to request a refund if you were charged for offers you did not intend to buy. 🧾 Why You Received Multiple Receipts Summit checkout flows often include a main offer followed by one or more additional add-on offers. These Summit add-on offers are designed to stack — higher tiers (for example, VIP and Platinum) are added on top of the main offer rather than replacing it. Here is what typically happens: - You accept the main offer (for example, a plan advertised at a set price). - After that, you are shown one or more follow-up offers, each on its own screen. - Accepting each follow-up offer adds a separate charge to your card. - Each accepted offer generates its own receipt, which is why you may see several charges in a row. This means the totals are added together. If you expected one price but accepted multiple offers, your card was charged the combined amount rather than a single flat fee. For example, customers have expected a single advertised total (such as $197) but instead received several separate receipts in a row — one for each offer they accepted. 🔍 How to Confirm What You Were Charged Before requesting a refund, it helps to review exactly what you purchased. This makes the process faster for everyone. 1. Check your email inbox for the receipts you received. Each receipt lists the offer name and amount. 2. Note the date and time of each charge. 3. Compare the receipts to the offers you remember accepting. 4. Identify which charges you did not intend to make. Please use your emailed receipts as the source of truth for what you were charged. Summit special-offer pricing did not always appear correctly in the platform dashboard, QuickPay, or your Stripe upcoming invoice (a known issue that has since been resolved), so the emailed receipts are the most reliable record. Having this information ready will help our team locate your account and process your request quickly. 💸 How to Request a Refund If you were charged for one or more offers you did not intend to purchase, you can request a refund directly from our team. Please have the following details ready: - The email address associated with your account. - The receipts or transaction amounts you would like refunded. - The date each charge appeared. - A short note explaining which charges you did not intend to accept. Our team will review your request, confirm the charges, and process any eligible refund back to your original payment method. Refunds typically take a few business days to appear on your statement, depending on your bank or card provider. ⚠️ Known Limitation: Buying the Same Annual Plan You Already Have If you are already on an annual plan and attempt to purchase that same annual plan again as a Summit special offer, this is not currently supported. This is a recognized limitation that our team has investigated, and enabling this scenario is not planned at this time. If you intended to take advantage of a Summit offer for the plan you already hold and a charge did not apply as expected, contact our team using the details above so we can review your account and address any duplicate or incorrect charge. ✅ Tips to Avoid Duplicate Charges To prevent unexpected charges during future promotions, keep these tips in mind: - Read each offer screen carefully before accepting. Each one is a separate product with its own price. - Look for buttons that let you decline or skip an offer if you do not want it. - Remember that advertised promotional prices usually apply to a single offer, not the entire series of offers. - Watch for confirmation screens and receipts as you go, so you always know what has been charged.

💳 Refund Requests for Summit Platinum Upsell Charges

💡 Overview When you sign up for the Summit Platinum plan, the checkout screen offers optional add-on features that can be selected with a single click. It is easy to add one of these extras by accident, which can result in an additional charge alongside your main subscription. This article explains how those upsell charges happen, when they qualify for a refund, and exactly how to request one. 🔎 Why You May See Extra Charges During sign-up, optional upgrades are presented as add-ons to your base plan. The Summit checkout is handled through our Spiffy checkout, which presents Summit Platinum and its optional add-ons in a stacking layout. If an add-on is selected, it is billed separately from your core Summit Platinum subscription. As a result, you may see two or more separate payments on your statement: one for the plan itself and one for each add-on feature. Because these add-ons can stack on top of your base plan, selecting more than one can create several separate charges at once. These charges are real and tied to your account, but if an add-on was selected unintentionally, you can ask our team to review it for a refund. ✅ When You Qualify for a Refund You are generally eligible to request a refund when: - An add-on feature was selected by mistake during checkout. - The charge was recent and the add-on has not been actively used. - The payment is clearly separate from your intended Summit Platinum subscription. - You were charged for an annual special offer that duplicates a plan you already have — for example, you are already on an annual plan and were billed again for the same annual Summit offer. Purchasing the same annual special offer you already hold is not a supported action, so these duplicate charges are reviewed for a refund. - The amount you were charged does not match the price that was shown to you at checkout. A known issue where Summit Special Offer pricing did not always match across your account dashboard and your Stripe upcoming invoice has been resolved, but if you still see a mismatch, please flag it. Each request is reviewed individually. Refund timing and eligibility can depend on how recently the charge was made and whether the feature was used, so it is best to reach out as soon as you notice an unexpected charge. 🛠️ How to Request a Refund Follow these steps to start your refund request: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your billing or subscription area to review your recent payments. 3. Note the date, amount, and description of each charge you believe was added by mistake. 4. Start a live chat with our team using the chat icon (see the support section below). 5. Share the charge details and confirm which payments you would like refunded. Providing the exact charge amounts and dates helps our team locate the transactions quickly and process your request without delay. 📋 Information to Have Ready To speed up your request, please have the following details available before you start the chat: - The email address linked to your Search Atlas account. - The amounts of the charges you want refunded. - The dates the charges appeared. - The name of the add-on feature, if you know it. 🚀 How to Avoid Accidental Upsells To prevent unexpected add-on charges in the future: - Review the full checkout summary before confirming your purchase. - Check that only the features you intend to buy are selected. - Look for any pre-selected add-ons and deselect anything you do not need. - Confirm the final total matches the price you expected to pay. 💬 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of the platform to start a live chat with a member of our team. Our team can review your charges, confirm your eligibility, and process any approved refunds for you.

💰 How to Request a Refund for an Auto-Renewal Outside Policy

📋 Understand the Refund Exception Process Search Atlas does not offer automatic refunds for auto-renewals outside the standard refund window. However, refund exceptions may be granted in certain cases, such as when a customer was unaware of the renewal, experienced platform issues, or did not use the service after renewal. Refund exceptions are reviewed manually by the billing team and are not guaranteed. If approved, the refund is issued to the original payment method. 🛑 Before You Request a Refund Please note that requesting a refund exception may result in the removal of your project and loss of access to all associated data, reports, and settings. This action is irreversible. If you wish to keep your account active, consider alternatives such as downgrading your plan or pausing your subscription instead. 📨 How to Submit a Refund Exception Request 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to connect with a support agent. 3. Provide the following details: - Your account email and workspace name - The date of the auto-renewal charge - The amount charged - A brief explanation of why you are requesting a refund (e.g., forgot about auto-renewal, platform issues, no usage after renewal) 4. The agent will document your request and escalate it to the billing team via internal channels. ⏱️ What Happens After Submission Once escalated, the billing team reviews your request. This typically takes 1–3 business days. You will be notified of the decision via the chat widget. If approved, the refund is processed to your original payment method. Refunds typically reflect within 5–10 business days, depending on your financial institution. If denied, the agent will inform you of the reason and may offer alternative options such as account credits or a discount on future renewals. ⚠️ Important Notes - Refund exceptions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed. - Approved refunds result in immediate project deletion and loss of all data. - Only the most recent auto-renewal charge is eligible for exception review. - Repeat requests for the same or similar reasons are unlikely to be approved.

💰 Refund Appeals for Annual Subscription Plans

🔍 Overview Search Atlas reviews refund requests on a case-by-case basis; the exact refund window can vary and is not the same for every plan. Once this window has passed, refunds are not automatically granted. However, if you believe your situation involves unfulfilled product promises or misrepresented terms at the point of sale, you may submit a formal refund appeal for review by our team. 📋 Standard Refund Policy at a Glance - Refund window: varies by plan and situation - confirm your specific window with support - Eligible plans: All subscription tiers, including annual PRO plans - Out-of-window requests: Reviewed case by case; not automatically approved - Cancellations: You may cancel your subscription at any time, but cancellation alone does not trigger a refund once your refund window has passed ⚠️ When You May Have Grounds for an Appeal Refund appeals submitted outside the standard window may be considered in specific circumstances. The following situations are taken seriously by our team: - Unfulfilled product promises: Features or functionality that were explicitly described during the sales process but are not available or do not work as represented (for example, specific Website Studio capabilities) - Misrepresented onboarding terms: Implementation call inclusions, scope, or conditions that were described differently from what was delivered - Material discrepancy between what was sold and what was delivered: Any case where the product you received differs significantly from what was agreed upon at purchase Simply being dissatisfied with the product, deciding it is not the right fit, or not using the platform does not typically qualify as grounds for an out-of-window refund appeal. 📝 How to Submit a Refund Appeal 1. Gather your documentation. Before reaching out, collect any evidence that supports your claim. This may include sales call recordings, transcripts with your sales representative, screenshots of feature descriptions, or written communications about onboarding terms. 2. Write a clear summary. Prepare a concise explanation of your situation, including your subscription tier, purchase date, the specific promises or terms you believe were misrepresented, and the outcome you are requesting (for example, full refund and account cancellation). 3. Contact our support team. Share your summary and documentation with our team so your appeal can be reviewed and escalated to the appropriate internal team. 4. Allow time for review. Appeals involving billing and product representation are escalated to the appropriate internal team. Our team will communicate the outcome and any next steps. 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.

💳 Annual Plan Deactivation and Refunds

🔍 What happened to my account? Your account may become unavailable when an annual subscription is cancelled, refunded, credited, or deactivated. In some cases, the subscription status and account access do not update at the same time. This can make a paid account appear to be missing. Deactivation does not automatically confirm that a refund or credit has been completed. Your payment and subscription records must be reviewed together. 💰 What happens to my annual payment? Search Atlas reviews the original payment, cancellation or refund request, subscription status, and any applicable annual-plan offer. Depending on the outcome, the resolution may be: - A full or partial refund to the original payment method - An account credit - Restored access for the remaining paid term - Another correction based on the payment records and plan terms Refunds are sent to the original payment method when approved. The time required for the funds to appear depends on the payment provider and your bank. Do not submit a second payment or purchase a replacement plan while the issue is being reviewed. 🔐 How can I regain access? 1. Confirm that you are using the email address associated with the original annual purchase. 2. Try signing in through the usual Search Atlas login page. 3. If you cannot sign in or the account shows no active plan, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate. Include the account email, approximate purchase date, amount paid, and any payment or invoice reference you have. Never share your password or complete payment-card details. 🧾 What information will be reviewed? A team member may verify: - The annual subscription and its payment status - Whether a cancellation, refund, or credit was requested - The refund or credit amount and processing status - Whether account access was removed before the billing record was updated - Whether any recurring charge was created after cancellation This review helps prevent duplicate refunds, incorrect credits, and accidental reactivation of a cancelled subscription. ⏳ How long does resolution take? Access restoration and payment reconciliation may require separate checks. If a refund has already been submitted, your payment provider may need additional time to post it. Keep any confirmation notices and monitor the original payment method. If your account disappeared after an annual payment, contact the team through the platform chat rather than creating a new account. This allows the original subscription and payment history to be matched correctly. 💬 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.

💰 Understanding Refunds for Tool Performance Issues

🔍 Overview We understand how frustrating it can be to invest in a tool and feel it hasn't delivered the results you expected. This article explains our refund policy, what options are available if you believe a tool underperformed, and how to formally appeal a decision — even if your request falls outside the standard policy window. 📋 What Our Refund Policy Covers Search Atlas offers refunds under specific conditions outlined at the time of purchase. In general, our policy includes: - Eligibility window: Refund requests must be submitted within the period stated in your subscription agreement or at sign-up. - Documented technical failures: If a tool experienced a verified platform-side error that prevented normal use, this may qualify for a credit or refund regardless of timing. - Billing errors: Duplicate charges or incorrect amounts are reviewed and resolved promptly. Refunds are not automatically granted for cases where results did not meet personal performance expectations, as SEO outcomes depend on many factors outside our platform. ⚠️ When a Request Falls Outside the Policy Window If you are requesting a refund after the standard eligibility period has passed, your case is not automatically closed. Search Atlas reviews out-of-window appeals on a case-by-case basis. Factors that may support your appeal include: - Evidence that a specific tool was consistently non-functional during your subscription period - Support tickets or chat logs showing repeated reports of the issue that were unresolved - A significant charge amount relative to the level of usable access you received The stronger your documentation, the more effectively our team can assess your situation. 🛠️ How to Build a Strong Refund Appeal Before contacting support, gather the following information to make your appeal as clear and compelling as possible: 1. Identify the tool in question: Note the exact feature or tool you were using by name as it appears in your account. 2. Document the issue: Take screenshots, record dates, and describe what the tool did or did not do. Be specific — for example, "Rank Tracker showed no data for tracked keywords from January to March." 3. Calculate the impact: Note the total amount charged during the period the tool was not working, so the team can verify it against your billing history. 4. List any prior reports: If you previously contacted support about this issue, reference those conversations or ticket dates. 📊 What Happens After You Submit an Appeal Once your appeal is received by a human teammate, the process typically follows these steps: - Your appeal and supporting documentation are reviewed against your billing and usage history. - The team assesses whether the reported issue is verifiable on the platform side. - You will be informed of the outcome, including any credit or refund approved, or the reasoning if the appeal cannot be accommodated. 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.

💳 Refund a Mistaken OTTO Site Add-On Purchase

Overview It is easy to accidentally purchase an OTTO site add-on when your intention was to upgrade to a higher-tier plan. If this has happened to you, our team can review your account and process a refund for the mistaken charge. How to Request a Refund Because refunds require a manual review of your account, this process is handled directly by our support team. To help them locate your billing record and process your request as quickly as possible, please have the following ready before reaching out: - The exact charge amount and date of the transaction - The email address associated with your account - A brief explanation that the add-on was purchased by mistake If you also want to upgrade to a higher-tier plan, let the agent know — they can assist with that during the same interaction. After the Refund Once your refund is processed, you can work with our support team to complete the plan upgrade you originally intended. 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.

💳 Unauthorized Annual Subscription Charge Refund Guide

🔍 Overview If you were unexpectedly charged for an annual Search Atlas subscription, this article explains the most common reasons this happens, what information you will need, and how to get the issue resolved quickly. Acting promptly gives our team the best chance of processing a refund on your behalf. ⚠️ Common Reasons for an Unexpected Annual Charge Understanding why the charge occurred helps our team resolve it faster. The most frequent causes include: - Promotional offer accepted unintentionally: A limited-time annual plan offer (such as a seasonal special promotion) may have been checked out without realising it locked in an annual billing cycle. - Automatic renewal: Annual plans renew automatically at the end of each billing period. If you did not cancel before the renewal date, the next annual payment is processed automatically. - Plan upgrade or change: Switching plans mid-cycle can sometimes trigger a prorated or full annual charge, depending on how the change was processed. - Duplicate subscription: In rare cases, a technical issue may cause a second subscription to be created alongside an existing one, resulting in an unexpected charge. 📋 What to Prepare Before Contacting Support Having the following details ready will significantly speed up your refund review: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account. - The exact charge amount and the date it appeared on your statement. - Your payment method (credit card last four digits or PayPal). - A brief description of what you were doing in the platform before the charge occurred — for example, viewing a promotional offer, changing your plan, or taking no action at all. - Whether you would like a refund only, or a refund plus cancellation of the subscription. 🛠️ Known Billing Issues We Are Actively Fixing Our engineering team is aware of several edge-case billing bugs that may have affected a small number of customers. These include: - An issue where switching from a monthly add-on to an annual plan could trigger a duplicate full-year charge at the old monthly billing boundary. - A promotional checkout flow where the protection against creating a duplicate annual subscription was not always applied correctly. If your charge matches either of these scenarios, please contact support immediately. Our team can identify affected accounts and prioritise your refund. 💡 Refund Eligibility — What You Should Know Refund eligibility is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. While we cannot guarantee a refund in every situation, our team considers the following factors: - Time since charge: For annual plans, the standard eligibility window is 72 hours from the charge. Requests made promptly are much easier to process. - Intent: If you can demonstrate that the annual plan was not deliberately selected, this will be taken into account. - Account activity: Significant usage of annual-plan features after the charge date may affect eligibility. - Technical errors: Charges confirmed to be caused by a platform bug are prioritised for full refunds. Please note: Some charge types — particularly those processed as one-time payments rather than recurring subscription charges — may require additional manual handling by our billing team. This means the resolution timeline could be slightly longer than a standard refund, but our team will keep you updated throughout the process. 🚀 How to Request a Refund 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 4. Share the details listed in the What to Prepare section above. 5. Our team will review your account, confirm the charge details, and advise you on next steps — including cancellation if requested. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will my account be cancelled immediately if I request a refund? Not automatically. Cancellation is a separate action. You can request a refund only, or a refund plus cancellation — let our team know your preference when you get in touch. How long does a refund take to appear? Once approved, refunds typically appear on your statement within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or card provider. What if I was charged twice for the same plan? This is a known issue affecting a very small number of accounts. Contact support right away and our team will verify and refund the duplicate charge. Can I switch back to a monthly plan after a refund? Yes. If your annual subscription is cancelled as part of the refund, our team can help you re-subscribe on a monthly plan that suits your needs. 💬 Still 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.

💳 Refund Original Payment Method Instead of HDC Credits

📋 Understanding Refund Eligibility Refunds are calculated based on unused quotas. If you have already used a portion of your quotas, only the remaining unused amount can be refunded to your original payment method. HDC credits may be offered as an alternative, but you can request the original payment method if preferred. 🔍 Check Your Quota Usage Before requesting a refund, verify how many quotas you have used. This information is available in your account billing or usage section. Knowing the used versus unused quotas helps set expectations for the refund amount. 📝 Request a Refund to Original Payment Method 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to connect with a support agent. 3. Provide your invoice or order details and clearly state you want a refund to your original payment method, not HDC credits. 4. Confirm the number of unused quotas eligible for refund once the agent reviews your usage. ⏱️ Refund Processing Time Once approved, refunds to the original payment method typically reflect within 5–10 business days. The refund amount corresponds to the value of unused quotas only. 💡 Key Points to Remember - Used quotas are not refundable. - Refunds are issued only for unused portions. - Original payment method refunds must be requested explicitly — HDC credits are the default alternative. - Support agents can process the refund after confirming eligibility. 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.

💳 Understanding Search Atlas's 48-Hour Refund Policy

💡 Overview Search Atlas offers a 48-hour refund window for monthly and quarterly subscription charges (annual plans have a 72-hour window eligible for a 50% refund). Both require less than 10% tool quota usage. If you request a refund within the applicable window of a payment processing, our billing team can review and approve it. Requests made after this window has closed are generally outside the scope of our refund policy, though limited exceptions exist (see below). ⏱️ How the 48-Hour Window Works The refund window begins the moment a payment is successfully charged to your account. Here is what you need to know: - The 48-hour clock starts at the exact time and date your payment is processed — not when your billing cycle renews or when you receive a receipt. - Cancelling your subscription after a payment has processed does not automatically trigger a refund. - Cancellation stops future charges but does not reverse a charge that has already been made. - If your cancellation request falls within 48 hours of the charge, you should contact support immediately to request a refund review. 📋 What Happens When You Cancel After a Payment When a subscription renews and you cancel shortly after, two things happen independently: 1. Cancellation — Your subscription is stopped and no future payments will be charged. 2. Refund eligibility — Our billing team checks whether your cancellation request falls within the 48-hour window from the payment date. If the request is outside the 48-hour window, the charge is confirmed as non-refundable under our Terms of Service. Your account will remain active until the end of the paid billing period, and no further charges will occur. ✅ How to Request a Refund Within the Window If you have just been charged and want to request a refund, act as quickly as possible. Follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account immediately after noticing the charge. 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a support agent. 4. Provide your account email, the charge amount, and the date the payment was processed. 5. Explicitly request a refund and mention that you are within the 48-hour window. The faster you act, the better your chances of falling within the eligible period. Our team will confirm the charge timestamp and process your request with the billing team if it qualifies. ❌ Why Refunds Are Denied Outside the Window Our billing policy sets a 48-hour limit for monthly and quarterly plans (72 hours for annual plans at 50%) to maintain fair and consistent treatment for all customers. Once this window has passed: - The charge is generally considered final and non-refundable. - Limited exceptions may apply, for example when a verified platform issue prevented you from using the service; these are reviewed case by case. - Approved refunds are processed in 7-10 business days. This is consistent with the Terms of Service you agreed to when signing up for Search Atlas. 💡 Tips to Avoid Missing the Refund Window - Set a reminder before your billing renewal date so you can decide whether to continue or cancel in advance. - Cancel before your renewal date if you do not want to be charged for the next cycle — this is the most reliable way to avoid unwanted charges. - Monitor your email for payment confirmation receipts, which mark the start of the 48-hour window. - Act immediately if you see an unexpected charge — do not wait to contact support. 🛠️ Still Have Questions? 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.

💰 Understanding Search Atlas 48-Hour Refund Policy

📅 How the 48-Hour Refund Window Works The 48-hour refund period begins at the exact payment processing time, not the invoice date. This means the clock starts when your payment is actually processed, which may be one or two days after the invoice is generated. For example, if your payment was processed on June 13th, the 48-hour window ends on June 15th. A refund request submitted on June 16th would fall outside this window, even if the invoice was dated earlier. 🔍 Checking Your Invoice and Charge Dates To verify the dates on your account: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account 2. Go to the Billing or Invoices section 3. Locate the relevant invoice and note the payment processing time and charge date 4. Compare these dates to when you submitted your refund request 📝 Submitting a Refund Request If you believe you are within the 48-hour window from the payment processing time: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform 2. Type human teammate to connect with our billing team 3. Provide the invoice number and dates for reference Our team will review your request using the official Refund Request Template. If approved, refunds are issued to the original payment method and typically appear within 5–10 business days. ⚠️ Important Notes - The 48-hour policy is based on the exact payment processing time, not the invoice date or statement date - Credits or discounts may be offered as alternatives, but you can request a full refund review - All refund decisions are made by the billing team after verification 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. Additional Notes If you were charged unexpectedly after signup (e.g., expected a free trial), treat it as a billing discrepancy — not a late refund. Contact support immediately even after 48 hours, explain what was promised at signup. Team has a dedicated Internal Billing Issue escalation path for priority review.

💳 Unexpected Charge During Your 7-Day Trial

🔍 What Happened Some customers who signed up for a 7-day free trial were charged immediately instead of at the end of the trial period. This was caused by a billing issue that has since been resolved — plan upgrade charges are now correctly deferred until after the free trial ends. If you were charged during your trial and did not expect to be billed, you can request a refund. Refund requests are reviewed case by case and may be issued as a full or partial refund. ✅ What to Do If You Were Charged Because refunds require action from our billing team, you cannot process this entirely on your own — but contacting us is quick and straightforward. Follow these steps: 1. Check your payment records. Confirm the charge amount and the date it appeared on your bank statement or card. 2. Contact our support team immediately. 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. 3. Share your details. Let the agent know the amount charged, the date of the charge, and that it occurred during your 7-day free trial. The more detail you provide, the faster your request can be processed. 💰 What to Expect After You Request a Refund Once your refund request is reviewed and approved by our billing team, here is what happens: - Refund amount: Refunds are reviewed case by case and may be full or partial (for annual plans, a maximum of 50% within 72 hours). - Refund method: The refund is returned to your original payment method. - Timeframe: Refunds typically appear within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or payment provider. In some cases it may take slightly longer to reflect on your statement. 🛠️ Is This Issue Fixed? Yes. Our engineering team has deployed a fix so that plan upgrade charges are now deferred to the end of the 7-day free trial rather than being collected immediately at sign-up. New customers starting a trial should no longer experience this unexpected charge. ❓ Still Have Questions 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.

💳 Free Trial Charges, Cancellations, and Refunds

Why Was I Charged After My Free Trial? Search Atlas offers a 7-day free trial so you can explore the platform before committing to a paid plan. However, a charge can appear in two common situations: - Trial ended before cancellation was completed: If your cancellation was submitted on the last day of the trial (Day 7), the billing system may have already processed the first payment depending on the exact time the trial expired versus when the cancellation was confirmed. - Cancellation was not fully completed: Starting the cancellation process does not always finalize it. You must receive a confirmation message indicating your subscription has been successfully cancelled. How to Confirm Your Subscription Is Cancelled Check your subscription status in your account settings. If you are unsure whether your cancellation was completed, look for an on-screen confirmation message. If you did not receive one, your cancellation may not have been finalized. Refund Eligibility If you cancelled within your trial period and were still charged, refunds are not guaranteed and are reviewed case by case — they may be issued as a full or partial refund (annual plans: maximum 50% within 72 hours). Having proof of cancellation ready — a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation screen, or the date and time you submitted the request — helps your case get resolved faster. How Long Does a Refund Take? Once a refund request is approved, the time for it to appear on your statement depends on your bank or payment provider, not Search Atlas. If a significant amount of time has passed and the refund has not appeared, contact your bank directly with the refund confirmation details provided by our support team. How to Avoid Future Unexpected Charges Always make sure you receive a cancellation confirmation before assuming your subscription has ended. To have your case reviewed, reach out to our support team through live chat with your account email, the charge details, and your proof of cancellation.

💳 Understanding Refund Requests Outside the Refund Window

🔍 Overview We understand that your business needs can change, and there may be times when you feel a subscription or purchase no longer fits your workflow. This article explains how our refund policy works, what happens when a request is made outside the standard refund window, and what options may be available to you. 📋 Our Standard Refund Policy Search Atlas offers refunds within a defined refund window from the date of your most recent charge. Requests made within this period are reviewed and, if approved, processed promptly. Outside of this window, refunds are not automatically guaranteed but may still be considered under certain circumstances. Key points to be aware of: - The refund window is calculated from the exact payment processing time, not from the invoice date or the date you stopped using the platform. - Low or no usage does not automatically qualify an account for a refund once the refund window has passed. - Partial refunds may be issued in specific cases, such as billing errors or qualifying service issues. ⚠️ What Happens If You Request a Refund After the Window If you submit a refund request after the standard refund period has ended, our billing team will review your account on a case-by-case basis. While we cannot guarantee a refund in these situations, we take every request seriously and consider the full context of your account. During the review, our team may look at: - The length of time since the charge was made - Your account activity and usage history - Whether a billing error or internal issue contributed to the charge - Any extenuating circumstances you provide If your request is approved, you will be notified of the refund amount and timeline. If it is declined, our team will explain the reason and, where possible, suggest alternatives such as account credits or plan adjustments. 💡 Common Reasons Customers Request Late Refunds One of the most common reasons customers reach out is reduced platform usage over time. If your team has scaled back how often you use Search Atlas, here are a few things to consider before submitting a refund request: - Downgrading your plan may better suit your current needs and reduce your monthly cost without losing access entirely. - Pausing certain features or adjusting your subscription can help align your spend with actual usage. - Reviewing your changelog and activity with our support team can help identify whether a billing concern or technical issue contributed to low engagement. 🛠️ How to Submit a Refund Request 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Describe your situation clearly, including the charge date, the reason for your request, and any relevant account history. 4. A member of our team will review your request and follow up with next steps. Tip: The more context you provide — such as when you last used the platform and why you feel the charge was not warranted — the faster our team can assess your case. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Can I get a refund just because I didn't use the platform much? Low usage alone does not automatically qualify for a refund, especially after the standard refund window. However, if there was a billing error or another qualifying issue, your request will still be reviewed carefully. Will I be penalised for submitting a late refund request? No. Submitting a request outside the refund window simply means the outcome is not guaranteed. Our team will always review your case fairly and with full context. How long does a refund review take? Review timelines vary depending on the complexity of the case. Our billing team aims to respond as quickly as possible, and you will be kept informed throughout the process. What if my refund is declined? If your refund request is declined, our team will explain the reason and explore whether any alternative solutions — such as a plan change or account credit — may apply to your situation. 📞 Need Further 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.

💳 OTTO Project Refunds and Quota Resets

💡 Overview If you've purchased OTTO projects that you can't use with your current plan, or you've reached your Site Auditor quota limit, you may be eligible for a refund or a one-time quota reset. This article explains your options. 🤔 When You Might Need a Refund You may request a refund if: - You purchased OTTO projects but your current plan doesn't support the number of projects you bought - You purchased projects within the last 30 days and haven't actively used them - Your plan was downgraded or changed after your purchase, leaving purchased projects inaccessible Refunds are processed back to your original payment method. Once approved, they are processed in 7–10 business days. 📊 Requesting an OTTO Project Refund To request a refund for unused OTTO projects: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform 2. Type human teammate to connect with our support team 3. Provide the following information: your account email, the plan or product purchased, the purchase date/time and amount of the charge, and the reason for the refund request 4. Our team will review your request and process the refund if eligible 🔄 Understanding Site Auditor Quota Limits Your plan includes a maximum number of Site Auditor pages you can crawl. This limit resets monthly. If you've reached your quota and need to add more projects, you have two options: - Upgrade your plan to increase your monthly quota permanently - Request a one-time quota reset (available in limited circumstances) ⚡ Requesting a One-Time Quota Reset A one-time quota reset allows you to add new projects without upgrading your plan. This option is available if: - You haven't used a quota reset in the current billing cycle - You have a valid business reason (such as an unexpected client or project need) To request a quota reset: 1. Go to your Home dashboard (left sidebar → Home) 2. Click Quotas to view your current Site Auditor usage 3. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner 4. Type human teammate and explain your situation 5. Our team will evaluate your request and reset your quota if approved ⚙️ Viewing Your Current Quotas To check how many Site Auditor pages you've used this month: 1. Click Home in the left sidebar 2. Click the Quotas button to see your remaining pages and reset your plan details 3. If you're near your limit, consider planning your audits or upgrading your plan 📈 Upgrading Your Plan for More Quota If you need permanent access to more OTTO projects or Site Auditor pages, upgrading your plan is the fastest solution. Upgraded plans take effect immediately and include higher monthly quotas. Contact our team via the chat widget to discuss which plan tier best fits your needs. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Can I get multiple quota resets in one month? No. One-time quota resets are limited to once per billing cycle. For ongoing needs, upgrading your plan is the best option. How long does a refund take? Once approved, refunds are processed in 7–10 business days, depending on your bank or payment provider. What happens to my OTTO projects if I downgrade my plan? Projects that exceed your new plan's limit may become inactive. You'll need to either delete projects to stay within your quota or upgrade to restore access. Can I apply a refund as a credit toward an upgrade? Yes. Contact our team via the chat widget to discuss how a refund can be applied to your account. 🆘 Need More 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.

💳 Unintended Growth Plan Charge Refund

🔍 Recognizing the Charge If you see a charge on your bank or credit card statement labeled SA GROUP* SEO SOFTWARE NEW YORK NY, this is a Search Atlas subscription charge. A $199 charge typically corresponds to the Search Atlas Growth plan. This charge may appear unexpected if you did not intentionally complete a subscription sign-up, or if a billing issue caused your account to be enrolled without your direct confirmation. ⚠️ Why This Can Happen Our engineering team has identified and resolved several billing system issues that, in some cases, caused customers to be charged for a Growth plan subscription unintentionally. These issues have been hotfixed. However, if you have been affected, you are entitled to request a cancellation and refund. 🛠️ What To Do Right Away 1. Check your account: Log in to your Search Atlas account and navigate to Avatar (top-right corner) > Billing to confirm whether a Growth plan subscription is active on your account. 2. Note the charge date: Find the exact date and amount of the charge on your bank or card statement. This information will be needed when you contact support. 3. Act quickly: Refund requests are easiest to process within 48 hours of payment completion (for monthly and quarterly plans; annual plans have a 72-hour window for a 50% refund), and require less than 10% tool quota usage. If you are outside this window, a refund exception may still be possible — see the section below. 💬 How To Request a Cancellation and Refund Because account cancellations and refund approvals must be handled by our billing team, you cannot complete this process through self-serve settings alone. Follow these steps: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Share the following details with the agent: - The charge amount (e.g., $199) - The charge date (e.g., 5/31/2026) - The statement descriptor you see (e.g., SA GROUP* SEO SOFTWARE NEW YORK NY) - A brief note that you did not intend to subscribe to the Growth plan 4. The agent will cancel the subscription and file a refund request on your behalf. ⏱️ What To Expect After You Request a Refund Here is a realistic timeline of what happens after your request is submitted: - Within the refund window (48 hours after payment completion for monthly/quarterly plans, or 72 hours for annual plans at 50%): Refund requests are typically approved and processed to your original payment method without escalation, provided tool quota usage is under 10%. Note that the window starts at the exact payment processing time, not the invoice date. - Outside the window: A standard refund may be initially declined per our billing policy. However, exceptions do exist — for example when a verified platform issue prevented you from using the service. Our team can escalate your case for a refund exception review. - Account credit offer: In some cases, our team may offer an account credit instead of a cash refund. You are not required to accept this — you may request that your case be escalated for a full refund to your original payment method. - Refund processing time: Once approved, refunds are returned to your original payment method. Depending on your bank or card issuer, funds typically appear within 5–10 business days. 📋 Tips for a Faster Resolution - Contact support as soon as you notice the charge — the sooner you reach out, the smoother the process. - Have your billing statement or a screenshot of the charge ready before starting the chat. - If you are told the refund is outside the standard window, explicitly ask the agent to escalate for a refund exception. This has been approved for customers in similar situations. - Keep a note of the agent name and any case or ticket reference number provided during your conversation. 🙋 Still 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.

💰 Billing Refunds for Platform Outages Explained

🔍 Overview If you were charged while a platform outage prevented you from accessing Search Atlas or using your credits, you may be eligible for a refund or account credit. This article explains what to expect and how to escalate your request to our billing team for review. ✅ What Qualifies for a Refund or Credit Search Atlas reviews refund and compensation requests on a case-by-case basis. The following situations are generally considered valid grounds: - Extended platform outages — periods of confirmed service unavailability that prevented normal use of the platform. - Credits unused due to downtime — if a billing cycle included an outage that stopped you from consuming purchased credits or running campaigns. Refunds are not automatically issued. You must submit a request so our team can verify the outage period against your account activity and billing history. 📋 Information to Have Ready Before Contacting Support Because this requires a manual review by our billing team, having the following details ready will help us resolve your case as quickly as possible: - The date range when you were unable to access the platform or use credits. - The invoice amount and approximate charge date associated with the billing period in question. - A brief description of the features or credits you could not use during the outage period. - Any error messages or screenshots you captured at the time, if available. - Your account email address and workspace or project name so our team can locate your billing record quickly. ⏱️ What Happens After You Submit a Request Once you contact our support team, here is what to expect: - Our team will verify the outage period against internal incident records to confirm service unavailability on your account. - Your credit usage and billing cycle will be reviewed to determine the appropriate compensation. - If approved, a refund or account credit will be applied — our team will confirm the outcome and timeline directly with you. 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.

💳 Unexpected Renewal Charge Refunds and Credits

🔍 Overview If you were charged for a subscription renewal you did not intend, you may be eligible for a refund and, in some cases, a credit adjustment on your account. This article explains how renewal refunds work, what to expect regarding Hyperdrive credits, and how to request an immediate cancellation instead of waiting out your billing period. 💳 Why Did I Get Charged for a Renewal? Subscriptions on Search Atlas renew automatically at the end of each billing cycle. If you missed cancelling before your renewal date, the charge is processed immediately and your plan continues for another cycle. Common reasons customers are caught off-guard include: - A payment method was updated shortly before the renewal date, triggering a successful charge on the new card. - A cancellation request was submitted after the renewal had already processed. - A linked child account cancellation caused an unexpected charge on the base plan. Search Atlas has resolved several past billing issues related to payment method changes and child account cancellations. If you believe your charge was caused by a platform error, our team can investigate. 💰 Can I Get a Refund? Refund eligibility is assessed on a case-by-case basis. While Search Atlas's standard policy does not guarantee refunds for processed renewals, our support team reviews each situation individually and works to find a fair resolution. To support your refund request, it helps to: - Contact support as soon as possible after the charge appears. - Confirm you did not use any features or consume any credits after the renewal date. - Provide your account email and the invoice number from your billing history. To find your invoice, navigate to the Billing section of your account and locate the relevant charge in your billing history. 🎁 Can I Request Additional Hyperdrive Credits? Credit adjustments — such as receiving more Hyperdrive credits than the default amount included with a plan — are handled as goodwill resolutions and are not guaranteed as a standard entitlement. However, our support team has the ability to apply custom credit amounts to your account when warranted. If you have a specific credit request, include it clearly when you contact support so the team can review it alongside your refund request. ⚡ Can I Cancel Immediately Instead of Waiting Until My Renewal End Date? By default, when a subscription is cancelled after renewal, access continues until the end of the paid billing period. If you prefer an immediate cancellation rather than keeping access until the period ends, this can be arranged alongside a refund — the two are typically handled together. Make sure to specify that you want immediate cancellation when you reach out, so the team can process both at the same time. 📋 Steps to Request a Refund or Credit Adjustment 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account and navigate to the Billing section. 2. Locate the relevant charge in your billing history and note the invoice number. 3. Note your account email, the renewal date, and whether you used any features or credits after the renewal. 4. Contact the support team as soon as possible, specifying whether you want a refund, a credit adjustment, or an immediate cancellation — or a combination of these. 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.

💸 Refund After Free Trial Charge

📋 Understand the Refund Process If you were charged after your free trial ended and have already canceled your paid subscription, you may request a refund via live chat. Refunds are not guaranteed and are reviewed case by case; they may be full or partial (annual plans: max 50% within 72 hours). Approved refunds are processed back to your original payment method and typically reflect within 5–10 business days. ✅ Confirm Your Subscription Is Canceled Before requesting a refund, ensure your paid subscription has been fully canceled. You can check this by clicking your Avatar (top-right) → Billing (Billing page). 🛠️ Request a Refund If your subscription is canceled and you were charged, 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. Provide your invoice number (e.g., 88073) and confirm you want to keep the free version only. ⏱️ Refund Timeline Once approved, refunds are issued to the original payment method. Expect the refund to appear within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or card issuer. 💡 Keep the Free Version After the refund is processed, your account will remain on the free plan. You can continue using Search Atlas with free-tier features.

🔧 Fix Incorrect Charges After Downgrade or Cancellation

Overview Some customers notice unexpected charges on their invoices after downgrading their plan or after canceling a site top-up. This article explains what information to gather and how to escalate efficiently so our team can review and resolve the dispute. Common Scenarios That Lead to Incorrect Charges - Plan downgrade not fully processed: A downgrade may not have applied correctly, causing the system to bill you at your previous plan rate. - Top-up charge after cancellation: A top-up canceled close to a billing cycle may have already been queued before the cancellation was registered. Escalation Checklist — Have This Ready Before Contacting Support Because resolving billing disputes requires our team to review your account directly, please gather the following information before escalating: - Account email address used for your Search Atlas subscription - Invoice number of the affected invoice - Exact charge amount and date of the transaction you are disputing - The plan change or cancellation you requested (e.g., which plan you downgraded from and to, or which top-up you canceled) and the approximate date you made that request - Any screenshots or documentation showing the charge you believe is incorrect 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.

💳 Duplicate Account Refund Requests and Policy

🔍 What Is a Duplicate Account? A duplicate account occurs when the same person or team creates more than one Search Atlas account — often accidentally — and ends up with two active subscriptions covering the same website or project. This can happen when signing up with a different email address or when a team member creates a second account without realising one already exists. 📋 Before You Request a Refund Please confirm the following before reaching out to our team: - You have two separate Search Atlas accounts — both created under your name or organisation. - Both accounts are subscribed to a paid plan — a duplicate account concern does not apply to free or trial accounts. - The duplication was accidental — intentional creation of multiple accounts for the purpose of bypassing plan limits is not eligible for a refund. - You have not made significant use of the second account — extensive usage of the duplicate account may affect refund eligibility. 💡 How to Check If You Have a Duplicate Account Follow these steps to verify whether a second account exists under your organisation: 1. Log in to your primary Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform. 3. Select Team Members from the menu (or navigate to /settings). 4. Review the list of users and email addresses associated with your account. 5. If a colleague or team member signed up separately, their account would not appear here — they would need to log in independently and check their own subscription. If you are unsure which account is the duplicate, gather the email addresses and sign-up dates for both accounts before contacting support. This will speed up the review process. ⚙️ Search Atlas Duplicate Account Refund Policy When a duplicate charge is confirmed, here is what our policy covers: - Full refund of the duplicate charge: Confirmed duplicate charges are always refunded in full to your original payment method. The original valid charge is not refunded. - Proof of duplication: Our support team will verify that two accounts exist for the same user or organisation before processing any refund. - Cancellation: Our support team cancels the duplicate subscription for you; you do not need to cancel it yourself. 🚀 How to Submit a Refund Request To request a refund for a duplicate account, follow these steps: 1. Log in to the Search Atlas account you wish to keep as your primary account. 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a support agent. 4. Provide the following details to help us resolve your request quickly: - The email address associated with your primary account - The email address associated with the duplicate account - The approximate date the duplicate account was created - A brief description of how the duplication occurred Our team will review your case, verify the accounts, and respond with next steps — including whether a refund is approved and how long it will take to process. 🛠️ Prevent Duplicate Accounts in the Future To avoid this situation going forward, keep these tips in mind: - Use Team Members (avatar → Team Members in the top-right corner) to add colleagues to your existing account instead of having them create separate accounts. - Always check whether a Search Atlas account already exists before signing up with a new email address. - Use a shared company email or a password manager to keep track of your login credentials. 💬 Need Further 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.

💳 Requesting a Refund for Unused Credits

🔍 Overview If you believe a service failure has left credits unused or a charge was applied in error, you may be eligible for a refund. This article explains how Search Atlas handles refund requests, what information to prepare, and how our team reviews each case. 📊 Check Your Credit Activity First Before submitting a refund request, review your account activity to confirm which credits were used and which remain unspent. This helps our team investigate your case faster. 1. Navigate to the Billing section of your account. 2. Review your credit usage history to identify which credits were consumed and when. 3. Check your invoice or charge history to confirm the dates and amounts of any relevant transactions. If you see credits listed as consumed but a related feature did not produce results, note the dates and feature names — you will need these details when contacting support. ✅ When Refunds Are Typically Approved Search Atlas evaluates refund requests on a case-by-case basis. Refunds are most commonly approved in the following situations: - Service failure: A feature or tool did not function as intended and the issue has been confirmed on our end. - Unused credits: Credits were allocated but never consumed due to a platform error. - Billing error: A charge was applied incorrectly or a duplicate payment was processed. Our team will assess each situation individually based on the details you provide and the account activity on record. 🛠️ How to Submit a Refund Request Our support team handles all refund requests. To make sure your case is resolved quickly, have the following ready before you reach out: - The date(s) the charge or credit usage occurred. - The feature or tool involved. - A brief description of what went wrong or why you believe the credits were unused. - Any error messages or screenshots if available. Once you provide these details, our team will review your account activity and charge history, verify whether a service failure occurred, and confirm whether a refund can be issued to your original payment method. ⏱️ What to Expect After You Submit Our team aims to review refund requests promptly. Each case is assessed individually based on the information provided and the findings from our internal review. You will be informed of the outcome and next steps directly through the support conversation. 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.

🔧 Fix Account Linking, Cancellation, and Refund Issues

Overview If you manage more than one Search Atlas account — for example, a personal account and a client account — a known linking glitch can cause a cancellation or refund action on one account to unexpectedly affect the other. This article explains what to look for and how to get it resolved. Common Symptoms - Your account shows a cancellation status that you did not authorize. - You cancelled one account but were still charged. - A separate account entered a pending cancellation state after you requested cancellation of a different account. - A refund was requested but has not been reflected in your billing history. - Your account was deactivated unexpectedly after a cancellation or refund attempt. Why This Happens Search Atlas accounts can become linked at the subscription level. When a cancellation or refund is triggered on one account, the system may incorrectly apply that action to a linked account as well. This is a known glitch that requires manual review and remediation by our support team. Steps to Take Right Now 1. Check your account status. Log in to Search Atlas and note whether your account appears active or shows any unexpected cancellation or deactivation state. 2. Do not submit duplicate cancellation requests. Submitting multiple cancellation or refund requests while the issue is under review can complicate resolution. Wait for confirmation before taking further action. 3. Gather key details before escalating. Have the following ready when you contact support: - The email addresses associated with each affected account - The date you submitted your cancellation or refund request - Any charge amounts and transaction dates in question - A description of which account you intended to cancel and which was affected unexpectedly 4. Escalate to our support team. Because this issue involves a backend account linking glitch, it cannot be self-resolved and requires a support agent to manually review and correct the affected accounts and billing records. Use the contact method in the paragraph below to connect with a team member directly. 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.

💳 Unrecognized Charge, Cancellation, and Refund Request

🔍 About an Unrecognized Pending Charge If you notice a Search Atlas charge on your bank or card statement that you don't recognize — especially one that is still pending — the path to resolving it is to have the charge identified, the subscription behind it canceled, and a refund requested. All three of these actions require assistance from our support team. To ensure the fastest resolution, gather the details listed below before reaching out. 🕵️ Step 1 — Identify the Charge Search your email inboxes for Search Atlas messages, invoices, or renewal receipts to see which account the charge may be tied to. Check every email address and login method you may have used. If you cannot locate the account, have the following details ready so our team can look up the charge on your behalf: - The exact charge amount - The charge date - The last four digits of the payment method - Whether the charge is still showing as pending ⚙️ Step 2 — Request Cancellation To stop future charges, our team will cancel the subscription associated with the charge. Cancellation is handled by our support team and cannot be completed through a self-serve flow when the account owner is unknown. When you contact us, have ready: - The account email address, if you know it - The charge amount, date, and last four digits of the payment method 💰 Step 3 — Request a Refund Once the subscription is identified, our team can process a refund request. Refunds are handled by our support team. To expedite the process, provide: - The account email, if known - The exact charge amount and date - The last four digits of the payment method - A note if the charge is still pending on your statement If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

🎓 Requesting a Refund for Seminar Charges

Overview If you were charged for a Search Atlas seminar or event and believe you are eligible for a refund, this article explains what to expect and how to get help from our team. What Is a Seminar Charge? Search Atlas occasionally offers educational seminars and events. When you sign up for one of these, a separate one-time charge may be applied that is distinct from your regular platform subscription. These standalone payment transactions are processed differently from your standard plan billing. How to Request a Refund Because refund eligibility for seminar charges is assessed on a case-by-case basis by our billing team, the best way to get this resolved is to contact us directly. When you reach out, please have the following ready: - Your account email address - The exact charge amount and date - Any transaction or receipt reference numbers from your email confirmation or bank statement - A brief description of why you are requesting a refund Having these details on hand will allow our team to locate your transaction and review your request as quickly as possible. 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.

⚡ Trial Cancellation Double-Charge Refund Guide

🔍 What Causes a Double Charge During a Trial? In rare cases, a technical issue can cause two separate subscriptions to be created in the same account at the point of sign-up or plan selection. When a trial is then cancelled, both subscriptions may be billed independently — resulting in two identical charges appearing on your statement (for example, $99 + $99 = $198). This is a known billing edge case. If you have already been charged twice, you are entitled to a full refund of the extra duplicate charge. The original valid charge is not refunded. ✅ What You Are Eligible to Receive If you cancelled your subscription during the trial period and were charged twice, you are eligible for: - A full refund of the duplicate charge — the extra charge is returned to your original payment method. The original valid charge is not refunded. - Cancellation of the duplicate subscription — our Support team will identify and cancel the duplicate subscription; you do not need to cancel it yourself. - Account repair — our team will ensure your account is correctly closed with no outstanding invoices or mismatched subscription records remaining. 🛠️ How to Request Your Refund To help our team process your refund as quickly as possible, please have the following ready before reaching out: - The exact amounts and dates of both charges as they appear on your bank or card statement. - Confirmation of the date you cancelled your trial subscription. - Your account email address so our team can locate the duplicate subscriptions. Our team will verify the charges on the backend, cancel the duplicate subscription, approve the full refund of the extra charge to your original payment method, and ensure your account is fully cleaned up with no residual subscriptions or unpaid invoices. 🚫 How to Avoid This in the Future The underlying bug that caused duplicate subscriptions has been resolved at the platform level. No action is needed on your part to prevent this from happening again. 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.

💳 Trial Double-Charge Refund Request Guide

🔍 Overview If you cancelled your Search Atlas subscription during the trial period and noticed two charges of the same amount on your statement, you may have been affected by a billing issue involving duplicate charges on the same account. This article explains why this can happen, how to confirm the charges, and how to get a refund approved. ⚠️ Why Does a Double Charge Happen? In some cases, a technical issue in our billing system can result in more than one charge being applied to the same account. When a trial ends or a cancellation is processed, duplicate charges may appear before the error is detected. This is not intentional, and our team can fully reverse duplicate charges once confirmed. - Root cause: A billing system error resulting in duplicate charges on the same account. - Common trigger: Cancelling during the trial phase when a duplicate charge was generated. - Typical impact: Two identical charges appearing on the same billing cycle. 📋 How to Confirm the Duplicate Charges Before reaching out to support, verify the charges in your billing records so our team can resolve your case faster. 1. Review your bank or card statement for charges associated with your Search Atlas account. 2. Note the charge amounts and dates of all transactions from Search Atlas. 3. Look for two charges of the same amount within the same billing period. 4. Keep your account email address and any transaction reference numbers from your bank statement ready. If you see two charges for the same amount within the same billing period, this confirms the duplicate charge. Keep this information ready when you contact support. ✅ What Qualifies for a Refund You may be eligible for a refund of the duplicate charge if you cancelled your subscription during the active trial period and two separate charges appear on your account for the same plan amount. Our support team will review your account, confirm the duplicate charge, and determine the appropriate refund based on the details of your case. ⏱️ Refund Processing Time Once our team reviews and approves your refund request, the credit will be returned to your original payment method. Our team will provide you with confirmation once the refund has been initiated. 📋 How to Request Your Refund To escalate your case, please have the following information ready: - Your account email address. - The exact charge amounts and dates of both transactions as shown on your bank or card statement. - Any transaction reference numbers provided by your bank. - The date you cancelled your trial subscription. 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.

💳 Refunds for Canceled OTTO Subscriptions

💡 Understand cancellation and refunds Canceling an OTTO subscription stops future renewals, but it does not automatically refund a charge that has already been processed. If you were charged for an OTTO subscription you canceled, you can request a review of that charge. 📅 Check the charge details Before requesting a refund, confirm the date and amount of the charge. For example, if your account was charged on August 29, note whether the subscription was canceled before or after that billing date. Also check whether the charge was for the OTTO subscription, an additional site, or a separate top-up. 🛠️ Request a refund review 1. Confirm that the OTTO subscription is canceled in your Search Atlas account. 2. Gather the charge date, amount, affected account or site, and cancellation date. 3. Contact our support team with these details and request a refund review for the canceled OTTO subscription. Include a clear request, such as: “I canceled my OTTO subscription and would like a refund review for the charge processed on August 29.” A team member can then review the billing record and your cancellation status. 🔎 What happens after review Our team will review the cancellation status and the charge in question and let you know the outcome of your refund request. ✅ Prevent future charges - Cancel the subscription before the next renewal date. - Review all active OTTO sites and subscriptions, not only the site you use most often. - Check your account after cancellation to confirm the subscription status. - Keep the cancellation date and confirmation details for your records. 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.

💳 How to Request a Subscription Refund

💡 What happens when you cancel Canceling your Search Atlas subscription stops future billing according to your plan’s cancellation terms, but it does not automatically refund payments that have already been made. Refunds are reviewed and processed separately, so canceling a plan does not confirm that a refund will be issued. 🧾 How to request a refund review 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. 3. Share the account and subscription details, the invoice or charge you’re asking about, and why you’re requesting a refund. For example, explain if you canceled because your agency has another Search Atlas account. Our team can review the charge and let you know whether a refund can be issued. Refund requests are not guaranteed. ⚠️ If you were charged after canceling Sometimes a renewal charge may occur after a cancellation, and cancellation and billing records may not update in sync. These cases need a manual review; a refund is not applied automatically. Contact our team through the in-platform chat and provide the cancellation and charge details. 🔎 Find your billing details To review your subscription or locate billing records, go to Top-right corner (avatar) → Billing. Use the Plans & Top-ups tab to manage your subscription, and the Invoices or Activity Log tabs to search billing records. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Request a Refund for a Recent Charge

💳 Refunds are not automatic A refund for a recently billed monthly subscription requires a separate manual billing review. Cancelling your subscription does not automatically issue a refund. 🛠️ How to request a refund 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to connect with our team. 3. Explain that you are requesting a refund for a recent monthly charge. 4. Include the billing date and any relevant account or subscription details. 🔍 What happens next Our team will review your request and confirm whether the charge is eligible for a refund. Eligibility and timing may depend on the billing review. A refund is not guaranteed, and submitting a cancellation alone does not create a refund request. 🚫 Prevent future charges If you no longer want to use Search Atlas, request subscription cancellation as soon as possible. Cancellation helps prevent future billing but does not refund the charge that was already processed. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 How to Request a Post-Cancellation Refund

🔍 Common Causes An unexpected charge after cancellation can occur for several reasons. Understanding the cause helps resolve it faster: - Billing cycle timing: Your cancellation was processed after the next billing cycle had already been triggered, resulting in one final charge. - Partial-month proration: Depending on your plan, a prorated charge may apply for usage during the final billing period before cancellation took effect. - Add-on or seat charges: A standalone add-on (e.g., extra seats, OTTO credits, or API usage) billed separately from the main subscription was not canceled at the same time. - Delayed cancellation processing: The cancellation request was submitted but not fully processed before the billing date, resulting in an unintended renewal charge. - Multiple workspaces or accounts: You may have canceled one account while a separate active account or workspace continued billing. 🛠️ Step-by-Step Fix 1. Confirm your cancellation date. Log in to your Search Atlas account (or attempt to log in if access has been revoked). Navigate to Settings → Billing and check the recorded cancellation date. Compare it to the charge date on your bank or card statement. 2. Locate the charge details. In your email inbox, search for a Search Atlas receipt or invoice sent around the charge date. Note the invoice number, amount, and billing period shown on the receipt. 3. Check for active add-ons or secondary workspaces. If you had multiple workspaces or standalone add-ons, verify whether any of those remained active after your main plan was canceled. These may have generated a separate charge. 4. Gather your evidence. Before contacting support, collect the following: your registered email address, the cancellation confirmation email (if received), the charge amount and date, and the invoice or receipt number from the unexpected charge. 5. Open the live chat widget. In the bottom-right corner of the Search Atlas platform, click the chat widget and type human teammate to connect with a support agent. Share the details you gathered in the previous step and request a refund review. 6. Wait for refund processing. Once the support team confirms the charge was made in error, refunds are typically processed within 5–10 business days, depending on your payment provider and card issuer. 💬 If the Issue Persists If the refund has not appeared after 10 business days, or if you are unable to locate the invoice or cancellation confirmation, please reach out again with your bank's transaction reference number so the support team can escalate the case with the payment processor. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Refunds After Cancelling Your Plan

💡 Cancellation and refunds are separate Cancelling your Search Atlas plan stops future renewals according to the cancellation terms shown in your account. It does not automatically refund payments that were already processed. A refund is a separate manual billing action against the related Stripe invoice. Refund requests are reviewed individually and depend on eligibility. 📝 How to request a refund review 1. Confirm that you cancelled the correct Search Atlas plan. 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to connect with our team. 4. Request a refund review and include the account details needed to identify the payment, such as the billing email, payment date, and invoice information. 🔍 What happens next Our team will review the request and the associated Stripe invoice. Cancellation and refund statuses are handled separately, so a cancellation does not guarantee that a refund has been issued or that the two statuses will update at the same time. Keep your request focused on the specific payment you want reviewed. The team will confirm whether it qualifies for a refund and explain the next steps. ⚠️ Important to know - Cancellation does not automatically refund previous payments. - Refund approval is not guaranteed and is subject to review. - Refund requests must be handled manually by the billing team. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💡 Refunds After Employee Departure

🔄 How recurring billing works Search Atlas subscriptions renew automatically and continue billing until someone explicitly cancels the subscription. An employee leaving your company does not automatically cancel the plan or stop future charges. 💳 Can you receive a refund? Refunds for charges made after an employee’s departure are not automatic. Because the account may have retained active access and usage quota while the subscription remained uncanceled, each request requires a manual billing review. Refund approval is considered at the company’s discretion. A request does not guarantee that a refund will be issued. 📝 How to request a review 1. Confirm the employee’s departure date. 2. Gather the account details and billing dates you want reviewed. 3. Cancel the subscription to prevent additional renewals. 4. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. 🛡️ Prevent future unexpected charges - Assign more than one account administrator when possible. - Include subscription ownership in employee offboarding steps. - Cancel unused subscriptions promptly when responsibilities change. - Review active subscriptions and recent invoices regularly.

💳 Refunds for Canceled Agency Plans

💡 Can I get a refund after canceling? Canceling an agency plan stops future renewals, but it does not automatically issue a refund for a previous charge. Refund requests are reviewed based on the account, payment, subscription status, and applicable billing terms. 🧾 When to request a refund Contact our team as soon as possible if you canceled because the plan was unused, purchased by mistake, or duplicated another agency account. Explain why the plan is no longer needed and include the relevant account or workspace details. 📋 What happens after you request one? 1. Our team reviews the subscription and payment history. 2. We check whether the charge qualifies for a refund under the applicable billing terms. 3. We confirm the outcome and any next steps through the platform chat. Refund approval is not guaranteed. If approved, processing time may depend on your payment provider. ⚙️ Avoiding duplicate subscriptions - Confirm which account owns your agency plan before subscribing. - Cancel unused plans promptly to prevent future renewals. - Keep the account or workspace name available when requesting a billing review. 💬 Request a billing review If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💸 How to Downgrade Your Subscription and Request a Refund

📋 Overview This article explains how to downgrade your Search Atlas subscription, what happens to your account when you do, and how refunds work. Whether you want to move to a lower-tier plan or request money back, the steps below will help you resolve the request quickly. ⬇️ How to Downgrade Your Subscription You can change your plan at any time from within your account. Downgrading takes effect at the start of your next billing cycle, so you keep access to your current features until then. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your Avatar Menu (👤) in the top-right corner and select Billing or Subscription. 3. Locate your current plan and click Manage Plan or Change Plan. 4. Select the lower-tier plan you want to move to. 5. Review the new price and effective date, then confirm your choice. You will receive a confirmation email once the change is scheduled. After downgrading, return to the Billing section and confirm that your new plan and price are actually shown, as a success message on its own does not always guarantee the change was applied. ⚠️ If You Cannot Downgrade Some accounts cannot self-serve a downgrade. This usually happens when: - Your current usage exceeds the limits of the lower plan (for example, too many projects, keywords, or users). - You are on a custom or annual contract that is managed by our team. - There is a pending payment or billing issue on the account. If you see an error or the option is unavailable, reduce your active usage to fit the lower plan, then try again. If the issue continues, contact our support team and we will adjust the plan for you. If you manage child accounts (for example on an agency or white-label plan), apply the downgrade from the Customer tab and confirm the new plan appears for both the customer list and the child account itself. If the previous plan still displays after a confirmation message, contact support so the change can be applied correctly. 🚫 How to Cancel Your Subscription 1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner and go to Billing → Plans & Top-ups. 2. Use Manage Subscription or Change Plan, or contact support to cancel. 3. Follow the prompts to confirm the cancellation. Your account will remain active until the end of the current billing period. After that, it moves to a free or limited state, depending on your plan. 💰 How Refunds Work Refund eligibility depends on the type of charge and how recently it was made. ✅ When You May Be Eligible - Recent charges: If you were billed within the last few days and have not used the service, you can request a full refund. - Billing errors: Duplicate charges, charges made after a confirmed cancellation, or being charged your previous (higher) plan rate after a confirmed downgrade are always refunded. - Plan downgrades: When you move to a lower plan mid-cycle, the change typically applies at your next renewal rather than as an immediate refund. Any credit is applied to your account going forward. ❌ When a Refund May Not Apply - Charges for billing periods you have already used. - Subscriptions cancelled after the renewal date has passed. - Custom or annual agreements with specific terms, unless those terms allow a refund. 📨 How to Request a Refund 1. Contact our support team through the in-app chat or by emailing support. 2. Include the email address on your account and the date of the charge. 3. Briefly describe the reason for your request (for example, accidental upgrade, duplicate charge, or being charged the old rate after a downgrade). Our team will review your request and confirm next steps, usually within one to two business days. ⏳ When to Expect Your Refund Once a refund is approved, it is processed to your original payment method. Please allow 5 to 10 business days for the amount to appear on your statement. The exact timing depends on your bank or card provider. You will receive an email confirmation when the refund is issued. 💡 Tips to Avoid Unwanted Charges - Downgrade or cancel before your renewal date to avoid being billed for the next cycle. - Check your renewal date in the Billing section so you know when changes need to be made. - Watch for confirmation emails after any plan change to be sure it was saved. - After downgrading, verify the Billing section shows your new plan and price before the renewal date. If it still shows the previous plan, the change may not have applied, and you could be billed at the old rate, so contact support right away. 🤝 Still Need Help? If you cannot downgrade, your refund has not arrived within the expected window, or you have questions about a custom plan, reach out to our support team. Include your account email and any charge details so we can resolve your request as quickly as possible.

💳 Refunds for Failed Subscription Cancellations

🔍 Overview If you submitted a cancellation request and were still charged, you may be entitled to a refund. This article explains why unexpected charges can occur, what qualifies for a refund, and exactly how to get your issue resolved quickly. ⚠️ Why You May Have Been Charged After Cancelling In some cases, customers who submitted cancellation requests by email or through other external channels were still billed. This can happen for the following reasons: - Email cancellations are not processed automatically. Search Atlas does not accept cancellation requests via email. Emails sent outside the platform are not connected to your billing system and cannot trigger a cancellation. - Cancellation was not completed in the dashboard. A cancellation is only confirmed when you complete it yourself via Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing → Services → ⋮ menu on the plan → Cancel, including the confirmation/retention step. - Duplicate subscription billing. In rare cases, a technical issue may have created a duplicate subscription entry on your account, resulting in an unexpected charge. - Renewal timing. If a cancellation request was submitted very close to a renewal date, the charge may have already been processed before the cancellation took effect. ✅ What Qualifies for a Refund Each refund request is reviewed individually. The following situations are typically eligible for consideration: - You submitted a cancellation request in writing (even by email) and received no response, but were still charged. - You were billed due to a duplicate subscription created by a platform or checkout error. - You were charged after your account should have been cancelled based on a confirmed interaction with our support team. Refunds are not automatically guaranteed in all cases. Our team will review your account history, billing records, and any prior communications before making a decision. 📋 How to Request a Refund Follow these steps to submit your refund request as efficiently as possible: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. All support interactions must be initiated from inside the platform. 2. Open the chat widget located in the bottom-right corner of the screen. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our support team. 4. Provide the following details so your case can be resolved without delays: - The date(s) you were charged unexpectedly - The amount(s) charged - A brief description of when and how you attempted to cancel - Any reference numbers or confirmation messages you received 5. Our team will review your account and respond with a decision or next steps, typically within one business day. ⏱️ Refund Processing Timelines Once a refund is approved, the following timelines apply: - Credit or debit card refunds: 5–10 business days to appear on your statement, depending on your bank or card issuer. - PayPal or other payment methods: Timelines may vary. Our team will confirm the expected timeframe when your refund is processed. You will be notified through the platform chat once your refund has been submitted on our end. 🛡️ How to Avoid This Issue in the Future To make sure your cancellation is processed correctly and you are not billed unexpectedly, follow these best practices: - Always cancel directly inside your Search Atlas account. Go to your Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing → Services, then open the ⋮ menu on your plan and choose Cancel, completing the confirmation/retention step. Access continues until the end of the current billing period, and a pending cancellation can be reversed from the same place with Activate. - Do not rely on email to cancel your subscription. Emails are not connected to our billing system and will not trigger a cancellation. - Request written confirmation. After cancelling, ask a support teammate to confirm your cancellation status via the in-platform chat so you have a clear record. - Check your billing date before cancelling. If your renewal is within 24–48 hours, contact support immediately so the team can flag your account before the charge processes. 💬 Still 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.

💳 Understand Refunds, Cancellations, and Billing Disputes

🔍 Overview This article explains Search Atlas's cancellation and refund policies, what to do if you believe you were charged in error, and how to get help resolving a billing dispute quickly. 📋 Search Atlas Refund Policy Search Atlas offers a refund window outlined in our Terms of Service. Refund requests submitted outside of this window are generally not eligible for reimbursement. However, we take every billing concern seriously and review disputes on a case-by-case basis. - Refund window: Refund requests must be submitted within the timeframe specified at the time of purchase or plan upgrade. - Annual plans: Special promotional annual plans (including limited-time offers) may have separate refund terms communicated at checkout. - Outside the window: Charges that fall outside the refund window are typically non-refundable, but exceptions may apply if there was a platform error or confirmed billing fault on our end. ❌ How to Cancel Your Subscription To avoid future charges, it is important to confirm that your cancellation has been fully processed. Follow these steps to cancel your subscription: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your Avatar Menu (👤) and select Billing, then open Services. 3. Click the ⋮ (three-dot) menu on your plan and select Cancel. 4. Review the confirmation/retention step, then complete the final confirmation. Your access will continue until the end of the current billing period. A pending cancellation can be reversed from the same place using Activate. 5. Look for a cancellation confirmation email in your inbox. This confirms your cancellation was successfully recorded. Important: Initiating a cancellation request without completing all steps may leave your subscription active and subject to future billing. Always confirm you have received a cancellation confirmation email. ⚠️ Known Issue: Cancellation Confirmation Emails We are aware of an issue where some customers who voluntarily cancel their subscription receive a confirmation email with an incorrect subject line referencing a "Subscription Charge Failure." The body of this email may also include unexpected messaging. This is a known bug currently awaiting a fix. If you receive an email like this after cancelling, your cancellation has still been processed correctly. You do not need to take any further action. 💰 If You Were Charged After Cancelling In rare cases, a cancellation may not sync correctly across all billing systems, which can result in an unexpected charge after you believed your subscription had ended. If this has happened to you: - Check your email for a cancellation confirmation. If you did not receive one, your subscription may not have been fully cancelled at the time. - Log in to your account and verify your current subscription status under your Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing → Services. - If your account shows as cancelled but you were still charged, this may indicate a billing sync error on our end. We have resolved past incidents where cancellations were not properly reflected in our billing system. If you suspect this applies to your account, contact our support team immediately so we can investigate and, where applicable, issue a correction. 🛠️ Steps to Dispute a Charge If you believe you have been charged incorrectly or have been billed after a valid cancellation, take the following steps: 1. Gather your billing history — note the dates and amounts of the charges in question. 2. Locate any cancellation confirmation emails you received from Search Atlas. 3. Open the live chat widget in the platform (bottom-right corner) and provide our team with these details. 4. Our team will review your account history, cross-reference cancellation records, and escalate to billing specialists if needed. Please note: Disputes involving multiple charge cycles or significant amounts may require additional review time. Our team will keep you updated throughout the process. 🚫 Charges Outside the Refund Window We understand it can be frustrating to discover recurring charges you did not expect, especially over several months. While our standard policy does not cover refunds outside the defined window, we review every escalated case individually. Factors we consider include: - Whether a cancellation was genuinely attempted but failed due to a system error. - Whether confirmation communications were misleading or not received. - The length of time and total amount involved. We cannot guarantee a refund for charges outside the refund window, but we are committed to investigating fairly and communicating clearly about what we find. 💬 Need Further 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.

💳 OTTO Sites Top-Up Billing Disputes and Refunds

🔍 Overview OTTO sites are activated workspaces where OTTO SEO automates on-page optimizations for a connected domain. Your base plan includes a set number of active OTTO sites. If you need more, you can purchase OTTO site top-ups — additional slots billed on top of your monthly plan fee. In some cases, customers have reported being charged for top-up slots even after deactivating or removing extra OTTO sites. This article explains why this happens, what to expect, and how to get a resolution. 💡 How OTTO Site Top-Up Billing Works Each OTTO site top-up adds one extra active site slot to your account and is billed monthly as an add-on charge separate from your base plan. - Starter plan ($99/mo): Includes 1 active OTTO site. - Top-up cost: Each additional OTTO site slot is charged at the published add-on rate (e.g., $85 per extra site). - Billing cycle: Top-up charges are applied at the start of each billing period based on the number of active add-on slots on your account at that time. For example, if your account had 2 extra OTTO site top-ups active, you would see an additional $170 added to your base $99 plan — resulting in a $269 total rather than the expected $99. ⚠️ Known Issue: Top-Up Charges Persisting After Cancellation By design, deleting or removing an OTTO site does not cancel the associated top-up charge. Removing a site releases the OTTO slot, but the top-up is a customer-level billing subscription that continues to bill until it is cancelled separately. Deep Freeze also does not cancel the top-up. To cancel a top-up, go to your Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing → Services, find the top-up, click the ⋮ menu, and choose Cancel. Alternatively, cancelling your main plan will automatically cancel its top-ups at the end of the billing period. If you removed OTTO sites but did not cancel the top-up subscription separately, charges will continue. If you believe you were billed in error after cancelling the top-up itself, you are entitled to a review and potential refund. 🛠️ How to Check Your Active OTTO Sites 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, navigate to OTTO SEO → SEO Automation (URL: /seo-automation-v3). 3. Review the list of connected sites. Only sites showing as Active should be incurring a top-up charge beyond your plan's included slot. 4. If you see sites listed as inactive or removed but are still being billed for top-up slots, this confirms the billing discrepancy. 📊 What You Should Expect to Be Charged Use the table below as a quick reference to verify your expected bill: - 1 active OTTO site on Starter plan: $99/mo total — no top-up charge. - 2 active OTTO sites on Starter plan: $99 + $85 = $184/mo. - 3 active OTTO sites on Starter plan: $99 + $170 = $269/mo. If you have deactivated extra sites and are still being billed at a higher rate, the difference qualifies for a refund review. 🔄 How to Request a Refund or Billing Correction Our support team can investigate your billing history, confirm which top-up charges should not have been applied, and process a refund for any overcharges. To get this resolved quickly, follow these steps: 1. Gather the following information before reaching out: your account email, the domain(s) you removed from OTTO, and the approximate date(s) you deactivated those sites. 2. Note the charge amounts you believe are incorrect and which billing period(s) they cover. 3. Open the live chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. Our team will audit your billing records against your OTTO site activity and issue a correction or refund where applicable. Refunds are typically processed within 5–10 business days depending on your payment provider. ✅ How to Prevent This Issue Going Forward - After removing an OTTO site from the OTTO SEO dashboard, also cancel the top-up subscription separately via Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing → Services → ⋮ menu on the top-up → Cancel, since removing the site does not stop the recurring top-up charge. - Check your monthly invoice in your account billing settings to verify the number of top-up add-ons matches the number of active OTTO sites you intend to keep. - If you plan to scale down your OTTO sites, do so a few days before your billing renewal date to allow time for the system to register the change. 🆘 Still 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.

💳 Disputing Charges After Plan Cancellation

🔍 Overview If you cancelled your Search Atlas subscription and still received charges after your cancellation date, you are not alone. A small number of customers were affected by a billing system issue that, in some cases, continued charging accounts after a valid cancellation was confirmed. This article explains what happened, how to verify your situation, and the steps to request a full refund. ⚠️ Why Post-Cancellation Charges Can Occur Our engineering team identified and resolved several billing-related issues that could cause charges to continue after cancellation. These include: - Duplicate subscriptions: In certain cases, a second subscription was created in our billing system alongside the original cancelled one, causing ongoing charges to resume. - Re-checkout on a past-due account: Customers who attempted to reactivate or re-enter checkout while their account was in a past-due state sometimes had a second active subscription created in error. - Stripe account sync issues: A known discrepancy between internal account records and Stripe meant that cancellations were not always fully reflected in the payment processor, resulting in continued billing. - Billing migration side effects: During a platform billing migration, a small number of add-ons and base plans were incorrectly re-activated. All of the above root causes have been identified and resolved by our engineering team. If you were affected, any charges made after your confirmed cancellation date are eligible for a full refund. ✅ How to Confirm You Were Affected Before reaching out, gather the following information to help our team process your refund quickly: 1. Locate your cancellation confirmation email from Search Atlas. This confirms the date your plan was officially cancelled. 2. Check your bank or credit card statement for any Search Atlas charges made on or after your cancellation date. Note each charge amount and date. 3. Log in to your Search Atlas account and navigate to the top-right Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing (Invoices tab) to review your invoice history. If charges appear there that post-date your cancellation, this confirms the discrepancy. If you have a cancellation confirmation and one or more charges occurred after that date, you are entitled to a refund for those amounts. 💰 What You Can Expect in a Refund Our team will review all charges made after your confirmed cancellation date and issue a full refund for each one. Refunds are returned to the original payment method used at the time of billing. Please allow 5–10 business days for the refund to appear, depending on your bank or card provider. If multiple charges occurred across several billing cycles (for example, on consecutive months), each charge will be individually reviewed and refunded where applicable. 🛠️ How to Request Your Refund 1. Gather your cancellation confirmation and a list of the disputed charges (dates and amounts). 2. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 3. 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. 4. Share your cancellation confirmation date and the charge details. Our team will verify the billing records and initiate the refund on your behalf. Having your charge dates and amounts ready will significantly speed up the resolution process. 🔒 How We Have Fixed This Our engineering team has deployed hotfixes and live remediations to address all identified billing issues. Specifically: - Duplicate subscription creation during re-checkout flows has been patched. - Stripe account synchronisation has been corrected to ensure cancellations are fully reflected in the payment processor. - Safeguards have been added to prevent billing migration events from re-activating cancelled plans or add-ons. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused. Protecting the accuracy of your billing is a top priority, and we are committed to making this right for every affected customer. ❓ Still Have Questions? 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. Additional Notes Billing cycle timing: If a charge occurs within hours of your cancellation, it may have been triggered at the start of a new billing cycle before the cancellation was processed. Charges that fall in this window are sometimes unavoidable but are typically eligible for a refund. End-of-cycle billing: charges for a period already begun before cancellation; cancellation timing near renewal date; add-on/top-up charges (e.g. OTTO credits) on separate billing triggers; multiple payment methods (e.g. Shopify integration + credit card) causing charges on both sources. Stacked recurring top-ups, old payment method still active after migration, and refund issued without subscription cancellation (allowing charge to recur next billing period). Also: gather invoice numbers (e.g. LENSRESR-0004), card last four digits, and any chat transcript/reference number confirming billing would stop. OTTO add-on or top-up still active: Canceling your main plan does not always automatically stop an active OTTO top-up, which may continue charging monthly until explicitly removed. Also: confusing cancellation confirmation email with charge failure/downgrade-to-Free subject line is a known labeling issue and does not mean cancellation failed. Explicitly request that the support agent: (1) void any invoices charged after your cancellation date. Also clarifies that email-based cancellation requests may not be directly linked to the billing system and require internal processing to fully take effect.

💳 Handling Unexpected Subscription Auto-Renewal Charges

📋 Overview Search Atlas subscriptions renew automatically at the end of each billing cycle. If your plan renewed and you were not expecting the charge — particularly for an annual subscription — this article explains how auto-renewal works, what qualifies for a refund, and the exact steps to take right away. 🔄 How Auto-Renewal Works When you purchase a Search Atlas subscription, auto-renewal is enabled by default. This means your plan will automatically renew at the end of each billing period — monthly or annually — using the payment method on file. Renewal notifications are sent to the email address associated with your account before the charge is processed. - Annual plans renew once per year and are charged as a single lump-sum payment. - Monthly plans renew each month on the same date you originally subscribed. - Renewal reminder emails are sent in advance so you have time to cancel before the next cycle begins. ⚠️ Common Reasons for Unexpected Renewal Charges Customers sometimes encounter an unexpected renewal charge for one or more of the following reasons: - A promotional or challenge offer was accepted and included an annual subscription that renewed automatically. - The renewal reminder email was filtered into a spam or promotions folder and was not seen in time. - A secondary or duplicate subscription was created during a re-checkout flow, resulting in an additional charge. - Account access was shared and a team member completed a checkout unintentionally. Regardless of the reason, our support team reviews each case individually and works with you to find a fair resolution. ✅ Steps to Take Immediately After an Unexpected Charge 1. Cancel your subscription to stop future charges. Log in to Search Atlas, click your Avatar Menu (👤), go to Billing > Services, open the ⋮ (three-dot) menu on your plan, and select Cancel. A confirmation/retention step will appear before the final confirmation. This prevents the subscription from renewing again at the next cycle. 2. Note the charge amount and date. Locate the transaction in your billing history and record the exact charge amount and the date it was processed. You will need this information when you contact support. 3. Act quickly. Refund eligibility is time-sensitive. Contacting our team as soon as possible after the charge is processed gives us the best opportunity to review and approve your request. 4. Contact support via live chat. Open the chat widget and request a refund review (see the section below for details). 💰 Refund Eligibility Guidelines Search Atlas evaluates refund requests on a case-by-case basis. While we cannot guarantee a refund in every situation, the following factors are considered during the review: - Time since charge: Requests submitted promptly after the renewal date are more likely to be approved. - Platform usage after renewal: Significant use of the platform following the renewal date may affect eligibility. - Duplicate or erroneous charges: If a technical issue caused a duplicate charge or an incorrect amount was billed, these are prioritised for immediate resolution. - Promotional subscription terms: Some special-offer or challenge subscriptions carry specific refund terms that were disclosed at checkout. Our team will clarify these during your review. If a refund is approved, it is typically returned to the original payment method within 5–10 business days, depending on your card issuer or payment provider. 🛠️ How to Cancel Your Subscription If you decide you no longer wish to use Search Atlas, you can cancel your subscription at any time from within the platform: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your Avatar Menu (👤) and select Billing. 3. Open the Services section. 4. Click the ⋮ (three-dot) menu on your plan and choose Cancel. 5. Review the confirmation/retention step, then confirm the cancellation. Cancelling your subscription stops future renewals. You will retain access to the platform until the end of the current paid period, rather than losing access immediately. If you change your mind, you can reverse a pending cancellation from the same place by clicking Activate. 🔍 Check for Duplicate Subscriptions In rare cases, a technical issue during checkout may have created more than one active subscription on your account. If you believe you have been charged twice or see multiple active plans under Billing > Services, contact support immediately. Our team can identify duplicate subscriptions, cancel the extras, and process a refund for any duplicate charges. 💬 Contact Support 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. When you reach out, please have the following ready to speed up your review: - The date and amount of the charge in question. - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account. - A brief description of why you believe the charge was unexpected.

💳 Handle an Unexpected Trial Auto-Renewal Charge

⚠️ What Happened? Search Atlas free trials automatically convert to a paid subscription when the trial period ends. If you missed the cancellation deadline, your payment method was charged for the first billing cycle. This article explains your options and how our team can help. 🔍 Why Did the Charge Occur? When you sign up for a free trial, you agree to the trial terms, which include automatic renewal at the end of the trial period. A charge is processed on the day the trial expires unless the subscription is cancelled beforehand. Common reasons customers miss the deadline include: - Not receiving or overlooking the trial-end reminder email - Forgetting the exact trial expiry date - Assuming cancellation requires no action if the account was not actively used ✅ What You Should Do First If you have been charged and did not intend to continue your subscription, follow these steps immediately: 1. Check your email for a receipt or invoice from Search Atlas confirming the charge amount and date. 2. Log in to your Search Atlas account and review your subscription status and charge details in your account settings. 3. Contact our support team right away using the chat widget (see below). Refund eligibility and processing times depend on how quickly you reach out after the charge. 💡 Refund and Cancellation Policy Search Atlas reviews unintended auto-renewal charges on a case-by-case basis. While we cannot guarantee a refund in every situation, our team will assess your request fairly. Here is what you should know: - Cancellation: Your subscription can be cancelled at any time. Once cancelled, you will not be billed again in future cycles. - Refund eligibility: Refund requests are more likely to be approved when submitted promptly after the charge, and when there is little or no usage of paid features during the billing period. - Partial refunds: In some cases, a partial refund may be issued depending on usage and the timing of the request. - Account access after cancellation: If a refund is issued and the subscription is cancelled, access to paid features will end immediately or at the end of the current billing period, depending on how the refund is processed. 📋 What to Have Ready Before Contacting Support To help our team resolve your request as quickly as possible, have the following information available when you reach out: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account - The date and amount of the charge you are disputing - A brief explanation of why the charge was unintended - Whether you would like a full cancellation, a refund, or both 🛠️ How to Cancel Your Subscription You can cancel your subscription yourself from the dashboard: click your Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing → Services, then open the ⋮ (three-dot) menu on your plan and select Cancel. A confirmation/retention step will appear before the final confirmation. After cancelling, your access continues until the end of the current billing period. If you change your mind, you can reverse a pending cancellation from the same place by selecting Activate. If you'd prefer help, you can also contact our support team using the chat widget below. 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.

💰 Request Refund for Unrecognized $199 Charge

🔍 Identify the Charge Check your billing history in the platform to confirm the $199 charge corresponds to an annual subscription plan. This amount typically matches the yearly billing for a paid tier. If you do not recall signing up or authorizing this payment, proceed to request a refund. ⚙️ Request a Refund via Support 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. Provide the following details: - Your account email or workspace name - The date and amount of the charge ($199) - A brief statement that you did not authorize or recognize the charge Our billing team will review your request. If approved, you will receive confirmation: Refund Amount: $199, Refund Method: Original payment method, Expected Timeframe: Refunds typically reflect within 5–10 business days. 🛑 Cancel Your Subscription To prevent future charges, cancel your subscription after the refund is processed: 1. Go to Avatar Menu (👤) (top-right) → Billing → Plans & Top-ups 2. Locate your active plan and click Manage Subscription 3. Complete the confirmation/retention step to finalize Your access will continue until the end of the current billing period, after which no further charges will occur. 💡 Prevent Future Unrecognized Charges Enable billing notifications in your account settings to receive alerts before upcoming renewals. Review your subscription plan annually to confirm it still meets your needs.

💰 Refund Unauthorized Subscription Charge

🔍 Identify the Charge Check your billing history to confirm the unauthorized $199 Growth plan charge. Note the date and payment method used. ⚙️ Cancel the Subscription You can cancel the subscription yourself from the dashboard: click your Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing → Services, then open the ⋮ (three-dot) menu on the plan and choose Cancel. A confirmation/retention step will appear before the final confirmation. After cancelling, access continues until the end of the current billing period, and a pending cancellation can be reversed from the same place using Activate. Contacting support is optional, not required. 📋 Request a Refund Once the subscription is cancelled, we will initiate a refund using our standard Refund Request Template. The refund will be issued to your original payment method. ⏱️ Refund Timeline Refunds typically reflect in your account within 5–10 business days after processing. You will receive a confirmation with the refund amount and method. 🛡️ Prevent Future Issues Review your subscription settings regularly. Upcoming improvements include a 48-hour cooling-off period and clearer cancellation confirmation to avoid accidental charges. 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.

💳 Refund an Unintended Subscription Auto-Renewal Charge

🔍 What Happened? Some customers have been charged for a full subscription auto-renewal after temporarily reactivating their account — for example, to download a file — without intending to renew their plan. If this happened to you, you may be eligible for a refund. 📋 Before You Request a Refund To help our team process your request as quickly as possible, gather the following information: - The exact charge amount and the date it appeared on your statement - The reason your account was reactivated (e.g., temporary access to download a file) - Confirmation that you did not intend to renew or continue your subscription at that time 🧾 How to Check Your Billing Activity You can review your recent charges before reaching out to confirm the details: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account and navigate to your account billing or subscription settings. 2. Locate your recent charge history or invoice records to identify the auto-renewal charge. 3. Note the charge amount and the date it was applied. If you see an unexpected auto-renewal charge, proceed to request a refund using the steps below. 📩 How to Request Your Refund Refunds for unintended auto-renewal charges cannot be self-processed through the platform. You need to contact our support team directly so the request can be submitted to the billing team and approved. Once you reach out, here is what will happen: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to connect with a support agent. 2. Provide the agent with: your account email address, the charge amount, the date of the charge, and a brief explanation of why the renewal was unintentional (e.g., you only reactivated to download a file). 3. The agent will review your case and submit a refund request to the billing team on your behalf. 4. You will receive confirmation once the refund request has been approved by the billing team. To give yourself the best chance of a quick approval, include all the details listed in the Before You Request a Refund section above when you first message the agent — this avoids back-and-forth and allows the billing team to process your case without delays. ⏱️ Refund Timeline Once a refund is approved by the billing team, the amount is returned to your original payment method. Please allow 5–10 business days for the funds to appear, depending on your bank or card provider. 💡 How to Avoid Unintended Renewals If you only need temporary access to your account — for example, to download a file or retrieve data — consider the following precautions: - Before reactivating, confirm with support whether a short-term reactivation will trigger an auto-renewal charge. - After completing your task, ask the support team to confirm your subscription status so you are not left on an active plan you do not need. - If you no longer need an active subscription, you can cancel it yourself from your dashboard: click your Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing → Services, then open the ⋮ (three-dot) menu on your plan and choose Cancel. Access continues until the end of your current billing period, and you can reverse a pending cancellation from the same place with Activate. 🛠️ Still 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 support team.

💳 Google Ads Addon Incorrect Charge Refund

🔍 What Happened If you previously cancelled the Google Ads addon — or if your Agency plan already includes it at no extra cost — you may have noticed a $199 charge on a recent invoice. This was caused by a billing system migration that inadvertently reset addon status for a subset of accounts. The charge is not the result of any action you took, and you are eligible for a full refund. 🧾 How to Check Your Invoice Before requesting a refund, confirm the unexpected charge by reviewing your most recent invoice: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your Avatar Menu (👤) in the top-right corner and select Billing. 3. Open your latest invoice and look for a line item labeled Google Ads Addon or OTTO Google Ads. 4. Note the date and amount of the charge — typically $199 per billing cycle. If you see this line item and meet any of the criteria below, you qualify for an automatic refund: - You previously cancelled the Google Ads addon. - You are on an Agency plan that already includes the addon at no additional cost. - You never manually activated or used the Google Ads addon. 💬 Requesting Your Refund Our team is proactively identifying and refunding all affected accounts, but you can speed things up by reaching out directly: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a live support agent. 3. Mention Google Ads addon refund and include your account email or workspace name. A teammate will verify your account, confirm the incorrect charge, and process your refund. Most refunds appear on the original payment method within 5–7 business days, depending on your bank or card issuer. 🛡️ Preventing Future Charges We are rolling out a permanent fix that zeroes out the addon cost for all accounts that already include it free. In the meantime, here is what you can do to make sure the addon stays off: 1. In the left sidebar, navigate to Ads → Launchpad. 2. Check whether the Google Ads addon shows as Active or Enabled. 3. If it is active and you did not enable it, use the chat widget to let us know. We will disable it and flag your account so the charge does not recur. For Agency-plan customers, no action is needed on your part — the addon is included in your plan and the backend fix will remove the charge automatically on your next billing cycle. 📌 Frequently Asked Questions Will I be refunded for multiple months of incorrect charges? Yes. If you were charged more than once due to this issue, our team will calculate the total and refund every incorrect charge. I cancelled the addon in 2023. Why did it reappear? The billing migration reset cancellation flags for a small group of accounts. Your cancellation is now being honored again, and you will not be charged going forward. Does this affect my OTTO SEO or other Search Atlas features? No. This issue is limited to the Google Ads addon billing line. All other subscriptions, features, and data in your account are unaffected. How long does the refund take? Once processed, most refunds appear within 5–7 business days. If you do not see the credit after 10 business days, reach out via the chat widget and we will follow up with your payment provider. 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.

💳 Resolving Unexpected Charges After Plan Cancellation

🔍 Why Did I Get Charged After Canceling? If you canceled your Search Atlas subscription but still see a charge on your statement, one of the following reasons is most likely responsible: - Billing cycle timing: Cancellations take effect at the end of your current billing period. If your cancellation was processed partway through a cycle, the final charge for that period may still apply before access ends. - Duplicate subscription: In rare cases, a technical issue may have created a second active subscription alongside your canceled one. Both subscriptions can generate separate charges even after you believed you had fully canceled. - OTTO add-on or top-up still active: OTTO top-up credits are billed as a separate customer-level subscription. Deleting an OTTO site project releases its slot but does not stop the top-up charge. The top-up continues billing until you cancel it separately (Avatar Menu (👤) → Billing → Services → ⋮ menu on the top-up → Cancel), or until your main plan's cancellation takes effect at the end of the billing period, which cancels its top-ups automatically. Deep Freeze also does not cancel the top-up. - Confusing cancellation confirmation email: You may have received an email with a subject line referencing a charge failure or a downgrade to Free. This is a known labeling issue and does not mean your cancellation failed — your plan may still have been successfully canceled. 📋 What Information to Have Ready Before contacting our team, gather the following details so we can resolve your case as quickly as possible: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account - The date you canceled your plan (check your email for a cancellation confirmation) - The exact charge amount and date it appeared on your statement - The last four digits of the card that was charged - Any screenshots of your billing history inside the platform, if available 🛠️ How to Check Your Billing Status You can review your current subscription status and billing history directly inside Search Atlas: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right corner and select Billing. 3. Navigate to the Plans & Top-ups tab. 4. Review your plan status, renewal date, and recent invoices. Check whether any add-ons such as OTTO top-ups are listed as active under the Plans & Top-ups tab. If your plan shows as Free or Canceled but a charge still appeared, this confirms a billing discrepancy that our team needs to investigate and correct on your behalf. 💡 What Happens When a Refund Is Approved Once our team verifies the charge was made in error, here is what you can expect: - A refund will be issued to the original payment method used at the time of the charge. - Refund processing times vary by card issuer but typically appear on your statement within 5–10 business days. - Our team will confirm the refund amount and timeline via the chat conversation. - If a duplicate subscription was the cause, our team will ensure all active subscriptions are fully closed so no further charges occur. 🚀 How to Get This Resolved Fast Our support team has full access to your billing records and can identify duplicate subscriptions, stuck add-ons, and unprocessed cancellations. The fastest way to get a refund issued is to contact us directly through the platform. 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 include the charge date, amount, and your account email in your first message so we can pull up your case immediately and begin the resolution process without delays.

💳 Refund Request After Auto-Renewal Cancellation

🔍 What Happened? If your subscription renewed automatically after you believed you had cancelled, this can happen in a few situations: - The cancellation was submitted after the renewal date, so the next billing cycle had already processed. - A technical issue prevented the cancellation from completing successfully. - The cancellation was applied to a service add-on rather than the base subscription. Whatever the cause, our team can investigate your account and help resolve the issue quickly. ✅ Steps to Take Immediately 1. Check your cancellation confirmation: Look in your inbox for a confirmation email from Search Atlas. A successful cancellation always generates a confirmation message. If you did not receive one, the cancellation may not have gone through. 2. Log in to your Search Atlas account: Click your Avatar (top-right icon) and go to Billing (Billing) to review your current subscription status and recent charges. 3. Note the charge details: Before contacting support, have the following ready — the charge amount, the date it appeared on your statement, and the last four digits of the card charged. This speeds up the review process. 4. Contact our support team: 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. 📋 What Information to Provide To process your refund request as quickly as possible, our team will need the following details: - The email address associated with your Search Atlas account. - The date you originally submitted your cancellation request. - The renewal charge amount and the date it was processed. - Any cancellation confirmation number or screenshot, if available. Having this information ready when you start the chat will significantly reduce resolution time. ⏱️ Refund Review Timeline Once our team receives your request, here is what to expect: - Initial review: Our team will verify your cancellation history and the associated charge within 1 business day. - Decision: You will be informed whether your refund has been approved and the amount to be returned. - Processing time: Approved refunds are returned to your original payment method and typically appear within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank or card provider. 🛡️ How to Prevent Future Auto-Renewals To make sure your subscription does not renew again unexpectedly, follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account, click your Avatar Menu (👤), and go to Billing > Services. 2. Open the ⋮ (three-dot) menu on your plan and select Cancel, then follow the on-screen prompts (including the retention step) until you reach the final confirmation screen. Your access will continue until the end of the current billing period, and a pending cancellation can be reversed from the same place by selecting Activate. 3. Wait for a cancellation confirmation email to arrive in your inbox. Do not close the browser tab until you see the confirmation screen. 4. If you do not receive a confirmation email within 15 minutes, check your spam folder. If it is not there, contact support immediately to confirm your cancellation status. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Is a refund guaranteed if my subscription auto-renewed? Refunds are reviewed on a case-by-case basis in line with our refund policy. Factors such as the timing of your cancellation request and prior usage are taken into account. Our team will communicate the outcome clearly after reviewing your account. What if I was charged twice for the same plan? Duplicate charges can occur in rare cases due to billing system errors. If you see two identical charges on your statement, flag this immediately when you contact support — these cases are treated as high priority. Can I pause my subscription instead of cancelling? At this time, subscription pausing is not available. You can cancel at any time and resubscribe when you are ready to return. 💬 Still 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.

💳 Refund for Unexpected Free Trial Charge

🔍 Why You Were Charged Search Atlas offers a 7-day free trial for new accounts only. If you previously used a free trial on this email address or account, a new trial will not apply and the subscription begins immediately with a charge. In the case our team reviewed, the customer had an earlier trial on March 10, 2026, so the recent sign-up started a paid plan right away. 🛠️ Steps to Resolve 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Go to Billing via the top-right corner Avatar Menu (👤) and cancel the active plan to stop future charges. 3. 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. 4. Request a refund for the charge, referencing that you were not eligible for a new free trial due to a prior trial. 💡 Refund Details Once approved, the refund is issued to the original payment method. Refunds typically reflect within 5–10 business days. The amount refunded matches the charge (e.g., $99 for a monthly Pro plan). ⚙️ Prevent Future Issues Before starting a new sign-up, check your email history for past trial confirmations from Search Atlas. Only first-time accounts qualify for the free trial. If you are unsure, contact support via the chat widget before entering payment details.

💡 Refund and Cancellation for Charges Without Account Access

🔍 Understand the Situation If you are being charged each month but cannot sign in or reach your account, the billing system may still have an active subscription attached to your payment method. This can happen when login credentials are lost, the account was created with a different email, or a technical issue prevents access. 🛠️ Steps to Resolve 1. Gather your billing details: locate the recent charge receipts or bank statements showing the amount, date, and payment method used. 2. 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. 3. Provide the support agent with the charge information and explain that you cannot access the account to cancel the subscription yourself. 4. The agent will review the billing records and, if eligible, issue a refund for the most recent charges and cancel the subscription on your behalf. 5. Confirm with the agent that the refund has been processed to your original payment method and that no further charges will occur. 📋 What to Expect Based on previous cases, the support team can grant a one-time exception refund for the latest billing periods and confirm the subscription is fully cancelled. Refunds are returned to the original payment method. The agent will provide the refund amount and confirmation details during the chat. 💡 Tips to Avoid Future Issues - Save your login credentials in a secure password manager. - Use an email address you actively monitor for account notifications. - If you change team members or ownership, update the account email in the Avatar Menu (👤) (avatar) → Settings → Email Settings. 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.

💳 Refund for an Incorrectly Charged Google Ads Addon

📌 Overview Some customers on plans that already include the Google Ads integration occasionally see a separate charge for this addon. This can also happen when joining a new area, such as the Platinum workspace, where the system may prompt for a payment that is already covered by your subscription. This article explains why this occurs and how to get any incorrect charge reversed quickly. ❓ Why This Charge Happens The Google Ads integration is bundled into several plans, including the Agency plan. A duplicate or unexpected charge usually appears for one of the following reasons: - Plan recognition delay: The platform may not immediately recognize that your current plan already includes the addon. - New workspace access: When you join a new area like Platinum, the checkout flow may present the addon as a separate purchase even though it is included. - Billing overlap: A recent upgrade or plan change can briefly cause both the old and new billing items to display. In each case, you should not be required to pay twice for an addon that is part of your subscription. ✅ Confirm What Your Plan Includes Before requesting a refund, confirm that the Google Ads integration is part of your plan: 1. Log in to the platform. 2. Open the Billing → Plans & Top-ups section from your Avatar Menu (👤). 3. Review your active plan and its included features. 4. Check whether the Google Ads integration is listed as an Add-on (paid) rather than as included. If the integration is listed as included but you were still charged the addon fee, the charge qualifies for a refund. 🧾 How to Request a Refund To have an incorrect Google Ads addon charge reversed, gather a few details and reach out through live chat: 1. Note the date and amount of the charge (for example, $199). 2. Identify the plan you are subscribed to (for example, the Agency plan). 3. Take a screenshot of the charge from your billing history if possible. 4. Start a live chat and share these details with our team. Our team will verify your plan, confirm the duplicate charge, and process the refund to your original payment method. Refunds are typically reviewed promptly once the details are confirmed. 🚫 Avoid Paying Again to Access a New Area If you are prompted to pay for the Google Ads addon while joining a new area such as Platinum, do not complete that payment if your plan already includes the integration. Instead: - Close the payment prompt without confirming the charge. - Verify your included features under Billing → Plans & Top-ups. - Contact us through live chat so we can grant access without an extra payment. This prevents a second charge from being created and avoids the need for a refund altogether. ⏱️ What to Expect After Your Request Once you submit your refund request, our team will: - Confirm your current plan and its included features. - Locate the incorrect charge in your billing history. - Process the refund and remove any duplicate addon billing going forward. You will be notified once the refund has been issued. The funds may take a few business days to appear, depending on your payment provider. 💬 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type "Human Teammate" to start a live chat with a member of our team.

💰 Requesting a Refund for Unused Billing Cycles

💡 When You Can Request a Refund If your Search Atlas subscription renewed automatically and you have not used the service during the new billing cycle, you may be eligible for a refund of that charge. Every request is reviewed individually, but refunds are generally considered when all of the following are true: - The charge occurred recently, within the current billing cycle (for example, an invoice billed today). - You have not used Search Atlas since the charge, such as running campaigns, generating reports, or activating OTTO. - Your account is in good standing, and the request comes from the account owner or an authorized user. - You have your invoice ID ready (for example, #130835) so our team can locate the charge quickly. 🔍 How to Find Your Invoice ID Before requesting a refund, locate the invoice for the charge you want refunded: 1. Log in to Search Atlas. 2. Open your Avatar Menu (👤) and go to Billing. 3. Select Billing History or Invoices. 4. Find the relevant invoice and copy its ID number. Keeping this ID handy speeds up your request and helps our team review it without back-and-forth. 🛠️ How to Request a Refund All refund requests are handled by our support team through the in-platform chat. Here is how to submit one: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Share your invoice ID, account email, and a short note explaining that the charge was not used. 4. Our teammate will confirm account activity, review eligibility, and walk you through the next steps. Requests are typically reviewed within one to two business days. If your refund is approved, it is issued to the original payment method and usually appears within five to ten business days, depending on your bank or card provider. 📊 What We Check During a Review To keep the process fair for everyone, our team verifies account activity since the charge date. Usage that may affect eligibility includes: - Running or editing SEO campaigns after the renewal date. - Activating or using OTTO SEO during the new cycle. - Generating reports, site audits, or keyword research data. - Sharing account access or using API connections during the period. If little or no activity is found, refunds for the unused cycle are commonly approved. Requests involving partial usage are assessed case by case, and our team will always explain the outcome clearly so you know exactly what to expect. 🚀 How to Prevent Future Unwanted Charges The easiest refund is the one you never need to request. To avoid surprise renewals: - Cancel before your renewal date. Subscriptions renew automatically, so cancel at least one day before your next billing date. - Check your billing schedule. Your upcoming billing date and plan details are shown on the Billing page. - Consider a downgrade. A lower-cost plan may fit your needs better than a full cancellation. - Set a reminder. Add a calendar reminder a few days before renewal so you have time to decide. Canceling stops future charges only. Your access remains active until the end of the cycle you have already paid for, so you keep the value of that period. ⏱️ What Are the Refund Windows for a New Purchase? Refund requests for a new purchase must meet all of these conditions: - Monthly and quarterly plans: the request is made within 48 hours after the payment is completed. - Annual plans: the request is made within 72 hours after the payment is completed. A 50% refund can be granted. - Usage: less than 10% of the quota is used on every Search Atlas tool. If any tool is above 10%, the refund cannot be granted. - How to ask: live chat is the only way to request a refund. Promotional or discounted subscriptions are generally not covered, and add-ons or upgrades bought later are not refunded. Every request is reviewed individually, so approval is never guaranteed. 💬 Still 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.

💸 Understanding Our Refund Policy and Refund Windows

📋 Overview We want every customer to feel confident about their purchase. This article explains how refunds work at Search Atlas, what our refund windows cover, and what options are available if you are unhappy with your plan or a service after that window has closed. It also addresses concerns specific to implementation services and consultation calls. ⏱️ How Our Refund Policy Works Search Atlas has a no-refund policy, with limited exceptions. The refund window depends on your plan: - Monthly plans: within 48 hours of your initial subscription purchase. - Annual plans: within 72 hours of billing. A 50% refund may be granted. To qualify, you must have used less than 10% of the quota on every tool. Requests are made through live chat and reviewed individually. - Eligible: requests made inside the window above for your initial purchase, with usage under 10%. - Not eligible: requests made after the window, charges from a previous billing cycle or prior month, promotional or discounted plans, and add-ons, upgrades or other purchases made after your initial subscription. Because the window is tied to your payment date, a plan purchased last month falls outside it. ⚖️ Refunds vs. Service Quality Concerns It is important to separate two different situations, because they are handled in different ways. 1. Refund Requests A refund returns the money you paid for your subscription. Refunds are governed by the refund windows above. Once that window closes, the purchase is considered final. 2. Service Quality Concerns If you were disappointed with an implementation service or a consultation call, this is a service quality matter rather than a billing matter. While these concerns may fall outside the refund window, we still want to make things right. We take feedback about our services seriously and have several ways to address it (see below). 🧭 What to Do If You Are Outside the Refund Window If your purchase is past the refund window but you are unhappy with the value or quality you received, please do not assume there is nothing we can do. Follow these steps: 1. Gather the details. Note your account email, the plan or service purchased, the approximate date, and a clear description of what fell short. For consultation calls or implementation work, specific examples help us investigate. 2. Contact our support team. Reach out through live chat. Include the details from step 1. 3. Request a service review. Ask our team to review the quality of the implementation service or consultation call you received. We can look into what happened and identify the best path forward. 4. Explore available remedies. Depending on the situation, we may be able to offer alternatives such as a redo of the service, an additional consultation, account credits, or guidance to help you get more value from your plan. 🔍 How We Handle Service Quality Cases When you raise a concern about an implementation service or consultation call, our team will: - Review the work that was delivered and any recordings or notes from your consultation. - Confirm what was promised versus what you experienced. - Determine the most appropriate resolution, which may include re-delivering the service, scheduling time with a specialist, or applying account credit at our discretion. While outcomes are evaluated case by case and a monetary refund may not always be possible outside the policy window, our goal is to ensure you receive the value you signed up for. 📰 Refunds for Press Releases and Digital PR Orders Press release and digital PR orders are handled separately from subscription plans and are not subject to the plan refund windows. Refunds for these orders are issued automatically in Hyper Drive credits when placements fail: - Fully failed order: a full refund in Hyper Drive credits. - Partially failed order: a proportional partial refund based on the number of failed placements. You can confirm the refunded amount for any rejected placement directly in the Refunded column of the View Status table for your press release order, without contacting support. 💡 Tips to Avoid Refund Issues in the Future - Evaluate early. Test core features and book any included onboarding or consultation calls within your first few days so you can make decisions inside your refund window. - Track your billing date. Keep a note of when your subscription renews so you are aware of upcoming charges. - Manage renewals in advance. If you do not plan to continue, cancel before your next billing date to prevent a new charge. Cancelling stops future renewals but does not refund a charge that is already outside the window. - Share feedback promptly. If a service does not meet expectations, tell us right away. The sooner we know, the more options we have to help. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Can I get a refund for a plan I bought last month? A purchase from last month falls outside the refund window, so a standard refund is not available. However, if your concern is about the quality of an implementation service or consultation call, please contact us for a service review. We will look into your case and work toward a fair resolution. The consultation call and implementation were poor quality. What can I do? Reach out to support with specific details. We will review the work delivered and may offer remedies such as redoing the service, an additional session, or account credit, even if a cash refund is not possible. Does cancelling my plan give me a refund? Cancelling stops future charges but does not refund a payment already made outside the refund window. How are refunds handled for press releases or digital PR orders? Press release and digital PR orders are not covered by the plan refund windows. If a placement fails, a refund is issued in Hyper Drive credits: a fully failed order is refunded in full, and a partially failed order receives a proportional refund based on the failed placements. The refunded amount appears in the Refunded column of the View Status table for the order. 🤝 Need More Help? If you have questions about a charge or were not satisfied with a service, contact our support team through in-app chat typing "Human Teammate". Share your account details and a description of the issue, and we will do our best to find the right solution for you.

💸 Understanding Our Refund Policy and the 72-Hour Window

💳 Refunds: Other Questions and Edge Cases

📌 Overview The standard refund window is 72 hours from the date of charge. This article covers situations that fall outside that window or involve special circumstances — such as annual plan charges, service failures, incorrect products, or refunds to a different payment method. ⏱️ Standard Refund Reminder - Eligible window: Within 72 hours of the charge date. - How to request: Use the live chat widget inside your Search Atlas account. - Outside the window: Not automatically approved — reviewed case by case. For the full standard refund policy, see the main Refunds article in this section. ❓ Common Edge-Case Scenarios I was charged for an annual plan and want a refund Annual plan charges are reviewed individually. Contact support as soon as possible with your account email, the charge amount, and the reason for the refund request. Refunds for annual plans that have been active for several months are typically not approved, but billing discrepancies (wrong plan, duplicate charge, or charge that did not match what was communicated) are treated as priority cases. I cancelled but was still charged If you cancelled and were charged after your cancellation date, this is a billing discrepancy and is treated as a priority. Gather your cancellation confirmation (email or screenshot) and contact support immediately. These cases are not subject to the standard 72-hour window. The service did not work as expected Refund requests based on tool performance are evaluated individually. To request a review, contact support and describe: - Which feature or service failed. - What steps you took and what the outcome was. - Approximate dates of the issue. Our team will escalate to the product team for verification before approving any refund. I want a refund to my bank account, not HDC credits By default, approved refunds go back to the original payment method. If your card was removed or expired, our billing team can arrange an alternative refund method. Specify your preference when you contact support. I purchased the wrong add-on or plan If you purchased the wrong product by mistake, contact support within 72 hours. Purchases older than 72 hours where no usage has occurred may still qualify for a review — describe your situation clearly and our team will advise. I have an implementation service charge I want refunded Implementation and onboarding service fees have their own refund policy. Contact your account manager or support with your invoice details to initiate a review. My refund was approved but I have not received it yet Approved refunds typically take 5–10 business days to appear on your bank statement, depending on your card issuer. If it has been longer than 10 business days, contact support with the approval confirmation and we will investigate with our payments processor. I want a partial refund for unused time on a monthly plan Monthly plans are billed in full at the start of each cycle. Partial refunds for unused time are not standard policy, but exceptions may be made when the account was inactive for documented reasons. Contact support to request a review. 🔍 How to Contact Support Use the live chat widget inside your Search Atlas account for all refund requests. Include: 1. Your account email address. 2. The charge amount and date. 3. A brief description of the situation. This ensures your request reaches the billing team directly and gets resolved as quickly as possible. Do not email an external address — requests sent outside the in-app chat may not be tracked.

💳 Refund Help for Accidental Plan Renewal

📌 Overview Sometimes a plan renews when you did not expect it to, especially after you have downgraded. This article explains why that can happen, how to request a refund, what information helps us review your request quickly, and what to do if you have not heard back. ❓ Why Did My Plan Renew After I Downgraded? Downgrading and canceling are two different actions in your account: - Downgrading moves you to a different plan. Your subscription usually stays active and continues to renew on your billing date. - Canceling stops future renewals. Your access normally continues until the end of the period you already paid for. If you downgraded to a lower plan but did not cancel, your account may still have renewed at the new plan price on the next billing date. This is a common reason customers are surprised by a charge. 🧾 Step 1: Check Your Billing Details Before you request a refund, confirm what was charged. This helps you describe the issue clearly. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your Billing or Subscription settings. 3. Review your current plan, your renewal date, and your billing history. 4. Note the date and amount of the charge you did not expect. 📝 Step 2: Request Your Refund Refund requests are handled by our team through the live chat widget in the platform. Sending one clear request is the fastest way to get started. 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Explain that your plan renewed unexpectedly after a downgrade and that you would like to request a refund. 4. Share the details listed in the next section. 📋 What to Include in Your Request Having these details ready helps our team review your case without back-and-forth: - The email address on your Search Atlas account - The date and amount of the charge - The plan you downgraded from and the plan you downgraded to - The date you downgraded - Whether you have used the platform since the renewal - Whether you also want your subscription canceled going forward ⏳ What to Expect After You Ask Each refund request is reviewed individually, and approval depends on your account details and our refund policy. Our team will let you know the outcome and any next steps. If a refund is approved, the time it takes to appear depends on your bank or card provider. While your request is being reviewed, it helps to avoid making further plan changes unless our team advises it. This keeps your account details clear and consistent. 🔄 Haven't Heard Back on Your Refund? If some time has passed since you first asked and you have not received an update, you do not need to start over. Here is what to do: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to reach a person on our team. 3. Tell them you are following up on an earlier refund request for an accidental renewal. 4. Share the date of your original request and the charge details so they can find your case quickly. Please avoid submitting multiple new requests for the same charge. Following up on your existing request keeps everything in one place and helps our team respond faster. 🛡️ How to Avoid This in the Future - Decide whether you want to downgrade or cancel. If you do not want to be charged again, cancel instead of only downgrading. - Check your renewal date. You can find it in your billing settings. Make changes well before that date. - Confirm your change. After you downgrade or cancel, check that your billing page shows the plan and status you expect. - Save your confirmation. Keep any confirmation message or a screenshot of your billing page for your records. 💡 Quick Answers - Does downgrading stop my renewal? No. Your subscription usually continues to renew at the lower plan price unless you cancel. - Is a refund guaranteed? Refunds are reviewed case by case, so approval cannot be guaranteed. - Can I keep using the platform while I wait? Your access depends on your current plan status. Ask our team in chat if you are unsure. - Should I send my request again? No. Follow up on your existing request through chat instead. 🙋 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Refund and Cancellation Requests for Unused Credits

📌 Overview If you purchased credits or a plan and can no longer use them, you may want to cancel and ask for a refund. This article explains the difference between the two, how to cancel, what to prepare, and how to get your request in front of a person quickly. 🔎 Cancellation vs. Refund: What's the Difference? These are two separate requests, and it helps to treat them that way. - Cancellation stops future charges and renewals on your account. - Refund request asks for a review of money already paid, such as a credit purchase that you cannot use. Cancelling does not automatically return past payments. A refund is reviewed separately, and the outcome depends on the terms of your purchase and the details of your case. 🛑 Step 1: Cancel Your Plan or Stop Renewals Cancel first so that you are not billed again while your refund request is reviewed. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your account or billing settings. 3. Find your active plan or subscription. 4. Select the option to cancel or turn off renewal. 5. Confirm the cancellation and save any confirmation message you receive. If you cannot find the cancel option, or the cancellation does not seem to go through, open the chat widget and ask for help (see the last section). 🧾 Step 2: Gather Your Purchase Details Having the right information ready helps our team review your request without back-and-forth. Prepare the following: - The account email or workspace name used for the purchase - The date and amount of the credit purchase - The type of credits you bought (for example, which tool or feature they apply to) - The date you first asked to cancel or get a refund, if you did so before - A short description of why the credits are unusable, including any error messages or screenshots 💬 Step 3: Submit Your Request Through Live Chat The live chat widget inside the platform is the only support channel for billing, cancellation, and refund requests. Using it keeps your request tied to your account and lets a teammate see your details. 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a person. 3. State clearly that you want to cancel and request a refund review for unused credits. 4. Share the details you gathered in Step 2. 5. Ask for a reference or a summary of next steps before you close the chat. ⏱️ What to Expect After You Ask - Confirmation of cancellation: A teammate can verify that your plan is cancelled and no further charges are scheduled. - Review of your purchase: Your credit purchase and usage are checked against the terms that applied when you bought them. - A clear outcome: You should be told whether a refund, partial refund, or another resolution is available, along with the reason. Review times can vary depending on the details of your case. If you have already waited a long time, mention this in the chat and include the dates of your earlier requests so the team can look into them. ⚠️ Common Reasons Requests Get Delayed - The request was made in a place that is not linked to your account, so it was never received by our team. - The purchase cannot be matched because the account email or payment details are missing. - The cancellation was never completed, so billing continued. - The reason the credits are unusable was not described, so the team cannot check for a technical issue. 💡 Tips to Avoid Issues in the Future - Review what a credit pack covers before you buy it. - Test the feature with a small amount of credits first, especially for larger purchases. - Keep your purchase confirmations and chat summaries in one place. - If a feature does not work as expected, report it in chat right away rather than waiting. - Cancel before your renewal date if you do not plan to continue. 🙋 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Refund Help for Unexpected Reactivation Charges

🔍 What This Article Covers Some customers reactivate a Search Atlas account expecting a free trial, then see a charge at the full subscription rate. This article explains why that can happen, how to check what you were billed for, and how to ask for a refund. ❓ Why Was I Charged Instead of Getting a Free Trial? A free trial and a reactivation are not the same thing. The most common reasons for the mix-up are: - Reactivating an existing account: If you already had a Search Atlas account or subscription, restarting it usually bills your plan right away. Trial offers are often meant for new accounts only. - Choosing a paid plan at checkout: Selecting a plan and confirming payment starts a paid subscription, even if you saw a trial offer earlier. - Similar-looking buttons: Buttons such as Reactivate, Resume, or Upgrade can look like a trial sign-up but start billing. - Saved payment details: If a card is already on file, a reactivation can go through without a new payment screen, so the charge may be unexpected. 🧾 Step 1: Check What You Were Charged For Before you request a refund, confirm what happened. This also helps our team resolve your request faster. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your account or billing settings. 3. Review your current plan, the charge amount, and the charge date. 4. Check your inbox for a payment receipt or confirmation. It should show the plan name and the amount. 5. Note whether the account was new or a previously cancelled one. 🛑 Step 2: Stop Further Charges If you do not want to keep the subscription, cancel it right away so you are not billed again at the next renewal. 1. Go to your billing or subscription settings. 2. Select the option to cancel your plan. 3. Confirm the cancellation and check that the plan now shows as cancelled or set to end. Cancelling stops future billing. It does not automatically refund a charge that has already been made, so please also complete the next step. 💬 Step 3: Request Your Refund Refund requests are handled by our team through live chat. Each request is reviewed individually, so we cannot promise a particular outcome in advance. The sooner you reach out after the charge, the easier it is to review. To request a refund: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Explain that you were charged after reactivating and expected a free trial. 4. Share the details listed in the next section. 📋 What to Include in Your Message - The email address on your Search Atlas account - The date and amount of the charge - The plan you were charged for - Where you saw the trial offer (for example, a page, an email, or an ad) - Whether you have used the platform since the charge A message such as this works well: I reactivated my account expecting a 7-day free trial, but I was charged the subscription rate. Can you review my charge for a refund? ⏱️ What Happens After You Ask - A team member reviews your account, the charge, and the offer you saw. - They may ask a few follow-up questions. - If a refund is approved, it goes back to your original payment method. Your bank or card provider sets how long it takes to appear, which is often several business days. - If a refund is not possible, the team will explain why and discuss other options, such as switching to a different plan. 💡 How to Avoid This in the Future - Read the checkout summary carefully. It should show the plan name, price, and any trial length before you confirm. - Look for wording such as Start Free Trial versus Reactivate or Subscribe. - If you are a returning customer, ask in live chat whether a trial is available for your account before you reactivate. - Check your email for the payment receipt right after you confirm. - Cancel before the renewal date if you only want to try the platform briefly. 🙋 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Refund for Unexpected OTTO Google Ads Charges

❓ Why Am I Being Charged for the OTTO Google Ads Add-on? Some customers see a recurring charge labeled OTTO Google Ads Add-on (for example, $199 per month) and wonder whether it is already part of their main plan, such as Pro Annual. The add-on is billed as its own subscription, separate from your main plan. A main plan subscription does not automatically cover it. If you did not mean to subscribe, the charge may have come from one of these: - The add-on was enabled during a checkout or upgrade flow. - Someone else on your team added it to the account. - You started the add-on from inside the OTTO Google Ads feature and the subscription stayed active. 🔍 Step 1: Confirm What You Are Being Charged For Before you request a refund, check exactly which subscriptions are active on your account. 1. Log in to the Search Atlas platform. 2. Open your Account or Billing settings. 3. Look at the list of active subscriptions. Your main plan and any add-ons appear as separate items. 4. Find the line item named OTTO Google Ads Add-on and note its price and billing date. 5. Compare it with the charge on your card or bank statement. If you see two separate subscriptions, your main plan and the add-on, the charge is coming from the add-on. 🛑 Step 2: Stop Future Charges If you do not want to keep the add-on, cancel it as soon as possible so you are not billed again at the next renewal. 1. Go to your Billing or Subscriptions page. 2. Select the OTTO Google Ads Add-on subscription. 3. Choose the cancel option and confirm. 4. Check that the status now shows as canceled or set to end. Important: Cancel only the add-on. Canceling your main plan is a separate action and will affect your access to the rest of Search Atlas. 📝 Step 3: Gather Details for Your Refund Request Having the right details ready helps our team review your request faster. Please collect: - The date and amount of each charge you do not recognize - The name of the subscription shown in your billing page - The email address on your Search Atlas account - A short note on whether you intended to purchase the add-on - Whether anyone else on your team has access to billing 💬 Step 4: Request a Refund Review Refund requests for add-on charges are reviewed individually by our team. We look at the account, the subscription history, and how the add-on was used. We cannot guarantee a refund in every case, but reporting the issue promptly gives us the best chance of resolving it. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. When you connect, include the details from Step 3 in your first message so we can start the review right away. ⏱️ What Happens After You Submit a Request - Our team confirms which subscriptions are active on your account. - We check how the add-on was activated and whether it was used. - We let you know the outcome of the review and any next steps. - If a refund is approved, it goes back to the original payment method. Your bank or card provider controls how long it takes to appear. 🛡️ How to Avoid Unexpected Add-on Charges - Read the order summary carefully before confirming any upgrade or purchase. - Review your Billing page regularly, especially after changing plans. - Limit billing access to the people who need it. - Turn on billing email notifications and check receipts after each renewal. - Cancel any add-on you no longer need before its renewal date. 📌 Quick Summary - The OTTO Google Ads Add-on is a separate subscription from your main plan. - Check your Billing page to confirm what is active. - Cancel the add-on if you do not want it, to prevent future charges. - Contact our team through the chat widget to request a refund review.

💳 Refund for Immediate Charge on Returning Trial

📌 Overview You signed up expecting a free trial, but your card was charged right away. This can happen when you have used Search Atlas before. This article explains why it happens, what to do next, and how to avoid it in future. ❓ Why Was I Charged Immediately? Free trials are generally intended for first-time customers. If the system recognizes you as a returning customer, your new subscription may start as a paid plan instead of a trial. Common reasons include: - You previously had an account or trial with the same login details. - You used the same payment card on an earlier trial or subscription. - You are signing up for a website or business that was already linked to a past trial. - A team member or colleague already started a trial using the same details. Because the checkout page may not make this clear, many customers only notice when the charge appears on their statement. If this happened to you, we can look into it. 🔎 Step 1: Confirm What Was Charged Before contacting us, take a minute to check the details so we can resolve your request faster. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your billing or subscription settings. 3. Note the plan name, the charge amount, and the date of the charge. 4. Check whether the plan shows as active or as a trial. If your account shows an active paid plan and no trial, the charge was likely applied because the trial was not available for this sign-up. 🛑 Step 2: Stop Further Charges If you do not want to continue with the paid plan, cancel it as soon as possible so you are not billed again at the next renewal. 1. Go to your billing or subscription settings. 2. Select the option to cancel your plan. 3. Confirm the cancellation and check that your plan status updates. If you cannot find the cancel option, or the cancellation does not seem to go through, our team can cancel it for you in chat. 💬 Step 3: Request a Refund Refund requests for charges like this are reviewed by our team. To get help, use the live chat widget in the platform and include the following: - The email address or login you used to sign up - The date and amount of the charge - The plan you were charged for - A short note that you expected a free trial and were charged immediately - Whether you want a refund only, or a refund and cancellation Giving us this information at the start helps us avoid back-and-forth and review your request sooner. ⏱️ What Happens Next - Our team will review your account and the charge. - We will confirm whether the trial was unavailable for your account and what options are available. - If a refund is approved, it is returned to the original payment method. Your bank may take several business days to show it. - If you cancel, you keep access to the plan according to the terms shown in your billing settings. Outcomes can depend on your account history and how much of the plan you have used, so we review each request individually. ✅ How to Avoid This in Future - Read the checkout page carefully. It should show whether you are starting a trial or paying today. - Look at the order summary. A trial usually shows a zero amount due today, while a paid plan shows a charge. - If you are a returning customer and want to try the platform again, ask our team first whether a trial is available for your account. - Use the same login you used before. Creating a duplicate account can cause billing confusion. - Set a reminder before any trial ends so you can cancel or upgrade on your own terms. 🙋 Frequently Asked Questions Can I get a second free trial? Trials are normally limited to new customers. Ask our team in chat if you would like to know what is available for your account. Will I lose my data if I cancel? Cancelling stops future billing. If you want to keep your projects and data, tell our team before you cancel so they can explain what to expect. How long will the refund take? Once a refund is processed, the time it takes to appear depends on your bank or card provider and is usually a few business days. I do not recognize the charge at all. What should I do? Contact us in chat as soon as possible, with the charge date and amount, so we can check whether it is linked to your account. 🆘 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Requesting a Refund for Unexpected $99 Charge

Seeing a $99 charge you don't recognize is stressful. This article explains why it may have happened, how to confirm the details, how to stop future charges, and how to ask our team to review a refund. 🔎 Why You May Have Been Charged $99 Many Search Atlas plans start with a trial. If a trial is not canceled before it ends, it usually moves to a paid subscription automatically, and the first payment is taken at that point. Because this can happen days or weeks after you sign up, the charge can feel unexpected. Other common reasons include: - A teammate, colleague, or agency partner started a trial using your email address or company card. - You signed up a while ago and forgot about the trial. - You started a trial using a different email address than the one you normally use. 🧾 Step 1: Confirm the Charge Details Before you request a refund, gather a few details. They help our team find your account quickly. 1. Check your bank or card statement for the exact date, amount, and the name shown for the charge. 2. Search your inbox (including spam and promotions folders) for a welcome email, trial confirmation, or receipt from Search Atlas. 3. Note which email address received those messages. This is the email linked to the subscription. 4. Log in to the platform with that email and open your account or billing settings to see your current plan and billing status. Tip: If you can't find any Search Atlas emails, ask your teammates whether anyone may have signed up using your card or company details. 🛑 Step 2: Stop Future Charges If you don't want to keep the subscription, cancel it right away so you are not billed again at the next renewal. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your account or billing settings. 3. Select the option to manage or cancel your subscription and follow the prompts. 4. Confirm that your plan status has updated, and keep any cancellation confirmation you receive. If you can't find the cancellation option or the plan status looks wrong, tell our team in chat and they can help. 💬 Step 3: Request a Refund Review Refund requests are reviewed by our team. Each request is looked at individually, so the outcome depends on your account and billing details. The sooner you reach out after seeing the charge, the easier it is to review. To help us move quickly, include the following in your message: - The email address on your Search Atlas account - The date and amount of the charge ($99) - The last four digits of the card that was charged (never send the full card number) - A short note that you did not expect the charge, and whether you have used the platform since signing up - Whether you have already canceled the subscription If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. ⏳ What Happens After You Ask - Our team will locate your account and verify the charge. - They will review your request and explain the outcome. - If a refund is approved, it is returned to the original payment method. Your bank or card issuer controls how long it takes to appear on your statement. - If a refund isn't possible, our team can explain why and help you with next steps, such as canceling to avoid future charges. Please don't dispute the charge with your bank while we are reviewing it, as this can slow down the process. Reaching out to us first is usually the fastest route. 🛡️ How to Avoid Surprise Charges in the Future - When you start a trial, note the trial end date and set a calendar reminder a day or two before. - Read the plan and billing details shown at sign-up before you confirm. - Save your welcome and receipt emails in a dedicated folder. - If you only want to try the platform, cancel your plan before the trial ends. - Use a shared team inbox for billing emails so everyone stays informed. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will I be refunded automatically if I cancel? Canceling stops future charges. A refund for a charge that has already been made needs to be reviewed by our team. Can I still use the platform after canceling? Access depends on your plan and billing status. Check your account settings or ask our team in chat to confirm what applies to you. I don't recognize the account at all. What should I do? Tell our team in chat. Include the charge date, amount, and the email address on any Search Atlas receipt you found, and they will help investigate. Who should I contact for help? Our live chat is the fastest way to reach us. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

🛠️ Refund Requests After Unwanted OTTO Content Changes

🔍 Overview OTTO is built to improve your SEO by making automated changes to your website. If OTTO publishes content that is inappropriate, offensive, off-brand, or simply wrong, we take it seriously. This is especially true if the site belongs to one of your clients. This article explains how to protect your websites right away, what information to gather, and how to request a refund review. 🚨 Step 1: Stop the Problem Immediately Before anything else, make sure the content is no longer live on your site or your clients' sites. 1. Open the OTTO project for the affected website in your Search Atlas account. 2. Pause OTTO for that site, or turn off the specific optimization that produced the content, so no further changes are deployed. 3. Revert or undo the affected changes where this option is available. 4. Check the live page in a private browser window to confirm the content is gone. If your site uses caching, clear it so visitors do not see an old version. 5. If a page is still showing problematic content, edit or remove it directly in your website's CMS. If you are not sure how to pause OTTO or roll back a change, open the chat widget (details at the end of this article) and we will walk you through it. 📸 Step 2: Document What Happened Clear evidence helps our team investigate quickly and accurately. Please gather the following: - Affected websites: the domain and, for agencies, the client name. - Page URLs: every page where the content appeared. - Screenshots: the content as it appeared on the live page, including the date if possible. - Approximate dates: when you first noticed the issue and when you removed it. - The change itself: which element was changed, such as a title, description, heading, or body text, and the text OTTO added. - Impact: any client complaints, lost traffic, or other harm you have seen. 💬 Step 3: Submit Your Refund Request To make sure your request reaches the right team quickly, submit it through the live chat widget inside the platform. In your first message, include: - The email address on your Search Atlas account. - Your plan type and billing period, for example an annual subscription. - A short description of what OTTO changed and why it was a problem. - The evidence you gathered in Step 2. - The outcome you are looking for, such as a full or partial refund. If you have already sent a complaint through another channel, mention it in your chat message so our team can connect the two. ⏱️ What Happens Next - Review: Our team reviews your account, the OTTO activity on the affected sites, and the evidence you provide. - Follow-up: We may ask for more details, such as additional URLs or screenshots. - Decision: Refund decisions are made case by case, so we cannot promise a specific outcome in advance. We will explain our decision and any next steps. 🛡️ Reducing the Risk of Future Issues Once the immediate problem is resolved, these habits help you stay in control of what is published on your sites: - Review OTTO's suggested changes before they go live, if your setup allows it. - Spot-check key pages, such as your homepage, top landing pages, and recently changed pages, after new deployments. - For agency accounts, set up a regular review for each client site, especially newly connected ones. - Keep a record of your site's original titles, descriptions, and content so you can restore them quickly. - Tell us if a site has sensitive or regulated content, or specific words and topics to avoid, so we can look into how best to protect it. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will OTTO keep making changes while my request is reviewed? Only if it is still active. Pause OTTO on the affected sites until you are comfortable resuming. Can I request a refund for client sites I manage as an agency? Yes. Include the client domains and describe the impact on each, so we can review the full picture. Should I cancel my subscription first? You do not need to cancel before contacting us. If you are unsure, ask our team in chat and they can explain how cancellation could affect your request. Do I need to report the offensive content even if I have already removed it? Yes. Reporting it helps our team investigate the cause and work to prevent it from happening again. 🙋 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 How to Request a Refund for Renewal Charges

📌 Overview Sometimes a subscription renews when you did not expect it. This often happens when the person who managed the account has left the company and the cancellation was never completed. This article explains what to do if you were charged for a renewal you did not intend, how to request a refund review, and how to avoid the same situation in future. Please note: Refunds for renewal charges are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Submitting a request does not guarantee a refund, but our team will look at your situation and explain the options available. 🔎 Why Unintended Renewals Happen Search Atlas subscriptions renew automatically at the end of each billing period so your service continues without interruption. A renewal can come as a surprise in situations like these: - A team member who set up the subscription left the company without cancelling it. - The account owner changed, but nobody updated the billing contact. - Renewal reminders went to an inbox that is no longer monitored. - A cancellation was started but not completed. - The account was shared and no one knew who was responsible for billing. ✅ Before You Request a Refund Gathering a few details first helps our team review your request faster. Please check the following: 1. Confirm the charge. Find the date and amount of the renewal on your bank or card statement. 2. Identify the account. Note the email address the Search Atlas account is registered under, especially if it belongs to a former employee. 3. Check your billing settings. Log in to the platform and open your account or billing settings to see your current plan, renewal date, and payment method. 4. Check your usage. Note whether anyone on your team has used the platform since the renewal. This is useful context for the review. 5. Write down what happened. A short explanation, such as the person responsible left the company and the cancellation was missed, helps our team understand your situation. 💬 How to Request a Refund Review Refund requests are handled by our team directly through the platform. Follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. If the original account belongs to a former employee, use any available admin access or ask your company's account owner to help. 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 4. Tell the team you would like a refund review for an unintended renewal. 5. Share the details you gathered: the account email, the charge date and amount, and a brief explanation of what happened. Once the team has reviewed your details, they will tell you what can be done. Please reach out as soon as you notice the charge, because the sooner a request is made, the easier it is to review. 🛑 How to Cancel So You Are Not Charged Again If you no longer want the subscription, cancel it now so it does not renew again. Requesting a refund does not automatically cancel your plan, so these are two separate steps. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Go to your account settings and open the billing or subscription section. 3. Select the option to cancel your subscription and follow the on-screen prompts. 4. Check that you receive a confirmation and that your plan shows as cancelled. If you cannot log in because the account was set up by a former employee, open the chat widget and ask for help. Our team can guide you through verifying ownership and managing the subscription. 🔐 Regaining Access to an Account Set Up by a Former Employee If the person who created the account has left, you may not be able to sign in or change billing details. To get back in control: - Try the password reset option on the login page, if your company still controls the original email inbox. - Ask your IT team whether the former employee's email is still active or forwarded to someone else. - If you cannot access the email, open the chat widget and type human teammate. Our team will explain what verification is needed. 🛡️ How to Prevent Unexpected Renewals A few simple habits can help you avoid surprise charges: - Use a shared company email. Register the account with a team address such as a billing or admin mailbox instead of a personal one. - Name a billing owner. Assign one person responsible for subscriptions and a backup in case they leave. - Add subscriptions to your offboarding checklist. When someone leaves, confirm which tools they managed and transfer or cancel them. - Note your renewal date. Add a calendar reminder a few days before each renewal so you can review your plan. - Review your plan regularly. Check that your plan still fits your needs and that the right payment method is on file. - Monitor reminder emails. Make sure billing notifications go to an inbox that someone actively checks. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will I definitely get a refund? Refunds are reviewed case by case. Our team will look at the details of your account and explain what is possible. Does a refund request cancel my subscription? No. You need to cancel separately to prevent future renewals. Our team can help you with both in the same conversation. What if the former employee still has access to the account? Change the password and update the account email as soon as you can. If you cannot, let our team know in chat so they can help you secure the account. What if I do not know who set up the subscription? Check your bank or card statement for the payment details, then share the charge date and amount with our team. This can help them locate the account. How soon should I contact the team? As soon as you notice the charge. Acting quickly gives the team the best chance to review your request. 🙋 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 instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Requesting a Partial Refund on Your Annual Plan

📌 Overview Annual plans are billed once for a full 12 months of access. Because of this, canceling partway through the year does not automatically return money for the months you have not used. If you would like a refund for the remaining months, you can ask our team to review your situation as an exception request. This article explains what to expect, what to prepare, and how to submit your request. 🔍 How Annual Plan Refunds Work Here is what you should know before you reach out: - No automatic prorated refunds. Canceling an annual plan stops future renewals, but it does not by default trigger a refund for unused months. - Exceptions are reviewed case by case. Our team looks at each request individually. Submitting a request does not guarantee a refund, but every request is considered. - Your access continues. If you cancel renewal, you can normally keep using your plan features until the end of your paid term, unless a refund is approved and processed earlier. - Timing matters. Requests made soon after a charge or renewal are generally easier to review than requests made late in the term. 📝 What to Prepare Before You Ask Having the right details ready helps our team review your request faster. Please gather the following: 1. The email address on your Search Atlas account. 2. The date of your most recent annual charge or renewal. 3. The reason you are requesting a refund (for example, a change in business needs, budget changes, or a problem with the product). 4. Any steps you have already taken to resolve an issue, if the request is related to a problem. 5. Whether you want a full cancellation, a plan change, or just a refund for the remaining months. 🚀 How to Submit Your Request 1. Sign in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 3. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 4. Tell the teammate that you would like to request a partial refund exception on your annual plan. 5. Share the details you prepared above, including your reason for the request. 6. Wait for the team to review your request and confirm the outcome with you in the chat. Please be as clear and specific as you can in your first message. This helps avoid back-and-forth and shortens the time to a decision. 🔄 Options to Consider Besides a Refund Depending on your goals, one of these options may work better for you. Ask the team about what is available on your account: - Turn off auto-renewal. This prevents being charged again for another year while you keep access for the rest of your current term. - Change your plan. If you are not using all the features you pay for, a different plan may better fit your needs. - Get help with setup or results. If the request is driven by not seeing value yet, our team can help you get more from the platform before you decide. ⏱️ What Happens After You Submit - A teammate reviews your account, billing history, and the reason you gave. - You will be told whether your request is approved, partially approved, or not approved, along with the reason. - If a refund is approved, it is returned to your original payment method. Your bank or card provider may need several business days to show it. - If your plan is canceled as part of the refund, your access may end sooner than the original term. The teammate will confirm this before anything is processed. 💡 Tips for a Smooth Review - Reach out as early as possible rather than waiting until near the end of your term. - Be honest and specific about your situation. Context helps our team make a fair decision. - Do not file a payment dispute with your bank before talking to us. A dispute can delay resolution and may affect your account access. - Keep any receipts or invoices handy in case the team needs to confirm a charge. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will I definitely get a refund if I ask? No. Exception requests are reviewed individually, and approval is not guaranteed. Can I just cancel and get money back for unused months? Canceling stops future renewals, but unused months are not automatically refunded. You would need to submit an exception request. Will I lose access right away if I cancel? In most cases you keep access until your paid term ends, unless you agree to an earlier end date as part of an approved refund. How long does the review take? Timing can vary. A teammate will let you know the next steps in the chat once your request is received. 💬 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 instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Resolving Unrecognized Recurring $199 Charges

🔎 Overview Seeing a recurring $199 charge you don't recognize can be stressful, especially if it has appeared for several months and you feel you haven't used the service. This article explains how to find out what the charge is, how to stop future billing, and how to ask our team to review a refund request. ❓ Why You May See a Recurring Charge Search Atlas plans renew automatically each billing period until the subscription is cancelled. A recurring charge usually has one of these causes: - A subscription was started on your account (for example, after a trial or plan sign-up) and was never cancelled. - A teammate, colleague, or agency partner signed up using the same payment card. - You have more than one Search Atlas account, and the charge comes from one you don't use often. - A plan renewed automatically after a trial or promotional period ended. Not logging in or not actively using the tools does not pause or cancel a subscription. Billing continues until the plan is cancelled. 🧾 Step 1: Confirm the Charge Details Before requesting a refund, gather the facts about the charge. This helps our team resolve your case much faster. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account and open your Billing or Subscription settings. 2. Check the current plan, the status of the subscription, and the invoice history. 3. Note the date and amount of each charge, starting with the first one you don't recognize. 4. Compare these with the entries on your card or bank statement, including the last four digits of the card used. 5. If you can't log in or can't find a subscription, try any other email addresses you might have used to sign up, since the charge may be tied to a different account. 🛑 Step 2: Stop Future Charges If you don't want the subscription to continue, cancel it as soon as possible so no further payments are taken. 1. Go to Billing or Subscription in your account settings. 2. Select the option to cancel your plan. 3. Confirm that the status shows the subscription as cancelled or set to end, and that no future renewal date is listed. If you can't find the subscription, or the cancel option isn't available, open the chat widget and ask our team to help (see the final section). Please do this promptly, because each new renewal adds to the amount in question. 💬 Step 3: Request a Refund Review Refund requests are reviewed by our team on a case-by-case basis. Approval depends on your account's history and billing details, so we can't promise a specific outcome in advance. To make the review as smooth as possible, prepare the following: - The name and sign-up address of the account, if you know them. - The date of the first charge you don't recognize and the number of charges since then. - The amount of each charge (for example, $199 per month). - The last four digits of the card that was charged. - A short explanation of why you're asking for a refund, such as not recognizing the subscription or not using the service. If you're requesting a refund for multiple months, list all of the charges in one message. This lets our team review the full billing history at once rather than piece by piece. ⏱️ What to Expect After You Ask - Our team will look up the subscription and confirm which account the charges belong to. - They will review the billing history, including when the plan started, any renewals, and any account activity. - You will be told whether the subscription has been cancelled and what the outcome of your refund request is. - If a refund is approved, the time it takes to appear depends on your card issuer or bank. 🛡️ How to Avoid Unexpected Charges - Review your Billing page regularly so you know your plan and renewal date. - If you start a trial or a promotional plan, set a reminder to cancel before the renewal date if you don't plan to continue. - Agree with teammates or agencies on who manages the subscription, and avoid sharing one payment card across accounts without a record. - Keep track of the sign-up address for each account you create so you can find it later. - Check your card statements monthly and act on any charge you don't recognize right away. 📌 Quick Answers - Do I get charged if I don't use the platform? Yes. Subscriptions renew automatically until they are cancelled, whether or not you log in. - Will cancelling remove past charges? No. Cancelling stops future billing only. Past charges need a separate refund review. - Can I get a refund for every month charged? Each request is reviewed individually, so the outcome depends on your billing history. - What if I truly never signed up? Tell our team right away so they can check whether the account was created by someone else using your card details. 🙋 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Refund Requests for Charges During Your 7-Day Trial

📌 Overview If you signed up for Search Atlas and cancelled before your 7-day trial ended, you may still see a charge on your statement. This article explains why that can happen, how to confirm your cancellation, and how to request a review of the charge. 🕒 How the 7-Day Trial Works The trial period starts the moment you sign up. For example, if you start on September 21, your trial runs for seven days from that date. Cancelling inside that window should stop any further billing on your subscription. - Your trial start date is the day you completed sign-up, not the day you first logged in. - Cancelling stops future renewals. It does not automatically reverse a charge that was already made. - Some plans include an initial sign-up amount. Whether it is refundable is reviewed on a case-by-case basis by our team. 🔎 Why You May Still See a Charge A charge on your statement after cancelling does not always mean something went wrong. Common reasons include: - Initial sign-up amount: A charge was made when you started, and cancelling later does not automatically return it. - Pending authorization: Your bank may show a temporary hold that disappears on its own after a few days. - Cancellation not completed: The cancel request may not have been confirmed, so the subscription stayed active. - Timing differences: Your bank or card issuer may show dates that differ from your actual sign-up or cancellation date. ✅ How to Confirm Your Cancellation 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your account settings and go to the billing or subscription section. 3. Check that your plan shows as cancelled, or that no upcoming renewal is listed. 4. Look for a cancellation confirmation message in your inbox, including your spam folder. If your plan still shows as active, cancel it again and take a screenshot of the confirmation for your records. 💰 What to Do If You Were Charged Before you contact us, gather the details below. Having them ready helps our team review your request faster. - The date you signed up for the trial. - The date you cancelled. - The amount charged and the date it appeared on your statement. - The last four digits of the card used. - A screenshot of your cancellation confirmation, if you have one. Then open the chat widget and ask for a billing review. Our team can look at your account, confirm your trial dates, and tell you whether the charge is eligible for a refund. ⏳ How Long Refunds Take If a refund is approved, it is returned to your original payment method. After it is issued, your bank or card provider may need several business days to show it on your statement. If you do not see it after that time, check with your bank and then let our team know. 💡 Tips to Avoid Unexpected Charges - Note your trial start date as soon as you sign up. - Set a reminder for a day or two before the trial ends. - Cancel well before the last day so time zone differences do not cause problems. - Save your cancellation confirmation until your billing is settled. - Review the plan details shown at checkout so you know whether an initial amount applies. 🛟 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 instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 What to Do About an Unexpected Charge

📌 Overview Seeing a charge from Search Atlas that you don't recognize can be stressful. This article explains how to find out what the charge is for, how to stop future billing, how to close your account, and how to request a refund review. Following these steps helps our team resolve your request faster. 🔍 Step 1: Identify the Charge Before requesting a refund, it helps to confirm where the charge came from. Search Atlas charges usually come from one of the following: - A paid plan you or a teammate started, including a trial that converted to a paid plan - An annual or multi-month plan billed upfront, which can appear as a larger amount than a typical monthly charge - An add-on, extra seat, or additional project or location added to your account - An automatic renewal of an existing subscription To check, look for a confirmation or receipt message in the inbox of any email address you may have used to sign up. Search for the name Search Atlas. Also check whether a colleague, agency partner, or team member may have created an account using your company details or payment card. 🧾 Step 2: Review Your Billing Details in the Platform If you can log in, you can see your plan and billing history directly in your account. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your account or profile settings. 3. Go to the Billing or Subscription section. Menu names can vary slightly. 4. Review your current plan, billing date, amount, and invoice history. If the amount matches an invoice here, you can see which plan and billing period it covers. If you can't log in, or you don't recognize the account, go to Step 5 and speak with our team. 🛑 Step 3: Cancel Your Subscription to Stop Future Charges If you don't want to continue with Search Atlas, cancel your subscription so you aren't billed again. 1. Log in and open the Billing or Subscription section. 2. Select the option to cancel your plan. 3. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm. 4. Check that your plan now shows as canceled or set to end, and save any confirmation you receive. Cancelling stops future renewals. It does not automatically refund a charge that has already been made, so a refund must be requested separately (see Step 4). 💰 Step 4: Request a Refund Review If you believe a charge was made in error or without your authorization, you can ask our team to review it. To help us look into it quickly, have the following information ready: - The exact amount charged and the date it appeared - The last four digits of the card used (never share your full card number) - The email address associated with the Search Atlas account, if you know it - A short explanation of why you believe the charge was unauthorized or unexpected - Whether you want the account closed as well Our team will review the account, confirm what the charge relates to, and explain the options available. Refund eligibility depends on your plan, billing terms, and the circumstances of the charge, so we can't guarantee an outcome in advance. Each request is reviewed individually. 🗑️ Step 5: Close Your Account If you want your account closed, tell our team when you request your refund review. Closing an account is a separate action from cancelling a subscription, and it may remove access to your projects, reports, and saved data. If you may need any of that information later, export or save it before closing. If you don't recognize the account at all, let our team know. They can help confirm whether the account was created using your details and take the appropriate steps to secure or close it. 🔐 Protecting Your Account and Payment Details To reduce the chance of unexpected charges in the future, we recommend the following: - Check who in your organization has access to your Search Atlas account and payment methods - Use a strong, unique password and keep it private - Note the end date of any free trial and cancel before it if you don't want to continue - Review the plan and billing period (monthly or annual) before confirming any purchase - Keep receipts and confirmation messages for your records ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Why was I charged if I don't remember subscribing? Charges can come from a trial that converted to a paid plan, a renewal, or an account created by someone else using your card. Reviewing your billing history or contacting our team can confirm the source. Will cancelling give me a refund automatically? No. Cancelling stops future billing only. Refunds are reviewed separately by our team. Can I get a refund and have my account closed in one request? Yes. Tell our team you want both, and include the details listed in Step 4. How long does a refund take? If a refund is approved, processing time can vary depending on your card issuer. Our team can tell you what to expect when they review your request. What if I can't log in? You can still reach our team through the chat widget on the platform. Share the charge details from Step 4 and they will help you from there. 💬 Need Help From Our Team? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Refund Status After Cancelling Your Subscription

📌 Overview Cancelling your Search Atlas subscription and requesting a refund are two separate steps. Cancelling stops future charges. A refund on a recent invoice is reviewed and processed by our billing team. This article explains what to expect, how to check where things stand, and what to do if your conversation with support is interrupted before the refund is started. 🔄 Cancellation vs. Refund: What's the Difference? - Cancellation ends your subscription so you are not billed again on the next renewal date. - Refund is a separate request to return money for a charge that has already gone through, such as your most recent invoice. Cancelling does not automatically refund your latest payment. If you want a refund, it needs to be requested and reviewed by the billing team. Refunds are not guaranteed and are reviewed based on your situation and our billing policies. ✅ How to Confirm Your Cancellation Went Through Before you follow up on a refund, make sure your cancellation is complete. Doing so protects you from being charged again. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open the billing or subscription area of your account settings. 3. Check that your plan shows as cancelled, or that no future renewal date is listed. 4. Take a screenshot of the page for your records. If your plan still shows as active or a renewal date is still listed, let our team know right away so it can be corrected before the next billing date. 🔍 How to Check Your Refund Status Once a refund has been approved, you can usually see it in two places: - Your Search Atlas billing history: Look for a refund or credit entry linked to the invoice in question. - Your bank or card statement: The refund appears as a credit from the original payment method. After a refund is approved, it commonly takes about 5 to 10 business days to show on your statement. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer. Weekends and public holidays can add extra time. ⚠️ What If My Support Chat Was Interrupted? Sometimes a conversation is cut off while you are being transferred to billing. If you started the cancellation and refund process but the chat ended before billing took over, the refund may not have been started yet. Do not assume it is in progress. Here is what to do: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Explain that you began a cancellation and refund request in an earlier chat that was interrupted before the billing handoff. 4. Share the details listed in the next section so the team can pick up where you left off without starting over. 🧾 What to Have Ready Having this information on hand helps our team review your request faster: - The name on your Search Atlas account or your login details - The date and amount of the invoice you want refunded - The last four digits of the payment card used - A screenshot showing your cancellation status - A short summary of your earlier conversation, including what you were told and roughly when it happened 💡 Tips to Avoid Delays - Request your refund promptly. The sooner you ask after a charge, the easier it is to review. - Keep your own records. Screenshots of your cancellation status and billing history can save time. - Don't re-subscribe while a refund is pending. A new subscription can create a new charge and make the situation harder to sort out. - Confirm the outcome. Before ending a chat, ask for a clear statement of whether the refund was approved and what the next step is. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will I be charged again after I cancel? Once your cancellation is confirmed, you should not be billed again. If you see a new charge after cancelling, contact our team right away. Is my refund guaranteed? No. Refunds are reviewed by the billing team and depend on your account and our billing policies. Our team will tell you the outcome of your request. My refund was approved, but I don't see it yet. What now? Allow up to 10 business days for your bank to post it. If it still hasn't appeared after that, check your billing history for the refund entry and have the details ready when you reach out. Do I need to repeat everything if my chat was cut off? You will need to let the next team member know what happened, but you should not have to start from scratch. Share your summary and supporting details to help them continue the process. 🙋 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Refund Requests After Cancellation Outside 72 Hours

💡 Quick Answer If you cancelled your Search Atlas plan but still saw a recent charge, you can ask our team to review it, even if more than 72 hours have passed. Refunds outside the 72-hour window are not automatic and are reviewed case by case, so the more detail you share, the faster we can look into it. - Cancelling stops future renewals. It does not automatically reverse a charge that was already processed. - Requests made within 72 hours of a charge are the simplest to process. - Requests made after 72 hours can still be submitted and will be reviewed by our team. 🔍 Why You May Have Been Charged After Cancelling A charge after cancellation can feel unexpected. These are the most common reasons it happens: - The renewal was processed before you cancelled. If your plan renewed on the same day, or shortly before you cancelled, the charge may already have been issued. - The cancellation was not completed. If the final confirmation step was skipped, the subscription may still be active. - More than one subscription or workspace. You may have cancelled one plan while another is still active. - Add-ons or extra services. Some add-ons are billed separately from your main plan and may need to be cancelled on their own. - Turning off features is not the same as cancelling. Switching off automations or simply not logging in does not cancel your subscription or stop billing. ⏱️ How the 72-Hour Refund Window Works The 72-hour window starts when a charge is made. If you contact us within that time, your request is usually the most straightforward to handle. If more than 72 hours have passed, you can still reach out. In that case: - Your request is not automatically approved or declined. - Our team reviews your account and billing history before deciding. - Details such as when you cancelled, how much you used the platform, and when the charge occurred are taken into account. Please note that a refund cannot be guaranteed for requests outside the window, but we will always review your situation fairly. 📝 What to Do If You Are Outside the Window 1. Confirm your cancellation. Go to your account billing settings and check that your plan shows as cancelled and that no other active subscriptions exist. 2. Check the charge details. Note the date and amount of the charge, and compare it with the date you cancelled. 3. Gather your information. See the list in the next section so you can share everything in one message. 4. Open the chat widget. Click the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with our team. 5. Explain your situation clearly. Tell us you cancelled, were charged afterwards, and would like the charge reviewed for a refund. ✅ Information to Include in Your Request Sharing these details up front helps us avoid back-and-forth and resolve your request sooner: - The email address linked to your Search Atlas account - The date you cancelled your plan - The date and amount of the charge you are asking about - Whether you used the platform after the charge (for example, logged in, ran reports, or used automations) - Confirmation that automations and other active features are turned off - Any reason the charge was unexpected, such as not receiving a renewal reminder 🛡️ How to Avoid Unexpected Charges - Cancel before your renewal date. Check your billing settings to see when your next payment is due and cancel a few days ahead. - Finish every cancellation step. Make sure you reach the final confirmation screen and that your plan status updates to cancelled. - Review all subscriptions and add-ons. Confirm that nothing else is still active on your account. - Keep your cancellation confirmation. Save a screenshot or confirmation message in case you need to refer to it later. - Do not rely on turning off automations. Pausing features does not stop billing. Only cancelling your subscription does. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will I get a refund automatically if I cancelled before being charged? Not always. If a charge was processed, our team needs to review the timing of your cancellation and the charge before deciding on next steps. Does not using the platform qualify me for a refund? Low or no usage is helpful context and we will take it into account, but it does not guarantee a refund on its own. I turned off all my automations. Does that count as cancelling? No. Turning off automations does not cancel your subscription. You need to cancel your plan from your billing settings to stop future charges. How long does a refund take if it is approved? Once a refund is issued, the time it takes to appear depends on your bank or card provider. Our team can tell you more when your request is reviewed. Will I be charged again after I cancel? Once your cancellation is complete, you should not be charged for future renewals. If you see another charge, let our team know right away. 💬 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 Cancel Google Ads Add-On and Request Refund

📌 Overview If you added the Google Ads add-on to your Search Atlas plan and no longer use it, you can turn it off so it stops billing you. This article explains why you may still see a charge, how to turn the add-on off, and how to ask our team to review a charge you believe was made in error. 🔎 Why You May Still Be Charged for an Unused Add-On Add-ons are billed separately from your main plan and usually renew on a recurring basis. This means the add-on keeps renewing until it is turned off, even if you have not logged in or run any Google Ads activity. - Not using a feature is not the same as cancelling it. The charge continues until the add-on is removed from your subscription. - Cancelling your add-on stops future charges. It does not automatically reverse charges that have already been processed. - Add-on charges may appear as a separate line item from your main subscription, so they are easy to overlook. 🛠️ How to Turn Off the Google Ads Add-On Follow these steps to stop the add-on from renewing: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your account settings and go to the Billing or Subscription section. 3. Find the Google Ads add-on in the list of active plans and add-ons. 4. Select the option to cancel or remove the add-on and confirm your choice. 5. Check that the add-on now shows as cancelled or inactive, and that no further renewal date is listed for it. If you cannot find the add-on or the cancel option, our team can turn it off for you. See the support section at the end of this article. 🧾 Review Your Recent Charges Before asking for a refund, it helps to confirm exactly what you were charged for: - Open your billing history and find the most recent charge. - Check whether the charge is for the Google Ads add-on, your main plan, or another add-on. - Note the date of the charge and the amount. - Check whether other add-on charges appeared in earlier months. Having this information ready makes it much faster for our team to look into your request. 💰 Requesting a Refund for an Unused Add-On Refunds for add-on charges are reviewed by our team on a case-by-case basis. Turning off the add-on does not automatically trigger a refund, and we cannot guarantee that every request will be approved. Our team will look at your account and billing history and let you know the outcome. To help us review your request quickly, include the following details when you contact us: - The name of the add-on you want turned off (Google Ads). - The date and amount of the charge you want reviewed. - How long you have not been using the add-on. - Whether you want the add-on turned off right away. 💡 Tips to Avoid Unexpected Add-On Charges - Review your billing section regularly, especially if you have added extra features. - Cancel add-ons you no longer need as soon as you stop using them. - Check your billing history after making any plan changes. - Confirm that the add-on shows as cancelled after you turn it off. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will cancelling the add-on stop future charges? Yes. Once the add-on is turned off, it should no longer renew. Always check your billing section to confirm the change. Does cancelling give me an automatic refund? No. Cancelling stops future billing only. A refund for a past charge must be reviewed by our team. Will I lose my main Search Atlas plan if I remove the add-on? No. The Google Ads add-on is separate from your main plan. Removing it does not cancel the rest of your subscription. Can the team turn off the add-on for me? Yes. If you have trouble finding the option in your billing settings, our team can do it for you. 🙋 Need Help From Our Team? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

💳 How to Request a Refund for Unintended Charges

💡 Overview Sometimes customers notice a recurring charge, such as the $199/month Growth plan, and don't remember choosing it. This article explains how to confirm what you were billed for, stop future charges, and ask our team to review a refund request. Refunds for unintended charges are reviewed by our team case by case. Contacting us quickly and giving clear details helps us resolve your request faster. 🔍 Step 1: Review Your Charges Before requesting a refund, check what was billed so you can describe the issue accurately. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open your account settings and go to the Billing section. 3. Look at your current plan name and monthly price. 4. Review your invoice or payment history for the dates and amounts of each charge. Write down the plan name, each charge date, and the total you want reviewed. For example, three monthly charges of $199 add up to $597. 🛑 Step 2: Cancel Your Plan to Stop Future Charges Cancel as soon as you notice an unexpected charge, even if you are still waiting on a refund decision. This prevents further billing. 1. Go to Billing in your account settings. 2. Open the Services tab and find your plan row. 3. Open the row's menu, choose Cancel, and follow the prompts. Cancelling a plan keeps access until the end of the current billing period and then deactivates it. 4. Check that the row status shows Pending Cancellation, with the billing date shown as "Cancelling on [date]." If you can't find the cancellation option or your plan status looks wrong, our team can help you cancel directly through chat. 📝 Step 3: Gather the Details for Your Request Having these details ready lets our team review your request without back-and-forth: - The name of the plan you were charged for (for example, Growth at $199/month) - The dates and amounts of each charge - The total amount you are asking to have refunded, or whether you are asking only for the most recent charges - A short explanation of why the charges were unintended, such as not realizing a plan started after a trial or sign-up - Whether you have already cancelled, and if so, the date - Whether you used the platform during the billing periods in question 💬 Step 4: Contact Our Team Our live chat is the fastest way to have your cancellation and refund request reviewed. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. Once connected, share the details from Step 3 in your first message. A good example: - I was charged $199 on three dates for the Growth plan and did not intend to subscribe. Please cancel my plan and review a refund for the charges. ⏳ What to Expect After You Request a Refund - Cancellation: Our team can confirm your plan is cancelled and tell you the date your access ends. - Review: Your charges are reviewed based on your account history and billing details. - Outcome: Depending on the review, a refund may be approved in full, approved for part of the charges, or declined. We will explain the decision. - Timing: If a refund is approved, it goes back to your original payment method. Your bank or card provider determines how long it takes to appear. 🛡️ How to Avoid Unexpected Charges in the Future - Check the plan name and price on any checkout or upgrade screen before confirming. - Review your Billing section regularly to see your active plan and next billing date. - Cancel before the renewal date if you do not want to continue. - If you start a trial, set a reminder for the day before it ends. - If you share an account with teammates, check whether someone else started a subscription. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will I definitely get a refund? Refunds are not automatic. Every request is reviewed individually, and our team will explain the outcome. Can I ask for only my most recent charges? Yes. You can request a full refund or limit it to the most recent charges. State which you prefer when you contact us. Will cancelling remove my access immediately? That depends on your billing cycle. Your plan may stay active until the end of the period you already paid for. Our team can confirm your exact end date. How do I get confirmation that my plan is cancelled? Check your Billing section for the updated plan status. You can also ask our team in chat to confirm the cancellation and the date it takes effect. I don't recognize the charge at all. What should I do? Review your Billing section first. If you still don't see a matching plan or payment, contact our team through chat and share the charge date and amount so we can investigate.

💳 What to Do If Charged After Cancelling

💡 Overview Seeing a charge on your card after you cancel your Search Atlas plan can be confusing, especially if you have not been using the platform. This article explains why it can happen, how to check what was billed, and how to ask our team to review a refund request. 🔎 Why You May Still Be Charged After Cancelling A charge after cancellation usually has one of the following causes: - Renewal processed before cancellation: If your plan renewed before you cancelled, even by a short time, the charge for that billing period may already have been made. - Cancellation not completed: If the cancellation was started but not confirmed, the subscription may still be active. - Turning off features is not the same as cancelling: Switching off automations or simply not logging in does not stop billing. Only cancelling the subscription does. - Delayed bank posting: Some banks show a charge several days after it was made, so the date on your statement may be later than the actual billing date. - More than one account or workspace: A second account, workspace, or add-on may still have an active subscription. 🛠️ How to Check Your Billing Details Before contacting us, a quick check can help you find the cause and speed up the review: 1. Log in to the platform and open your account billing or subscription settings. 2. Check your plan status. It should show as cancelled or set to end, not active. 3. Note your renewal or end date and compare it with the date you cancelled. 4. Look for a cancellation confirmation in your inbox. Check your spam folder too. 5. Review your bank or card statement to confirm the exact charge date and amount. 6. Check whether you have any other Search Atlas accounts or workspaces that may be billed separately. 📩 How to Request a Refund Review If you were charged after cancelling and believe the charge should be reviewed, our team can look into it for you. Have the following details ready: - The email address linked to your Search Atlas account - The date and amount of the charge - The date you cancelled your plan - A short note that you have not been using the platform and that any automations are turned off - A screenshot of your cancellation confirmation or billing page, if you have one For your security, never share your full card number or card security code in the chat. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. ⏳ What Happens Next Once you share your details, our team will review your account, the cancellation date, and the billing history. Each request is reviewed individually, so the outcome depends on your account's circumstances. If a refund is approved, it is returned to your original payment method. The time it takes to appear depends on your bank or card provider and can take several business days. ✅ How to Avoid Unexpected Charges in the Future - Cancel before your renewal date so the next billing cycle is not processed. - Confirm the cancellation by checking that your plan status has changed and that you received a confirmation email. - Save a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation for your records. - Do not rely on turning off automations. They do not cancel your subscription. - Check all accounts if you manage more than one workspace or subscription. ❓ Quick Answers - I cancelled but was charged. Does that mean the cancellation failed? Not necessarily. The renewal may have been processed before the cancellation, or the bank may be showing the charge late. Check your plan status and the charge date. - I have not used the platform. Am I still billed? Billing depends on your subscription status, not on how much you use the platform. - Is a refund guaranteed? Refunds are reviewed case by case by our team, so we cannot promise an outcome in advance.

🔄 Fix a Stuck Citation Batch and Refund Credits

🧭 Overview Occasionally, a citation batch can become stuck — meaning the batch stops progressing and citations are neither published nor failed cleanly. This article explains why this happens, what the expected resolution looks like, and how to get your credits refunded if your batch does not complete successfully. ⚠️ What Does a Stuck Citation Batch Look Like? A citation batch may be stuck if you notice any of the following: - The batch status has not changed for an extended period. - Citations show a Pending status indefinitely in your Local dashboard. - No citations have been published to any platform, but credits have already been deducted. Stuck batches are typically caused by a processing issue in the citation pipeline where some batches stall before completing. 💳 How Credit Refunds Work for Stuck Batches If your citation batch is confirmed as stuck and citations were not successfully published, our support team will investigate the batch status and credit deduction as part of a backend review. Here is what to expect: - Investigation: Our team will look into both the stuck batch status and any credits that were deducted, to determine what was and was not successfully submitted. - Credit refund: If credits were consumed for a batch that did not complete successfully, our team will work to have those credits returned to your account. - Re-submission: Once the issue is resolved and credits are restored, you can resubmit the citation draft to the relevant platforms. 🛠️ What to Have Ready When You Escalate Because resolving a stuck citation batch requires a backend investigation, you will need to contact our support team directly. To help us resolve your issue as quickly as possible, please have the following ready: - The name of the project affected. - The approximate date and time the batch was submitted. - A description of the current status you are seeing (e.g., citations showing as Pending with no progress). - Any relevant screenshots of the stuck status or credit deduction in your account. 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.