Requesting refunds in active accounts

Note: Only users with Admin access can request a refund. If you don't have Admin access, you will not see 'Request refund' in your Billing Summary. Users with Standard access should contact an Admin user to request a refund.

As of May 2024, some customers may be eligible to request refunds without the need to cancel their Google Ads account. This feature is currently only available in the US and may expand globally in the upcoming months.

How refunds work

If you have a balance eligible for a refund, you can request a refund of account credit by navigating to the 'Billing Summary' page, then by navigating to the current month section and clicking 'Request refund'. The request refund steps will show you the amount of refund you are eligible for. Note: The amount of your refund may sometimes be less than the amount seen in your account balance.

Select the payment you’d like to refund and the payment method to receive the refund. After you submit your refund request, Google will initiate the refund to the applicable payment method you selected and let you know the status of the refund by email and within the 'Billing Summary' page.

Processing time: It takes two weeks for Google to process a refund and additional time for your credit card company or bank to process the refund.

Reasons a refund might not be available

Google doesn't offer refunds in the following cases:

You have money left in your account from a promotional code.
You have an outstanding balance that you still need to pay.
Your expected spend during the refund processing time is greater than the amount left in your account balance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check if my account has a balance left?

To see if you have credit in your account or an outstanding balance that needs to be paid, follow these steps:

Note: The instructions below are part of a new Google Ads user experience that will launch for all advertisers in 2024. If you’re still using the previous version of Google Ads, review the Quick reference map or use the Search bar in the top navigation panel of Google Ads to find the page that you’re searching for.

In your Google Ads account, click the Billing icon .
Click Summary.
If you have credit, it will be shown in the current month equation as 'You have a credit' for customers on automatic payments or as 'Available funds' for customers on manual payments.

Why am I only being offered a partial refund of my account balance?

Your account may incur additional charges while Google processes your refund. Partial refunds take the processing time and potential charges into consideration to ensure you have continuity in your campaigns while the refund is processing.

How long does it usually take to get a refund?

Refunds typically take up to two weeks for us to process, and it can take an additional 10 working days for your bank or credit card company to credit the refund to your account, depending on their own processes.

What if it takes longer?

If you've waited longer than 4 weeks, please contact us.

Can I cancel my refund request?

You cannot cancel your refund request if you’ve made a refund request in the 'Billing Summary' page.

How do I cancel my account and request a refund?

To cancel your Google Ads account:

In your Google Ads account, click the Admin icon , then click Preferences.
Click the Account status section to expand it.
Click Cancel my account.
- Reminder: Only users with Admin access can cancel their accounts to request a refund. If you don't have Admin access, you will not see Cancel my account under 'Account status' in your preferences.

Your account status will change to 'Cancelled'.

If you change your mind, you can reactivate your account by signing in and following the prompts. Then update your payment information and make a payment to start running your ads again. Read our article about cancelling your account for more information.

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