Rigid, Unhelpful Response to a Clear Accidental Renewal on Unused Account
We accidentally renewed an annual Ontraport subscription on June 10, 2025 — for a platform we had not used in months. The charge initially went through on an expired card, and when I updated my payment method on July 2, the updated card was charged. We only noticed this recently while reviewing unused business tools. I reached out requesting a refund for the $792 annual renewal, explaining that the account had been inactive for months and unused during the new billing cycle. Despite the clear circumstances (zero usage, dormant account, accidental renewal), Ontraport refused to make any exception. Customer support pointed to a strict “no refunds” policy for annual subscriptions, regardless of usage or timing. Even after escalation, the response was the same: policy over customer relationship, policy over fairness. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and had hoped for a little flexibility and goodwill. Many SaaS companies make reasonable exceptions in cases like this — especially when the request is for an entirely unused renewal, not partial credit for used time. Unfortunately, our experience has been rigid and unaccommodating. If you choose Ontraport, be aware: No exceptions to the no-refund rule, even for unused renewals. Updating a payment method counts as re-billing and locks you into the charge. The focus is on enforcing policy, not building trust. I gave two stars because, during the few months we did use Ontraport, I did encounter some helpful tech support agents. Otherwise, I had been hoping for much-needed upgrades to make the platform more functional for us. We might have considered returning in the future — but not after how we were treated during this request. We’ve moved away from Ontraport and will not be returning. I’m sharing this so other small businesses and nonprofits can make informed decisions before committing to an annual plan. UPDATE: Our reply to Ontraports comment here: Thank you for responding here Ontraport. To clarify for others reading your comment: • Our account had been inactive for months leading up to the renewal. • The renewal on June 10 went unnoticed because it charged an expired card. When I updated our payment method on July 2, the charge was processed. • We reached out promptly after realizing this error. The account remained unused the entire time. While I understand policies exist, what’s missing here is reasonable flexibility — especially for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, asking for a refund on an unused, accidental renewal. Many SaaS companies are willing to make exceptions in cases like this. Unfortunately, Ontraport chose to enforce policy over customer relationship. I want to be transparent for other small businesses and nonprofits evaluating this platform: if you make an error, even an obvious one on an inactive account, don’t expect grace or goodwill.