Refund Policy

1. Overview

At Sorte.io, we stand behind our service quality. This Refund Policy outlines the circumstances under which you may receive a refund and the process for requesting one. All refunds are processed through Paddle, our Merchant of Record, in accordance with both this policy and Paddle's refund policies.

2. 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

2.1 Eligibility

• Available for first-time customers only
• Applies to the first payment made after the free trial
• Must be requested within 30 days of the initial payment
• No questions asked - we'll process your refund promptly

2.2 What's Covered

• Base subscription fee
• Plugin charges
• Additional user fees
• Annual prepayments (full refund within 30 days)

3. Free Trial

We offer a 14-day free trial to all new users:

• No credit card required to start
• Full access to selected plan features
• Automatic conversion to paid plan after trial ends (if payment method added)
• Cancel anytime during the trial without any charges

4. Refund Eligibility

5. Proration and Credits

5.1 Plan Upgrades

When upgrading your plan:

• You'll be charged the prorated difference immediately
• The new plan takes effect immediately
• Your billing cycle remains unchanged

5.2 Plan Downgrades

When downgrading your plan:

• Changes take effect at the next billing cycle
• Prorated credit applied to your account
• Credits can be used for future charges
• Credits are non-refundable but never expire

5.3 Service Credits

We may issue service credits for:

• Extended service outages (>4 hours unplanned downtime)
• SLA violations (Enterprise plans)
• Billing errors in your favor

6. How to Request a Refund

Required Information

Please include in your refund request:

• Account email address
• Order/Invoice number (from Paddle)
• Reason for refund request
• Preferred refund method (if applicable)

7. Refund Processing

7.1 Processing Times

• Approval: Within 24-48 hours of request
• Processing: 3-5 business days by Paddle
• Bank Transfer: Additional 5-7 business days
• Credit Card: 5-10 business days to appear on statement
• PayPal: 3-5 business days

7.2 Refund Methods

Refunds are typically issued to the original payment method:

• Credit/Debit Card → Same card
• PayPal → PayPal account
• Wire Transfer → Bank account (may incur fees)

8. Paddle Processing

Important points about Paddle refunds:

• Paddle handles all payment processing and compliance
• Refunds are subject to Paddle's additional policies
• Tax refunds are calculated by Paddle based on jurisdiction
• Paddle provides the official refund receipt
• For Paddle-specific issues, contact: paddle.com/support

8.1 Tax Refunds

When a refund is processed:

• VAT/GST is refunded proportionally
• Tax credits are handled by Paddle
• Tax invoices are adjusted automatically

9. Exceptions and Non-Refundable Items

9.1 Non-Refundable Services

• Custom development work (unless covered by separate agreement)
• Consumed resources beyond included limits
• Domain registration fees
• Third-party license fees
• Priority support incidents already provided
• Data migration services already performed

9.2 Ineligible Circumstances

Refunds will not be provided for:

• Violation of Terms of Service resulting in account termination
• Requests made after 30 days (except as noted)
• Dissatisfaction with features clearly described in documentation
• Issues caused by third-party integrations
• Force majeure events
• Repeated refund requests indicating abuse

10. Disputes and Chargebacks

10.1 Dispute Resolution

1. Contact our support team first at refunds@sorte.io
2. If unresolved, escalate to management at disputes@sorte.io
3. We aim to resolve all disputes within 5 business days
4. If still unresolved, Paddle's dispute process applies

10.2 Chargeback Policy

If you initiate a chargeback:

• Your account may be suspended during investigation
• We'll provide transaction evidence to the payment processor
• Fraudulent chargebacks may result in permanent account termination
• Legal action may be taken for fraudulent disputes

11. Contact Information

For Refund Requests:

For Billing Questions:

For Payment Processing (Paddle):

12. Policy Updates

We may update this Refund Policy periodically. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. Significant changes will be communicated via email to active customers. The policy in effect at the time of your purchase applies to that transaction.