Refund Policy

1. Overview

At Scalpel, we want you to be completely satisfied with your subscription. This Refund Policy outlines when refunds are available and how to request one. If you have questions, please contact us at support@scalpel.app.

2. 7-Day Money-Back Guarantee

2.1 Eligibility

If you subscribe to Scalpel Pro and are not satisfied, you may request a full refund within 7 days of your initial purchase. This applies to:

• First-time Pro subscribers (monthly or annual plans)
• Upgrades from FREE to Pro

2.2 How to Request a Refund

To request a refund within the 7-day window:

1. Email us at support@scalpel.app with the subject "Refund Request"
2. Include your account email and reason for the refund (optional but appreciated for feedback)
3. We will process your refund within 3-5 business days

2.3 Refund Processing

• Refunds are issued to the original payment method
• Processing time: 3-5 business days for approval, plus 5-10 business days for your bank to post the credit
• Your Pro access will be immediately revoked upon refund approval
• Your account will revert to the FREE plan

2.4 One-Time Offer

The 7-day money-back guarantee is available once per customer. If you cancel, receive a refund, and re-subscribe later, you will not be eligible for another refund.

3. Subscription Cancellations

3.1 Cancellation Policy

You may cancel your Scalpel Pro subscription at any time through the Stripe Customer Portal in your Settings. Upon cancellation:

• You will retain Pro access until the end of your current billing period
• Your subscription will not auto-renew
• No refund is provided for the remaining time in your billing period (unless within 7-day guarantee window)
• Your account will automatically downgrade to FREE at the end of the period

3.2 No Pro-Rated Refunds

Except for the 7-day money-back guarantee, we do not offer pro-rated refunds for:

• Mid-cycle cancellations
• Unused subscription time
• Switching from annual to monthly billing
• Downgrading from Pro to FREE

Example: If you cancel on day 15 of a monthly subscription, you will retain access for the remaining 15 days but will not receive a refund for the unused time.

4. Annual Subscriptions

4.1 7-Day Guarantee Applies

Annual subscribers are also eligible for the 7-day money-back guarantee. If you request a refund within 7 days of your annual subscription purchase, you will receive a full refund of $240.

4.2 After 7 Days

After the 7-day window, annual subscriptions are non-refundable. You may cancel to prevent the next year's renewal, but you will not receive a pro-rated refund for the remaining months.

4.3 Why No Pro-Rating for Annual Plans?

Annual plans are offered at a significant discount (17% off) compared to monthly plans. This discount is applied upfront, so pro-rated refunds are not available.

5. Payment Failures

5.1 Grace Period

If a subscription payment fails (e.g., expired card, insufficient funds), you will enter a 7-day grace period. During this time:

• You retain Pro access
• We will attempt to charge your payment method again
• You can update your payment method in Settings
• You will receive email reminders

5.2 After Grace Period

If payment cannot be processed within 7 days, your subscription will be automatically canceled and your account will downgrade to FREE. No refund is owed since the payment was not successfully charged.

5.3 Duplicate Charges

If you are accidentally charged twice or experience a billing error, contact us immediately at support@scalpel.app. We will investigate and issue a refund for any confirmed duplicate or erroneous charges.

6. Non-Refundable Situations

Refunds are not available in the following cases:

• After the 7-day money-back guarantee window has passed
• For partial months or years (no pro-rated refunds)
• If your account was terminated for violating our Terms of Service
• If you used the 7-day guarantee previously
• For services already rendered (e.g., AI recommendations generated, documents processed)
• Due to dissatisfaction after extended use (beyond 7 days)
• For failure to cancel before renewal

7. Free Trial Refunds (If Applicable)

If we offer a free trial in the future:

• You must cancel before the trial ends to avoid being charged
• If you are charged after the trial, the 7-day money-back guarantee applies from the charge date
• No refunds for forgetting to cancel before the trial ends (beyond 7-day guarantee)

8. Billing Disputes

8.1 Contact Us First

If you notice an unexpected charge or billing issue, please contact us at support@scalpel.app before filing a chargeback with your bank or credit card company. Most billing issues can be resolved quickly.

8.2 Chargebacks

Filing a chargeback without contacting us first may result in:

• Immediate account suspension pending investigation
• Potential account termination
• Loss of access to all data and features

We take chargebacks seriously and will work with you to resolve legitimate billing disputes.

9. Exceptional Circumstances

In rare cases, we may offer refunds outside of this policy at our sole discretion. Examples include:

• Extended service outages caused by us
• Major bugs preventing use of core features
• Death or serious illness (documentation may be required)
• Extenuating circumstances evaluated on a case-by-case basis

To request consideration for an exceptional refund, email support@scalpel.app with details and any supporting documentation.

10. Data Access After Refund

After a refund is processed:

• Your account will immediately revert to the FREE plan
• You will lose access to Pro-only features
• Your data (school lists, profile, timeline) will remain accessible at the FREE tier level
• Pro-tier data (unlimited lists, export features) will no longer be available
• You can still access your account and basic features

11. Plan Changes

11.1 Upgrade Mid-Cycle

If you upgrade from monthly to annual mid-cycle, you will be charged the annual price minus a credit for the unused portion of your monthly subscription.

11.2 Downgrade Mid-Cycle

If you downgrade from annual to monthly, the change takes effect at the end of your annual billing period. No refund is provided for the remaining time.

12. Refund Processing Time

• Refund Request Review: 1-3 business days
• Stripe Processing: 5-10 business days
• Bank Posting: 5-10 business days (varies by bank)
• Total Time: Expect up to 15-20 business days for the refund to appear in your account

Refunds are issued to the original payment method used for the purchase.

13. Currency and Exchange Rates

All prices are in USD. If you paid in a different currency, refunds will be processed in the same currency at the exchange rate at the time of the original transaction. You may see slight differences due to currency fluctuations.

14. Changes to This Refund Policy

We may update this Refund Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or in-app notification. The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates when this policy was last revised.

Changes to this policy do not affect refunds for purchases made before the change.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Refund Policy or need to request a refund, please contact us:

• Email: support@scalpel.app (subject: "Refund Request")
• Response Time: Pro users: 24 hours | FREE users: 48 hours
• Website: https://scalpel.app