Can I get a refund if I make a mistake or don't need a label anymore?

Yes, as long as the label hasn't been scanned by the carrier and you ask within **28 days** of buying it. Open the label on your Ship page and click the red **Refund Label** button. For a whole batch, use **Refund Labels** at the top right. USPS refunds labels you never printed instantly. Printed USPS labels usually take about two weeks (up to about 30 days), while UPS refunds take about an hour. If you forget, Pirate Ship auto-requests refunds for unused labels at day 28.

Can I get my account balance refunded to my payment method?

Yes. Go to your **Reports** page, click **Refund Credit** under Account Balance, choose a payment method and submit. You can refund some or all of the balance to any card or bank you've spent at least that amount with on Pirate Ship. Refunds generally process within **3-7 business days**, and your bank may take a few more days to show them. ACH payments have a settlement period before they can be refunded. Support can't manually push balance refunds to PayPal, so use the self-serve button.

Is there a free trial, or do I need to enter my credit card to create an account?

There's no trial because there's nothing to upgrade to. Pirate Ship is free forever, with no monthly fees or hidden costs, and you don't need a card to sign up. You only add a payment method (card, PayPal, Venmo or ACH bank account) when you buy postage. Since nothing auto-renews, you'll never be billed just for having an account. You're only charged for the labels you buy, plus any carrier adjustments.

How do auto-refunds work?

Pirate Ship automatically requests a refund for any USPS or UPS label with no tracking activity **28 days** after you bought it. USPS can take 2-4 weeks to approve it, and UPS takes about an hour. The money goes to your **Account Balance**, not your card, so use *Reports → Refund Credit* if you want it back. Important: once a label has been auto-refunded, don't use it. Create and buy a new one, or your package could be disposed of. Pay-on-use USPS return labels are valid for up to 90 days instead.

Why did I get a $1 charge on my card?

$1 is the smallest amount Pirate Ship's payment processor can charge. If a label costs a little more than your Account Balance (less than $1 more), Pirate Ship takes the balance and charges your card $1 for the rest. The leftover change stays in your Account Balance. For example, with $10 in your balance and a $10.35 label, you're charged $1 and keep $0.65. You can get that leftover back with *Reports → Refund Credit*.

Why was I charged an adjustment fee after shipping with Pirate Ship?

Carriers measure packages automatically. If USPS or UPS records a different weight, size, packaging type, drop-off ZIP or address type than what you entered, they bill the difference and Pirate Ship charges your card. You'll get an email titled *Adjustment Notice*. If you're sure your details were right, open the shipment and click **'Dispute this adjustment'**, then explain the correct weight and dimensions. Several sellers report winning disputes and being credited within about a week.

Can I still use my label if I've already requested a refund?

No. Once a label has been refunded, whether you did it or it was auto-refunded, the carriers treat it as invalid postage. That applies to USPS, UPS and Asendia. A USPS package with a refunded label may be disposed of, and UPS sends it to an Overgoods facility where it may not be recoverable. If you need to ship after all, recreate the label and buy a new one. If you used a refunded label by accident, contact the carrier right away.

Does Pirate Ship refund money?

Yes, but only for **unused labels** and money sitting in your **Account Balance**. Pirate Ship can't refund postage once the carrier has scanned the package. Label refunds must be requested within 28 days and go to your Account Balance first. From there you can cash out to your original payment method with *Refund Credit*. If you bought something from a seller who happened to ship with Pirate Ship, ask that seller for your refund. Pirate Ship only provides the shipping software.

Will I lose my account balance if I delete my Pirate Ship account?

Pirate Ship doesn't say what happens to leftover credit when an account is deleted. Cash out first to be safe. Refund any unused labels, wait for USPS to approve them (about two weeks), then use **Reports → Refund Credit** to send the full balance back to your card or bank. Only then ask Support, by chat or **support@pirateship.com**, to delete the account, and ask them to confirm in writing that the balance is $0.

REFUND GUIDE

How to Get a Pirate Ship Refund Back to Your Card.

Pirate Ship refunds are per-order, and their own policy gives you a 28-day window. Miss it and you still have tools, a clear email, a card-issuer chargeback. Here's the playbook.

Last verified today against Pirate Ship’s own Terms · UK, US, and EU rights covered below

The short answer

Pirate Ship has no subscription, so these refund rules only cover postage labels and your Account Balance. Unused USPS and UPS labels can be refunded within 28 days with the red Refund Label button. Labels you never printed are refunded instantly by USPS. Printed USPS labels usually take about two weeks to be approved (up to about 30 days), and UPS labels take about an hour. Any approved refund lands in your Pirate Ship Account Balance, not on your card. To get cash back, click 'Refund Credit' on the Reports page. It takes 3-7 business days. Carrier adjustment charges after shipping are a separate thing: you dispute them per shipment with the 'Dispute this adjustment' link.

Or let yoink chase the refund.

30 seconds to set up. yoink emails Pirate Ship, cites the policy, escalates if ignored, and surfaces the win when the money lands.

Get yoink (App Store) →

What Pirate Ship actually says

“You must request a refund within 28 days of buying the label, but Pirate Ship will automatically request refunds for unused labels if you forget”
, verbatim from Pirate Ship’s terms

28-day cancellation windowPro-rata refund: no

How long does a Pirate Ship refund take?

Most merchants agree to a straightforward refund within 1 to 3 working days of a well-written email request. Once agreed, the money itself takes another 3 to 5 working days to land, that part is card-network processing and no merchant can skip it. If nothing has arrived 10 working days after a written “refund approved”, reply on the same thread asking for the ARN (acquirer reference number), which your bank can trace.

Note Pirate Ship’s own policy works on a 28-day window, ask inside it and the request is routine; outside it you’re relying on goodwill or statutory rights.

What you can claim

The law where you live is the strongest hook, lead with it when you contact the company.

United States

Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA)
Dispute any credit-card charge in writing within 60 days.
For US credit-card payments, the FCBA gives you 60 days from the statement date to dispute a Pirate Ship charge in writing. Your card issuer is required to investigate and may withhold the disputed amount during the process.

Worldwide

Card-issuer chargeback
Visa/Mastercard chargeback works everywhere they do.
Open a chargeback for “subscription not cancelled” or “services not as described”, your bank initiates, Pirate Ship has ~45 days to defend. Works regardless of where Pirate Ship is headquartered.
PayPal Buyer Protection
If you paid via PayPal, open a dispute.
PayPal’s Buyer Protection covers “item not as described”, applies to services that didn’t deliver. Resolution typically within 20 days.

Rights in other regions (United Kingdom, European Union)

United Kingdom

Citizens Advice + Trading Standards
For repeated bad-faith refusals.
Free escalation lane: file with Citizens Advice (08082231133), they pass it to Trading Standards. Slow (8-12 weeks) but creates a paper trail Pirate Ship can’t ignore.

European Union

ECC-Net cross-border escalation
EU Consumer Centre network mediates against EU sellers.
If Pirate Ship is based in another EU country, your local European Consumer Centre will mediate the dispute for free. List of national contacts at commission.europa.eu.

The Pirate Ship refund email

Email the right address
Use support@pirateship.com, the route yoink has verified actually gets read for Pirate Ship.
Use a clear subject line
Subject: Refund Request, [your account email]

Send this body

Hi Pirate Ship team,

I'm requesting a refund for my Pirate Ship order (reference [order number], placed on [date], for [amount]). I'm within the 28-day window your policy allows for this.

Please process the refund to my original payment method and confirm by reply.

Best,
[your name]

Wait 7-14 days, then escalate
If you haven’t heard back in 14 days, escalate via the regional route above, a card-issuer chargeback works in every market.

Refund FAQ for Pirate Ship

There's nothing to cancel: Pirate Ship is **100% free**, with no subscription, monthly fee or contract. You only pay for the labels you buy. If you want the account **deleted** so you can't log in anymore, ask Support. Log in and use the live chat, or email **support@pirateship.com** from the address on your account. Before asking, cash out any money left in your Account Balance with *Reports → Refund Credit*, and refund any unused labels, so nothing is left behind.