Can I get a refund for unused Runpod credits?

Runpod's Terms don't publish a fixed refund window, but unused prepaid credit balances are frequently refunded at the company's discretion when you ask politely via **support@runpod.io**. Send your account email, the approximate balance, and request a refund to the original payment method. Consumed GPU-seconds, storage-days and serverless worker time are not refundable. Card holders in the UK/EU may have additional rights via Section 75 / chargeback if support refuses.

Why am I still being charged after stopping my Pod?

Stopping (not terminating) a Pod keeps the container image and its volume on disk, which bills at **$0.20/GB/mo idle**. Network Storage continues to bill at **$0.07-$0.14/GB/mo** regardless of Pod state. To zero out your bill you must **Terminate** the Pod *and* delete every volume and network storage entry from the Storage tab in the console.

How do I stop Runpod auto-billing?

Open **Billing → Payment Methods** in the console and disable Auto-Pay / Auto Top-Up. This stops Runpod from automatically charging your card when your credit balance gets low. Note that this does **not** stop usage charges from accumulating against existing credit — you still need to terminate any running Pods, Serverless endpoints, and storage volumes.

Can I cancel a Reserved Cluster early?

Reserved Clusters are committed-term contracts (1-12+ months) negotiated through sales. The Terms state they auto-renew for the same initial term unless you opt out per the Purchases and Payment section. Early termination is generally not refundable — contact your account manager or **sales@runpod.io** before the renewal window to prevent another period being added. Always send the cancellation notice in writing.

What if Runpod ignores my cancellation request?

First, terminate every resource yourself in the console — that immediately stops the meter regardless of support's response. If support is unresponsive after 5 business days, escalate via Runpod's status page contact, LinkedIn, or @runpod_io on X. Card users can request a chargeback for unauthorised post-cancellation charges (UK/EU: Section 75 or Visa/Mastercard dispute; US: FTC's Click-to-Cancel rule for auto-renewals).

REFUND GUIDE

How to Get a Runpod Refund on Unused Credits.

Here's what Runpod actually owes you, what their policy quietly says, and how to escalate — by country — if they ignore the request.

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

The short answer

Runpod is primarily a pay-as-you-go service, so there is no stated refund window for consumed GPU time, storage, or serverless usage. Unused prepaid credit balances may be refunded at Runpod's discretion if you contact support@runpod.io. Any term-based subscription (e.g. Reserved Clusters) auto-renews unless you opt out under the Purchases and Payment section. Always terminate Pods and delete volumes before requesting account closure to avoid additional charges.

Or let yoink chase the refund.

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

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What Runpod actually says

“IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO ANY SUBSCRIPTION WE MAY OFFER THROUGH THE SERVICE FOR A TERM (THE "INITIAL TERM"), THEN YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED FOR ADDITIONAL PERIODS OF THE SAME DURATION AS THE INITIAL TERM AT RUNPOD'S THEN-CURRENT FEE FOR SUCH SUBSCRIPTION UNLESS YOU OPT OUT OF THE AUTO-RENEWAL OR DECLINE TO RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SECTION TITLED "PURCHASES AND PAYMENT" BELOW.”
— verbatim from Runpod’s terms

Pro-rata refund: noStatutory cooling-off: 14 days in UK + EU on new subs

What you can claim, by region

Consumer law varies by where you live. The strongest hook for your country is the one to lead with when you contact the company — pick the one that applies and quote it in your email.

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 Runpod charge in writing. Your card issuer is required to investigate and may withhold the disputed amount during the process.
California ARL refund right
Refund if cancel was blocked or unclear.
If Runpod made it hard to cancel under California ARL, you’re entitled to a refund of charges taken since the obstruction. Multiple class actions (including against Adobe + Hulu) have set the precedent.
FTC enforcement actions
FTC has won refunds against subscription dark-patterns.
The FTC has secured $100M+ in refunds from companies running dark-pattern cancel flows (Amazon Prime, Vonage). Document Runpod’s flow, file at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

United Kingdom

Section 75, Consumer Credit Act
Credit card issuer is jointly liable. £100-£30,000.
For UK credit-card charges between £100 and £30,000, your card issuer is jointly liable with Runpod for any breach. Call your bank, say “Section 75 claim”, send evidence. Usually resolved in 2-4 weeks.
Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013
Full refund within the 14-day window.
Inside 14 days of starting any Runpod subscription, you’re entitled to a full refund of any payment taken — no questions, no policy override.
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 Runpod can’t ignore.

European Union

Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU
14-day withdrawal across all EU member states.
EU-wide statutory right to withdraw and recover any payment within 14 days of subscription start. Mirrored in local law in every EU country.
ECC-Net cross-border escalation
EU Consumer Centre network mediates against EU sellers.
If Runpod 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.

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, Runpod has ~45 days to defend. Works regardless of where Runpod is headquartered.
PayPal Buyer Protection
If you paid via PayPal, open a dispute.
PayPal’s Buyer Protection covers “item not as described” — applies to subscription services that didn’t deliver. Resolution typically within 20 days.

The 4-step refund email

Email the right address
Use support@runpod.io — the route yoink has verified actually gets read for Runpod.
Use a clear subject line
Subject: Refund Request — [your account email]

Send this body

Hi Runpod team,

I'm writing to request a refund for my recent Runpod subscription charge.

Under applicable consumer-protection law (the UK Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, EU Directive 2011/83/EU, or US state auto-renewal laws — whichever applies in my jurisdiction), I'm exercising my right to cancel and to recover the payment in full. Please confirm by reply that the cancellation has taken effect and that the refund will be processed to my original payment method.

If your policy allows a pro-rata refund for any unused service, I'd appreciate that being applied here.

Best,
[your name]

Wait 7-14 days, then escalate
If you haven’t heard back in 14 days, see “If they refuse” below — Section 75 is the next stop.

Refund FAQ for Runpod

No. Pods, Serverless and on-demand Clusters are pay-as-you-go with no commitment — terminating a resource simply stops the per-second meter. The only exception is **Reserved Clusters**, which are term-based (1, 3, 6 or 12 months). Per the Terms, those auto-renew for the same duration unless you opt out before the renewal date, so you remain liable for the committed term.