Refund Policy

This Refund Policy explains when and how API Express issues refunds for our Services. It forms part of our Terms of Service and should be read alongside them.

Our overall approach is simple: you should never pay for API calls that didn't succeed or services you didn't use. We've designed our billing so refunds are rarely needed — but when they are, the process is clear and fast.

At a Glance

1. Free Tier

Every API Express account comes with 1,000 free API calls, across all 10 APIs in our catalogue. No credit card is required to access the free tier, and the free tier does not expire.

• No charges — You are never billed for free tier usage
• No refunds needed — Since no payment is made, refund policy does not apply
• No auto-upgrade — We do not automatically charge you when you exhaust the free tier. You will be notified and prompted to upgrade manually.

2. Subscription Plans (Growth & Enterprise)

2.1 Cancellation

You can cancel your subscription at any time from your dashboard — no phone calls, no emails, no retention games. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period.

2.2 Pro-rated refunds

If you cancel mid-cycle and have used less than half of your subscription:

2.3 What's not refundable

The following are not eligible for refunds:

• Overage charges — Calls made above your plan's quota are billed at overage rates and are not refundable
• Add-on purchases — One-time add-ons (e.g., priority support upgrade, custom integration work) are non-refundable once delivered
• Consulting and custom development — Hours delivered on custom work are billed and non-refundable

3. Pay-As-You-Go Accounts

Pay-as-you-go accounts are billed monthly based on actual API usage in the previous cycle. If you're on this plan:

3.1 Successful API calls

Successful API calls are not refundable. When you make a successful API call, we immediately pay the underlying data source — banks, UPI networks, telecom operators, government databases, or our upstream providers. That cost is incurred on our side and cannot be reversed.

This is why we offer a free tier and a sandbox environment — so you can test integrations thoroughly before committing to production usage.

3.2 Failed API calls

Failed API calls are automatically refunded. If a call fails because of:

• Server-side errors on our end (5xx responses)
• Upstream provider unavailability
• Timeout errors
• Rate limit errors where you weren't told the limit

...we automatically reverse the charge. No request needed. These refunds appear on your next invoice as credit.

3.3 Billing disputes

If you believe you've been overcharged or find a charge that doesn't look right:

1. Email hello@apiexpress.in with the invoice number, date, and details of your concern
2. Our billing team investigates within 2 business days
3. If we find the charge was incorrect, we issue a credit to your account within 5 business days
4. If we determine the charge was correct, we provide detailed transaction logs showing exactly what was called and when

Billing disputes must be raised within 60 days of the invoice date. Disputes raised after this period may not be eligible for review.

4. Failed Transaction Refunds

Some APIs — mobile recharge, UPI verification, penny drop — involve moving money as part of the API call. Here's how refunds work for those:

4.1 Mobile recharge

If a mobile recharge transaction fails at the operator level after we've already processed it:

• Automatic reversal within 24-72 hours — Operators process reversals on their own schedule
• No action needed from you — We track every failed recharge and reverse the API call charge
• Visible in your dashboard — Each failed transaction shows a transaction ID and refund status

4.2 UPI / Bank verification

The ₹1 used for penny drop verification is handled as follows:

• Successful verification — The ₹1 is either reversed (default) or left as credit (optional, configurable)
• Failed verification — The ₹1 is automatically reversed by your bank within 24-48 hours
• API call charge — The API call itself is not refunded if verification ran successfully (even if the name didn't match — that's a completed verification result)

4.3 DTH recharges

DTH recharges follow the same pattern as mobile recharges. Failed DTH transactions are reversed within 24-72 hours, at the DTH operator's pace. The API call charge is refunded automatically for failed transactions.

5. Enterprise Accounts

Enterprise accounts are governed by their own Master Services Agreement (MSA). Where the MSA and this Refund Policy conflict, the MSA governs.

Common enterprise scenarios:

• Minimum commitment contracts — Refunds for shortfall are governed by the commitment terms
• Custom SLA credits — SLA breach credits are governed by the enterprise SLA
• Annual prepayment — Refunds on annual prepayments may be pro-rated or non-refundable depending on the specific contract

Enterprise clients should contact their named account manager for any refund-related questions.

6. How to Request a Refund

6.1 Standard refunds

Most refunds are issued automatically (failed API calls, failed transactions). If you need to request a refund that isn't auto-generated:

1. Email us at hello@apiexpress.in
2. Include:
   • Your account email or API key prefix
   • Invoice number or transaction ID (if applicable)
   • Reason for the refund request
   • Amount being requested
3. We acknowledge within 1 business day
4. We review and respond within 5 business days
5. If approved, the refund is processed within 7 business days

6.2 Urgent refunds

If you have an urgent refund need (e.g., a billing error that's blocking service), contact us via:

• Email: hello@apiexpress.in with "URGENT" in the subject line
• WhatsApp: https://wa.me/919876543210
• Phone: +91 98765 43210 (business hours only)

Urgent refund requests are acknowledged within 4 business hours.

7. Refund Methods & Timelines

Refunds are issued via the same method used for the original payment:

Where possible, we issue refunds as account credit rather than cash refunds. Credit is applied to your next invoice and is instant. Cash refunds are available on request for any refund amount.

8. Chargebacks

If you initiate a chargeback through your bank or card issuer without first contacting us:

• Your account may be suspended pending investigation
• We will provide the bank with complete transaction logs
• Chargeback fees (typically ₹500-1,500) will be added to your account
• Future payments may require advance payment or deposit

Please contact us first. Our billing team is fast, fair, and helpful. Almost every "dispute" is actually just a billing question that we can resolve in a day.

9. Exceptions & Special Cases

9.1 Regulatory holds

If your account is under investigation for fraud, abuse, or violation of our Acceptable Use Policy, refunds may be withheld pending the outcome of the investigation.

9.2 Force majeure

If we are unable to provide Services due to events outside our reasonable control (natural disasters, government actions, upstream provider outages), refunds may be offered at our discretion but are not guaranteed.

9.3 Account termination for cause

If your account is terminated for violation of our Terms of Service, unused credits and prepaid amounts are forfeited.

10. No Hidden Conditions

We want to be direct about this: our refund policy has no hidden conditions or fine print designed to trap you. Everything is documented above. If you have any questions, ask us — we'll answer honestly.

What you will not find in our policy:

• Refund windows shorter than 30 days
• "Convenience fees" or "processing fees" deducted from refunds
• Conditions that require you to jump through hoops
• Refunds that require escalation to a manager
• Vague "at our discretion" language on standard cases

If our team ever fails to follow this policy, tell us. We'll fix it — and if it's our fault, we'll make it right.

11. Contact Us

For all refund-related questions:

For enterprise accounts, contact your named account manager directly.

This Refund Policy was last updated on October 5, 2026. We may update it periodically. Material changes will be announced via email to all registered users 30 days in advance.