Payment & Billing Policy
Last Updated: 01 August 2025
1. Overview
This Payment & Billing Policy explains how payments are processed, billing cycles work, renewal terms, invoices, accepted payment methods, and related procedures. It ensures clarity, builds trust, and supports Stripe compliance.
2. Accepted Payment Methods
Smarter Cloud accepts the following forms of payment:
- Credit & Debit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover) via Stripe
- PayPal
- (Optional) Bank Transfer for annual plans, contact support if needed
All prices reflect USD or GBP depending on your region and include applicable taxes.
3. Billing Cycles & Renewal
- Hosting plans are billed in advance on a monthly or yearly basis.
- Your subscription renews automatically unless you disable auto-renew or cancel before the billing date.
- Renewal invoices are issued 5 days before the due date; reminders will be sent via email.
- Payment is processed through Stripe on the due date to avoid service interruption.
- If payment fails, we’ll notify you and attempt reprocessing for up to 3 consecutive days. Continued failure may result in account suspension.
4. Invoices & Receipts
- After payment, a receipt is immediately emailed to your account’s email address.
- Invoices for renewals are generated and emailed 5 days before renewal.
- Your customer dashboard maintains full invoice and payment history for easy access.
5. Upgrades, Downgrades & Prorating
- You may upgrade or downgrade plans at any time in your account dashboard.
- Upgrades take effect immediately with prorated charge applied: sqlCopyEdit
Prorated Charge = (New Plan Rate – Old Plan Rate) × (Days Remaining / Total Billing Days) - Downgrades take effect at next renewal, with no prorated refund during the current billing cycle.
6. Cancellations & Refunds
- You may cancel at any time — service will continue through the paid period.
- Refunds follow our Refund & Cancellation Policy. No additional prorated refunds apply here.
- Domain registrations, renewals, and add-on services (SSL/tickets) are non-refundable unless specified.
7. Late or Failed Payments
- If a payment fails:
- We will notify you and attempt reprocessing for up to 3 days.
- Continued failure may suspend your service until resolved.
Please keep your payment information up to date to avoid interruptions.
8. Taxes, Fees & Currency
- Prices may include VAT/GST where required. Your invoice will reflect the tax amount.
- Stripe processing fees are included in the checkout total. No additional user fees apply from Smarter Cloud.
9. Billing Support
Need help with payment issues? We’re here for you:
- Email: support@smartercloud.co.uk
- Available 24/7 via live chat
10. Policy Updates
We may modify this policy occasionally. Updates will appear with the “Last Updated” date. Major changes will be highlighted via email or during checkout via Stripe.
Summary Chart
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Pricing & Currency | USD/GBP, taxes included where applicable |
| Payment Methods | Stripe cards, PayPal, bank transfer (on request) |
| Billing Cycle | Monthly or yearly; auto-renew by default |
| Invoices | Generated 5 days before renewal; receipts emailed after payment |
| Upgrades | Immediate, prorated charges |
| Downgrades | Effective at next renewal |
| Cancellations | Allowed anytime, service continues until period end |
| Refunds | Subject to Refund Policy |
| Failed Payments | Re-attempted up to 3 days; may suspend service |
| Support | Email and live chat available 24/7 |