Refunds & Credits
Refunds and credits in Google Ads are not interchangeable. A payment balance, promotional credit and adjustment can have different conditions. Classify the balance before deciding whether a refund process applies.
This category is part of Billing & Payments in our Google Ads documentation. Use it to distinguish the issue type before choosing a detailed guide.
Identify what the balance represents
Review the transactions behind the visible balance. Record whether funds came from a payment, promotional offer or adjustment. A total on a dashboard may include more than one type of entry, so it should not be treated as an automatic statement of refund entitlement.
Eligibility depends on the billing setup
Google’s refund guidance includes different routes and conditions depending on account status, payment method and billing country. Promotional credits are not refundable. Check the current country-specific instructions rather than assuming the same refund route applies to every account.
Prepare a refund record
Recommended fields are customer ID, billing country, balance type, transaction dates, payment method and current account status. If cancellation has already occurred, record its date. If a refund has been initiated, keep the confirmation and bank posting as separate events.
Separate processing from missing funds
A request, a processed refund and money credited by the bank are different stages. Reconcile each against the appropriate evidence. Do not cancel a working advertising account simply because a refund option is not visible without first checking the applicable requirements and permissions.
Category review checklist
- Distinguish promotional credit from money paid.
- Check outstanding charges and recent adjustments.
- Use the refund conditions for the actual billing country.
- Track the reference and outcome without publishing sensitive bank details.
Related categories
Detailed guides in this category
- Google Ads refund after account cancellation
- Google Ads promotional credit versus refundable balance
Official references
Reviewed 19 October 2026. Webbnix is an independent publisher; Google determines review and enforcement outcomes.