Google Ads promotional credit versus refundable balance
Google Ads documentation › Billing & Payments › Refunds & Credits
Promotional credit is not the same as money paid into a Google Ads account. A balance review should trace the entries behind the total before estimating what can be refunded or used under an offer.
Confirm the issue
- Identify payments, promotional entries and adjustments separately.
- Read the actual offer’s eligibility and expiry conditions.
- Check outstanding charges and already-used credits.
- Record which balance the refund workflow considers eligible.
Review and correction workflow
Prepare a simple reconciliation that distinguishes the source and use of each entry. Do not add promotional credit to a cash-refund expectation merely because both appear in the account. Offer eligibility should be checked against the specific offer rather than a generic coupon rule.
Use the applicable refund process only for eligible funds. Keep the commercial offer conditions and the refund question separate. If an adjustment’s treatment is unclear, ask through the official billing route with its transaction details.
Illustrative review example
A dashboard total includes an unused payment and promotional credit. Treating the full total as refundable overstates the expected cash return.
Can promotional credit be withdrawn as cash?
Google’s refund guidance excludes promotional credits from refundable funds. Check the particular entry and applicable conditions.
Verify the outcome
Keep the original notice, the evidence reviewed and the action taken in one dated record. Confirm the resulting status in the affected account or item. A completed internal checklist is evidence of your review; it does not override Google’s decision.
Related checks and next steps
If the record is unclear, start with Billing & Payment Issues to identify the transaction type. For an uncredited payment, use bank transfer tracing rather than treating it as promotional credit.
Related documentation
Return to Refunds & Credits for the category overview.
Official references
Google Ads official guidance relevant to this issue
Reviewed 19 October 2026. Examples are illustrative. Webbnix is independent of Google; no approval or reinstatement is guaranteed.