Refund Policy Generator
Generate a clear, customer-friendly refund policy for your store, SaaS, or service.
Last reviewed: June 2026Built & maintained by RahulMethodology & sourcesTemplates are general information only — not legal advice. Have any document reviewed by a qualified attorney before you rely on it.
What to Include in a Refund Policy
- Refund window — how long customers have to request a refund (commonly 14–30 days).
- Condition — whether the item must be unused, in original packaging, or simply “as received”.
- Refund method — original payment method, store credit, or partial refund.
- Non-refundable items — digital downloads, gift cards, personalised products, perishables.
- Processing time — realistic windows (7–14 days for card refunds, longer for bank transfers).
- Contact details — one canonical support email for refund requests.
Best practices
- State the policy in plain English; legal jargon hurts conversion and trust.
- Link the policy from your checkout page and order confirmation email.
- Match the policy to your platform’s minimums (Shopify, Etsy and Apple/Google all have their own).
- Honour stricter local consumer-protection laws even if your global policy is shorter (EU/UK 14-day right of withdrawal, etc.).
Refunds vs returns — overlap, but not the same
A returns policy governs the logistics of getting a physical product back. A refunds policy governs the money — when it is refunded, in what form, and under what circumstances. For software, SaaS, services, and digital products there is no physical return, only the refund question. State each separately or make clear that one document covers both.
Distinct rules by product type
- Physical goods: refund on return in original condition. Window typically 14–30 days. Restocking fees only if disclosed pre-purchase.
- Digital downloads: usually non-refundable once downloaded. Exception: defective files. Disclose this explicitly because the EU Consumer Rights Directive otherwise grants a 14-day cooling-off period.
- Subscriptions: three common patterns — full refund within X days; pro-rata refund on cancellation; no refund, cancellation prevents further charges. Each is defensible if disclosed clearly.
- Services: deposit non-refundable, balance refundable until 48 hours before service date, then no refund. Be specific about the cutoff.
- Custom / personalised items: non-refundable except for defects. Required disclosure under most consumer-protection regimes.
The legal floor you cannot go below
- EU/UK consumer law — 14-day right of withdrawal for distance sales, with limited exceptions (digital content with consent to immediate delivery, custom items, perishables, hygiene-sensitive items).
- US state law — varies. California, New York, Florida require posted refund policies; the absence of a posted policy can default to a 30-day refund right.
- Australian Consumer Law — non-excludable guarantees: products must be of acceptable quality and fit for purpose. Refund/replace required for major failures regardless of your stated policy.
- Card network rules — Visa, Mastercard, and Amex all reserve chargeback rights for the buyer. Your policy does not override them.
A clear refund clause
"We refund the full purchase price for any reason within 14 days of purchase, no questions asked. Send a one-line email to [email protected] — we process refunds within 2 business days and they arrive on the original card within 5–10 days depending on your bank. After 14 days, refunds are at our discretion and typically issued for defects or service failures." — That paragraph is shorter than most refund policies and stronger because it commits to a process, not just a policy.
Mention chargeback policy. If buyers chargeback before contacting support, state that you will dispute the chargeback and may suspend the account. Most buyers chargeback because they could not find a refund path — make the path obvious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most consumer-protection laws require sellers to disclose their refund or no-refund terms before purchase. Platforms like Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, and Apple/Google app stores also require a posted refund policy.
30 days is the most common window for physical goods; SaaS often offers 14 days or a free trial. Anything shorter than 14 days for tangible goods looks unfriendly to buyers and may breach distance-selling rules in the EU/UK.
You can, but you must disclose it clearly before purchase. Many jurisdictions also require an exception for products that never worked as described or for accidental duplicate purchases.
They overlap but are not identical. A return policy explains how to send items back; a refund policy explains when and how money is returned.
No. This generator produces a clear starting draft based on common practice. Consult counsel for regulated products or high-value transactions.