This policy is jointly issued by ArdinGate LLC (ardingate.com) and ArdinGate Studios LLC (studios.ardingate.com) and applies to services provided by both entities.
This Refund Policy applies to all Services provided by ArdinGate LLC and ArdinGate Studios LLC (collectively, "ArdinGate") and is intended to clearly define circumstances under which refunds may or may not be issued. This policy is governed by and should be read in conjunction with our Terms of Service.
Business use. ArdinGate provides its Services to business clients for business, commercial, or professional purposes. Services are not sold to consumers for personal, family, or household use. Because ArdinGate sells Services from its own place of business (including by remote delivery), the FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 429), which applies to certain door-to-door and off-premises consumer sales of $25 or more, does not apply to our Services.
No general money-back guarantee. ArdinGate does not offer a money-back or satisfaction guarantee except where expressly stated in writing in a proposal, Statement of Work, or signed Master Services Agreement for a specific engagement. Any guarantee language elsewhere (including marketing materials) is superseded by the controlling project document.
Hosting services are billed in advance on a monthly or annual basis and are non-refundable once a billing period has begun. This includes situations involving early termination, non-use, or temporary service interruptions.
Clients may cancel hosting services at any time to prevent future billing. No prorated refunds or credits are provided for unused time. Upon cancellation, hosting services will remain active through the end of the current paid billing period. Access to services and data will terminate at the end of that period unless Client requests earlier termination in writing.
All deposits, setup fees, and completed work are non-refundable. This applies to both website design and mobile application development projects, including those initiated through ArdinGate Studios. If a project is canceled prior to completion, any refund is discretionary and, if granted, may be prorated based on work performed, expenses incurred, and a project administration fee of up to fifteen percent (15%) of the total quoted project value.
For projects structured with milestone-based billing, fees paid for completed milestones are non-refundable once that milestone has been delivered or substantially completed. Refund eligibility applies only to milestones not yet started at the time of cancellation. ArdinGate will provide a written accounting of completed and pending milestones upon request.
If ArdinGate materially fails to deliver agreed-upon Deliverables within a reasonable time after the agreed schedule and does not cure the failure within fifteen (15) days of written notice, Client may be eligible for a refund of fees paid for undelivered work.
Third-party platform fees paid by Client (including Apple Developer Program fees and Google Play Developer registration fees) are non-refundable by ArdinGate, as these are paid directly to the platform operators.
For multi-platform app projects (e.g., iOS and Android), if a project is canceled after one platform has been delivered but before the other is complete, fees for the delivered platform are non-refundable. Refund eligibility for the undelivered platform will be assessed based on work performed.
The Transfer & Handoff fee covers the work performed to prepare, initiate, and manage the transfer of app store listings to Client's developer accounts, regardless of platform outcome. This fee is non-refundable. If a transfer is rejected by Apple or Google, ArdinGate will make reasonable additional attempts to resolve the issue at no additional charge, but the Transfer & Handoff fee will not be refunded.
Refunds will not be issued for delays or interruptions caused by third-party providers, force majeure events, or circumstances outside ArdinGate's reasonable control.
ArdinGate encourages Clients to contact us at billing@ardingate.com before initiating any payment dispute or chargeback. ArdinGate will make good-faith efforts to resolve billing concerns directly. Initiating a chargeback without first contacting ArdinGate may result in immediate suspension or termination of Services and may incur an administrative fee of up to $50.00 to cover the documented administrative costs we incur from our payment processor for responding to a disputed charge. This fee is a reasonable forecast of administrative damages and is not intended as a penalty.
To request a refund, contact ArdinGate in writing at billing@ardingate.com. Include your account name, the service in question, and the reason for your request. ArdinGate will acknowledge your request within five (5) business days and provide a determination within fifteen (15) business days. Approved refunds will be processed within ten (10) business days of the approval determination. All refund determinations are at ArdinGate's reasonable discretion.
Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method where possible. Where the original method is unavailable, we may issue refunds by check or ACH to the legal name on the original account. Your bank or payment processor may require additional time to post refunded amounts to your account; this is outside ArdinGate's control.
ArdinGate may offset any refund amount against unpaid invoices, accrued late fees, expenses incurred on Client's behalf, and other amounts due under these Services. Refunds do not include sales, use, or similar taxes already remitted to taxing authorities unless the applicable jurisdiction permits recovery.
If you are not satisfied with a refund determination, you may seek resolution through the dispute-resolution process set forth in Section 16 of our Terms of Service, including informal negotiation, mediation, and binding arbitration (with the opt-out and carve-outs described there).
