Refund and Cancellation Policy

Effective Date: September 25, 2026

Hey there, tech industry professional! We know you're busy finding top developer talent, so we've crafted this refund and cancellation policy to be as clear and straightforward as possible. At SkillSauce, we're committed to providing you with a top-notch hiring and assessment platform. Let's dive into the details of how we handle refunds and cancellations.

1. Introduction

Purpose Statement

At SkillSauce, we're all about delivering value. We understand that hiring the right developers can make or break your projects, and we're here to make that process smoother for you. Our platform is designed to help you identify and assess top talent efficiently and effectively.

We believe in transparency and fairness, especially when it comes to managing refund requests and cancellations. We know that sometimes things don't go as planned, and we want to make sure you understand exactly how we handle these situations.

Scope of Policy

This policy applies to all SkillSauce users, whether you've made a one-time purchase, bought credit packs, subscribed to a plan, or accessed our premium features and services. These transactions are processed by Paddle as our Merchant of Record, so this policy applies alongside — not instead of — Paddle's own Refund Policy.

2. Payment Gateway and Who You Are Buying From

SkillSauce is operated by Citadel Research and Development Private Limited, and uses Paddle as its payment gateway and Merchant of Record. This is worth understanding before you request a refund, because it affects who you are contracting with and who processes your money:

• Paddle is the seller of record for purchases made through our checkout. The contracting Paddle entity depends on where you are buying from — Paddle.com Inc. (United States), Paddle.com (Canada) Ltd (Canada), or Paddle.com Market Ltd (rest of world) — selling you the SkillSauce plan or credit pack as an authorised reseller.
• Your payment contract is with Paddle, governed by Paddle's Buyer Terms. Your access to and use of the SkillSauce platform is supplied by Citadel Research and Development Private Limited and governed separately by our Terms and Conditions.
• Paddle processes all refunds. SkillSauce reviews and approves your request, but the money is returned to you by Paddle.
• Charges appear on your statement through Paddle, showing SKILLSAUCE — for example, PADDLE.NET* SKILLSAUCE. The exact wording varies slightly between banks and card issuers. If you don't recognise a charge from us, this is the most likely explanation.
• Recurring charges are taken by Paddle on each renewal date for subscription plans. See Section 5 for how renewal and cancellation work.
• You can deal with Paddle directly at any time, using the support link on your receipt, the paddle.net buyer portal, or [email protected]. You do not have to go through SkillSauce first.

Where this policy and Paddle's Refund Policy differ in respect of the transaction itself, Paddle's terms govern. This policy explains how SkillSauce reviews your request and what we do on the platform side.

3. General Refund Policy

Eligibility for Refund

We want you to be completely satisfied with SkillSauce. That's why we offer a 14-day refund window. Here's what you need to know:

• You can request a refund within 14 days of your purchase.
• To be eligible, your credits must be unspent. Once credits have been used — for example by sending an assessment or starting a TESSA AI Interview — that part of the service has been delivered and is no longer refundable.
• This 14-day window is a minimum. It does not replace or shorten any longer cancellation or withdrawal right you may have under the consumer law of your own country.
• We strongly recommend taking advantage of our demo and trial features before making a purchase. This way, you can get a feel for the platform and make sure it's the right fit for your needs.

Partial Refunds

We understand that sometimes things don't go perfectly. We may grant partial refunds in the following situations:

• Technical issues that aren't caused by your own environment or setup.
• Billing errors, such as duplicate charges or incorrect amounts.
• Service downtime that significantly affects your ability to conduct assessments.

To request a partial refund, you'll need to provide proof of the error along with a detailed explanation. We'll review each case individually and do our best to make it right.

Non-Refundable Situations

While we aim to be flexible, there are some situations where we can't offer refunds:

• If you've simply changed your mind after the 14-day window.
• If you didn't fully understand the services, despite the resources we provide (we're always here to help explain!).
• Requests made after the 14-day refund window has closed.
• Services that have been partially or fully consumed.
• Purchases made using promotional discounts that were clearly labeled as non-refundable, except where you have a cancellation or withdrawal right under the consumer law of your country, which these labels do not override.

4. Refund Request Process

You can request a refund either through SkillSauce or directly through Paddle. Both routes are open to you — use whichever you prefer.

Option 1: Through SkillSauce

• Send an email to [email protected] with the subject line "Refund Request".
• Include the following information:
  • Date of purchase
  • Transaction ID from your Paddle receipt
  • Reason for the refund request
• We'll respond to your request within 2 business days.
• If we approve it, we instruct Paddle to issue the refund, since Paddle holds the transaction.

Option 2: Directly through Paddle

• Use the support link included on your Paddle receipt.
• Or visit the paddle.net buyer portal and select "Request refund".
• Or email [email protected].

Once Approved

Approved refunds are issued by Paddle within 14 days of approval, to your original payment method where possible. Your bank or card issuer may take additional time to post the credit to your account.

5. Cancellation Policy

Cancellation of an Assessment or Service

We get it - sometimes you need to cancel an assessment. Here's how it works:

• You can cancel any assessment that hasn't been shared with candidates yet.
• Once an assessment has been sent or is in progress, it can't be canceled.
• If you accidentally sent an assessment, reach out to us. We'll review these cases individually and may be able to help.

Credit-Based Usage

If you've purchased credit packs, here's what you need to know:

• Unused credits are valid for 1 year from the date of purchase.
• We can't offer refunds for unused credits outside of the 14-day window.
• If a candidate does not attempt an Assessment or TESSA AI Interview, those credits are returned to your account balance automatically. This is a return of credits to your SkillSauce account, not a refund of money to your payment method.

Subscription Renewal and Cancellation

If you are on a subscription plan rather than a one-off credit pack:

• Your subscription renews automatically for further periods equal to your initial term, until you cancel it.
• Paddle charges your payment method on or after the renewal date for each new period.
• You can cancel at any time through the paddle.net buyer portal, the link in your confirmation email, or by contacting us.
• Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. You keep access until then, and you won't be charged again. We don't refund part-used billing periods.

6. Service Downtime or Errors

We're committed to providing 99.9% uptime. But we know that sometimes, despite our best efforts, things can go wrong. If you're affected by system-wide outages, we've got your back:

• We may extend the validity of your credits.
• We might offer bonus credits to make up for lost time.
• In severe cases, we may offer partial refunds (with documented evidence of the impact on your hiring process).

7. Payment Disputes

If something has gone wrong with a charge, we'd always rather sort it out with you directly. Contacting us at [email protected] or Paddle at [email protected] is almost always faster than raising a dispute with your bank, and we encourage you to try that first.

That said, raising a dispute with your card issuer is your right under card scheme rules, and nothing in this policy takes it away or penalises you for using it.

Where we or Paddle reasonably believe a transaction or dispute involves fraud or refund abuse, access to the relevant Product may be suspended while the matter is investigated, and a refund may be declined. This does not affect your lawful rights to pursue the dispute.

8. Special and Custom Orders

For our users who need custom integrations or services, here's the deal:

• Once we've kicked off a custom project, it becomes non-refundable.
• If you need to cancel before the project starts, we may be able to accommodate that, but there might be some deductions for any work already completed.

9. Policy Changes

The tech world moves fast, and sometimes we need to update our policies to keep up. Here's what you should know:

• This policy may be revised from time to time.
• Changes take effect when posted and apply to purchases made after that point. They do not change the terms that applied to a purchase you have already made.
• We encourage you to check the current version of this policy before making any purchases.

10. Contact Us

Have questions? We're here to help! You can reach us through:

• SkillSauce: [email protected]
• Paddle (billing and refunds): [email protected] or the paddle.net buyer portal

At SkillSauce, we're passionate about helping you build the best tech teams possible. We hope this policy gives you peace of mind as you use our platform. Remember, our goal is to make your hiring process smoother and more effective. If there's anything we can do to improve your experience, just let us know.