| Information |
Why it matters |
| Account email |
Locates the Bonsai workspace |
| Plan and billing term |
Monthly and yearly subscriptions have different billing records |
| Trial start date |
Supports trial-conversion complaints |
| Charge date and amount |
Needed for refund eligibility and card disputes |
| Add-on name |
Separates tax/team billing from base subscription |
| Invoice number |
Needed for client payment refunds |
| Payment method |
Bonsai Payments, Stripe, PayPal, ACH, or external payment paths differ |
| Client email |
Connects invoice refunds to the right payer |
| Zoom receipt |
Needed if subscription was bought through Zoom |
| Support transcript |
Shows prior contact and Bonsai's decision |
For refund complaints, the most important dates are the charge date, refund request date, and whether the issue is a Bonsai subscription charge or a client invoice payment.
Subscription Cancellation, Trial Billing, and Refunds
Bonsai's free-trial article says Bonsai offers a 7-day free trial with full access to selected plan features. It says customers are not charged when starting the trial, but payment details are required so the account can transition to a paid subscription after the trial.
Bonsai's cancellation article says users can pause or cancel a subscription at any time without penalty and can still access historical work after cancellation. Its refund article says subscription refunds may be requested within 14 days after being charged. It also says the subscription remains active for the current billing cycle after the refund window, but can be canceled to prevent future billing.
For a subscription complaint, ask Bonsai to confirm:
- plan name
- monthly or yearly billing term
- trial start and end date
- charge date
- cancellation or pause date
- whether the 14-day refund window applies
- whether add-ons remain active
- whether the subscription was purchased through Zoom
If the subscription was purchased through Zoom, use Bonsai's Zoom subscription guidance and keep the Zoom receipt. The billing owner may be different from a direct Bonsai subscription.
Invoice Payments, Client Refunds, and Payouts
Bonsai's invoice refund article says refunds for invoice payments should be processed from Bonsai when payment was made through Stripe or Bonsai Payments, and warns not to issue refunds directly from the Stripe dashboard because Bonsai needs to account for processing fees correctly. It says refunds can take up to 10 business days to fully process, depending on security review and the client's financial institution.
Bonsai's payments help says Bonsai Payments is available to users in the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia, and supports credit card, debit card, and bank transfer (ACH). Stripe can be used where Stripe is supported, PayPal fees vary by country, and offline methods such as wire transfer or mailed check are not integrated into Bonsai's platform.
For client-payment complaints, separate the payment method:
| Payment method |
What to ask Bonsai |
| Bonsai Payments |
Invoice refund status, payout, processing fee handling, and 10-business-day timing |
| Stripe through Bonsai |
Whether refund should be issued inside Bonsai, not directly in Stripe |
| PayPal |
Whether PayPal must handle part of the refund or dispute |
| ACH/bank transfer |
Bank-transfer status, return, or refund method |
| External payment |
Whether Bonsai only recorded the invoice as paid and cannot process the refund |
If a client is disputing an invoice payment, preserve the invoice, contract, scope, delivery evidence, client messages, and refund status.
When to Escalate Beyond Bonsai
| Situation |
Escalation path |
Notes |
| Charged after cancellation |
Bonsai support, then card issuer if unresolved |
Include cancellation screenshot, charge date, and plan |
| Trial converted unexpectedly |
Bonsai support first |
Include trial start/end date, charge date, and cancellation attempt |
| Subscription refund denied |
Bonsai support |
Ask whether the 14-day refund window applies |
| Zoom-billed subscription |
Zoom support and Bonsai support |
Include Zoom receipt and Bonsai account email |
| Client invoice refund stalled |
Bonsai support, Stripe/PayPal/bank if applicable |
Include invoice number, refund date, and payment method |
| Card billing error |
Card issuer |
Use when Bonsai support has not resolved a documented billing issue |
| Business contract dispute |
Legal/contract route |
Use for client work, contract, scope, or payment disputes beyond platform support |
| Broader consumer complaint |
State consumer office or FTC |
Use after creating a documented Bonsai support record |
Do not use a chargeback as the first step if the issue is a client refund you control inside Bonsai. First determine whether the charge is your Bonsai subscription or a client payment processed through your workspace.
What to Say in a Bonsai Complaint
Use this script:
"I need Bonsai to review a complaint for account [email]. The issue is [subscription cancellation, trial charge, refund request, add-on billing, Zoom-purchased subscription, invoice refund, Bonsai Payments, Stripe, PayPal, ACH, payout, or account access]. The relevant record is [charge date, amount, plan, invoice number, client email, payout, or support case]. I have attached [plan screenshot, receipt, cancellation attempt, invoice, client messages, payout record, payment statement, and prior support messages]. I am requesting [cancellation confirmation, refund eligibility decision, add-on correction, invoice refund status, payout explanation, or written policy explanation]. Please confirm the case status and next step in writing."
Useful follow-up questions:
- "Is this charge for the base subscription or an add-on?"
- "Does the 14-day subscription refund window apply?"
- "Was this subscription bought directly through Bonsai or through Zoom?"
- "Should this client refund be issued through Bonsai, Stripe, PayPal, ACH, or another route?"
- "Will the refund take up to 10 business days to fully process?"
- "Are processing fees included in the client refund calculation?"
- "Can you confirm the decision in writing?"
Let Pine AI Help File the Complaint
