It’s possible to see a payment processed after canceling your subscription due to how Extern’s billing system schedules and finalizes invoices. This article explains why that happens and what options are available if you’ve recently cancelled.
How the Billing Cycle Works
1. Invoices Trigger the Pay Period
Once an invoice is created, it automatically begins the pay period for your subscription.
If you cancel after an invoice is created but before it posts, the system still processes the scheduled payment for that invoice.
2. Payments Continue Until Successful
After an invoice is generated, the system continues trying to process the payment until it succeeds.
If the payment fails and you cancel your subscription, you may still receive payment reminder notifications for that outstanding invoice.
These notifications do not mean your subscription is active again; they simply relate to the existing unpaid invoice.
Refund Eligibility
You’re eligible for a full refund of a charge if, within 48 hours of a new pay period starting, you either cancel your subscription or contact Extern Support to request a refund. Refunds aren’t issued automatically when you cancel, so if you cancel within the window, please contact Extern Support promptly to request your refund.
After more than 48 hours, that charge is not eligible for a refund.
The 48 hours start at the time of the charge and run on calendar time, not business hours, so weekends count toward the window. We accept and honor refund requests that come in on Saturdays and Sundays too. Extern reserves the right to decline a refund if the subscription has been used during the pay period the refund is requested for.
Situation | Refund Eligibility |
Cancelled, or contacted Extern Support, within 48 hours of the pay period starting | Eligible for a full refund of that charge (contact Support to request it) |
Neither cancelled nor contacted Support within 48 hours of the pay period starting | Not eligible for a refund |
Subscription used during the pay period | Extern may decline the refund |
Payment fails but user cancels before retry succeeds | Invoice still due, notifications may continue |
Summary
Once an invoice is created, the system automatically begins the billing process.
Cancelling after invoice creation does not stop that payment from processing.
Failed payments may continue generating notifications even if your subscription is cancelled.
If you cancel or contact Extern Support within 48 hours of a new pay period starting, you’re eligible for a full refund of that charge, as long as the subscription hasn’t been used in that pay period. The 48 hours are counted from the time of the charge, in calendar hours, not business hours.