If you've got unused funds in your workspace balance, you can request a full or partial refund by contacting our Support team using the icon at the bottom right of this page.

Before you request a refund

Check the following before reaching out to Support:

All your studies are completed and submissions are reviewed
No funds are reserved for active studies - funds are reserved from the moment a study is published, and stay reserved until it's stopped or completed
You have the details of the original payment method you used to top up
You'll contact us from the email address linked to your account

We can't refund funds that are still reserved for active studies.

What can and can't be refunded

Refundable funds

You can request a refund, full or partial, for any unused workspace balance that isn't reserved for active studies.

Non-refundable funds

The following can't usually be refunded:

Platform fees - paid in advance and non-refundable, except at Prolific's discretion
Prolific credits
Referral incentives - the incentive itself and the associated qualifying top-up (up to £100 / $125) are both non-refundable
Promotional, goodwill, or competition credits provided by Prolific

How we determine your refund payment method

Refunds go back to the most recent eligible payment method used to top up your workspace. If your workspace was funded using multiple cards, bank accounts, or institutions, we may not be able to refund a different or older payment method.

This process helps us:

Return funds securely
Prevent fraud and payment disputes
Make sure refunds go back to the original funding source
Handle refunds consistently when multiple funding sources are involved

If you think your refund needs special handling, include the details in your request and our team will take a look.

Institution-funded workspaces

If your university, organization, or institution funded the workspace, refunds go back to the original funding source. In some cases, we may need additional information to process the refund.

If there's a dispute about who should receive the refund, we may pause processing while we review the request.

How to request a refund

Contact our Support team using the icon at the bottom right of this page. To help us process your request quickly, include the following details.

All refund requests

Confirmation that all studies are complete and submissions are reviewed
Your workspace ID or workspace name
The amount you'd like refunded, and whether it's a full or partial refund
How you topped up - card or bank transfer
Your reason for requesting a refund

If you topped up by card

The last 4 digits of the card used

If you topped up by bank transfer

Depending on your country, we may ask for some or all of the following:

All countries:

Account holder name
Bank name and address
Preferred payment reference

UK accounts:

Sort code
Account number

US accounts:

Routing number
Account number

Other countries:

IBAN
BIC/SWIFT code

If the refund amount is £100 / $100 or more, include proof of the original transaction.

If you contact us by email, use the email address associated with your account, we won't be able to process your request otherwise.

Some refund requests may need additional review before we can process them.

Refund documentation

Once your refund is processed, you'll get a credit note or receipt. You can find it in your workspace Finance page under Invoices.

FAQs

How long does a refund take?

Processing times depend on your original payment method.

Card payments: usually 5–10 working days.
Bank transfers: processed weekly (typically Fridays), then usually 5–10 working days to arrive.

If your refund hasn't arrived after this time, contact Support.

Can I keep unused funds for future studies?

Yes. You don't need to request a refund if you're planning to run more studies from the same workspace. Your unused balance stays in your workspace and can be used for future participant payments and fees.

Can I request a partial refund?

Yes - just include the amount you'd like refunded when you contact Support.

What if my original payment method has changed?

Refunds must usually go back to the original payment method. If your card has expired:

If the account is still open, we can usually still process the refund
Some banks automatically redirect funds to replacement cards
If the refund fails, the funds return to Prolific and we'll look at alternative options

Alternative refund methods are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.