Refund Policy
Last Updated: May 16, 2026
AfterCut Studio is a one-time purchase of a perpetual license, not a subscription. This page explains when we offer refunds, when we may decline, and how to ask for one. The short version: the service we sell is the ability to export a finished video, so a refund is available up until you produce your first successful export. After that, the service has been delivered. We still look at individual cases on their merits — keep reading.
What you can do before paying
AfterCut Studio is free to download. The free trial lets you record your screen, edit the result on the timeline, apply zoom and backgrounds, and preview the final video inside the app. Exporting the finished video to a file — the deliverable people actually buy AfterCut for — requires a paid license.
We mention this because it shapes the rest of this policy. Most "I didn't realize how the app feels to use" questions can be answered before purchase by running the trial; the main thing you cannot evaluate without paying is the exported file itself.
When we offer a refund
We will issue a full refund in any of the following situations, as long as the request is made within 14 days of purchase and you have not produced a successful export yet:
- The app does not run on a supported configuration (macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon or Intel) and we cannot resolve it with you.
- Your license could not be activated because of a fault on our side or on the side of our payment processor, Polar.sh.
- A feature that is advertised on this website does not work as described, and we cannot fix it in a reasonable timeframe.
- A reproducible bug prevents export from completing at all, and a workaround or fix is not available.
- You purchased by mistake (for example, a duplicate purchase) and have not used the license to export a finished video.
For these cases we do not require a detailed justification. One sentence is enough.
Why a successful export ends the refund window
The licensed deliverable is the exported video file. Once you have produced a finished export, the service has been rendered in full — you have used the paid feature to generate a usable output. From that point on we treat the contract as performed and cannot offer a routine change-of-mind refund.
This is also why the free trial covers everything except export: so you can verify the recording, editing and preview experience before you commit, and the act of paying is tied directly to producing a real output.
Individual cases after an export
Even after a successful export, there are situations where a refund is reasonable and we will consider one on a case-by-case basis. Examples:
- The exported file shows a clear, demonstrable quality drop compared to the in-app preview (color shift, sync drift, frame drops, artefacts, resolution mismatch) and we cannot reproduce a clean export for you.
- The export completed but the resulting file is corrupted, truncated, or unplayable, and a follow-up export with the same settings produces the same failure.
- A feature you specifically purchased the app for (e.g. 4K export, a particular codec, YouTube upload) is broken in your environment and we cannot get it working.
- Anything else that, in your reasonable view, means the app did not deliver what was promised — get in touch and explain.
For these requests we may ask for the project file, the exported video, and the in-app preview so we can compare and reproduce the issue. We always prefer to fix the underlying problem over issuing a refund, because that also helps every other user. If we cannot fix it, the refund is on the table.
When we may decline a refund
- More than 14 days have passed since the original purchase date and no specific export problem is being reported.
- You have produced one or more successful exports and the refund request is a change of mind, not a quality or functionality issue.
- The license has been activated on more devices than its activation limit allows, or is being used in a way that suggests resale or sharing.
- The request is the result of a chargeback opened without first contacting support. A chargeback creates costs that prevent us from working with you directly — please email us first.
- The request is unrelated to the app itself (for example, dissatisfaction with macOS, third-party hardware, or YouTube's upload policies).
What happens after a refund is issued
- Your license key is deactivated. Any Mac that was using the license will revert to the free trial on next launch and will lose the ability to export new videos.
- Recordings, project files, and any exported videos already saved on your Mac are not deleted. Files that already exist on your disk continue to belong to you.
- The refund itself is processed by our payment provider, Polar.sh, back to the original payment method. Funds typically arrive within 5–10 business days, depending on your bank.
Statutory consumer rights
Nothing in this policy limits the consumer rights you have that cannot be waived under applicable law. Two distinct rights are worth separating here, because they are often confused:
Right of withdrawal (14-day cooling-off period)
Under EU Directive 2011/83/EU and the equivalent UK Consumer Contracts Regulations, consumers normally have a 14-day right of withdrawal for digital content purchases. This right is lost once supply of the content has begun with the consumer's prior express consent and acknowledgment that the right will be lost.
AfterCut Studio is delivered as an immediate download. At checkout you expressly request that performance begin immediately, and acknowledge that the 14-day right of withdrawal ends once that download has started. As a result, the cooling-off withdrawal right does not give you an automatic refund after you have downloaded the app — even if you have not yet exported.
Rights for faulty or non-conforming digital content
Separately, you have statutory rights that cannot be waived: the right to a remedy when digital content is faulty, materially different from what was described, or otherwise not of satisfactory quality (for example, under the UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 or the EU Digital Content Directive 2019/770).
If AfterCut Studio falls short of what was promised on this website, those rights apply regardless of the 14-day window or whether you have already exported. The remedy may be a fix, a replacement, or a refund, depending on the situation, and we will work with you to provide it. "Faulty" in this sense means the app does not do what it was advertised to do — not "I changed my mind".
This policy is provided in good faith and is not legal advice. If you believe you have a statutory claim, the fastest path to a resolution is to email us at support@aftercut.studio describing the issue.
How to request a refund
- Email support@aftercut.studio from the address you used at checkout, or include your Polar.sh order ID in the message.
- Briefly describe why you are requesting a refund. If you have already exported, mention what went wrong with the export so we can look into it.
- We aim to respond within 2 business days. If your refund is approved, Polar.sh will process the payment back to your original card or account.
Mac App Store purchases
If you purchased AfterCut Studio through the Mac App Store, refunds are handled directly by Apple under its own refund policy. Please request a refund at reportaproblem.apple.com. We do not have the ability to issue refunds for App Store purchases on Apple's behalf.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last Updated" date at the top of the page always reflects the current version. Changes apply to purchases made on or after the updated date; for earlier purchases, the policy in effect at the time of purchase continues to apply.
Contact
- Email: support@aftercut.studio
- Website: https://www.aftercut.studio