Tom X.
DO NOT buy or add any payment method to…
DO NOT buy or add any payment method to your use of their trial. This is the typical shitty tactic companies like this use to get the trial to quietly convert into a paid subscription and then pretend it’s “normal” when you get charged. Their own policies make it pretty clear how this goes: trials roll into paid plans, and once a charge is processed, they hide behind “no refunds or no prorated refunds,” with the usual “you should’ve canceled before renewal” line. When I asked for a refund, they didn’t even address the refund request, just sent a scripted explanation about billing cycles (13th of one month to the next month on the 12th, new cycle starts on the 13th) like that magically answers anything. If you’re thinking of using Podcastle, assume you won’t see your money again once they charge you. Do not use this service even to try.
Response from async.comJan 16, 2026
Hi Tom, Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. We’re sorry to hear how frustrated this has been. We’d like to clarify a few important points for transparency. After reviewing your account, we can see that you signed up for a monthly subscription back in October. We don’t offer free trials on monthly plans - trials are available only on annual subscriptions. This is shown at checkout before completing sign-up. Monthly plans renew automatically each billing cycle, as is standard for subscription services. You reached out to us in January, after a subsequent monthly renewal had already been processed. While refunds are available within 7 days of the initial charge, we’re unfortunately unable to issue refunds for later renewals, which is why your request couldn’t be approved. We understand that this wasn’t the outcome you were hoping for, and we’re sorry for the disappointment. Our goal is always to be clear about billing and help users make informed choices, not to catch anyone off guard. If there’s anything about the platform, billing, or plans that you’d like us to clarify further, we’re always happy to help. Please reach out to [email protected]. Thank you! -The Podcastle Team



