Partial refunds

The partial refund option lets you adjust the payment for an existing order without canceling it entirely. If a project's scope changes or an issue comes up mid-order, a partial refund allows the freelancer to be compensated for the work they've already completed while returning part of the payment to the client.

This article guides you through how partial refunds work, who can request them, and the steps involved.

Overview

Only a freelancer can initiate a partial refund through the Resolution Center on the order page. If you're a client who'd like a partial refund, reach out to your freelancer via inbox first to agree on an amount.

Here is what you need to know:

• A partial refund applies to the initial (primary) amount of an active order only.
• If extras were added after the order was placed, the partial refund covers only the original amount, not the extras.
  • Example: if you paid $50 on the initial order and later added a $10 extra, only the $50 is covered by the partial refund.
• Partial refunds are processed to the original payment method used to purchase the order. It takes 2-10 days for the refund to complete.
• Partial refunds on completed orders are also available, but they can only be processed through Customer Support. Contact us to check whether a partial refund is available for a completed order.

Before you begin

Before submitting a partial refund, make sure your order meets all of the following criteria.

Order status & amount

1. The order must be active (not yet completed).
2. The order amount must be over $50.

Refund limits

• The minimum refund amount is $5.
• The maximum refund is 60% of the original order price.

Example: a $200 order allows a partial refund of up to $120.

Eligible order types

• One-time purchase orders are eligible.
• Milestone orders are eligible, but only for the first milestone. Once the first milestone is marked complete, the option is no longer available.
• Subscription orders are also eligible.
• Orders purchased with a promo code, coupon, promotion, or Fiverr Credits are not eligible.

Other conditions

• Only one partial refund is allowed per order.
• Once a partial refund is accepted, it cannot be reversed.

How to offer a partial refund for freelancers

We encourage both parties to discuss and agree on an amount before submitting a partial refund request. This helps set clear expectations.

Only freelancers can send a partial refund offer.

• 1. Go to the Resolution Center from the order page.
  2. Select Offer a partial refund.
  3. Enter the amount you'd like to refund and add a note explaining the offer to the client. You'll also be asked to select a reason from a dropdown — this is for internal use only and won't be shared with the client.
  4. Click Send offer.

  

  A notification confirms the client has received your offer. If the client doesn't respond within 3 days, the offer expires automatically. You can withdraw the offer at any time if no agreement is reached on the order page.

  Note: If the client rejects your delivery before accepting the partial refund offer, you'll need to resend the delivery once they accept the partial refund so they can review and accept it.

  Learn more with Using the Resolution Center.

• 1. Go to the Resolution Center from the order page.
  2. Select Offer a partial refund.
  3. Select the reason for the refund.
  4. Enter the amount and add a note for the client.
  5. Tap Send.

  

How to respond to a partial refund offer for clients

1. You'll receive an email and a notification on the order page when the freelancer sends an offer.
2. Go to the Activity section of the order page to review the proposed amount and the reason.
3. Accept or decline the offer. You'll be asked to provide a reason for your decision.

If you don't respond within 3 days, the offer expires automatically.

Best practices

1. Discuss the scope of work completed before making or requesting a refund offer.
2. Make sure the refund amount reflects the value of the work that was delivered.
3. If you're a client and you'd like a partial refund, contact your freelancer directly via your inbox.

FAQs

• The refund is sent to the original payment method used for the order.
• Yes, the partial refund feature is available through the Fiverr app.
• If the service fee on the new (lower) price is less than what was originally charged, the difference is refunded to the client. If the new price would result in a higher fee, the difference is not charged.
• No. Whether the offer is accepted or declined, it won't affect the freelancer's order completion rate.
• The freelancer's fee is calculated based on the final price after the partial refund is applied.
• No. Once a partial refund is accepted, no further refund offers can be made on that order.
• Yes. Partial refunds on completed orders are possible, but they can only be processed through Customer Support.
• Yes. Orders that have received a partial refund are treated as completed orders, so both parties can leave a review.