What Shows Up on Your Bank Statement for an AI Companion?
Billing descriptors, app-store charges, and how Swipey keeps billing private
Your bank or card statement shows the merchant's billing descriptor: a short line of text that the business sets with its payment provider. That line is often a company name rather than the name of the app, and purchases made through the Apple App Store or Google Play show up under Apple or Google instead. This guide explains what each kind of line means, how to trace a charge, how to stop future ones and how Swipey keeps its billing private.
What will show up on my bank statement?
The descriptor of whoever took your payment, which depends on where you paid. Buying inside an iPhone or Android app usually means Apple or Google took the payment; paying on a website means the service's own payment provider did.
| Where you paid | What the statement usually shows | Where to check or cancel | Who to ask about a charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple App Store | "apple.com/bill" | iPhone Settings, then your name, then Subscriptions | Apple, at reportaproblem.apple.com |
| Google Play | "GOOGLE*" followed by the app name, developer name or content type | Your subscriptions in Google Play | The developer first; Google for unrecognised charges within 120 days |
| Card payment on a website | The merchant's descriptor, often a company name of 5 to 22 characters | The service's own account settings | The merchant's support team |
| Swipey AI (ours) | A neutral company name, the same for Premium, hearts and Fan Clubs, never "Swipey AI" | Settings, then Subscription | Swipey support at hello@swipey.ai |
What is a billing descriptor?
It is the text that identifies a charge on your statement, chosen by the business within rules set by card networks and payment providers. A major card processor's documentation gives the typical limits: between 5 and 22 Latin characters, reflecting the business's trading name, optionally with a short suffix that describes the specific purchase. Clear descriptors help customers recognise their charges, although some banks format the line in their own way.
The practical point is simple: the name on your statement is usually the company that runs the service, which does not have to match the name of the app you use.
Why does Swipey bill under a neutral name?
For your privacy. Swipey's help center says Swipey never appears by name on a bank statement: every purchase type, whether Premium, hearts or a Fan Club membership, uses the same plain company name with no reference to Swipey or to adult content. Purchase emails are worded just as neutrally, so your inbox stays as private as your statement.
Swipey runs in your browser, so you pay Swipey directly rather than through an app-store account, and nothing about your companion shows up in an app-store purchase history. Add Swipey to your home screen and it opens like an app, with the same discreet billing.
How can I tell which service charged me?
Start from the amount and the date, then check your own records. Most unfamiliar lines turn out to be a subscription renewal, a small top-up or a purchase by someone who shares the card or account.
- Search your email for the exact amount and the day of the charge; most services send a receipt, even when it is worded neutrally.
- If the line says "apple.com/bill", sign in to your Apple account to see what was purchased. A Family Sharing organiser with Purchase Sharing turned on can also see what family members bought.
- If the line starts with "GOOGLE*", compare it with your Google Play order history; Google says a charge not in its "GOOGLE*" formats did not come from Google Play.
- Open the subscription page of each service you use. On Swipey, Settings, then Subscription, shows your plan and renewal date.
- Ask the merchant. Swipey's help center says support can confirm a charge in minutes from its date and amount.
Will adding a card to Swipey charge me?
No purchase is needed to add a card, and Swipey adds a one-time bonus of hearts when you add a payment method. Hearts are Swipey's in-app currency, spent on extras such as voice calls, longer video scenes and creator content.
There are other ways to get hearts without a new charge. Verifying your account brings welcome hearts to try things out, and Premium members collect more every day: the daily reward grows the longer the streak runs, daily and permanent quests pay hearts, XP and wheel spins, and each spin of the wheel pays out bonus hearts. The more of your hearts come from play, the fewer top-ups you see on your statement.
How do I dispute a charge I don't recognise?
Check with the merchant first, and go to the app store or your card issuer if the charge is not yours. The route depends on where you paid.
- App Store purchases: sign in at reportaproblem.apple.com, choose "I'd like to", then "Request a refund", pick the reason and the item. Apple says to expect an update within 24 to 48 hours.
- Google Play purchases: Google can act on credit, debit or PayPal transactions within 120 days of the transaction date, and says contacting the developer is often the quickest route.
- US credit cards: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains how to dispute a credit card charge, including sending a written billing-error notice within 60 days after the charge appeared on your statement.
For Swipey charges, the fastest route is a message to hello@swipey.ai, which Swipey's Terms of Service ask you to send before any bank dispute. A charge that turns out to be yours can then be matched to your account straight away, with nothing to undo later.
How do I stop future charges?
Cancel where you subscribed; deleting an app or closing a browser tab does not cancel anything. A subscription bought through an app store is managed in that store, and one bought on a website is managed in the service's account settings.
- iPhone: open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, choose the subscription and tap Cancel Subscription. Apple advises cancelling a free trial at least 24 hours before it ends.
- Android: open your subscriptions in Google Play and cancel there. Google notes that uninstalling the app does not cancel the subscription.
- Swipey: go to Settings, then Subscription, then Current Plan, and cancel in under a minute. Premium stays active until the end of the period you paid for, and your hearts balance, gallery and relationship levels are all kept for when you come back, as the cancellation guide explains.
What does a Swipey charge look like on my statement?
A neutral company name, never "Swipey AI". According to Swipey's help center, the same discreet descriptor covers Premium, hearts and Fan Club memberships, and purchase emails are neutral too. To match a charge to your account, open Settings, then Subscription, or write to hello@swipey.ai with the date and amount.
If something went wrong, such as an accidental or duplicate purchase, write to support as soon as you notice it: the help center's refund article says a real person looks at every case. Current plans and prices are on the pricing page, and Premium includes 200 hearts a month and one Fan Club membership with the creator of your choice.
For what those charges pay for, see what AI companion apps really cost, and for how Swipey treats your data, see your data on an AI companion platform. Ready to start? Meet your AI girlfriend.
