Online psychic reading services connect you with readers, usually called advisors, by phone, chat or video, and charge for the time you spend with them. People use them for tarot, astrology, mediumship or simply someone to talk a decision through with. Whatever you believe about psychic ability, the services themselves are businesses with prices, terms and refund rules, and they are worth understanding before you hand over a card number. This guide explains how billing works, what intro offers usually mean, how refunds and satisfaction guarantees actually work, how to keep spending under control, and what consumer protection bodies in the US and UK say.

Entertainment, in the services' own words

Start with how the services describe themselves. Keen's help pages state that "Keen is for entertainment purposes only. Must be 18 years or older." Psychic Source's terms open with the line "Our service and website are for entertainment only," add that the service is for adults 18 and over, and say advisors' information "should not be used in place of any recommendations by medical professionals or other professional counselors." Kasamba's terms say it does not review, endorse or guarantee the qualifications or claims of any advisor, or any prediction or advice they give.

That framing matters. If you are dealing with a health worry, a legal problem, money trouble, grief or thoughts of self-harm, a reading is not a substitute for a doctor, lawyer, financial adviser, counsellor or crisis line. Many people find readings comforting or fun; the services themselves say they are not professional advice.

How per-minute billing works

Most platforms charge by the minute, and each advisor sets their own rate, so prices on the same site can vary widely. The typical model is prepaid: you add funds to an account, and the clock runs against that balance while you talk or chat.

Psychic Source describes its version clearly in its FAQs. It shows each advisor's per-minute rate and your account balance before you start, you cannot connect with an advisor if you lack enough funds to cover a reading, and you are charged only for the time spent. When funds run low during a reading, a "QuickBuy" option lets you add more, charged to a saved card; if you do not add funds, the reading ends when the balance runs out.

That top-up moment is where spending tends to drift. It arrives mid-conversation, often at an emotional point, with a stored card ready to charge. Decide your limit before you start, not when prompted.

Intro offers and what they cover

New-customer offers are the main marketing tool in this market: a few free minutes, a heavily discounted per-minute rate for a first session, or a bundle of minutes at a reduced price. When we checked Psychic Source's site at the time of writing, it advertised new-customer rates "as low as $1 per minute" and a one-time online offer "as low as $0.60 per minute". Offers like these typically apply once, often only to certain advisors or price tiers, and the advisor's normal rate applies afterwards.

Before using an intro offer, check:

  • How many minutes are discounted, and whether they must be used in one session.
  • Which advisors are included; popular advisors often charge more.
  • What the rate becomes once the offer ends.
  • Whether you are being signed up to a subscription at the same time.

Subscriptions do exist. Psychic Source's "Insider Advantage" membership, for example, renews automatically each month until cancelled, its terms say payments are non-refundable with no refunds for partial months, and cancellation is by phone. If a site offers a membership, read its renewal and cancellation terms before joining.

Refunds and satisfaction guarantees: read the small print

Most services advertise a satisfaction guarantee, but the details differ and usually come with time limits and caps. Three examples from the services' own pages:

  • Keen says you may be eligible for a credit of up to $25 in Keen credit if a session fell short, requested within 72 hours of the conversation, available once every 30 days. Credits are issued as Keen credit toward future readings, not cash, and promotional funds or free minutes are not eligible. Keen reserves the right to approve, deny or partly approve any request.
  • Psychic Source asks you to request a credit within 24 hours of a paid reading. It says it will refund unused purchase balances on your account, and that its guarantee does not apply to the free reading included with its membership.
  • Kasamba's terms say it "may, at its sole discretion, choose to refund a payment" in limited circumstances, and that requests must be made within seven days of the end of the session.

The pattern is that guarantees typically come as account credit rather than money back, are discretionary, and expire quickly. If a reading disappoints you, ask promptly, and in writing where possible. If you have unused funds you no longer want, ask whether the balance can be refunded.

How to set your own spending limits

None of the safeguards below depends on a platform feature, so they work on any service:

  1. Set a budget for the month and only add that amount as prepaid funds. Do not add more mid-session.
  2. Do not save a card for one-tap top-ups, or remove it after your first purchase, so every top-up takes a deliberate step.
  3. Use a timer. Per-minute pricing is easy to lose track of in a conversation. Divide your budget by the advisor's rate and set an alarm.
  4. Use your bank's controls. Many banks and card issuers let you set merchant blocks, spending alerts or a prepaid or virtual card for online purchases.
  5. Check your statements. Charges may appear under a company name you do not recognise; Psychic Source, for example, says its charges appear as Expert Link, Inc.
  6. Take a break if you notice you are booking readings to cope with anxiety, or returning to ask the same question repeatedly.

What consumer protection bodies say

United States

The Federal Trade Commission has acted against psychic services that misled people about cost. In a settlement with the promoters of the "Miss Cleo" pay-per-call psychic line, the FTC alleged the companies had misrepresented that readings were free and that callers incurred no costs while they stayed on the line. The defendants agreed to forgive about $500 million in consumer charges and pay $5 million. As the FTC's consumer protection director said at the time, "companies that make a promise in an ad need to deliver on it, whether it's about availability, performance, or cost."

AARP's fraud guidance describes scams that use psychic readings as a hook, as distinct from ordinary paid readings. Warning signs it lists include a psychic who guarantees outcomes such as good health, money or romance, who keeps finding new problems that need paid solutions, who warns of bad consequences if you do not pay, or who asks you to keep things secret. It advises agreeing the total cost up front, talking to someone you trust first, and never sharing bank details or account access. Problems can be reported to the FTC.

United Kingdom

In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority enforces the advertising codes. Its guidance on psychic and spiritualist services says claims that readings are accurate or truthful are likely to be problematic, that ads must not exploit vulnerable people, and that services should not promise to lift curses or guarantee improvements to health or finances. Psychics and mediums are covered by general consumer protection law against misleading and aggressive practices.

A quick checklist before your first reading

  • Read the service's terms, including the entertainment disclaimer, refund window and any subscription.
  • Note the advisor's normal per-minute rate, not just the intro rate.
  • Set a budget, prepay only that amount and set a timer.
  • Do not share bank details beyond the payment page, and never pay for curse removal or similar extras.
  • For health, legal, financial or emotional crises, speak to a qualified professional.