If you pay for any subscription services, there’s a chance you’re paying too much.
There’s also a good chance you’ve forgotten how many subscriptions you have, so you’re paying for things you don’t even use. Or if you do know how many services you’re subscribed to, you may not have the time or ability to call and negotiate your bills.
Companies like Billshark can take over and negotiate or cancel your subscriptions for you. But what do you need to know about Billshark? Can it really save you money?
Let’s take a closer look.
What is Billshark and What Does it Do?
Billshark is a bill negotiation and cancellation service aimed at helping people spend less money on bills.
Launched in 2015 by entrepreneur Steve McKean, Billshark claims to have a 90% success rate when negotiating bills on behalf of its customers for subscription-based services like cable television, wireless phone, satellite television and radio, internet, and home security. Since its launch, Billshark has saved its clients more than $10 million.
It’s backed by entrepreneur Mark Cuban and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CBS News, and U.S. News and World Report. It also has an A+ rating and is accredited with the Better Business Bureau.
You have to provide account information to Billshark so it can negotiate with the provider. But Billshark’s service is safe and reliable. The company uses the same technology that banks use when submitting your payments and provides its expert negotiators with very limited personal information on its customers. In addition, Billshark won’t give your information out to anyone without your permission.
While most customers are pleased with Billshark, common complaints include high fees, savings aren’t as significant as it claims, and too much unsolicited communication. However, the company does seem to be responsive and willing to work with customers on their issues.
Billshark Pros and Cons
Billshark has its advantages and disadvantages. Make sure you carefully weigh these against other services like Trim or Truebill before selecting it for your bill negotiation.
Pros
- Negotiates subscription-based bills on your behalf, which saves you time
- History of saving customers on average of $300 to $500
- No charge if it doesn’t save you money
- Keeps you involved and sends updates during the negotiation process
- Rewards program
Cons
- High fees if it does save you money
- Can’t refuse or deny any savings it finds
- Must create an account to see any potential savings or other estimates
- Only available in the U.S. and Canada
- Can’t negotiate insurance, credit card, or utility bills
How Does Billshark Work?
Billshark has a straightforward, simple process, and it provides several ways to use its bill negotiation service to create passive income.
Estimate your savings
Before you get started with Billshark, you can use its calculator to see how much you might be able to save. Input your monthly bill amount, service provider, and bill type, and it’ll provide an estimate of your yearly savings.
Note that this is an estimate, not an exact figure. If you choose to use Billshark, it might negotiate more (or less) savings, but it’s a good starting point. You do have to create an account or log in with your Google account to get the results.
Negotiation services
The premise behind Billshark’s negotiation services is that people spend too much money on their subscription-based services, but don’t have the time to search for better deals or call providers to negotiate a lower rate. Instead of doing it themselves, customers can authorize Billshark to contact providers on their behalf to lower their bills.
To have it do this for you, you need to follow these steps:
1. Sign up for Billshark using your email address and password or by logging in with your Facebook or Google profile. If you aren’t the account holder for the bill or service, you’ll also need to provide details for that person including their name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security Number.
2. Select the types of subscription-based services you’d like to save money on and choose your providers for those services.
3. Upload images of your bills for the services you want to negotiate through Billshark’s secure website or app. These can include your cable, wireless phone, satellite television, internet, or satellite radio bill. If you forget to add a service or want to add more, you can always log back into your account and upload it.
4. Authorize Billshark’s bill negotiators to investigate your bills and negotiate with service providers on your behalf.
5. Receive confirmation via email and a phone call if the negotiation was successful, along with a detailed breakdown of your savings including the total amount saved and the date the savings take effect (typically within one bill cycle).
Once you authorize Billshark to start negotiating on your behalf, you can’t refuse or deny any savings it find or see the options in advance. You have to accept what it finds for you.
According to its site, “The only exception to this is if you decline, during enrollment, to allow us to sign/extend the service contract with your provider. In these instances, where there are potential savings by extending a contract with your provider, we will contact you in advance of any changes being made.”
Service fees
Billshark charges a 40% fee of whatever it saves you, and that fee applies for every month of the contract term. If it saves you $100 on your internet bill over 12 months, you’ll owe the company $40 each month, or a $480 annual total. This fee is capped at 24 months, even if the savings extends beyond that (ex., it negotiates a new deal for 36 months).
It sends you an invoice after the completion of the negotiation, and you can pay your fee with either a credit card or PayPal or, for an extra $9, set up a payment plan. It doesn’t charge you if it’s unable to save you any money.
This is similar to how other services operate, but Billshark’s fee is high compared to some others. For instance, Trim only charges 33% of the difference.
Related: nimbus33’s Trim Review
Cancellation services
For a flat rate of $9, Billshark can cancel any subscriptions you authorize it to, and it may be able to get you a refund for the unused portion of your service. For the same fee, you can have the company add or reduce your level of services.
The terms and conditions still indicates that the fee is $25, but we confirmed with a representative that the $9 fee listed on the website is the accurate one. It plans to correct the discrepancy as soon as possible.
Related: Advice from 3 People Who Use Trim to Save Hundreds
What Else You Need to Know About Billshark
In addition to its bill negotiation and cancellation services, Billshark also offers a variety of other services:
- Insurance comparison. While Billshark can’t negotiate your home or auto insurance, it has a feature that allows you to compare your current monthly payment with other possible options to see if you’re getting the best deal.
- Billshark for businesses. If you own or manage a business, you can use Billshark to save on corporate expenses including telecom, waste management, payroll, SaaS subscriptions, and document services bills.
- Referral program. If you refer family or friends, they’ll receive $10 off their invoice, and you’ll get a $10 Amazon gift card as long as Billshark is able to negotiate savings on their behalf.
- Rewards program. After submitting your first bill to Billshark, you’ll be enrolled in its rewards program, which offers discounts, coupons, and promo codes for travel, groceries, restaurants, and shopping. You’re also eligible for the daily Amazon gift card drawing and the daily deal, available at 3 p.m. EST each day.
Billshark’s website also offers educational resources via its blog, an internet speed test, and a page that helps you get credits on your service account for any internet or cable outages.
Using Billshark Can Save You Money and Time
Although you can negotiate your bills yourself, you may find the process daunting, intimidating, or time-consuming. Billshark provides an easy and affordable way for you to save money on your subscriptions while letting someone else do the negotiating, allowing you to reap the benefits without spending hours on the phone with service providers.
Before signing up, review all the terms and conditions of using Billshark and make sure you consider all the pros and cons. You might find another service better suits your needs.
Variable
Price Fee is 40% of annual savings. If you don’t save money, then you don’t pay.
nimbus33 Rating Higher service fee than competitors.
BillShark is a bill negotiation service. They have an 85% success rate in lowering bills for cable, internet, wireless phone services, satellite, home security, and more. If BillShark is successful at negotiating a lower rate for you, they keep 40% of your savings. If they’re not able to save you money, then you don’t pay for anything.
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