You saw “SR* BrownstoneResearch.com” or “BrownstoneResearch.com” on your credit card statement and the number 888-493-3156 next to it. That charge is a subscription or auto-renewal for a Brownstone Research financial newsletter. Brownstone Research is a Baltimore-based publisher owned by MarketWise, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKTW), headquartered at 1125 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. The “SR*” prefix is the MarketWise family billing descriptor — the same prefix Stansberry Research uses — and Brownstone’s own billing FAQ page confirms the descriptor maps to them.

The charge might also appear as “www.brownstoneresearch.com” if you paid with an American Express card. If your statement shows “PSV* Bonner and Partners, LLC,” “PSV* Bonner Lifetime,” “PSV* Inner Circle,” “PSV* Bonner & Partners Investor Net,” “PSV* Exponential Tech Investor,” or “PSV* Bonner & Partners Family Office,” that is a charge from before July 14, 2020, when Brownstone used prior brand names tied to Bonner & Partners (an Agora-family imprint that MarketWise absorbed). Those legacy descriptors are still Brownstone charges. If the descriptor says “SR* STANSBERRY RESEARCH” with the number 888-261-2693, that is a sister MarketWise brand — you want the Stansberry charge decode instead. If it says “PSV*” with a product name and a different Baltimore address, that is likely the Agora family (Paradigm, Banyan Hill, or Oxford Club) — see the PSV* Paradigm Press decode, PSV* Banyan Hill decode, or PSV* Oxford Club decode.

If you do not recognize the charge at all, skip to “What If You Don’t Recognize the Charge” below. Brownstone does not bill people who have not subscribed, but shared cards, family members, and free-trial-to-paid conversions are common explanations.

What Products the SR* Brownstone Research Charge Covers

Brownstone Research publishes two free newsletters and several paid advisories. The SR* descriptor covers all paid products. The most commonly billed include:

  • The Near Future Report (Jeff Brown’s flagship; $199/yr list, $49-$179 promo first year)
  • Exponential Tech Investor (small- and micro-cap tech; ~$4,000/yr, credit-only refund)
  • Early Stage Trader (microcap tech; ~$5,000/yr)
  • Neural Net Profits (AI-focused)
  • Permissionless Investor (crypto/Reg CF/Reg A+ deals; ~$2,500)
  • Deep Access (as-needed premium service)
  • Brownstone Unlimited (all-access bundle; one-time investment, the highest tier)
  • Day One Investor (offered through Brownridge Research, Jeff Brown’s 2026 split entity — some billing may still route through Brownstone)

The charge amount depends on which product you subscribed to. Entry-level front-ends like The Near Future Report typically bill at $49-$179 for the first year and auto-renew at $199. Higher-tier back-ends like Exponential Tech Investor and Early Stage Trader bill at full price. If you are seeing a $199 charge and originally paid $49 or $179, that is the standard renewal after the promotional first year.

The Charge Descriptor Decoded

Brownstone Research uses the “SR*” prefix as its billing descriptor. Here is what each variation means:

  • SR BrownstoneResearch.com* — the standard descriptor for Visa, Mastercard, and Discover purchases (verified July 20, 2026, against brownstoneresearch.com/billing). The phone number 888-493-3156 follows it on most statements.
  • BrownstoneResearch.com — the same charge without the SR* prefix, on some card processors.
  • www.brownstoneresearch.com — the descriptor for American Express purchases.
  • PSV Bonner and Partners, LLC / PSV Bonner Lifetime / PSV* Inner Circle / PSV* Bonner & Partners Investor Net / PSV* Exponential Tech Investor / PSV* Bonner & Partners Family Office** — legacy descriptors for charges before July 14, 2020. Brownstone absorbed Bonner & Partners (an Agora-family imprint), and these older subscriptions still appear on statements for long-tenured subscribers.
  • SR BROWNSTONERES* or similar truncations — card processors truncate long descriptors. The same charge.

All of these map to Brownstone Research, LLC at 1125 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. The “SR*” prefix is shared across the MarketWise family — Stansberry Research uses the same prefix with a different phone number (888-261-2693). The “PSV*” prefix on older Brownstone charges is the Agora family’s “publishing services” descriptor, confirmed verbatim by sister imprint The Oxford Club on its own decode pages. If you are uncertain which publisher billed you, the phone number and the product name on the descriptor are the fastest disambiguators.

How to Cancel the Subscription

Brownstone Research offers three cancellation methods: online self-service, phone, and email. The Terms (verified July 20, 2026) state that to cancel, you must notify Brownstone “at least one day before the renewal date” by one of these methods.

Method 1: Cancel Online (Fastest)

  1. Go to brownstoneresearch.com/login and log in with your email and password.
  2. Navigate to the My Account section.
  3. Turn off automatic renewal. Brownstone’s billing FAQ confirms: “You can turn off your automatic renewal on our website at any time, under the ‘My Account’ section.”
  4. You retain access through the end of the subscription period you have already paid for. The subscription simply does not renew.

Cancel at least one day before the renewal date. Cancel inside that window and the next charge may still process, putting you in the position of requesting a refund rather than preventing the charge. Brownstone’s Terms also state they may extend the expiration date on your credit card on file “to protect against unwanted expiration of your Services and to allow for the automatic renewal thereof” — meaning an expired card does not necessarily stop the charge.

Method 2: Cancel by Phone

  1. Call 1-888-493-3156 (toll-free, domestic and international).
  2. Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (verified July 20, 2026, against brownstoneresearch.com/contact).
  3. Have your account email or order number ready.
  4. Ask the representative to cancel your subscription and turn off auto-renewal. Confirm whether you are within any refund window that applies to your product.

Phone hold times are the most-documented complaint against Brownstone. BBB records (verified July 20, 2026) contain multiple complaints from subscribers who waited on hold for extended periods or could not reach a representative. Brownstone’s standard response in BBB filings cites “periods of high call volume.” If the phone line is unresponsive, use the online portal or email — both create a written record of your cancellation request, which matters if there is a dispute about timing.

Method 3: Cancel by Email

Email memberservices@brownstoneresearch.com with your account email, the product name, and a clear request to cancel and turn off auto-renewal. Unlike some Agora-family publishers that use send-only email addresses, Brownstone’s member services email is monitored — the company responds to email inquiries in BBB and Trustpilot records. Email is slower than the portal but creates a timestamped written record. Brownstone’s Terms list email as an accepted cancellation method.

The Refund Fine Print

Brownstone Research’s refund policy is product-specific, and the distinction between the marketing presentation and the order form terms is where most disputes happen. The Terms (Section on Cancellation; Refunds, verified July 20, 2026) state the policy directly.

The Default: Monthly Subscriptions Are Non-Refundable

Brownstone’s Terms state: “Once your initial subscription commences, we do not provide refunds for initial orders or recurring monthly payments. If you cancel your monthly subscription for a specific Premium Service, you will not receive a refund or reimbursement of your monthly subscription Fee; however, you will not be charged any future monthly subscription Fees relating to such Service.” Monthly subscribers get cancellation of future charges, not a refund of past charges.

Annual Subscriptions: The 30-Day Window

The Terms continue: “If you are a User for a Term longer than a month (including, but not limited to, annual subscriptions) and you cancel within the first thirty (30) days of your initial subscription, you may receive a refund of your subscription fee minus the equivalent of one-month pro-rated charge.” After 30 days on an annual subscription, “you will not be entitled to any refund or reimbursement on account of the cancellation of your subscription, regardless of whether you have used your subscription.”

This is the structure for front-end products like The Near Future Report. BBB records (verified July 20, 2026) confirm Brownstone honors the 60-day money-back guarantee on initial Near Future Report subscriptions and a 30-day refund period on renewals — a longer window on the initial purchase than the Terms minimum, stated on the order form. If you are within the window, you get cash back to your original payment method minus one month pro-rated. If you are outside it, cancellation stops future charges but does not refund the current term.

Back-End Products: Credit-Only

Higher-tier products like Exponential Tech Investor and Early Stage Trader typically carry a credit-only guarantee rather than cash. Trustpilot complaints (verified July 20, 2026) document subscribers who paid $4,000-$5,000 for these services, requested a refund, and were offered Brownstone store credit toward other publications instead of cash. One subscriber paid $2,497, was told the “90-day 100% Credit REFUND” meant credit, not cash, and ultimately had to escalate through their credit card company. The BBB response pattern shows Brownstone will issue cash refunds in escalated cases, particularly when the subscriber documents the verbal promise and presses the point — but the default offer on back-end products is credit.

Phone Orders: The 72-Hour Window

Brownstone’s Terms include a phone-order-specific clause: “If you order any Services by telephone and do not agree to be legally bound by this Agreement at that time, you must notify Brownstone Research, LLC within seventy-two (72) hours from the time that Brownstone Research, LLC has sent you an introductory e-mail to your User Account e-mail address on record, that you desire to cancel such Services, whereby the Services will be cancelled, and a refund of any payments or Fees already paid… will be issued.” If you subscribed by phone, you have 72 hours from the welcome email to cancel for a full refund — a tighter window than the 30-day annual subscription window.

Refund Processing Time

Brownstone’s Terms state refunds are credited to your payment account within “seven to fourteen (7-14) business days.” BBB and Trustpilot responses cite “5-7 business days” for card refunds in practice. Check refunds — issued when the original card is no longer valid — take longer and have a documented failure mode: one BBB complaint (verified July 20, 2026) describes a $179 check refund that encountered a processing error, was reissued as a check, and was then lost in transit, requiring a third attempt. If you are owed a check refund, follow up if it does not arrive within three weeks.

The Marketing-vs-Order-Form Gap

This is the most-documented complaint pattern against Brownstone. BBB and Trustpilot records show subscribers who heard “money-back guarantee” in a marketing presentation, requested a refund, and were told the order form terms governed — which on back-end products means credit, not cash. The verbal-promise-then-denied pattern is the recurring grievance. Brownstone’s position in BBB responses is that the order form terms govern, but BBB records also show Brownstone has issued full cash refunds in a meaningful share of escalated complaints, particularly when the subscriber documented the verbal promise and pressed the point, or canceled within the stated window.

Brownstone Unlimited: The Assignment Clause

Brownstone’s Terms include an unusual clause for Brownstone Unlimited members: membership agreements “may assign this Agreement without prior written consent from Brownstone Research, LLC provided further that such Brownstone Unlimited Members shall provide us with written notice prior to any assignment.” Most publisher subscriptions are non-transferable. Brownstone Unlimited — the all-access lifetime tier — is assignable with notice. This matters for estate planning and for subscribers who want to transfer a lifetime membership rather than abandon it.

The Auto-Renew Trap to Watch For

Brownstone subscriptions auto-renew by default. The order form discloses that the subscription will automatically renew at the full list price until you cancel. Brownstone sends renewal notification emails 30 days, 15 days, and 5 days before the renewal date — a better practice than some peers — but the renewal charge is still what most people see on their statement and do not recognize. A year has passed and they forgot the auto-renew was coming.

The one-day rule is the key detail. Cancel at least one day before the renewal date or the charge may still process. Brownstone’s Terms also state they may extend the expiration date on your credit card on file to allow renewal — meaning an expired card does not stop the charge, and card networks’ account updater services can push new card details to the publisher automatically. A new card number does not stop auto-renew; only a cancellation does.

The fix: turn off auto-renew in your account settings at brownstoneresearch.com/login immediately after subscribing, or calendar the renewal date a week in advance.

Confirmation Checklist

After cancelling, verify each of these:

  1. You received a cancellation confirmation email from Brownstone. If not within 24 hours, call 888-493-3156 or email memberservices@brownstoneresearch.com.
  2. Your account page at brownstoneresearch.com/login shows the subscription as canceled or auto-renew turned off.
  3. Auto-renew is off for all products in your account, including any bundled with the one you intended to cancel. Brownstone’s Terms state that terminating one service in a bundled package may terminate all services in that bundle — confirm what remains active.
  4. Check your credit card statement the following month — no new SR* BrownstoneResearch.com charges should appear, and if one does, call immediately.
  5. If you were promised a refund, confirm the amount, the form (cash or credit), and the timeline. Cash refunds process back to your original payment method in 5-7 business days per Brownstone’s BBB responses (7-14 business days per the Terms). Credits apply to your account for use toward other Brownstone products.

What If the Charge Is Not Yours

If you have never subscribed to any Brownstone product and the charge is unfamiliar, contact Member Services at 888-493-3156 or use the contact form at brownstoneresearch.com/contact. Common explanations include a family member who used a shared card, a free trial that converted to paid, or a subscription purchased under a different email address.

Brownstone’s Terms state that initiating a chargeback without first contacting customer service can result in account termination and, per the Terms, the publisher “reserves our right to dispute any chargeback.” The Terms also include an unusually broad chargeback waiver clause stating that credit card payers “permanently and irrevocably waive any and all right to enact an improper ‘chargeback’” — a clause that is legally aggressive but does not override your card network’s dispute rights. If you have contacted Brownstone and the issue is unresolved, a chargeback through your card issuer remains the escalation path. Try the publisher first — their phone line is staffed and BBB records show they resolve a meaningful share of billing complaints when the subscriber calls directly.

When a Chargeback Makes Sense

A chargeback is the last resort. Use it only if:

  • You contacted Brownstone by phone and email and received no response within a reasonable timeframe.
  • The charge is clearly fraudulent (you have no account and never subscribed).
  • You cancelled within a refund window stated on your order form and were denied a refund you are owed.
  • You have written evidence of a refund promise that customer service refuses to honor.

Filing a chargeback without first contacting the publisher will likely result in Brownstone disputing it, and their order-form records are thorough. If you have the cancellation confirmation and any refund promise in writing, your card issuer will have what it needs to side with you. BBB records document a case where a subscriber’s credit card company initially sided with Brownstone after investigating a “90-day credit refund” dispute, ruling it a terms disagreement rather than fraud — so document everything before escalating.

Contact Reference

All contact information verified July 20, 2026 against brownstoneresearch.com/contact, brownstoneresearch.com/billing, and brownstoneresearch.com/terms-of-use.

MethodDetails
Phone (Domestic/International)1-888-493-3156
HoursMonday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern Time
Emailmemberservices@brownstoneresearch.com
Online Portalbrownstoneresearch.com/login (My Account section)
Contact Formbrownstoneresearch.com/contact
MailBrownstone Research, LLC, 1125 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Legal EntityBrownstone Research, LLC
ParentMarketWise, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKTW)

Flack Jacket Finance is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with Brownstone Research, LLC or MarketWise, Inc. We may earn affiliate commissions from links on this site. This page was last verified July 20, 2026. Publisher phone numbers, portal paths, and refund policies change — always confirm directly with the publisher before acting.

See the guides index for more publisher and thesis explainers.