Why did my payment fail, and what can I do?
A failed payment usually isn't anything to worry about, and it's almost always quick to fix. Here's why it happens and how to get things back on track.
Common reasons a payment fails
Most failed payments come down to one of these:
Expired or replaced card. The card on file has expired, or your bank has issued you a new one.
Insufficient funds. There wasn't enough available balance when we tried to take payment.
Your bank declined the charge. Banks sometimes block payments they don't recognise, particularly the first one, or anything that looks like an unusual or international charge. This is the single most common cause.
Incorrect card details. A wrong card number, expiry date, security code (CVC), or billing postcode will stop a payment going through.
Card not set up for recurring or online payments. Some cards, often prepaid or certain business cards, aren't enabled for subscriptions.
A spending or transaction limit. The charge may have pushed you over a daily limit or your card's credit limit.
Verification wasn't completed. Many UK and EU banks ask you to approve a payment through your banking app or a text code (known as Strong Customer Authentication). If that step is missed, the payment fails.
A temporary issue on the bank's side. Occasionally the bank's system is simply having a moment.
What happens after a failed payment
There's a safety net built in, so a single failed payment won't immediately affect your account:
We'll automatically try the payment again over the next few days, so often there's nothing you need to do.
We'll email you to let you know a payment didn't go through, and we'll prompt you if we need you to update anything.
To avoid any interruption to your Fyxer account, it's worth resolving it sooner rather than later.
What you can do to fix it
Run through these in order:
Check your card details. Make sure the card number, expiry, CVC, and billing postcode are all correct and the card hasn't expired.
Make sure funds are available. A quick balance check rules out the most common cause.
Update your payment method. Head to the Stripe billing portal, where you can add a new card, update your existing one, and view your invoices.
Approve the payment with your bank. If your bank sends a verification request (an app notification or a text), complete it. Without it, the payment can't go through.
Ask your bank if it's still being declined. Your bank can see exactly why a charge was blocked and can clear it for you. This is usually the fastest fix for a stubborn decline.
Try a different card. If one card keeps failing, adding another often does the trick.
Still stuck?
If you've worked through the steps above and the payment still won't go through, get in touch and we'll help you get it sorted.