Why was my credit card declined?
There are a number of common reasons why a credit card might be declined. Regardless of the reason, if your credit card has been declined, we recommend that you update your account with the most recent credit card details.
In this article:
Why do declines happen?
When charges are submitted to the cardholder’s bank account, banks have automated systems to determine whether or not to accept the charge. Factors might include spending habits, account balance, and card information like expiration date. Unfortunately, we don’t receive any information as to why a decline happened, so we're not able to share the specific reasons why a charge was declined.
Since the signals change quite frequently, a previously successful card might be declined in the future. Even if your billing details have been updated with your latest credit card information, a future charge could still be declined by a bank’s fraud systems methods.
If your payment details are up to date, and you are still seeing payment failures, you may also consider checking in with your bank about getting the payment to go through on their end. It’s often helpful to request Tier 2 support at your bank, as they’re typically better equipped to assist with failed charges.
✅ Troubleshooting checklist
Use this list to review potential reasons your card might have been declined:
Is your card up to date?
Cards can expire or get replaced. Update your account with your most recent credit card details.
Is your billing address accurate?
Make sure the address entered in your Buffer billing settings matches your card’s billing address exactly.
Does your card have sufficient funds?
Insufficient funds can cause the charge to be declined. Check your account balance or credit limit before retrying.
Is your card authorized for online or international payments?
Some cards block these by default. Contact your bank or card issuer to check.
Is there a spending limit or hold on your account?
Your bank may have declined the charge if it exceeds a daily limit or triggers a fraud flag.
Does Buffer need to be allowed as a merchant with your bank?
Some banks may require a merchant to be manually whitelisted or "allowed."
📝 Note: For privacy reasons, banks don’t share specific reasons for declines with us. If you’re unsure why your card was declined, we recommend reaching out to your card issuer directly.
What to do next
If you've reviewed the checklist and you're still having trouble:
- Try using a different credit card.
- Contact your bank and request Tier 2 support to authorize the charge.
- Reach out to our team at hello@buffer.com if you need help updating your payment info.