This article explains what happens when a subscription payment fails, why payments are declined, how to fix a failed payment, what happens when an account is blocked due to a payment dispute, and how to reactivate your AutoDS account.
Key points about payment failures and account status
When a scheduled subscription payment fails, your AutoDS account status changes depending on how long the payment remains outstanding. Understanding each status helps you take the right steps to restore access to your account.
Pending: your account is pending when it has not yet completed its first plan purchase, or when registration was never finished. The plan selection screen appears until you select or purchase a plan. If you already paid for your AutoDS subscription plan and still see the plan selection screen, keep your existing subscription and please let us know, so the billing team can reactivate your account manually. For more details, see If your account is pending.
On hold: your account is placed on hold immediately after a payment fails, including when your trial-to-paid conversion charge fails at the end of your trial period. Automation, order fulfillment, and price and stock monitoring are paused. Your data, stores, products, and settings are preserved. Update your subscription payment method under Settings → Account & Billing and allow up to 12 hours for the payment to be processed. Do not purchase a new plan while on hold. If your AutoDS subscription is billed through Shopify, click “Renew Token” instead. For the steps, click here. If the payment is still not settled after 5 days, your account becomes inactive. If you would rather stop using AutoDS than settle the payment, you do not have to pay first. See Pause your account or cancel your AutoDS subscription for the steps that match what you see on your screen.
Inactive: If the outstanding balance stays open while your account is on hold, your account becomes inactive. If your subscription is still active, update your subscription payment method under Settings → Account & Billing to settle the balance and reactivate. If your subscription has already been canceled (your plan card under Settings → Plans & Add-ons shows a Buy plan button instead of Upgrade Plan), reactivate by buying a new plan there. After 30 days of payment attempts, your subscription plans are canceled automatically, and the attempts stop. If you would rather stop using AutoDS than settle the payment, you do not have to pay first. See Pause your account or cancel your AutoDS subscription for the steps that match what you see on your screen.
Blocked: your account is blocked if a chargeback or payment dispute is filed with your payment provider. Your subscription is automatically canceled, and you cannot access any settings or billing pages. This applies only to a blocked account. If a subscription payment simply failed or was declined, your settings and billing pages stay open.To request reactivation, cancel the open dispute or chargeback, and contact the AutoDS support team with confirmation that the case has been closed. The Chargebacks Team will review your request and may reactivate your account.
Note: If your account is paused rather than affected by a payment issue, see Pause your account or cancel your AutoDS subscription for what a paused status means and how to reactivate.
Important: AutoDS retries the payment every 12 to 48 hours for up to 30 days after a failure. Each time you update your subscription payment method, the retry window resets automatically. If the payment is not settled after 5 days, your account becomes inactive. After 30 days of attempts, your subscription plans are canceled automatically, and the attempts stop.
Why subscription payments are declined
There are several common reasons why a subscription payment may be declined:
Insufficient funds: the card or account does not have enough funds to cover the subscription charge.
Expired card: the credit or debit card used for the subscription has passed its expiry date.
Incorrect billing details: the card number, expiry date, CVC/CVV, cardholder name, or billing address entered does not match the details on file with your bank.
Card type not supported: prepaid cards and some virtual cards are not accepted as subscription payment methods on AutoDS.
Bank security block: your bank may have flagged the charge as suspicious and blocked the transaction. Contact your bank to authorize the charge and then retry the payment.
Payment processor limit: your card or account may have reached a daily or monthly transaction limit set by your bank or payment processor.
Payment processor screening: if multiple different cards from different banks are all declined with the same error, the decline may be coming from AutoDS's payment processor rather than your bank. The processor applies security controls that can flag certain transactions without any issue on your card or bank account. This does not mean your cards are invalid. In this case, try PayPal or Payoneer as an alternative payment method, or inform us so our team can review.
If none of the above apply, please let us know so the AutoDS support team can review your billing details.
Important:
AutoDS support agents cannot see the specific reason a charge was declined. -
If a single card is declined, contact your bank to check for any block or restriction.
If multiple different cards are all declined with the same error, the issue may be on the payment processor side rather than with your bank. In this case, trying PayPal or Payoneer is the most effective next step, or inform us so our team can review.
If only one payment method is available and it continues to be flagged or delayed across retries, even though the billing details are correct, this can also be a security review by the payment processor rather than a problem with the card. The AutoDS support team cannot override this review manually. Try a different card, PayPal, or Payoneer as the subscription payment method. If no other payment method is available, let us know so we can review the case.
Note: Your AutoDS subscription payment is separate from any subscription or plan you pay for directly with your selling channel, such as a Shopify plan. If AutoDS shows a failed or declined subscription payment, check your payment method inside AutoDS under Settings → Account & Billing. Being current on your selling channel's own billing does not affect your AutoDS subscription status, and updating your selling channel's payment details does not update your AutoDS payment method.
Payment error messages and how to resolve them
The following error messages may appear during checkout or when updating a subscription payment method. Each entry includes the exact error message and the steps to resolve it.
Network error
Error message: Network Error
This error can appear when a payment processor's security check prevents the transaction from being completed. These checks are automatic and exist to protect all users.
To resolve this:
Make sure the card being used is registered in the account holder's name.
Try again using a different card, PayPal, or Payoneer.
If the error persists, contact the AutoDS support team by sharing the account email and a screenshot of the error.
Insufficient funds
Error message: Your card has insufficient funds. Please try another card.
This means the card does not have enough available balance to cover the charge.
To resolve this:
Check the available balance with the bank.
Switch to a card with sufficient funds, or complete the payment via PayPal.
Payment declined
The following messages indicate that the transaction was declined by the bank or payment processor:
Your payment was declined. Please try another payment method.
Your card was declined. Please try another payment method.
Your card was declined. Please contact your bank or try another card.
Payment failed. Please try again or use a different payment method.
These declines originate from the bank or payment processor and are not issued by AutoDS.
To resolve this:
Try completing the payment with a different card or via PayPal.
If the decline continues across multiple payment methods, contact the AutoDS support team by sharing the account email and a screenshot of the error.
Invalid card number
Error message: The card number is invalid. Please check and try again.
This means the card number entered does not match a valid card format.
To resolve this:
Re-enter the card number carefully, making sure there are no extra spaces or missing digits.
If the number is correct and the error continues, try a different card or PayPal.
Incorrect CVV
Error message: The security code (CVV) is incorrect. Please check and try again.
This means the CVV or CVC code entered does not match the card. No charge or authorization hold is placed when this error occurs.
To resolve this:
Locate the CVV or CVC code on the back of the card (or the front, for American Express).
Enter it carefully and try again.
Checkout session expired
Error message: The checkout_session has expired. Please try again with a new one.
This means the checkout window timed out before the payment was completed.
To resolve this:
Return to the checkout page and start a new session.
Complete the payment promptly before the session expires.
If the error appears again, try using a different card or PayPal.
Plan store limit
Error message: You have 2 stores, which is more than the 1 allowed store in this package.
This message appears when the number of active stores on the account exceeds the current plan's limit.
To resolve this:
Upgrade to a plan that supports the number of stores you want to keep.
Or reduce the number of connected stores to match your plan. If your account is active, remove the extra store from your store settings before completing the checkout. If your account is pending, store settings become available once the account is active. Let us know your account email address and the name of the store you want to keep. An agent can remove the other connection for you.
How to resolve a failed subscription payment and reactivate your account
Use the guide below to match what you are seeing to the most likely cause before following the resolution steps.
What you are seeing | Most likely cause | Action to take |
Payment declined immediately after entering card details | Incorrect billing details or card type not supported | Double-check card number, expiry date, CVC/CVV, and billing address. Try a different card or PayPal. |
Card worked before but is now being declined | Expired card, insufficient funds, or bank security block | Check card expiry and available balance. Contact your bank to confirm no block is in place, then retry. |
A card you just added is declined right after you update your subscription payment method. | Bank security block on recurring online charges from AutoDS. | Contact your bank to authorize recurring charges from AutoDS, then allow up to 12 hours for the payment to be processed. If your bank cannot remove the block, switch to PayPal or Payoneer in "Settings" → "Account & Billing". |
Multiple payment methods are all being declined | Payment processor screening (not necessarily a problem with your cards or bank) | Try PayPal or Payoneer as an alternative. If unavailable, contact the AutoDS support team for a billing review, as the processor may have flagged the transaction through its security controls. |
Payment appears to succeed, but the AutoDS account stays on hold | Authorization only, not a completed charge, or processing delay | Allow 12 to 48 hours for your account to be released from hold. Avoid additional payment attempts during this time, because repeated attempts can delay the process. If the account is still on hold after 48 hours, please let us know.
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If your subscription payment has failed, try the following steps to identify and fix the issue:
Verify that the card or account has sufficient funds.
Check that the card has not expired and that the billing details are correct.
Try a different subscription payment method (credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Payoneer).
If multiple subscription payment methods are declined, please let us know so the AutoDS support team can review your billing details.
To update your subscription payment method in AutoDS:
Go to Settings → Account & Billing.
Click "Edit" next to your current payment method.
Enter the details for your new subscription payment method.
Click "Save" to confirm the change.
Allow up to 12 hours for the payment to be processed and your account to be reactivated.
If the payment still does not go through after 12 hours, please let us know so the AutoDS support team can review your account. Learn more.
Note: While your account is on hold or inactive with an active subscription, update your subscription payment method under Settings → Account & Billing to settle the outstanding balance and reactivate. AutoDS processes these payments automatically, so the retry resumes once the method is updated. If your subscription has already been canceled (your plan card shows a Buy plan button instead of Upgrade Plan), reactivate it by buying a new plan under Settings → Plans & Add-ons.
Important:
The amount charged when your AutoDS account reactivates includes your subscription plan fee plus any active add-ons. If you only want to reactivate your base plan, review your add-ons under Settings → "Plans & Add-ons," cancel any you no longer need, and then update your subscription payment method.
To see exactly what the total includes, go to "Settings" → "Plans & Add-ons" to review your subscription plan price and each active add-on separately. Each add-on is billed in addition to your base subscription plan price.
Account blocked due to payment disputes
AutoDS automatically blocks accounts when a chargeback or payment dispute is filed with your payment provider. This is a standard procedure to protect both parties during the resolution process.
Note: The message “Sorry, you have been blocked” may also come from the security service protecting the AutoDS website. This service can restrict access based on your network or geographic location, and such restrictions are unrelated to your billing, subscription, or payment history. A payment dispute blocks your account only when a chargeback or dispute is filed with your payment provider, as described below. The security service manages this restriction, so AutoDS support cannot remove it manually.
When your account is blocked:
Your account is deactivated, and you cannot access any settings or billing pages. This happens only while a dispute or chargeback is open, not when a subscription payment fails.
Your subscription is automatically canceled.
No further charges are applied to the blocked account.
If you access AutoDS through your Shopify store, you see the message “Account Status: Temporary Hold - An open billing dispute has paused your access.” This message means your account is blocked because of a payment dispute, not because of a failed payment, so updating your subscription payment method does not reactivate it. For how to reactivate an account billed through Shopify when no dispute is open, click here.
To request reactivation of a blocked account:
Cancel the open dispute or chargeback with your bank or payment provider.
If the dispute was filed through PayPal, log in to your PayPal account, go to "Resolution Center" under "More" in the main menu (accessible only via web browser, not the app), click "View" next to the dispute, select "Close this dispute", provide a reason, and click "Close dispute". Ensure you double-check the case ID before proceeding, as PayPal assigns different case IDs to buyers and sellers.
Send a screenshot confirming the closure to the AutoDS support team through the official support channels.
The Chargebacks Team will review your request and may reactivate your account.
Important: Closing a dispute does not automatically unblock your account. Reactivation is reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Chargebacks Team. If the dispute is escalated to PayPal, AutoDS cannot intervene, and PayPal will determine the resolution.
If reactivation is not possible, you can create a new AutoDS account using a different email address. A new subscription is required. AutoDS does not transfer data between accounts, so you will need to reconnect your stores and manually reconfigure your settings.
How to reactivate your AutoDS account
Reactivating your AutoDS account depends on your current account status. Follow the steps for your situation below.
If your account is on hold (failed payment):
Go to Settings → Account & Billing.
Update your subscription payment method with a valid credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Payoneer account.
Ensure you have sufficient funds to cover the outstanding balance.
Allow up to 12 hours for the payment to be processed and your account to be reactivated. If the payment still does not go through after 12 hours, please let us know so the AutoDS support team can review your account.
Note: If your AutoDS subscription is billed through Shopify, the “Edit” button does not appear, and you reactivate your account with “Renew Token” instead. For the steps, click here.
Your account is on hold because a subscription payment did not go through. If you would rather stop using AutoDS than settle the payment, you can cancel without reactivating first. See Pause your account or cancel your AutoDS subscription for the steps that match what you see on your screen.
If your account is inactive (prolonged failed payment):
Go to Settings → Plans & Add-ons, and check whether a plan is enabled for the selling channel you want to reactivate. If no plan is enabled, click "Buy Plan" under that selling channel and choose a plan.
Go to Settings → Account & Billing and update your subscription payment method with a valid credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Payoneer account.
Ensure you have sufficient funds to cover the outstanding balance.
Allow up to 12 hours for the payment to be processed and your account to be reactivated.
If the payment still does not go through after 12 hours, please let us know so the AutoDS support team can review your account.
Your account is on hold or inactive because a subscription payment did not go through. If you would rather stop using AutoDS than settle the payment, you can cancel without reactivating first. Click here for the steps that match what you see on your screen.
Note: If your account is inactive and your subscription is still active, update your subscription payment method under Settings → Account & Billing to reactivate. If your subscription has already been canceled (your plan card under Settings → Plans & Add-ons shows a Buy plan button instead of Upgrade Plan), reactivate by buying a new plan there. On the new plan, you can choose Monthly or Annual billing on the plan selection page.
Note: If you updated your subscription payment method and your account still does not reactivate, check whether your published product variations exceed the variation limit of your plan. While your account is inactive, you cannot delete products, so upgrade your plan or let us know so our team can review the options for your account. See what happens when you reach your variation limit and how to upgrade or downgrade your plan.
If your account was deleted:
If you deleted your account and want it back:
Register again through the Sign Up flow, not by logging in. Logging in with a deleted account’s credentials returns an “Email is not found” error. What you get back depends on how long ago you deleted the account.
Within 14 days of deleting your account: registering again with the same email address reactivates your previous account. It is the same account, not a new one. The plan selection page appears and asks you to register for a plan again. Select a plan on that screen and complete the registration. See Pause your account or cancel your AutoDS subscription for what this means for your data.
More than 14 days after deleting your account: registering again with the same email address creates a new AutoDS account. Your previous stores, products, orders, and settings are not restored. Only the standard plans shown on the Plans & Add-ons page are available during registration. If you had a different plan before, its availability cannot be guaranteed and must be verified by the billing team.
If your account was originally registered through a selling channel app, such as the Shopify App Store, deleting the account does not remove the channel restriction. You must register the new account directly on autods.com using a different email address.
This restriction applies only to the original registration source; a single AutoDS account can otherwise support active subscriptions for multiple selling channels simultaneously.
If your account is pending (plan selection screen appears):
If your subscription is already paid and active, do not select a new plan from the plan selection screen. Please let us know so the billing team can reactivate your account manually.
If you do not have an active subscription, select or purchase a new plan from the plan selection screen. Your account will be activated automatically after the new plan is purchased.
If the plan selection page appears after accidentally uninstalling the AutoDS app from your selling channel, please let us know so the billing team can verify your subscription status and assist with restoring access.
If your card is declined while purchasing a plan from this screen, see the "Payment declined" steps above.
How to reactivate your account when your AutoDS subscription is billed through Shopify
If you registered your AutoDS account through the Shopify App Store, Shopify charges your AutoDS subscription directly. Each time your subscription renews, AutoDS asks Shopify to create the charge, and you pay it on your Shopify bill. In this case, the payment method in AutoDS, on “Settings” → “Account & Billing,” will show “Shopify,” and the “Edit” button does not appear because there is no card or PayPal account saved in AutoDS.
Additionally, Shopify creates the charge only while the AutoDS app is installed on the Shopify store used for billing. If that Shopify store is closed or the AutoDS app is uninstalled from it, Shopify no longer creates the charge because an uninstall removes your subscription payment method. When this happens, your AutoDS account is placed on hold at your next billing date, and then becomes inactive. While your account is on hold or inactive, automation, order fulfillment, and price and stock monitoring are paused, and your data is preserved.
To reactivate an AutoDS account that was billed directly through Shopify, use the “Renew Token” option instead of updating a payment method. It renews the connection between AutoDS and your Shopify store, and Shopify then asks you to approve the AutoDS subscription charge. Check the steps below.
To reactivate your AutoDS account that was billed directly through Shopify:
Log in to your AutoDS account.
Click “Renew Token” on the banner or pop-up shown in your AutoDS account.
On the Shopify page that opens, approve the AutoDS subscription charge.
Once the charge is approved in Shopify, your AutoDS account reactivates.
If clicking “Renew Token” shows an error:
Log out of both your Shopify account and your AutoDS account.
Clear your browser cache and cookies.
Log back in to your AutoDS account.
Click “Renew Token” again and approve the AutoDS subscription charge in Shopify.
If the error continues, please let us know and share a screen recording of what happens when you click “Renew Token”.
If your AutoDS account is billed through Shopify and you see the message “Account Status: Temporary Hold - An open billing dispute has paused your access” when you open AutoDS, it means your account is blocked due to a payment dispute. In that case, the “Renew Token” option does not reactivate the account. For the steps to request reactivation, click here. If you would rather stop using AutoDS than reactivate the account, you can cancel your AutoDS subscription in AutoDS, not in your Shopify admin. For the steps, click here.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How long does AutoDS retry a failed payment before my account is affected?
How long does AutoDS retry a failed payment before my account is affected?
AutoDS retries a failed subscription payment every 12 to 48 hours for up to 30 days. Each time you update your subscription payment method, the retry window resets automatically. If the payment is not settled after 5 days, your account becomes inactive. After 30 days of attempts, your subscription plans are canceled automatically, and the attempts stop.
How can I ask for a new attempt to charge my failed subscription payment?
How can I ask for a new attempt to charge my failed subscription payment?
AutoDS retries a failed subscription payment automatically every 12 to 48 hours while your account is on hold. The AutoDS support team works with the same automatic retry schedule, so the next attempt runs at the next scheduled time.
The best way to prompt a new attempt is to update your subscription payment method:
Go to “Settings” → “Account & Billing”.
Click “Edit” next to your current subscription payment method.
Enter the details of your new subscription payment method.
Click “Save”.
Allow up to 12 hours for the payment to be processed. Once the payment goes through, your account is automatically released from hold.
If the payment provider keeps declining the payment, for example, after you tried both a card and PayPal, these steps give you the best chance of success:
Check with your bank or PayPal: Ask them to review the declined attempt. Your bank or PayPal can see the reason for the decline and often clear the block once they know to expect the charge from AutoDS.
Try a new subscription payment method: Use a card, PayPal account, or Payoneer account you haven't used yet.
If the payment still does not go through 12 hours after you save a new subscription payment method, please let us know so the AutoDS support team can review your account.
My Payment History shows paid invoices. Why is my account still on hold?
My Payment History shows paid invoices. Why is my account still on hold?
The “Payment History” section in “Settings” → “Account & Billing” lists only completed subscription charges, so invoices marked as paid there belong to earlier billing cycles. While your account is on hold, the subscription charge that failed for your active subscription plan and each active add-on is still due, and that failed charge is not listed in “Payment History”. To settle it, update your subscription payment method as explained in Change subscription payment method, view invoices, and check your plan. Once the payment goes through, your account is automatically released from hold.
I made a payment, but my account is still on hold or inactive. Why?
I made a payment, but my account is still on hold or inactive. Why?
Your AutoDS account is released from hold or reactivated once the failed charge for your subscription plan is settled. Each add-on is billed separately from your subscription plan, so a completed add-on payment, such as for the Mentorship Program add-on, covers only that add-on.
To check what a completed payment was for:
Go to “Settings” → “Account & Billing” → “Payment History”.
Check the “Item” field next to the payment.
If the payment was for an add-on, update your subscription payment method under “Settings” → “Account & Billing” so the subscription plan charge is retried. If you paid for an add-on while your account was on hold or inactive and want that payment reviewed, please let us know so the billing team can check your account.
Learn more here.
What happens to my data, settings, and price and stock monitoring if my subscription payment fails?
What happens to my data, settings, and price and stock monitoring if my subscription payment fails?
Your data, stores, products, and settings, including your pricing rules, are preserved while your account is on hold or inactive. However, automation, order fulfillment, and price and stock monitoring are paused until the payment is resolved. If your account remains unpaid for an extended period and is deleted, your data is permanently removed after 14 days.
I uninstalled the AutoDS app from Shopify, but I am still being charged. What should I do?
I uninstalled the AutoDS app from Shopify, but I am still being charged. What should I do?
If you uninstalled the AutoDS app from your Shopify store and are still being charged, check your subscription payment method in “Settings” → “Account & Billing”. There are two reasons this happens:
If your subscription payment method is a card, PayPal, or Payoneer, the AutoDS app on Shopify is not what pays for your AutoDS subscription, so the uninstall does not stop the charges. To cancel, go to “Settings” → “Account & Billing”, click “Manage/Cancel Account” at the bottom of the page, and follow the cancellation steps.
If your subscription payment method shows as “Shopify” and the “Edit” button does not appear, your AutoDS subscription is billed through Shopify, and an AutoDS subscription charge created before you uninstalled the AutoDS app is still invoiced by Shopify. Please let us know your account email address and the date and amount of the charge so the billing team can review it.
Can I create a new AutoDS account if my account is blocked due to a payment dispute?
Can I create a new AutoDS account if my account is blocked due to a payment dispute?
If your blocked account cannot be reactivated, you can create a new AutoDS account using a different email address. A new subscription is required. AutoDS does not transfer data between accounts, so you will need to reconnect your stores and reconfigure your settings manually.
Why do I see multiple charges or charge attempts for the same amount?
Why do I see multiple charges or charge attempts for the same amount?
When a subscription payment fails, AutoDS automatically retries it. Each retry can appear on your bank statement as a separate attempt, but only one payment is officially collected.
The amounts on your bank statement can differ from the amounts in AutoDS for two reasons:
Currency conversion: if your bank statement is in your local currency, your bank converts each charge attempt at its exchange rate on that day, so the amount may vary slightly from one attempt to the next.
Add-ons: your plan and each active add-on are charged separately, so you can see one charge for the plan fee and one for each add-on. You can check your plan and add-on prices in Settings → Plans & Add-ons.
If your bank blocks your card after several attempts, contact your bank to lift the block, then check your subscription payment method in Settings → Account & Billing.
If you are unsure why an amount differs, please share your account email and a screenshot of the charges with us so our team can confirm the reason.
Why did I see a declined charge attempt for an annual plan amount, and will it be charged when I update my subscription payment method?
Why did I see a declined charge attempt for an annual plan amount, and will it be charged when I update my subscription payment method?
A charge attempt for the full annual amount of your subscription plan appears when the billing cycle of that subscription plan is switched from monthly to yearly, for example, by clicking "Change to yearly" on your plan card or by selecting "Annual" on the billing cycle toggle of the plan selection page. The yearly amount is charged upfront when the switch is confirmed. If the switch is made during your trial period, the trial ends immediately and the full annual amount is charged.
If the annual charge attempt is declined, the payment is never completed:
A declined charge attempt does not create an outstanding balance.
A declined charge attempt does not appear in "Settings" → "Account & Billing" → "Payment History", which shows only successfully completed charges.
A declined billing cycle switch is not retried, and your subscription plan stays on its previous billing cycle.
When you update your subscription payment method while your account is on hold, AutoDS retries the outstanding payment for your active subscription plan in its current billing cycle, plus any active add-ons. Updating your subscription payment method does not switch your subscription plan to a yearly billing cycle. To check the price and billing cycle of your active subscription plan before you update your subscription payment method, go to "Settings" → "Plans & Add-ons" and review your plan card. To learn more about billing cycles, see Change your plan, upgrade, downgrade, or add a selling channel to your account.