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Available payment methods for your Shopify bills

The payment methods available for paying your Shopify bills depend on your store's region. You can add multiple payment methods to your account, including multiple of the same type. Shopify uses your primary payment method to pay your bills. Learn more about Managing payment methods for your Shopify bills.

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Credit cards and co-branded debit cards

You can pay your Shopify bills, either one-time or recurring bills, using a valid credit card from Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club, or Discover. Ensure that your credit card allows recurring payments. Prepaid and virtual credit cards aren't accepted.

You can also use a co-branded debit card with international capabilities and that's set up for recurring transactions. If you're unsure about your co-branded debit card's capabilities, then contact the financial institution that issued the card for assistance.

Considerations for using credit cards and co-branded debit cards

Review the following considerations for using credit cards and co-branded debit cards in specific countries and regions:

  • Australia: You can't use Diners Club credit cards or Discover credit cards to pay Shopify bills.
  • Brazil: If you're in Brazil, then you must use an international Visa or Mastercard, not a national one. Verify that your card is labeled as Internacional.
  • France: In France, you need to use a credit card or a deferred debit card to pay for your Shopify subscription. If you're unsure about your card type, then contact your bank.
  • India: Merchants in India can't use PayPal as a payment method for paying Shopify bills. This is to comply with the Reserve Bank of India's guidelines for the processing of recurring online payments. If you currently use PayPal, then you need to change your payment method to one of the accepted credit cards or co-branded debit cards.
  • Japan: JCB is a supported credit card for paying Shopify bills.
  • Singapore: You can't use Diners Club credit cards or Discover credit cards to pay Shopify bills.

Shopify Balance

If you have a Shopify Balance account, then you can use your Balance card as your preferred payment method for paying Shopify bills. You don't need to enter any card details.

For new Shopify Balance users, your Balance account is automatically set as the default payment method for your Shopify billing, but you can change your payment method at any time.

Existing Shopify Balance users can set their Balance card as a billing payment method from the Rewards section in Balance. For setup steps, refer to Use your Shopify Balance card for Shopify bill to earn cashback rewards.

If you cancel and replace your Balance card, then your billing profile isn't automatically updated with the new card details. You might need to remove the old Balance card from your billing payment methods. You can then set your replacement Balance card as your billing payment method from the Rewards section in Balance.

PayPal

You can pay your Shopify bills, either one-time or recurring bills, using PayPal. PayPal balance, bank accounts, debit cards, or credit cards associated with your PayPal account can be used for payment.

ACH debits

If your store is based in the United States, and you meet the eligibility requirements, including having a USD bank account that accepts Automated Clearing House (ACH) debits, then you can add and verify your account as the primary payment method for Shopify bills. Contact your bank to confirm whether your account accepts ACH debits.

SEPA Direct Debit

For stores based in Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands or Switzerland, that are on a non-Plus subscription plan, and that use EUR as the billing currency, you can pay Shopify bills using the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) Direct Debit. No credit or debit card is required.

3D Secure for European Union (EU) merchants

3D Secure tools such as Verified by Visa, Mastercard Identity Check, or Amex SafeKey make online transactions safer for merchants and Shopify by requiring an additional authentication step before the transaction is completed. If you're based in the European Union (EU), then you might be required to complete a 3D Secure check when you add a credit card as a payment method to your Shopify account.

3D Secure is active on Shopify invoices for merchants located in the EU. Shopify doesn't decide whether paying an invoice requires you to complete an additional authentication step. When you pay your Shopify invoices, your bank might request an additional authentication step when required.

UPI billing for India

United Payments Interface (UPI) lets merchants in India pay their Shopify bills in Indian Rupees (INR), directly from their bank account. For more information, refer to Account billing for India.

Troubleshooting payment processing issues for Shopify bills

If your Shopify bill payment fails or your payment method was rejected, then you can troubleshoot the issue using the following steps.

Step 1: General troubleshooting

Try the following common fixes that apply to most payment issues:

  1. Verify that your payment card is valid and hasn't expired.
  2. Ensure that you're using a valid credit card from Mastercard, Visa, or American Express, or a supported card type in another country or region.
  3. If you're using a debit card, then check that it's co-branded with Mastercard, Visa, or American Express.
  4. Ensure that your payment card processes recurring international transactions in USD or in a supported local currency.
  5. Confirm that the billing address matches the address registered with your payment method.
  6. Try to pay the bill again by going to Settings > Billing, and then clicking Pay bill.

Step 2: Select your payment issue

Troubleshoot payment processing delays

If you've paid your bill but are still experiencing issues with your online store, then it might take some time for payments to process and for your store to reactivate.

Steps:

  1. Wait 15-30 minutes for payment processing to complete.
  2. Check your email for payment confirmation from Shopify.
  3. Verify that the payment was successful with your bank account or payment method.
  4. If the issue persists after 2 hours, then contact Shopify Support.
Troubleshoot unknown small secondary charges

If you notice small additional charges on your banking statement for a valid Shopify transaction, then these are typically banking fees for processing international transactions, not charges from Shopify.

Even if you're charged in your own currency, banking institutions often apply an International Purchase Transaction Fee (typically 3% of the total charge) for credit card purchases made through a foreign bank.

Steps:

  1. Check if the transaction was international.
  2. Contact your bank or credit card provider to confirm their international transaction fee policy.
  3. Review your card's terms and conditions for foreign transaction fees.
  4. If you want to avoid these fees in the future, then consider using a payment method without international transaction fees.
Troubleshoot "Your card was rejected while verifying" error

If you receive the error message "Your card was rejected while verifying", then your payment method doesn't meet Shopify's requirements or has restrictions that prevent it from being used for recurring payments.

Steps:

  1. Verify that you're using a supported credit card (Mastercard, Visa, or American Express).
  2. If you're using a debit card, then confirm that it's co-branded with one of the supported networks.
  3. Contact your bank to verify that recurring international transactions are activated.
  4. If your card is restricted for internet transactions, then contact your bank to activate online purchases.
  5. If the issue persists, then try adding a different payment method.
  6. If none of the above steps resolve the issue, then contact your bank or card provider for assistance.
Troubleshoot insufficient funds errors

If your payment fails due to insufficient funds, then ensure that you have enough available credit or account balance to cover the transaction.

Steps:

  1. Check your account balance or available credit limit:
    • If you're using a debit card, then verify that your account has sufficient funds.
    • If you're using a credit card, then check that you haven't exceeded your credit limit.
  2. Ensure that pending transactions haven't reduced your available funds.
  3. Wait for pending transactions to clear, then try the payment again.
  4. If funds are limited, then consider using a different payment method.
Troubleshoot international transaction restrictions

If you're billed in USD and aren't located in the United States, or if you're experiencing issues with international transactions, then your payment method might have restrictions on foreign transactions.

Steps:

  1. Contact your bank to verify that international transactions are activated on your account.
  2. If you're using a debit card, then confirm that it has international capabilities.
  3. Ask your bank about any daily or monthly limits on international transactions.
  4. Verify that recurring payments are allowed for international transactions.
  5. Consider using a credit card instead of a debit card for international transactions.
  6. If restrictions can't be removed, then try using a different payment method.
Troubleshoot billing address mismatch errors

If your payment fails due to address verification issues, then the billing address you entered doesn't match what your payment provider has on file.

Steps:

  1. Verify that your billing address exactly matches what your bank or card provider has on file.
  2. Check for differences in formatting, abbreviations, or special characters.
  3. Ensure that apartment or suite numbers are included if applicable.
  4. Verify that the postal or ZIP code is correct and properly formatted.
  5. Contact your payment provider to confirm the exact address format they have on file.
  6. Update your billing address with your payment provider if necessary.
Troubleshoot "too many attempts" errors

If you receive an error about too many payment attempts, then you've exceeded the number of allowed payment attempts and you need to wait before trying again.

Steps:

  1. Wait 24 hours before attempting to add or use the payment method again.
  2. Review and resolve any issues with your payment method during the waiting period.
  3. Contact your bank to ensure there are no restrictions or holds on your account.
  4. Verify that all payment information is correct before your next attempt.
  5. If available, then consider using a different payment method.
  6. If you continue to experience issues after the waiting period, then contact Shopify Support.
Troubleshoot store access issues after payment

If you can't access your store after making a payment, then the issue might be local to your device or connection, or there might be a delay in payment processing.

Steps:

  1. Clear your browser cache and cookies.
  2. Try accessing your store from a different browser or device.
  3. Check your internet connection and try accessing other websites.
  4. Wait 15-30 minutes for payment processing to complete.
  5. Verify that the payment was successful in your payment method account.
  6. If you're still unable to access your store, then contact Shopify Support.

Step 3: Contact support

If you've tried the troubleshooting steps and are still experiencing payment issues, then contact your bank, card provider, or payment provider first. If the issue persists after speaking with your payment provider, then contact Shopify Support with the following information:

  • Your store URL
  • Description of the specific error message you're receiving
  • Screenshots of any error messages
  • Steps you've already tried to resolve the issue
  • Confirmation that you've contacted your payment provider
  • Details about your payment method type (without sharing sensitive information)