Why was my payment declined?

Did you receive an email saying that your payment couldn’t be processed? Don’t worry, it happens sometimes. Most payments go through smoothly, but here are a few reasons why some might fail:

Do not honor

“Do not honor” is the most common reason for failed card payments, as explained on Stripe’s website. Sometimes, banks will block charges in foreign currencies as a security measure. If you’ve accepted an offer from a professional residing in a different country, you might come across this problem.

We suggest you contact your bank for clarification if this is an issue. More importantly, you should let the bank know that:

It’s an authorized transaction;
Stripe will try to process the charge again at nearest 6 pm UTC time;
They should allow the next charge to go through; and finally
Tell them that Reedsy is located in the UK.

Insufficient funds

Another very common reason for unsuccessful card charges is insufficient funds in your account. In this case, the solution is very simple:

Make sure that there’s enough money in your account; and
Call your bank to ensure that there isn’t a daily spending limit on your account or card.

We will attempt your payment again at 6 pm UTC the following day.

Updated on: 10/04/2021