Understanding billing attempt failures

When a subscription renews, Shopify tries to charge the payment method saved on it. This is a billing attempt. If the charge does not go through, no order is created and the subscription shows a red Billing error banner. The banner names the error, explains it, lists what to do, and has a button for the most likely fix.


This guide covers every billing error: what it means, who can fix it, and the exact steps.


Table of contents



Where you see billing errors


  • On a subscription: go to Subscriptions and open it. The Billing error banner at the top shows the error, the steps to fix it, and Details from Shopify when the payment provider gave a reason. The Timeline at the bottom logs every attempt.
  • Across all subscriptions: filter the Subscriptions list by Status and by Last payment error. See Where to find failed or past-due subscriptions.
  • By email: turn on the failed renewal staff notifications in Notifications.


The error stays on the subscription until the next billing attempt, so it does not disappear as soon as you fix the cause. See Charging the renewal again.


What happens automatically when a renewal fails


You do not have to catch failures by hand. The app retries the charge based on your Dunning settings:


  1. Retry: the app schedules another billing attempt after your chosen Time to wait between billing attempts, up to your chosen Number of billing attempts (by default 3 retries, 1 day apart). After each failed attempt, the customer and you can receive a renewal failed email (see Which failures email the customer).
  2. When all retries are used up, the When all payment attempts fail setting decides what happens:
    • Fail subscription contract (the default): the subscription is marked Failed.
    • Pause subscription contract: the subscription is Paused.
    • Attempt again at next renewal date: this cycle is skipped, the subscription stays active and the charge is tried again on the next renewal date.


Out of stock renewals follow your Out of stock settings instead.


A payment that fails for one customer is almost always about that customer's card or bank. Many failures on the same day are usually a coincidence, not a problem with your store.


Updating the customer payment method


Most billing errors are fixed by the customer entering a working card. Shopify does not let merchants enter or edit card details for a customer, even if you have the card number.


  1. On the subscription, click Update payment method on the billing error banner, or the edit button on the Payment method card.
  2. If the customer has another card saved, you can pick it and click Save. Otherwise, click Send email. Shopify emails the customer a secure link to enter their payment details at checkout. They are not charged for this.
  3. Ask the customer to use the link in that email, or the payment method Edit button on the subscription in the customer portal. Changing the card in their store account or Shop Pay wallet does not update the subscription, and deleting the saved card from their account stops the subscription from renewing.
  4. Charge the renewal again once they are done. See Charging the renewal again.


Good to know:


  • The email is sent by Shopify with your Shopify notification branding. If the customer cannot find it, ask them to check their spam folder. The link cannot be copied from the app.
  • The app is not told when the customer updates their card. Check the Payment method card on the subscription before charging again.
  • To request an update from many customers at once, select the subscriptions on the Subscriptions list and choose Update payment method from the bulk actions.


Charging the renewal again


Once the cause is fixed:


  • Active subscription: click Renew immediately in the Upcoming renewals card to charge now, or wait for the next automatic retry. Check the orders on the page first: if an order was already created for this renewal, renewing again charges the customer twice. Renewing can take up to a minute, so wait before trying again.
  • Paused or Failed subscription: click Activate subscription. Renew immediately is not shown on these. If the next billing date has already passed, the customer is charged and the order is created within the hour.
  • Many subscriptions: filter the Subscriptions list by Last payment error, select the subscriptions and choose Renew immediately from the bulk actions. The bulk action only renews active subscriptions.


Each attempt on a card that still does not work sends the customer another renewal failed email, so wait until the customer confirms they have updated their card.


A successful renewal sets the next billing date from the renewal that was due. If the missed date had already passed, the next renewal is one billing interval from today. If you use Renew immediately before the scheduled date, that scheduled renewal is brought forward rather than added as an extra order. See Renew immediately: charging a renewal now.


Card and payment errors


These come from the customer's card, bank or PayPal account. Nothing is wrong with your store, and the customer usually has to act.



Purchase type not supported


The customer's card or bank does not allow recurring charges. This is common with debit, prepaid, virtual and business cards, and can start even when the same card worked before. Nothing is wrong with your store or your payment settings.


What to do


  1. The customer is emailed about the failed payment automatically, asking them to update their card, so they can act on it without waiting for you.
  2. To send that link again, or to switch to another card they saved, click Update payment method. You cannot enter card details for them. Their other option is a different card, or asking their bank to allow recurring payments on this one.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Payment method declined


The customer's bank declined the charge and did not share why. Common causes are a frozen or replaced card, or a payment the customer blocked in their banking app.


What to do


  1. Click Update payment method to email the customer a secure link where they enter their payment details, or to switch to another card they saved. You cannot enter card details for them.
  2. Ask the customer to enter a working card through that link, or to ask their bank to allow the charge.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Insufficient funds


The customer's card did not have enough funds. The same card can be charged again once the funds are there.


What to do


  1. Let the customer know about the failed payment.
  2. To use a different card, click Update payment method to email the customer a secure link, or to switch to another card they saved.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Payment method expired


The card saved on this subscription has expired.


What to do


  1. Click Update payment method to email the customer a secure link where they enter their payment details, or to switch to another card they saved. You cannot enter card details for them.
  2. Ask the customer to update through that link. Changing the card in their store account does not update the subscription.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Invalid payment method


The saved payment method can no longer be charged, for example a closed card or one carried over from another app or payment provider. The customer can re-enter the same card if it is still valid.


What to do


  1. Click Update payment method to email the customer a secure link where they enter their payment details, or to switch to another card they saved. You cannot enter card details for them.
  2. Ask the customer to update through that link. Changing the card in their store account does not update the subscription.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Payment method not found


The payment method saved on this subscription was removed, usually because the customer deleted the card from their store account.


What to do


  1. Click Update payment method to email the customer a secure link where they enter their payment details, or to switch to another card they saved. You cannot enter card details for them.
  2. Ask the customer to update through that link, and not to delete the saved card from their account again.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Payment method canceled


The customer canceled the saved payment method, for example by deleting the card from their store account or stopping automatic payments in PayPal.


What to do


  1. Click Update payment method to email the customer a secure link where they enter their payment details, or to switch to another card they saved. You cannot enter card details for them.
  2. Ask the customer to update through that link, and not to delete the saved card from their account again.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Card number incorrect


The card number saved on this subscription is not valid.


What to do


  1. Click Update payment method to email the customer a secure link where they enter their payment details, or to switch to another card they saved. You cannot enter card details for them.
  2. Ask the customer to update through that link. Changing the card in their store account does not update the subscription.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Authentication error


The customer's bank asked for extra verification, such as 3D Secure, that cannot be completed on an automatic charge.


What to do


  1. The customer is emailed about the failed payment automatically. That email says their bank needs to confirm the payment, and its Confirm payment button takes them straight to the bank's confirmation page for that charge, so most customers need nothing else from you.
  2. If they cannot confirm it, click Update payment method to email them a secure link where they enter their payment details, or to switch to another card they saved. You cannot enter card details for them.
  3. Once either is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


The Confirm payment button's wording, and the reason line above it, are yours to change under Settings > Notifications and to translate under Settings > Translations. They ship translated into every language the app supports. If you send your subscription emails through Klaviyo, the confirmation link arrives on the event as authenticationUrl.


Payment challenged


The customer's bank asked the customer to approve this charge before it goes through.


What to do


  1. Ask the customer to approve the payment with their bank.
  2. If they cannot, click Update payment method to email them a secure link to use a different card.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Fraud suspected


The payment provider's security checks blocked the charge on the saved card.


What to do


  1. Check the customer's order history. If the customer is genuine, click Update payment method to email them a secure link to use a different card.
  2. Ask the customer to update through that link. Changing the card in their store account does not update the subscription.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Invalid customer billing agreement


The customer's PayPal billing agreement is no longer valid, usually because they stopped automatic payments in their PayPal account.


What to do


  1. Click Update payment method to email the customer a secure link where they enter their payment details, or to switch to another card they saved. You cannot enter card details for them.
  2. Ask the customer to update through that link. Changing the card in their store account does not update the subscription.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


PayPal error


PayPal could not complete the charge and did not share why.


What to do


  1. Try the charge again. See Charging the renewal again.
  2. If it fails again, click Update payment method to email the customer a secure link to reconnect PayPal or use a card.


Store setup errors


These come from your store's settings, so you fix them.



Payment provider not enabled


The payment provider this customer's card was saved with is no longer active in your store, for example after switching providers, turning off PayPal Express, or reconnecting Stripe. Saved cards cannot move from one provider to another.


What to do


  1. In Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments and turn the original provider back on.
  2. If you cannot turn it back on, click the edit button on the Payment method card and send the customer a payment update email, so they save a card with your current provider.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Test mode


Your payment provider is in test mode, so it cannot charge this customer's real card.


What to do


  1. In Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments and turn off test mode.
  2. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Payment method incompatible with gateway configuration


The saved payment method does not match your payment provider's test mode. Usually a subscription placed with a test card is renewing after test mode was turned off.


What to do


  1. If this is a test subscription, cancel it.
  2. If you are still testing, turn test mode back on in Shopify admin under Settings > Payments.


Non-test order limit reached


This is a development store, and it has reached Shopify's limit on real orders.


What to do


  1. In Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments, turn on test mode and use test cards for subscriptions on this store.


Amount too small


The renewal total is below the minimum amount your payment provider can charge.


What to do


  1. Click Edit subscription and change the products, quantities or discounts so the total is above that minimum.
  2. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Free gift card not allowed


This subscription includes a gift card with a price of zero, and Shopify only renews gift cards that have a price.


What to do


  1. Click Edit subscription and remove the gift card, or give it a price.
  2. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Delivery, stock and customer errors


These come from the subscription's delivery details, its products or the customer record.



Inventory allocations not found


None of your locations can deliver this subscription to its address with its delivery method. This is a delivery setup problem, not a stock problem, so allowing overselling does not fix it.


What to do


  1. In Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery. Check that the product's shipping profile delivers to this address, and that local delivery or pickup is still turned on if the subscription uses it.
  2. If the subscription has the wrong delivery method, click the pencil icon next to Shipping address on the Customer card and choose shipping, local delivery or pickup.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Insufficient inventory


A product on this subscription was out of stock when it renewed. What happens next follows your Out of stock settings.


What to do


  1. Restock the product, or turn on Continue selling when out of stock for it in Shopify admin.
  2. If you deleted or replaced the variant, click Edit subscription and switch to the current one. A deleted variant always counts as out of stock.
  3. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Invalid shipping address


The shipping address on this subscription is missing details or is not valid.


What to do


  1. Click Edit shipping address and complete the address.
  2. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Customer invalid


Shopify cannot bill this customer record, most often because it has no email address or phone number.


What to do


  1. Click View customer and add an email address or phone number to the customer in Shopify admin.
  2. Once that is done, charge the renewal again. See Charging the renewal again.


Customer not found


The customer on this subscription no longer exists in Shopify, usually because the customer record was deleted.


What to do


  1. Click View customer to check the record. If it was deleted, this subscription cannot be billed again: ask the customer to subscribe again from your store, then cancel this one.


Temporary and other errors


These usually clear on their own.



Transient error


Shopify or the payment provider had a temporary problem.


What to do


  1. Try the charge again. See Charging the renewal again.
  2. If it keeps failing, the bank may be declining the card without saying so. Click the edit button on the Payment method card and send the customer a payment update email.


Unexpected error


Shopify could not complete the charge and did not give a reason. It is usually temporary, but it can also hide a declined card.


What to do


  1. Try the charge again. See Charging the renewal again.
  2. If it fails again, click the edit button on the Payment method card and send the customer a payment update email. They can re-enter the same card.


Invoice already paid


This renewal was already paid, so Shopify stopped the extra charge. The customer was not charged twice.


What to do


  1. No action is needed.


Which failures email the customer


Every failed attempt that will be retried sends one email to the customer and one staff notification to you. Which pair depends on the error:


  • Errors the customer can fix: the customer gets Subscription renewal failed (customer issue) (subject "Action Required: Issue renewing your subscription"), asking them to update their payment method. You get the staff email Failed subscription renewal (customer issue).
  • All other errors: the customer gets Subscription renewal failed (merchant issue) (subject "Issue renewing your subscription"), and you get Failed subscription renewal (merchant issue).


The errors treated as customer fixable are:


  • Payment method declined
  • Card declined
  • Card number incorrect
  • Payment method expired
  • Insufficient funds
  • Invalid payment method
  • Payment method not found
  • Payment method canceled
  • Invalid customer billing agreement
  • Invalid shipping address
  • Fraud suspected
  • Authentication error
  • Purchase type not supported


Once all retries are used up, the outcome email follows your Dunning setting instead: Subscription failed (and the staff Failed subscription email), Subscription paused, or Next billing date changed when the cycle is skipped.


All of these emails can be edited or turned off in Settings > Notifications.


Common questions


The renewal failed "for technical reasons". What does that mean?
Shopify's wording "The payment couldn't be processed for technical reasons" is a Transient error or an Unexpected error. Try the charge again. If it keeps failing, ask the customer to update their payment method.


Will the app retry the payment by itself?
Yes, based on your Dunning settings. By default it retries 3 times, 1 day apart, then marks the subscription Failed.


Can I type in the customer's new card for them?
No. Shopify does not let merchants enter card details. Click Update payment method and send the customer the secure update email, or switch to another card they already saved.


The customer updated their card in their account but the renewal still fails.
Changing a card in the store account or Shop Pay wallet does not update the subscription. Send them the payment update email from Update payment method, then charge again.


I don't see Renew immediately on the subscription.
It only shows on active subscriptions. On a paused or failed subscription, click Activate subscription.


Every local delivery subscription failed at the same time.
This usually means local delivery was turned off in Shopify, so no location can deliver those subscriptions. See Store pickup and local delivery for subscriptions.


How can I reduce failed payments?
Filter the Subscriptions list by Payment method status > Expires soon and contact those customers before their card expires. Keep a few dunning retries on, and use pause and cancellation flows (under Grow) to win back customers. See Where to find failed or past-due subscriptions.



Updated on: 09/24/2026

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