Billing Issues

Having trouble with Balance subscription payments? This guide helps you troubleshoot common billing issues and resolve payment problems.

Common Billing Issues

Payment Declined

Most common issue. Your card was declined by your bank.

Common reasons:

• Insufficient funds
• Card expired
• Card canceled/replaced by bank
• Bank fraud protection triggered
• Incorrect billing address
• Daily/monthly spending limit reached

How to fix:

1. Check card balance/credit limit
2. Verify card not expired
3. Contact your bank
4. Try different card
5. Update billing address

Card Expired

Your card expired.

How to fix:

1. Profile icon > Plan & Subscription
2. Add new card (with updated expiration)
3. Set as default
4. Remove old card
5. Retry payment

Many banks auto-update expiration dates with merchants.

Insufficient Funds

Not enough money in account.

How to fix:

1. Add funds to account
2. Or use different payment method
3. Stripe will auto-retry in a few days
4. Or manually retry in Stripe portal

Wrong Amount Charged

Charged different amount than expected.

Check:

• Monthly: $5.99
• Annual: $59.99
• Taxes may apply (varies by location)
• Check invoice in Stripe portal

If truly wrong:

• Contact support immediately
• Include invoice/receipt
• We’ll investigate and resolve

Duplicate Charges

Charged twice for same period.

This is rare, but if it happens:

1. Check Stripe portal billing history
2. Verify both charges posted
3. Contact support with invoice numbers
4. We’ll investigate
5. Refund if truly duplicate

Often it’s:

• Pending vs. posted (will resolve)
• Previous month + current month
• Different subscriptions (check carefully)

Subscription Not Activating After Payment

Paid but still shows Free plan.

Try:

1. Wait 1-2 minutes for processing
2. Close and reopen app
3. Check email for payment confirmation
4. Check Stripe portal for successful payment
5. If paid but not active, contact support

Payment Timeline

Retry Schedule

If payment fails:

Day 1: Payment fails
↓
Email notification
↓
Day 3: Automatic retry
↓
Day 7: Final retry
↓
Day 10: Subscription canceled (reverts to Free)

You have 10 days to fix payment issue.

Resolving Before Cancellation

To prevent cancellation:

1. Fix payment issue within 10 days
2. Update card in Stripe portal
3. Stripe automatically retries
4. Or manually retry payment
5. Subscription stays active

Fixing Payment Issues

Update Payment Method

In Stripe Customer Portal:

1. Profile icon > Plan & Subscription
2. Opens Stripe portal
3. Click “Payment methods”
4. Click “+ Add payment method”
5. Enter new card details
6. Set as default
7. Remove old card (optional)

Next charge uses new default card.

Retry Failed Payment

If automatic retry failing:

1. Fix the underlying issue first
2. Open Stripe portal
3. Find failed invoice
4. Click “Retry payment” or “Pay now”
5. Processes immediately
6. Subscription reactivates if successful

Contact Your Bank

If card keeps declining:

Call your bank and ask:

• “Why is my payment to Balance/Stripe being declined?”
• “Can you approve this merchant?”
• “Is there a hold on my account?”
• “What’s causing the decline?”

Banks often:

• Block first-time international charges
• Flag subscription services
• Require approval for new merchants

Refunds and Disputes

Refund Policy

Balance does not offer refunds:

• No prorated refunds
• No partial refunds
• No refunds for any reason

Standard subscription model - industry norm.

Alternatives:

• Free trial (try before you buy)
• Monthly plan (lower commitment)
• Cancel anytime (prevent future charges)

Disputing a Charge

If you believe charge is fraudulent:

1. Contact Balance support first

   • Email: support@balancebudget.app
   • We can verify charge
   • Resolve most issues quickly

2. If Balance doesn’t resolve:

   • Contact your bank
   • File formal dispute
   • Bank investigates
   • Resolution in 30-60 days

Chargebacks hurt small businesses - please contact us first!

Tax Charges

Sales Tax

Some locations require sales tax:

• Varies by state/country
• Automatically calculated
• Added to subscription cost

Example:

Subscription: $5.99
Tax (7%): $0.42
Total: $6.41

This is normal and required by law.

Tax Rates

Common rates:

• US states: 0-10%
• Canada: 5-15% GST/HST/PST
• EU: 20-27% VAT

Check your invoice for exact breakdown.

Billing Address Issues

Incorrect Address

Card decline may be caused by:

• Billing address mismatch
• Wrong ZIP code
• Old address on file

How to fix:

1. Stripe portal
2. Payment methods
3. Click your card
4. Update billing details
5. Enter current address
6. Save changes

Address Verification

Some banks require:

• Address match card on file
• Correct ZIP code
• Current residence

Update both:

• Balance/Stripe billing address
• Address with your bank

Currency and International Payments

USD Only

Balance charges in USD:

• $5.99 USD (Monthly)
• $59.99 USD (Annual)

International cards:

• Your bank converts to local currency
• Currency conversion fees may apply
• Check with your bank

International Cards

Most international cards work:

• Visa, Mastercard, Amex accepted worldwide
• Must support USD transactions
• May have foreign transaction fees

Subscription Status During Issues

Grace Period

10-day grace period:

• Subscription stays active
• All features available
• Multiple retry attempts
• Time to fix payment

After 10 Days

If still not resolved:

• Subscription cancels automatically
• Account reverts to Free plan
• Bank accounts disconnect
• Data remains safe

Can reactivate once payment fixed.

Preventing Future Issues

Keep Payment Current

Update immediately when:

• Card expires
• Card lost/stolen
• Bank issues replacement
• Move to new address
• Change phone number

Monitor Billing

Check regularly:

• Email receipts
• Stripe portal
• Bank statements
• Verify charges expected

Set Reminders

For Annual subscribers:

• Calendar reminder 1 week before renewal
• Verify payment method current
• Ensure sufficient funds
• Prevent unexpected charges

Getting Help

Contact Support

Email: support@balancebudget.app

Include:

• Description of issue
• Error messages (if any)
• Invoice number (if applicable)
• Payment method used (last 4 digits only)
• Steps you’ve already tried

Response time: Usually within 24 hours

What We Can Help With

✅ We can:

• Investigate billing issues
• Clarify charges
• Verify subscription status
• Provide invoice copies
• Guide through Stripe portal

❌ We cannot:

• Process refunds (no refund policy)
• Override bank declines (bank decision)
• Waive charges
• Access your full card details

Next Steps

1. Managing Subscription - Access payment settings
2. Canceling Subscription - If you need to cancel
3. Reactivating Subscription - After resolving issues
4. Plans Comparison - Review plan details

Questions? Contact our support team - we’re here to help!