"Failed Payments"
In short
Snap couldn’t charge the payment for your ads: the ad account is placed on hold and your ads are paused until the amount due is paid. In Billing & Payments › Payment methods, select Pay now; if the decline persists, switch cards or call your bank.
By Mathieu Malige, founder of Apogee
· Checked on 23 October 2026
Exact message
| Field | English | French |
|---|---|---|
| Notification (Ads Manager and email) | Failed Payments | Paiements échoués |
| Notification reason (Snapchat help center) | Your payment method has failed. | Votre mode de paiement a échoué. |
Where it shows up: in Snapchat Ads Manager, in the account notifications, and by email when email notifications are turned on.
Why it happens
- Snap couldn’t charge your payment method. According to Snapchat’s help center, the “Failed Payments” notification means the account’s payment method has failed. It shows in Ads Manager and, if you turned it on, by email.
- The account goes on hold. Your ads are paused until the amount due is paid. Snap won’t charge you again while the balance is unpaid.
- The decline comes from the card or the bank. Snapchat’s help center lists 9 reasons, all in the table below: insufficient funds, amount or activity limit reached, expired card or invalid details, 3D Secure verification needed, a bank decline with no reason, card flagged for security, transaction not supported, card issuer temporarily unavailable, recurring charges stopped.
How to fix it
- In Ads Manager, open Billing & Payments › Payment methods. Note the decline reason shown.
- Select Pay now to retry the payment. Snapchat’s help center says many declines are temporary and clear on a new try.
- If the decline persists, update the card details. Or add another card with available funds and set it as your default payment method.
- If the card is still declined, call your bank. Ask them to approve charges from Snap, including online and international transactions.
- As a last resort, contact support from Ads Manager › Help. Give the card type and its last 4 digits, the exact message you see in Billing & Payments, and the date and time of the failed charge.
The reason shown points to the fix, according to Snapchat’s help center:
| Reason shown | What to do |
|---|---|
| Insufficient funds | Add funds to the card or use another one |
| Amount or activity limit reached | Wait for the daily limit to reset, or ask your bank to raise it |
| Card expired or card details invalid | Fix the details or add another card |
| Bank verification needed (3D Secure) | Re-add the card and complete the verification |
| Your bank declined the charge | Call your bank or try another card |
| Card flagged for security | Use another card, and confirm with your bank that the charge is legitimate |
| Transaction not supported | Try another card, or contact your bank |
| Card issuer temporarily unavailable | Try again a little later with Pay now |
| Recurring charges stopped | Re-authorize Snap with your bank, or add another payment method |
What other advertisers suggest, unconfirmed
No confirmed advertiser feedback yet.
How to avoid it next time
- Add a backup payment method: according to Snapchat’s help center, it can keep your ads from being paused if the primary card is declined.
- Check the card’s expiry date and available balance before your billing date.
- Keep your phone close to approve your bank’s 3D Secure prompts.
- Turn on email notifications for the account so you see a failed payment the same day.
The same message in other languages
| Language | Exact message |
|---|---|
| French | Paiements échoués |
| German | Fehlgeschlagene Zahlungen |
| Spanish | Pagos fallidos |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Pagos fallidos |
| Arabic | فشل المدفوعات |
Frequently asked questions
Do my ads restart on their own after I pay?
Yes, once the payment goes through. According to Snapchat’s help center, active and scheduled ads resume as soon as the amount due is paid. Snap won’t charge you again while the balance is unpaid: retry the payment yourself with Pay now.
How do I find out why the payment was declined?
The reason shows in Billing & Payments. Snapchat’s help center lists 9 of them, each with a fix: they are all in the table on this page, from “Insufficient funds” to “Recurring charges stopped”.
My card has funds and the payment still fails. What should I do?
Call your bank. Snapchat’s help center says Snap’s charge may be treated as an international transaction, and some blocks can only be lifted by the bank. If 3D Secure verification didn’t complete, re-add the card and turn off any VPN or pop-up blocker.
Who do I contact if the payment keeps failing?
Snapchat Ads Support, from Ads Manager › Help. Snap asks for the card type and its last 4 digits, the exact error message you see in Billing & Payments, and the date and time of the failed charge.
Related errors
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