Payment failures

Failed payments are frustrating for you and your clients. Most of the time they come down to a card problem or a mismatched client detail — the processor side rarely needs your attention. Work through the scenarios below to find the fix.

Why was the client’s card declined?

Cause 1 — The card itself

The most common reason. There’s nothing wrong with Service Buddy; the bank declined it.

1. Ask the client to confirm the card is active and not expired.
2. Ask them to check for any fraud holds or daily spending limits.
3. Have them try a different card or use ACH instead.
4. If the issue repeats, suggest they contact their bank.

Cause 2 — Address Verification Service (AVS) mismatch

If the billing ZIP or postal code on the card doesn’t match the one on file with the client’s bank, the charge is usually declined.

1. Open the invoice and click Edit billing address.
2. Update the ZIP/postal code to match the one on the client’s card statement.
3. Retry the payment.

Cause 3 — The amount exceeds your per-transaction limit

BuddyPay applies per-transaction limits during the first months of a new account. If a charge exceeds the limit, break the invoice into smaller payments or contact support to request a limit increase.

Why does it say “Unable to process payment”?

Cause 1 — BuddyPay is paused or under review

Occasionally an account is flagged for review (for example, after a sudden change in transaction volume or a mismatched detail).

1. Go to Settings → Service Buddy Payments and check your account status.
2. If it says Action required, follow the prompt — you may need to confirm a business detail or upload a document.
3. If it says Active but charges are still failing, contact support.

Cause 2 — The processor is temporarily down

Card networks or processors occasionally have outages.

1. Check the Service Buddy contact page or contact support — we’ll know if there’s an active incident.
2. If there’s an ongoing issue, wait for resolution and try again.
3. In the meantime, offer the client an alternate payment method (manual bank transfer, check) and record it via Record a payment.

Why did the ACH / bank transfer payment fail?

Cause 1 — Insufficient funds

The client’s bank rejected the debit. Ask them to confirm the account has funds and retry, or switch to a card.

Cause 2 — Incorrect routing or account number

1. Open the payment and click View details.
2. If the failure reason is “invalid account,” the client will need to re-enter their bank details.
3. Delete the failed payment attempt and send a fresh payment link.

Note

ACH payments can take 3–5 business days to clear. A “pending” status is normal during that window.

Why isn’t a refund working?

Cause 1 — Invoice is too old

BuddyPay only allows refunds within 120 days of the original charge. Beyond that, refund the client manually (e.g. by check or bank transfer) and record it in Service Buddy.

1. Open the invoice and click Record refund.
2. Enter the amount, date, and method (e.g. “Manual bank transfer”).
3. Save.

Cause 2 — Partial refund exceeds the captured amount

You can’t refund more than was actually charged. Check the invoice’s payment history and reduce the refund amount.

Why does the invoice still show unpaid after the client paid?

1. Open the invoice and scroll to the Payments section.
2. If no payment is listed, ask the client to forward their receipt and confirm which card the charge went to.
3. Check the Payments view in your dashboard for that day. If the charge exists there but not on the invoice, contact support — we’ll match it manually.
4. If the charge isn’t anywhere in Service Buddy, the client may have paid through a separate channel (cash, check, or a manual bank transfer outside BuddyPay). Record it manually with Record a payment.

Caution

Don’t manually record a payment that already shows in your BuddyPay transactions — you’ll end up double-counting. Always verify first.

If none of these solve your issue, gather the invoice number, the BuddyPay transaction ID (visible in the Payments view), and a screenshot of the error, then reach out via Contact support.