What Happens When a Payment Fails

What Happens When a Payment Fails

A failed payment doesn't immediately end your access — here's what actually happens.

Payment failures are more common than you'd think — expired cards, bank security flags, and temporary holds can all trigger them. UVettd is designed so that a single failed payment doesn't pull the rug out from under you.

The 3-Day Grace Period

When a payment fails, your account does not immediately downgrade. You receive a 3-day grace period during which you retain full access to your Intentional or Devoted features. This applies to both monthly and annual renewal failures. The grace period gives you time to update your payment method without losing your place or your data.

The Failure Email

As soon as a payment fails, Stripe sends a notification email to the address on your account. This email includes a direct link to the Stripe customer portal where you can update your payment method. Check your spam or promotions folder if you don't see it within a few minutes of the expected billing date.

Stripe's Automatic Retry Schedule

After the initial failure, Stripe automatically retries the charge on the following schedule:

• 1 day after the initial failure
• 3 days after the initial failure
• 7 days after the initial failure

If any of these retries succeeds — including after you've updated your card — your subscription continues normally. You don't need to do anything else once the payment goes through.

What Happens If the Grace Period Ends Without Resolution

If the payment is still unresolved after the 3-day grace period, your account automatically downgrades to the Curious (free) tier. Your data is fully preserved — all evaluations, CAMERA Method™ scores, and UVettd Compass results remain in your account. Resubscribing restores full access immediately, and your archived data becomes viewable again right away.

How to Fix a Failed Payment

1. Open the link in your failure notification email, or go to Account → Billing → Manage Payment Method.
2. Update your card in the Stripe customer portal.
3. Stripe will retry the charge automatically, or you can contact support@uvettd.com to trigger a manual retry.

Annual Subscriptions

The same 3-day grace period applies when an annual renewal payment fails. Stripe will retry on the same schedule, and your access is maintained throughout the grace period. After 7 days of retries with no success, the account downgrades — but resubscribing restores everything immediately.

Common questions about this topic

How many times will Stripe retry my payment?

Stripe retries three times after the initial failure: at 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days. If all three retries fail, your account will downgrade to the Curious tier. Updating your payment method before or after a retry will allow the next attempt to succeed.

What if I don't see the failure email?

Check your spam, promotions, or filtered folders first. If you still can't find it, go to Account → Billing → Manage Payment Method directly in the app — you don't need the email to update your card. You can also contact support@uvettd.com and we'll help you get it sorted.

Will my data be deleted if I can't fix the payment in time?

No. Your data is never deleted due to a payment failure. If your account downgrades to the Curious tier, your evaluations and scores are preserved — 2 prospects remain viewable and the rest are archived until you resubscribe.

My account downgraded — can I get back on my paid plan right now?

Yes, immediately. Go to Account → Billing → Choose a Plan, select Intentional or Devoted, and complete the payment. Your archived data becomes accessible the moment the subscription is active.

Does a payment failure affect my billing date?

If a payment succeeds on a retry, your billing date typically stays the same. If there's a significant gap, Stripe may adjust the next billing date accordingly. Contact support@uvettd.com if you have questions about a specific charge date.

Still need help? Contact us at support@uvettd.com or use the in-app help widget.