Why is my payment method not being accepted by Google Ads?

If your payment method isn't being accepted by Google Ads, it's usually one of a few common issues. Here's a breakdown of why it might be happening and how to fix it:

💳 1. Card Issuer Rejection
Your bank or card issuer might be blocking the transaction for one of these reasons:

Insufficient funds

Suspicious/fraudulent activity flags

International transactions are blocked

Daily spending limit hit

Fix:
→ Call your bank and ask them to allow charges from:

GOOGLE*ADS or GOOGLE*SERVICES

⚠️ 2. Incorrect Card Details
Google may reject your card if:

Card number, expiration date, or CVV is entered wrong

Billing address doesn't match the one on file with your bank

Fix:
→ Double-check the info under:
Tools & Settings > Billing > Payment Methods

🛂 3. Unsupported Payment Method
Not all cards or payment types are accepted in every country.

Common unsupported options:

Prepaid cards

Virtual cards (some work, some don't)

Certain debit cards (especially if international)

Fix:
→ Try a different card (preferably a major credit card like Visa or Mastercard).
→ Or check Google's list of accepted payment methods by country:
Google Support – Accepted payment methods

🔁 4. Old or Expired Card
If the card on file has expired or been replaced, it'll be declined.

Fix:
→ Update the expiration date or add the new card and set it as primary.

🧾 5. Account Verification Issues
Google might flag your account if:

There's a mismatch in billing info

You've had recent chargebacks or refunds

You just opened the account and Google's doing a pre-auth check

Fix: → Check your email or notifications in Google Ads for any "Action Required" messages.
→ Verify your account if asked.

🧰 Still not working?
Try this quick fix path:

Add a new payment method

Set it as primary

Try a manual payment (go to Billing > Summary > Make a payment)

If that fails — contact Google Ads Support directly here