How do I update my payment method?
Table of Contents
How do I update my payment method?
This article covers how to update your payment method in Sprout Social — whether you're proactively switching cards, resolving a declined payment, or adding a backup method to prevent future issues.
Update your payment method
To update your primary or backup payment method:
Click your initials in the bottom-left corner to open the menu.
Select Account and Settings > Billing & Plan.
Under Payment Methods, click Edit (to update your primary card) or Add backup (to add a backup method).
Enter your card information. For PayPal, select the PayPal tab in the top-right corner of the form.
Click Save.
Permissions: You must have Manage Billing permissions to access the Billing & Plan page. If you don't see it, ask your Account Owner or an Admin to grant you this permission — or ask them to send you a shareable billing link (see below).
Why was my payment declined?
If you're seeing a "Payment Declined" error when updating your payment details or during an automatic renewal charge, it may be due to one of the following:
Reason |
What to check |
|---|---|
Expired or outdated card |
Check if the card has expired or if your bank issued a replacement with new details. |
Bank or issuer restrictions |
Your bank may block the transaction for security reasons or if a spending limit has been exceeded. Contact your bank to verify. |
Insufficient funds |
Ensure the account linked to your payment method has enough funds to cover the charge. |
Incorrect billing details |
Double-check that your billing address, postal code, and CVV match what your bank has on file. |
Troubleshooting tips:
Try entering your card details in an incognito/private browser window — this can resolve issues caused by cached data or browser extensions.
Call your bank to confirm the card is not blocked for online transactions.
If the issue persists, try a different payment method (another card or PayPal).
What happens when a payment fails
When Sprout cannot process your subscription renewal, here's what to expect:
During the 7-day grace period
If you have Manage Billing permissions |
If you don't have Manage Billing permissions |
|---|---|
You'll see a full-screen modal prompting you to update payment. After dismissing it, a non-dismissible banner remains at the top of Sprout showing the grace period end date and last four digits of the declined card. |
You'll see a banner showing the grace period end date and your Account Owner's name and email, so you can reach the right person. |
You can update your payment method directly or share a payment link with someone else. |
You can share a payment link with the person who handles billing. |
During the grace period, you still have full access to Sprout.
After the grace period (7+ days)
If payment is not resolved within 7 days:
Your account is locked. You and your team will not be able to access Sprout until payment is updated.
When you log in, you'll be taken directly to the payment update screen — you cannot navigate anywhere else.
Once you successfully update your payment method, Sprout will automatically attempt the charge again. If successful, access is restored immediately.
Add a backup payment method
Adding a backup payment method is the best way to avoid account disruptions. If your primary card fails, Sprout automatically charges the backup — without any interruption to your service and without sending a "Payment Declined" notification.
To add a backup:
Go to Account and Settings > Billing & Plan.
Under Payment Methods, click Add backup.
Enter a credit card or PayPal account.
Click Save.
You can set either your credit card or PayPal as primary or backup. In subsequent billing cycles, Sprout will always attempt the primary method first, even if the backup was used in a prior month.
Tip: After resolving a declined payment, Sprout will prompt you to add a backup method. We strongly recommend doing so.
Share a billing link with someone else
If the person responsible for payment doesn't have a Sprout login (such as someone in accounts payable), you can share a secure link that lets them update billing information without needing to log in.
To share a billing link:
Go to Account and Settings > Billing & Plan.
Click Edit next to your payment method (or navigate to the payment update screen if you're in a failed state).
Click Share This Page in the top-right corner.
Enter the recipient's email address (with an optional note) and click Share — or click Create shareable link and copy the link to send manually.
The recipient will receive an email with a link to a secure payment form. They can update the card or PayPal information without a Sprout account.
Note: Only users with Manage Billing permissions (or Account Owners) can generate shareable billing links.
If you don't have billing permissions but see the in-app failed payment banner, click the Share payment link button to copy a pre-written message with the payment link. Send this to whoever handles payment for your team.
Don't have billing permissions?
If you can't access the Billing & Plan page:
Go to Account and Settings > Personal Settings > Personal Permissions to see your current permissions. Your Account Owner's name and email appear here.
-
Ask your Account Owner to either:
Grant you Manage Billing permissions, or
Send you a shareable billing link so you can update the card without needing full billing access.
Accepted payment methods
Sprout Social accepts the following for in-app subscriptions:
Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover)
PayPal
These are charged automatically on a monthly or annual basis. You can use either as your primary or backup payment method.
Out-of-app (invoiced) subscriptions support additional methods including check, wire transfer, and ACH. Contact your Customer Success Manager for details.
FAQ
Will Sprout keep trying to charge my card?
Yes. Sprout (via Recurly) will attempt to collect payment periodically over a 27-day dunning period. You'll receive email reminders during this time. However, access to Sprout is locked after 7 days if the issue isn't resolved.
What if I've been locked out for more than 7 days?
You can still log in and update your payment method — you'll just be taken directly to the payment form. Once payment succeeds, access is restored immediately and your existing contract terms continue.
Does my backup card get charged automatically?
Yes. If your primary method fails, Sprout immediately and automatically charges the backup. If successful, you won't receive a "Payment Declined" email and your access is uninterrupted.
Can someone without a Sprout login update the card?
Yes — use the shareable billing link feature described above. The recipient does not need a Sprout account.
I updated my card but Sprout still shows a failed state — what do I do?
After you save a new payment method, Sprout will automatically attempt to charge the outstanding balance. If it fails again (e.g., the new card also has an issue), you'll see an error message with details from your bank. Try a different card, or contact Sprout Support.
3. Under Payment Methods, click Edit. To add a backup card, click Add backup.
4. Fill in your card information. For PayPal payments, select the PayPal tab on the top right.
5. To allow someone without billing permissions to update the card, click Share This Page and enter their email address with an optional note.
Permissions
To access the Billing page on a Sprout account and update the account’s credit card details, you must have Manage Billing Permissions. If you don't have Manage Billing permissions, please reach out to your Account Owner to provide you with these permissions or ask a user with these permissions to provide you with a shareable billing link with the steps listed above.
For more information on setting up user permissions, check out this article.
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