What happens when a payment fails
When a renewal charge on your Ody subscription is declined, nothing changes on your account at first: Stripe retries the card automatically and Ody emails the account owner a link to pay the open invoice directly. Paying that invoice — with the same card or a new one — brings the account back to good standing immediately and stops every reminder.
Before you start
- Reminders go to the workspace owner, at the email on the account and (as a backup) by text to the mobile number verified at signup.
- Only an admin or owner can update the card or pay the invoice.
- Workspaces billed through the App Store don't go through this flow — see Billing on iOS.
Step-by-step: pay the open invoice
Open the most recent email from Ody about your payment and click Pay … now. The link opens a secure Stripe page for the exact invoice that failed.
Pay with the card on file, or enter a new card. A new card becomes your default for future renewals — no separate step needed.
Within a few minutes your workspace shows Active again under Settings → Billing, and the reminder emails and texts stop.
If you can't find the email: click Settings in the sidebar, then Billing, and use Update card on file — Stripe retries the outstanding invoice with the new card. See Update your payment method.
What the reminders look like
Ody sends reminders in three stages. Each one includes the pay link, and paying at any point ends the sequence.
| When | From | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| First week | Ody ([email protected], reply to [email protected]) |
The card was declined, nothing has changed yet, how to pay. Later emails mention the calls and texts your number received while the account was past due, and that a past-due account can lose its number. Two short texts back up these emails. |
| Second week | James Whitmore, VP of Subscriptions ([email protected]) |
Personal emails asking whether something is wrong (replaced card, bank block, a plan you thought you'd cancelled) and offering to sort it out. The last one explains that Ody plans are commitment-based and the balance may go to collections. Reply to those emails to talk to a person. |
| From day 14 | Ody Collections ([email protected]) |
Formal collection notices addressed to the person who verified their identity on the workspace, with the invoice details, the remaining commitment balance, and a referral date. |
What's at risk if the invoice stays unpaid
- Service. Outbound calling and texting pause first, then inbound. Voicemail transcripts and AI receptionist recaps stop being generated.
- Your number. A number is held only while the account is in good standing. Once a suspended account's number is released back to the carrier it cannot be recovered or ported — someone else can take it.
- Your commitment. Ody plans run on a 12-month commitment (monthly plans) or a prepaid year (annual plans). An unpaid invoice does not end the commitment: the remaining balance becomes due and may be referred to a third-party collections agency, which can add its own fees. The collection notices state the exact amount.
Troubleshooting
- Already paid but still getting reminders — it can take a few minutes for Stripe to confirm. If reminders continue the next day, reply to the email or write to [email protected] with the invoice number.
- Your bank keeps blocking the charge — call your bank to authorize Ody, then use the same pay link. You can also pay with a different card.
- You want to stop the texts — reply STOP to the text. You'll keep getting the emails while a balance is outstanding; reply START to turn texts back on.
- You believe the invoice is wrong — reply to any of the emails (or contact support) before the referral date in the notice. Disputes are reviewed by a person.
- You've decided to leave Ody — reply to the emails so the team can help you port your number out cleanly instead of it being released. Cancelling still follows the commitment terms in Cancel your subscription.
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Frequently asked questions
My card was declined. Has my account stopped working?
Not right away. Your numbers, inbox and call history keep working while Stripe retries the card. Pay the open invoice from the link in the email (or Settings → Billing) and the reminders stop.
Can I pay with a different card?
Yes. The payment link opens a secure Stripe page where you can pay with a new card; that card becomes your default for future renewals.
Why am I getting texts about my bill?
Billing reminders go to the account owner by email and, as a backup, by text to the mobile number verified at signup. Reply STOP to the text to opt out of the texts — the emails continue while a balance is outstanding.
What does 'referred to collections' mean?
Ody plans are commitment-based. If an invoice stays unpaid after about two weeks of reminders, the remaining balance of your commitment becomes due and may be handed to a collections agency. Paying the open invoice at any point stops this.