Understand online and offline card payment authorisations

When you pay with a Pleo card, the merchant may request an authorisation to confirm the payment is legitimate. The authorisation flow depends on whether the payment is online (e-commerce) or offline (in-store).

Approve online card payments (e-commerce)

When you might need to approve a payment

For some online payments, you’ll receive a notification in the Pleo mobile app to approve the transaction. This is typically part of an extra security step.

Good to know: Whether you’re asked to approve depends on the merchant and the type of transaction

If the merchant doesn’t use 3D Secure

If a merchant hasn’t enabled 3D Secure, the payment may go through without an additional authorisation step in-app.

3D Secure is an additional security step used by some online merchants.

Vendor cards

Vendor cards may require authorisation once, when you add the card details to the merchant’s payment portal or gateway. After that, future payments may not require the same step every time.

Authorise offline card payments (in-store / POS)

Chip + PIN payments

If you insert the card into the terminal, the terminal will ask for your PIN to authorise the payment.

Contactless payments

Contactless payments may be declined if you exceed the contactless threshold (for example, after more than 5 contactless payments or when you reach a total of €150 in contactless spending).

Good to know: Contactless limits can vary by card programme and region. If your payment is declined, try inserting the card and paying with your PIN.

Troubleshoot declined payments

If a payment doesn’t go through, it may be declined by Pleo or by the merchant.

1. Try the payment again (especially if your connection was unstable)
2. If you were paying contactless, try chip + PIN instead
3. For online payments, check whether you received a notification to approve the payment in the Pleo app