Pending Charge but No Order? Understanding Card Holds

Seeing a pending payment from Porkbun on your card but no new order in your account? In most cases it is a temporary hold (also called an authorization), not a charge. This guide explains the difference and when a hold goes away.

When you check out with a card, we first place a hold for the order total. The card is only charged after your order has been set up, and only for the items that went through. If an item fails (for example a domain the registry would not register), it is struck through on your receipt and marked as failed, and you are not charged for it.

A hold is not money taken from your account. Your bank sets aside the amount for a short time, then releases it. Some banks show holds as "pending" transactions, which can look like a charge.

• The checkout was not finished. If you closed the payment page, went back, or the payment window timed out, the order was never placed. The hold is released and you are not charged.
• The order failed. If nothing in the order could be completed, the hold is cancelled and you are not charged.
• You checked out more than once. Only the order that finished is charged; the holds from the others are released.

Once a hold is released, most banks remove it within a few business days, and it can take up to about 7 days to drop off your statement. If it is still showing after that, contact your bank with the date and amount, or reach out to us.

PayPal works the same way: the payment is authorized, and only the amount for completed items is captured. Cryptocurrency and account credit payments are taken up front, so if part of an order fails, that amount is returned to you (as account credit for cryptocurrency and credit payments).

Feel free to reach out to our support team with any questions or concerns.