Рекуррентные платежи
Recurring Billing
Recurring payments are regular automatic charges to a customer's saved card or account, made with their prior consent, for example monthly for a subscription or dietary supplement.
What is Рекуррентные платежи (Recurring Billing)?
Recurring payments (recurring billing) are a model in which a merchant charges the customer at regular intervals without requiring payment details to be re-entered. The foundation is a saved payment token and the payer's consent to periodic charges, given during the first payment.
## How it works
At the first transaction, the customer confirms the payment and consent to subsequent charges. The payment service provider (PSP) or acquirer stores the card token, and the merchant initiates new transactions on a schedule. The first charge usually goes through full authentication (3DS, SCA under PSD2 in the EU). Subsequent charges can be processed as merchant-initiated transactions with a transaction-type flag.
## Where it's used
In fintech: service subscriptions, wallets with a monthly fee, automatic account top-ups. In dating: premium subscriptions and automatic renewal of plans. In nutra: subscriptions for dietary supplements and health products, often with a trial period at a low price followed by a switch to regular charges.
## What it affects
The quality of recurring billing determines decline rates, the share of successful repeat charges, churn and LTV. Retrying failed charges, updating expired cards and sending clear billing reminders noticeably affect retention. The higher the share of disputes, the greater the risk to the chargeback ratio and of restrictions on the merchant account.
## Common mistakes
Hidden or unclear auto-charge terms, complicated subscription cancellation, charging without explicit consent and without a renewal reminder. Such practices lead to complaints, disputes and chargebacks, and in high-risk verticals to account blocking and rising friendly fraud. Teams also often fail to set up decline handling and lose customers after the first failed charge.
FAQ
How do recurring payments differ from one-off payments?
With a one-off payment, the customer confirms each transaction manually. With recurring payments, consent is given once, and subsequent charges are initiated by the merchant on a schedule.
Why are recurring charges often declined?
The most common causes are an expired card, insufficient funds, a block by the bank, or failure to pass the correct recurring-payment indicator. Updating card details and setting up proper retries help.
Do I need separate consent for automatic charges?
Yes, consent must be explicit, clear and recorded. Requirements depend on the jurisdiction and payment scheme rules, so it's best to confirm them with your PSP and a lawyer.