Having a backup payment method set up for Facebook ads is an important part of running successful ad campaigns on the platform. Facebook requires advertisers to always have a valid payment method on file in order to run ads. If your primary payment method expires, gets declined, or has other issues, you may experience disruption to your ad campaigns if you don’t have a secondary payment method configured as a backup.
Why is a backup payment method needed for Facebook ads?
There are a few key reasons why having a backup payment method is recommended for Facebook ads:
- Payment issues can happen unexpectedly – Even if you have a valid primary payment method, things like expired cards, declined charges, and fraud alerts can come up unexpectedly. Having a secondary method prevents campaign disruptions.
- Campaigns get paused if no payment method is available – If Facebook tries to bill your account and there is no valid payment method available, your campaigns will be paused until you update your payment details. This can lead to lost impressions and ad spend.
- Switching payment methods is a hassle – Updating payment info on your ads account requires navigating Facebook’s admin interface. Keeping a backup method avoids this headache if your primary one has problems.
In short, a backup payment provides flexibility and continuity if anything goes wrong with your primary payment method. All Facebook advertisers should take the small amount of extra time to configure a secondary option as a safety net.
What types of payment methods can be used?
Facebook allows several different payment methods to be used for advertising billing. Here are the various options advertisers can use as either primary or backup methods:
Credit/Debit Cards
Credit and debit cards from major providers like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover can be used to pay for Facebook ads. This is the most commonly used online payment method. Cards can be entered directly or stored through Facebook’s payment partners. Cards need to be kept current to avoid expirations.
PayPal
For advertisers with PayPal business accounts, this is a popular backup option. Money to cover Facebook bills can be transferred into PayPal and paid seamlessly. PayPal also offers purchasing protection and flexible funding sources.
Bank Accounts / ACH
Linking a bank account using bank transfer or ACH payment is another option. This allows Facebook to pull ad spend directly from a checking account like a utility bill. However, bank transfers can take a few days to process, so this method has some limitations.
Prepayment / Ad Credits
Facebook allows depositing money directly into an ad account balance to create a credit that is drawn down. This prepaid ad credit can act as a backup source of funds if other methods have problems. However, unused ad credits are non-refundable.
Facebook Invoicing
High-spend advertisers running over $40,000 per month in ads may qualify for monthly invoicing directly from Facebook. This consolidated billing helps manage large accounts, but requires a lengthy application process.
Best practices for setting up a backup payment method
If you’ve decided to take the important step of adding a secondary payment method for Facebook advertising, here are some tips to follow:
- Choose a different payment type – Having two cards, for example, doesn’t provide redundancy if the primary card has issues. Use PayPal or linked bank account as your secondary option.
- Keep payment details up to date – Make sure your backup payment method’s details are current. Update expirations, account balances, etc. proactively.
- Confirm the method works – Try making a small ad spend with your secondary payment method before you need it to ensure everything is configured properly.
- Automate reminders to check – Set calendar reminders to periodically check both payment methods are functional, like every 3-6 months.
By putting best practices in place, your backup payment method is much more likely to be a seamless safety net if you ever need it for Facebook ad campaigns.
How to set up and manage backup payment methods
Setting up and managing your Facebook ad account payment methods, including a secondary backup option, is done through Facebook’s Ads Manager interface:
Initial Payment Method Setup
When first setting up your Facebook ad account, you will be prompted to enter your primary payment method details through Ads Manager. This is required before you can start running ads.
Adding a Backup Method
Once your account is established, you can add secondary payment methods as backups. In Ads Manager, go to the Settings menu and choose “Payment Methods”. Click “+ Add Payment Method” and enter your details.
Managing Existing Methods
The Payment Methods screen allows you to see all payment methods on file, edit them, make them primary, and remove any unwanted options. It’s a one-stop-shop to manage existing methods.
Updating Expired or Invalid Methods
If your current payment method becomes invalid for any reason, Ads Manager will show an error notification prompting you to enter updated details. You can provide new info or switch to an existing backup method.
By leveraging the payment management features within Ads Manager, you can easily configure and maintain backup payment methods for your Facebook advertising account.
What happens if a payment fails?
If Facebook tries billing your active payment method and the charge fails for any reason, here is what typically happens:
- Ads delivery is paused – Any active ads will stop delivering until payment details are updated.
- The account balance shows as payable – A negative balance matching the unpaid bill appears.
- An email notification is sent – Details on the declined charge or other issue will be sent to the account email.
- The account switches to backup method – If a secondary method is available, Facebook will automatically start trying that option.
Once valid payment details are provided, either by updating the details of the primary method or switching to a backup, your account will typically return to normal operation and resume running ads. Any unpaid balance must be settled.
Can you run Facebook ads without a payment method?
Facebook requires all active ad accounts to have a valid payment method on file. There is no option to run Facebook ads without an associated payment method. Once you’ve started spending and captcha is entered to confirm you are human, Facebook expects every account to have a way to bill ad spends. While prepay is possible for small spends, at larger spend levels ongoing billing to an active payment method is mandatory. Overall, attempting to use Facebook advertising without properly configured payment set up will be very difficult and is not recommended.
Why you should avoid Facebook ad account suspensions
If a Facebook ad account accumulates unpaid charges due to payment failures, and no backup method can cover them, Facebook may suspend the account as a penalty. Here are some major headaches account suspensions cause:
- Active ads and campaigns are halted – Any running ads are stopped until account issues are resolved.
- Reactivating accounts can take time – It can take days or weeks to get a suspended account fully restored.
- You lose the account’s data – Valuable analytics and costs metrics are interrupted by suspension issues.
- Customer confusion results – Suspended accounts can’t update creative, messaging, or offer info displayed to customers.
- Bid it Back to Topon on good keywords and placements is lost – Competitors can occupy prime ad real estate while accounts are suspended.
Clearly, avoiding permanent Facebook ad account suspension by setting up reliable payment methods is crucial for account stability and performance.
Can you delete a payment method from Facebook?
Yes, Facebook Ads Manager allows you to remove any stored payment methods you no longer want to use. Here are some tips on deleting payment methods:
- Go to Payment Settings in Ads Manager and locate the method
- Click the “…” icon next to the method and choose Delete
- Confirm you want to remove the selected method
- The payment method will be fully removed from the account
Things to keep in mind when deleting a payment method:
- You cannot delete your only active payment method
- Be sure you have an alternate method configured first
- Deleted methods disappear permanently and can’t be restored
- Removing an unused method is a good account cleanup practice
With a few clicks in Ads Manager, any unwanted or obsolete payment methods can be deleted from your Facebook advertising account.
Can you use a credit card without authorization for Facebook ads?
No, Facebook’s policies prohibit using any payment method without proper authorization on a Facebook advertising account. All payment methods must be explicitly registered and confirmed following Facebook’s verification requirements. Even for small ad spends, using an unapproved or unauthorized card is grounds for Facebook to ban your ad account entirely. Never attempt to use someone else’s credit card or payment details without their consent to pay for Facebook ads.
What if you already used the cards Facebook has on file?
If the active payment methods you have on file with Facebook are unavailable to use for some reason, such as maxing out your credit card limits, you have a couple options to resolve this:
- Add a new payment method – Setup a new, usable source like a second credit card or PayPal account.
- Change the spending limit – Request an increased spending cap on your credit card.
- Pause advertising – Halt paid ads until your limits reset or change.
While you cannot use payment methods that are tapped out or unavailable, make sure your Facebook account itself does not accrue charges without a way to pay for them. This scenario can lead to advertising suspensions. Monitor your payment situation closely as you scale ad spend.
Can you use a Facebook ad coupon for payment?
Unfortunately Facebook ad account coupons cannot be used as a normal payment method for Facebook advertising. Here are some key points on how ad coupons work and their limitations:
- Coupons are promotional credits provided selectively by Facebook
- They can be applied towards ad costs to offset spends
- However, they cannot pay the full balance of ad charges
- A regular payment method must cover remaining ad costs
So while ad coupons are a nice bonus from Facebook, they serve just to reduce your normal payment amounts rather than replace a payment method entirely. You still need working payment details on your account even when using ad coupons.
Can you revert a Facebook payment to PayPal?
For advertisers currently paying Facebook ad bills via PayPal, but wanting to revert back to PayPal from another payment method, here is the process:
- Go to the Payments section of Ads Manager
- Click Add Payment Method
- Choose PayPal as the method to add
- Enter your PayPal details when prompted
- In Payment Settings, switch the Primary Payment to your new PayPal method
Once your new or reconfigured PayPal account is established as the Primary Payment, Facebook will resume drawing all ad costs from your linked PayPal balance moving forward. Do keep an alternate backup payment handy just in case, however.
Conclusion
Running Facebook ads without resolving potential payment issues promptly can cripple the performance of your campaigns and even put your entire ad account at risk. Something as simple as a credit card expiration can interrupt your ads if you don’t have a backup in place.
The minimal effort of setting up redundant payment methods is well worth it for the peace of mind and account stability it provides. Facebook’s advertising payment options offer multiple ways to configure primary and secondary funding sources.
Monitor your payments status regularly, and don’t hesitate to reach out to a Facebook rep if you ever have trouble resolving payment problems. Maintaining a healthy payment setup enhances the profitability of Facebook advertising.