You paid. The checkout screen confirmed it.
Sometimes you even get an email receipt right away.
But when you open the app or website… the premium features are still locked.
It feels like you paid for nothing.
Why This Happens After a Successful Payment
- Billing sync delay: the payment is confirmed, but the service hasn’t updated your access yet.
- Authorization vs settlement: your card shows a charge, but the final settlement is still processing.
- Cache or session issue: the account is active, but your app/web session is showing old status.
- Wrong login/account: the payment went to a different account than the one you’re checking.
- Store platform delay: App Store / Google Play receipts can take time to fully register.
What to Check First (Quick Fix List)
- Log out, then log back in (refresh the session).
- Force close the app and reopen it.
- Check the web version too (sometimes it updates faster).
- Confirm the exact account email/ID used during checkout.
- Open your receipt and match the product name + date + amount.
How Long It Usually Takes
- 5–30 minutes: common when servers sync in batches.
- Up to a few hours: happens with subscriptions and store-based billing.
- Up to 24 hours: rare, but possible during high traffic or maintenance.
If your access is still locked after a reasonable window, don’t keep retrying payments.
That’s how duplicate charges happen.
When You Should Contact Support Immediately
- You have a receipt, but access is still locked after 24 hours.
- The charge posted and the product still shows “not subscribed”.
- You see two charges for the same purchase.
Send support your receipt (or transaction ID) and the email/ID you used to pay.
Most cases are fixed by syncing access—refund isn’t always necessary.