Payment Methods: Adding, Removing, and Setting a Default Account

Hovixa utilizes an automated billing system to ensure your VPS and hosting services remain active. Managing your stored payment methods is critical to preventing service suspension due to failed transactions. This guide details how to maintain your credit card and PayPal configurations within the secure client portal.

1. Adding a New Payment Method

You can store multiple payment methods on your account. All sensitive card data is tokenized and stored on PCI-compliant payment gateways; Hovixa does not store raw credit card numbers on its local servers.

Steps to Add a Card:

1. Log in to the Hovixa Client Portal.
2. Navigate to Billing > Payment Methods.
3. Click Add New Credit Card.
4. Enter the cardholder name, card number, expiry date, and CVV code.
5. Ensure the Billing Address matches the address on file with your bank.
6. Click Save Changes.

2. Setting a Default Payment Method

When an invoice is generated, the system will only attempt to capture funds from the method marked as Default. If you have multiple cards, ensure the one with sufficient funds is prioritized.

1. On the Payment Methods page, locate the list of stored cards or accounts.
2. Identify the method you wish to use for automated billing.
3. Click the Set as Default button next to that method.
4. A green "Default" badge will appear next to the selected method.

3. Linking and Managing PayPal

PayPal acts as a "billing agreement" between your account and Hovixa. This allows the system to pull funds automatically without requiring you to log in to PayPal for every invoice.

• To set up automated PayPal payments, select PayPal during the checkout of an active invoice.
• Check the box for Create Billing Agreement if prompted.
• Once established, PayPal will appear in your Payment Methods list, where it can be set as the default.

4. Removing a Payment Method

To prevent security risks from expired or unused cards, you should prune your payment list regularly.

1. Navigate to the Payment Methods section.
2. Locate the card or account you wish to delete.
3. Click the Delete or Remove icon (usually a trash can).
4. Confirm the deletion in the pop-up modal.

Constraint: The system may prevent you from deleting your only payment method if you have active services with "Auto-Renew" enabled. In this case, add a new method first before removing the old one.

5. Technical Implementation Details

• Automatic Retries: If the default payment method fails, the system will attempt to capture payment again at 24-hour intervals for up to 3 days. After the third failure, the service is typically suspended.
• Pre-Auth Charges: When adding a new card, your bank may show a temporary $0.00 or $1.00 "pending" transaction. This is a standard validation check and will disappear within 3-5 business days.
• Expired Cards: The system will send an automated notification 30 days before a stored credit card is set to expire.

Security Tip: If you frequently switch between different cards, consider using the Add Funds feature to maintain a credit balance instead, reducing the number of times you need to modify your payment methods.