Secure Strong Customer Authentication in HubSpot

HubSpot uses Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) to protect your subscription payments, renewals, and refunds when you pay with a credit or debit card issued in the European Economic Area. This guide explains what SCA is, how it affects your HubSpot billing, and the exact steps to complete authentication so your payments are processed smoothly.

What Strong Customer Authentication Means for HubSpot Users

SCA is a regulatory requirement under the EU Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2). When you pay for HubSpot subscriptions with an EEA-issued card, your bank may require an extra verification step during checkout or renewal.

HubSpot works with its payment processor to trigger this additional security challenge when your bank requests it. The authentication itself is handled by your bank, not by HubSpot, but you will see prompts and alerts inside your account when action is needed.

How HubSpot Uses SCA During Subscription Payments

When you purchase a subscription with an EEA-issued card, HubSpot may need you to complete an SCA challenge before the payment is approved. This can happen during:

• Initial subscription checkout
• Automatic subscription renewal
• Manual payment retries after a failure
• Certain refund operations

The goal is to verify that the person authorizing the transaction is the legitimate cardholder, reducing fraud and protecting both you and HubSpot.

How to Complete an SCA Challenge in HubSpot

Depending on when your bank requests authentication, there are several ways you may be asked to complete SCA in HubSpot.

1. Complete SCA During a New HubSpot Purchase

When you are buying a new subscription, you might see an additional step after entering your payment details. To finish the purchase:

1. Choose your plan and enter your billing information on the HubSpot checkout page.
2. Submit the form to start payment authorization.
3. If your bank requires SCA, a window or page from your bank will appear.
4. Follow your bank’s instructions (for example, confirm in your mobile banking app, enter a one-time code, or use biometrics).
5. Wait for the confirmation that the SCA challenge is successful.
6. Return to the HubSpot confirmation screen, where you will see that the subscription payment has been approved.

If you close the bank window or do not finish the challenge, the payment may fail and your HubSpot order will not complete.

2. Complete SCA for a HubSpot Renewal Payment

Automatic subscription renewals may also trigger SCA. Because renewals are often processed in the background, HubSpot will notify you when your bank requests additional authentication.

You might see:

• An in-app notification asking you to authenticate a renewal payment
• An email alert explaining that a renewal payment requires SCA

To complete the process:

1. Sign in to your HubSpot account as an account or billing admin.
2. Open the billing or subscriptions area where pending payments are listed.
3. Locate the subscription showing an authentication required or similar message.
4. Click the button or link to retry or authenticate the payment.
5. Complete the SCA challenge through your bank’s interface as prompted.
6. Confirm that the renewal now appears as paid and active in HubSpot.

3. Complete SCA for Manual Payment Retries

If a subscription payment fails and you manually retry it inside HubSpot, that retry might also trigger SCA.

1. Go to your billing section in HubSpot and find the failed charge.
2. Select the option to retry payment.
3. When your bank requests SCA, complete the verification using their instructions.
4. After success, check that the invoice or charge now shows as paid.

How SCA Works with HubSpot Refunds

In some cases, a refund processed through HubSpot may require additional verification from the card issuer. When that happens, the bank decides how to handle the authentication on the cardholder side.

From your perspective as a customer:

• You request or receive a refund related to your HubSpot subscription.
• The card issuer may apply internal checks, which can include SCA.
• You complete any verification requested by your bank if prompted.

HubSpot submits the refund request through its processor, but your bank’s security rules determine whether SCA is needed and how it is presented to you.

Common SCA Challenges You Might See with HubSpot

The exact challenge type depends on your bank, but typical examples when paying for HubSpot include:

• A push notification to your mobile banking app for approval
• SMS one-time password sent to your registered phone
• Biometric confirmation such as fingerprint or facial recognition in your banking app
• A security code generated by a physical or digital token

All of these methods are managed by your bank. HubSpot simply passes the authentication request through the payment flow.

Troubleshooting SCA Issues in HubSpot

If you cannot complete a payment or renewal because of SCA, follow these steps.

Check Your Bank’s Requirements First

• Ensure your card is enabled for online and international transactions.
• Confirm that you have access to the mobile number or device used for your bank’s SCA method.
• Verify that your banking app is installed and up to date if your bank requires app-based confirmation.

Retry the Payment from Your HubSpot Account

1. Sign in to your HubSpot account from a stable internet connection.
2. Open your billing or subscriptions page.
3. Find the invoice or subscription that failed or is pending authentication.
4. Click the option to retry payment or complete authentication.
5. Carefully follow the SCA steps presented by your bank.

When to Contact Support

If you still cannot complete the SCA challenge for your HubSpot subscription:

• Contact your bank to confirm there are no blocks or specific SCA limitations on your card.
• Reach out to HubSpot Support if the payment page or renewal screen does not show an SCA prompt when your bank says it should.

You can also reference the official documentation on Strong Customer Authentication in HubSpot at this help page for additional detail and updates.

Best Practices for Managing SCA and Billing in HubSpot

To keep your billing uninterrupted and aligned with SCA expectations, consider these actions in your HubSpot account and with your bank.

• Assign a primary billing admin who can respond quickly to SCA prompts.
• Keep your contact email and phone number current with both HubSpot and your bank.
• Plan renewals ahead of contract end dates so you have time to resolve any SCA-related issues.
• Use cards that fully support SCA and are authorized for international SaaS payments.

If you work with consultants or agencies to manage your CRM stack, make sure they understand how SCA impacts recurring SaaS charges. For broader CRM optimization, you can also review services from partners like Consultevo.

Key Takeaways on SCA and HubSpot Billing

SCA adds a security layer to online card payments, and it applies to many transactions for EEA-issued cards. Within your HubSpot account, you may encounter SCA when you:

• Purchase a new subscription
• Process a renewal payment
• Retry a failed charge
• Receive a qualifying refund

By understanding how Strong Customer Authentication works with your bank and HubSpot, you can complete payments quickly, avoid service interruptions, and maintain secure billing throughout your subscription lifecycle.

Need Help With Hubspot?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your Hubspot , work with ConsultEvo, a team who has a decade of Hubspot experience.

Scale Hubspot

“`