If your order was canceled, you will not be charged. Here is what happens to your payments and available to spend amount depending on how the cancellation occurred.
If the merchant canceled the order
- Any payments already scheduled are canceled automatically.
- If your first installment was charged, it will be refunded to your original payment method within 3–5 business days.
- Your available to spend amount is restored once the hold is released (typically 24–48 hours).
If you canceled the order
The same process applies. Scheduled payments are canceled and any charges are refunded.
Some merchants process cancellations faster than others. Check the merchant's cancellation policy for their specific timeline.
Why you cannot immediately reorder
After a cancellation, you may notice your available to spend amount has not been restored yet. This is because:
- A pre-authorization hold was placed when you made the purchase.
- The hold takes time to release even after cancellation (typically 24–48 hours, up to 5 business days in some cases).
- Until the hold is released, that amount is not available for new purchases.
This is temporary. Your available to spend amount will update automatically once the hold clears.
Pre-authorization hold vs. actual charge
| Pre-authorization hold | A temporary reserve placed when you check out. This confirms your payment method has funds but does not transfer money. Holds drop off automatically if the order is not completed. |
| Actual charge | A completed payment that transferred money from your account. If an actual charge was made (for example, the first installment), it will be refunded rather than simply released. |
How to tell the difference: In your bank statement, holds often show as "pending" while actual charges show as "posted" or "completed."
Timeline summary
| Event | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Available to spend restored | 24–48 hours (up to 5 business days) |
| First installment refunded (if charged) | 3–5 business days after cancellation |
| Future scheduled payments | Canceled immediately, no action needed |
What to do if something looks wrong
- Check your Afterpay orders. The canceled order should show a Canceled or Refunded status.
- If the order still shows as Active after the merchant confirmed cancellation, wait 24–48 hours for the system to update.
- Contact Afterpay support if the order still shows Active after 3 business days or if you are charged for a canceled order.