Automatic card updater is a service that keeps your payment info current with companies you pay regularly—like streaming services, gym memberships, or online subscriptions—without you having to manually update it every time your card changes.
How it works:
When one of your customers gets a new credit or debit card (say, because their old one expired or got lost), their bank issues you a new card number, expiration date, or security code. Normally, you the merchant would have to get an updated card from the customer after getting a decline or other negative response and update those details yourself.
That’s a hassle.
With an automatic card updater, banks or card issuers (like Visa or Mastercard) partner with technology providers like Tricera Secure and shares the new card info directly. The system then updates the cardholder account behind the scenes. You don’t have to do anything, and your subscriptions or card on file transactions keep running without interruption.
It’s not magic—it’s just a secure system where banks and companies talk to each other through a network.
Cost:
The updater service is usually built into the payment processor gateway, so it’s typically an opt-in and added expense for merchants who want to use it. With Tricera Secure there is zero cost unless you have a card that is updated and then it's only $0.25 (the best 25¢ investment in payment processing). Also, it’s designed to be safe—your info isn’t just floating around; it’s encrypted and shared only with businesses you’ve already authorized to charge you.
The upside? Less headache for you, fewer declined payments. The downside? Customers can't rely upon expiration dates or reporting a card lost to cancel their payments to you. They'll have to be a big boy or girl and contact you directly.