Stripe decline code
processing_error
Something went wrong while the payment was being processed — usually a temporary glitch on the bank's or network's side, not a problem with the card.
Why it happens
- A transient outage or timeout at the issuing bank.
- A momentary network/processor hiccup.
- Temporary load on the card network.
Should you retry it?
Yes — retrying usually recovers it
Because the failure is temporary, a quick re-attempt often succeeds without any action from the customer.
How to recover it
Retry promptly on a short schedule. No customer action is usually needed; only reach out if repeated attempts keep failing.
Recoverly retries at 1, 2, 4 and 7 days — quick re-attempts suited to a temporary error — for up to 4 attempts within a 30-day window.
See how much failed-payment revenue you can recover
Connect Stripe (we only read) and Recoverly shows your recoverable revenue in 30 seconds.
Related decline codes
Recoverly retries up to 4 times within 30 days. This page is informational and not affiliated with Stripe.