Microsoft Ads transactions are most often declined due to payment issues. They are mainly caused by using wrong or unsupported payment cards, and sometimes because of exceeding spending limits.
In this article, we will explore how to avoid high-risk payments by using special virtual cards for Microsoft Ads. Of course, we will figure out how to choose the best virtual cards for advertising payments.
Additionally, we will take a closer look at the top five financial services – PSTNET, Spendge, Flexcard, Combo Cards, and Abcard. We will focus on their financial benefits and technical features.
What Do You Need to Know About Choosing Virtual Cards for Microsoft Ads?
The Microsoft anti-fraud systems are very strict. They thoroughly monitor all payments and immediately block all suspicious transactions. So what exactly does Microsoft define as ‘suspicious transactions’?
It’s all financial operations made with cards that have invalid BINs (Bank Identification Numbers) or when the card data doesn’t match the ad account’s region. For example, if the account was associated with a European campaign but the card’s BIN is American, the system will not process the transaction.
The Microsoft anti-fraud checkers will also block cards that have already been compromised. It means that these cards have been used for high-risk payments and, as a result, have already been blocked. Additionally, ad payments may also be blocked because of frequent attempts to pay with different cards or the use of cards from high-risk regions.
To avoid these problems, it is recommended to use virtual cards with BINs from real banks in the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, or European countries. These are also called ‘trusted BINs.’
What’s more, credit cards are preferable – Microsoft often recognizes both debit and prepaid cards with suspicion. The card’s payment network is also important. It is best to use cards that work with reliable Visa or Mastercard.
It goes without saying, there are many factors to consider when choosing a virtual card. For this article, we have analyzed the contemporary FinTech sector and expert reviews from media buyers. We have created a review of the top five virtual card providers with a strong reputation and technical specifications tailored for Microsoft Ads.
1. PSTNET
PSTNET ranks first in our review due to its comprehensive approach to advertising payments. Firstly, these cards are supported by Visa and Mastercard, equipped with 3D Secure, and generally well accepted by Microsoft’s anti-fraud systems.
Secondly, there are special cards that offer 3% cashback on advertising expenses. This benefit is available to all members of the PST Private subscription. You can also issue up to 100 cards per month for free as part of the program.
Last but not least, there are no fees for transactions, withdrawals, and operations on blocked or frozen cards for all cards in the service. All PSTNET virtual cards can be issued in any quantity and managed through a convenient personal account.
In addition, the service has developed its own BIN verification tool – the Pulse BIN-checker. It allows you to instantly receive information about the issuing bank of the card, its payment system, and even about billing limits and the percentage of successful payments.
Key Features:
- 25+ unique BINs with European and US geo-locations, minimizing the risk of payments and declines.
- Crypto support: Top-up cards with 18 cryptocurrencies (BTC, USDT TRC20, ERC20, and more).
- Alternative funding options: SWIFT/SEPA bank transfers and other Visa/Mastercard payments.
- Team collaboration tools: Assign tasks and roles, and set limits via specialized tools in the dashboard.
- Expense analytics: Access detailed financial reports.
- 3D secure technology: Ensures secure card operations.
- Telegram bot: Provides 3D secure codes and service updates in a confidential channel.
- Multiple registration options: Use Apple ID, Google, Telegram, WhatsApp, or email.
- 24/7 customer support: Quick responses via Telegram, WhatsApp, or live chat.
2. Spendge
Spendge is designed specifically for paying for advertising. On the site, you can select cards for paying for Microsoft Ads and other popular platforms. All these cards can be issued without any limit. This allows you to manage your budget by creating separate cards for each ad campaign. One of the key features of Spendge is the large number of BINs (Bank Identification Numbers) that are regularly updated.
Moreover, the service applies a strict commission-based system. Any international financial operations are subject to a 1% fee plus $0.30 per transaction. The replenishment fee for cards ranges from 2% to 3%, depending on individual user status. All internal transfers between the service’s cards are commission-free.
Key Features:
- Always new BINs: 10 trusted BINs that are updated regularly and help minimize the risk of declined payments.
- Crypto support: 30+ cryptocurrencies, including USDT TRC20.
- Alternative funding options: SWIFT/SEPA bank transfers, Visa/Mastercard cards, and transfers from the balance of partner services.
- Team collaboration tools: Allocation of tasks and roles, setting limits on cards.
- Expense analytics: Financial reports available on request.
- Security: 3D Secure is available on some BINs.
- Registration: Users can monitor their account verification status in real time on the service’s website.
- 24/7 support service: available via Telegram and live chat.
3. Flexcard
Flexcard is another platform for issuing special cards for media buying. Users can select virtual Visa and Mastercard cards, which are best suited for paying for Microsoft Ads. Flexcard also provides the option to issue an unlimited number of cards.
One of the key benefits of the service is its cost-effective commission system. There are no extra fees for transactions. Users only need to pay a top-up fee. This fee does not exceed 4% of the deposited amount and remains stable.
Additionally, Flexcard users rate the service positively in general. However, some of them note that the support service is not available round-the-clock. It can cause difficulties when you are in another time zone, not in GMT.
Key Features:
- Always new BINs: 3 types of BINs that are updated every three months.
- Crypto support: USDT TRC20.
- Alternative funding options: SWIFT/SEPA bank transfers, Visa/Mastercard cards, and transfers from the balance of partner services.
- Team collaboration tools: Allocation of tasks and roles, setting limits on cards.
- Expense analytics: Transaction history available in the user’s profile.
- Security: 3D Secure is available on some BINs.
- Registration: via the service’s website, with processing times starting from 24 hours due to the user’s verification.
- Support service: Available from 10:00 to 22:00 (GMT +3) via Telegram chat.
4. ComboCards
ComboCards is a platform for media buying payment solutions. It issues virtual cards for paying for all kinds of advertising. All virtual cards work with Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay. Some of them work well with Microsoft Ads due to their technical characteristics.
Among the advantages are cost-effective commissions. There are no fees for transactions or declined payments. However, Combo Cards is quite a new brand, so some special features, such as auto-completion, are still under development.
Key Features:
- BINs: 12 BINs from banks in the USA, Europe, Great Britain, and Hong Kong.
- Crypto support: USDT (TRC20).
- Alternative funding options: Bank transfer and transfer from the balance of partner services.
- Team collaboration tools: Adding new users to the team and assigning roles.
- Expense analytics: Transaction history in your merchant profile.
- Security: 3D Secure technology.
- Registration: Via a special form on the website and account verification via email.
- Support service: Available around the clock via live chat or email.
5. Abcard.io (AnyBill)
Abcard.io is a virtual card financial service for paying for advertising. Some of the cards are quite good for Microsoft Ads. They work with Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay payment systems. However, all of the service’s cards are debit, which can be a problem.
The service emphasizes that there are no fees for all transactions, except for top-up balance. There is a small fee for declines – up to €0,60. Cards can be issued in unlimited quantities, but each card has a minimum deposit of $500.
Key Features:
- BINs: 5 BINs from US, UK, and European banks, 1 premium BIN is available.
- Crypto top-up: USDT (TRC20, ERC20).
- Alternative funding options: None.
- Team collaboration tools: Assignment of tasks and roles.
- Expense analytics: Detailed transaction reports in the user’s personal account.
- Security: 3D Secure technology.
- Registration: via a special registration form on the website and quick account verification via the Telegram bot.
- 24/7 Support service: Available via live chat on the website and Telegram.
How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Choosing Virtual Cards?
No one is immune to mistakes. However, errors related to paying for ads or using virtual cards can cause real damage to the budget and the advertising campaign as a whole. To avoid trouble, just keep a few of our tips in mind.
- When choosing virtual cards, do not rely solely on reviews. Nothing can replace testing – choose different services and try the cards with small amounts first.
- If you have a payment problem, do not delay solving it. If something doesn’t work, it’s better to contact tech support right away and find out exactly what’s wrong.
- Check the fees during the card test, especially if you work with different currencies. Pay attention to currency conversion fees, transaction fees, and other costs. It is better to find out the exact amount of additional expenses during the test than to face budget overruns later.
- Avoid transferring large amounts to the cards, especially if the service does not guarantee fast fund withdrawals. It is better to set up an automatic top-up of cards, if possible.
Conclusion
The reasons for declines in Microsoft Ads are primarily related to payment instruments. Anti-fraud systems block unsuitable and unreliable cards, paying attention to the BINs, the country of issue, and the card’s limit.
To avoid problems, you need to carefully select virtual cards for Microsoft Ads. Give preference to trusted providers and analyze the virtual card market.
In our ranking, we reviewed the top five virtual cards. Each of them is economically advantageous due to its commission system and is also optimal for paying for advertising due to its technical characteristics.
The PSTNET service stands out due to its 3% cashback on expenses, zero fees, and the largest number of trusted BINs. Spendge supports a large number of cryptocurrencies. Flexcard updates its BINs most often, so it always guarantees new cards for paying for advertising. Combo Cards offer minimalistic features but meet all modern advertising payment requirements. Finally, Abcard (AnyBill) offers favorable conditions – the service has no fees for card transactions.
Of course, each service in our article has its own pros and cons. To avoid mistakes, do not forget to test the cards, track fees, and expenses, and, of course, try to resolve any issues without delay.
To minimize risks, it’s essential to test services in advance, configure account structures and budgets, and regularly audit your cards. This approach ensures stable ad campaign performance and simplifies expense management and analysis.
