FAQ - Paid Accounts
- What is a paid/premium paid/seed account?
- How much are paid accounts?
- What are the extra services available?
- What extra services can communities benefit from?
- How do I buy paid time for my account?
- How do I pay for an account with a credit card?
- Can I use a prepaid credit card to buy paid time?
- How do I pay for an account with a check or money order?
- When will my paid time be applied to my account?
- How can I buy extra icon spaces for my account?
- What are Dreamwidth Points?
- What happens when my paid account expires?
- Why do I get errors when making multiple payments?
- Why is my credit card being declined?
» What is a paid/premium paid/seed account?
Paid accounts are Dreamwidth accounts that receive extra services in exchange for supporting the site with a payment. Your payment buys you Dreamwidth Points, which are credits that can be exchanged for extra services or for anything else in the Dreamwidth Shop, except for the purchase of Dreamwidth Points themselves.
We offer two levels of paid account services: Paid and Premium Paid. "Paid" accounts get access to all the extra site services. "Premium Paid" accounts get access to all the extra site services, at higher limits or levels.
There are also "Seed" accounts, which have the same level of service as "Premium Paid" accounts. They have been sold only twice: once at the beginning of open beta, and once in order to replenish our operating fund after a several-month period when we were unable to accept payments. Barring unforeseen circumstances, we don't plan on offering them again, for reasons explained in our pre-launch business FAQs.
We're committed to remaining ad-free as long as this site exists, so we rely on you for the money to keep the site up and running. When you buy Dreamwidth Points for paid services, you gain additional account features. Features that are more expensive for us to run or that produce heavy database load are only available to paid accounts.
A breakdown of Paid and Premium Paid pricing can be found under How much are Paid Accounts? What features do I get with a Paid Account?
We offer two levels of paid account services: Paid and Premium Paid. "Paid" accounts get access to all the extra site services. "Premium Paid" accounts get access to all the extra site services, at higher limits or levels.
There are also "Seed" accounts, which have the same level of service as "Premium Paid" accounts. They have been sold only twice: once at the beginning of open beta, and once in order to replenish our operating fund after a several-month period when we were unable to accept payments. Barring unforeseen circumstances, we don't plan on offering them again, for reasons explained in our pre-launch business FAQs.
We're committed to remaining ad-free as long as this site exists, so we rely on you for the money to keep the site up and running. When you buy Dreamwidth Points for paid services, you gain additional account features. Features that are more expensive for us to run or that produce heavy database load are only available to paid accounts.
A breakdown of Paid and Premium Paid pricing can be found under How much are Paid Accounts? What features do I get with a Paid Account?
Last Activity: May 18th, 2024 (karzilla)
» How much are paid accounts?
There are two different paid account types. Paid accounts get access to all the paid user features. Premium paid accounts get access to all the paid user features at higher limits or levels. Seed accounts have all the features of a premium paid account and are valid for the lifetime of the service.
Paid Accounts are obtainable with Dreamwidth points. The Dreamwidth points amounts that each of our paid services require are:
Paid account:
350 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $35 USD) for 12 months
175 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $17.50 USD) for 6 months
60 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $6 USD) for 2 months
30 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $3 USD) for 1 month
Premium paid account:
500 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $50 USD) for 12 months
250 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $25 USD) for 6 months
If you have a paid account, and you want to upgrade to a premium paid account, you can apply points to premium paid time. Any of your remaining paid account time will be converted to premium paid time at a 70% rate. For instance, if you have 100 days of paid time remaining, and you buy a one-year premium paid account, you'll have 365 days + 70 days of premium paid time.
A description of the extra services available can be found in What are paid accounts?
Paid Accounts are obtainable with Dreamwidth points. The Dreamwidth points amounts that each of our paid services require are:
Paid account:
350 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $35 USD) for 12 months
175 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $17.50 USD) for 6 months
60 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $6 USD) for 2 months
30 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $3 USD) for 1 month
Premium paid account:
500 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $50 USD) for 12 months
250 Dreamwidth Points (sold for $25 USD) for 6 months
If you have a paid account, and you want to upgrade to a premium paid account, you can apply points to premium paid time. Any of your remaining paid account time will be converted to premium paid time at a 70% rate. For instance, if you have 100 days of paid time remaining, and you buy a one-year premium paid account, you'll have 365 days + 70 days of premium paid time.
A description of the extra services available can be found in What are paid accounts?
Last Activity: August 30th, 2015 (kaberett)
» What are the extra services available?
Paid accounts receive extra services in exchange for supporting Dreamwidth. For information on paid account prices, see How much are paid accounts?
In general, the paid account services are those that cost us money to offer, or that result in heavy database load or high volumes of notification emails being sent out. Every account, whether paid or free, can use the basic functions of the site, such as posting entries, joining communities, and commenting in other journals.
There are two types of extra services: features that are only available to paid accounts and are sharply limited or unavailable to free accounts, and features that are available to all accounts but give higher limits or capacity to paid accounts.
Features with limits and higher capacity for paid accounts:
Features that are only available to paid accounts, or that are significantly enhanced for paid accounts:
In general, the paid account services are those that cost us money to offer, or that result in heavy database load or high volumes of notification emails being sent out. Every account, whether paid or free, can use the basic functions of the site, such as posting entries, joining communities, and commenting in other journals.
There are two types of extra services: features that are only available to paid accounts and are sharply limited or unavailable to free accounts, and features that are available to all accounts but give higher limits or capacity to paid accounts.
Features with limits and higher capacity for paid accounts:
| Account features: | Free | Paid | Premium / Seed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of icon slots | 15 | 150 | 300 |
| Image hosting disk quota | 500 MB | 1.5 GB | 3 GB |
| Number of Inbox items | 2000 | 4000 | 6000 |
| Number of Inbox tracking subscriptions | 25 | 500 | 1000 |
| Number of comments visible on Recent Comments view | 10 | 100 | 150 |
| Number of journals you can subscribe to | 1000 | 1500 | 2000 |
| Number of journals you can grant access to | 1000 | 1500 | 2000 |
| Number of links you can add to your Links list | 10 | 50 | 100 |
| Number of tags you can use in your journal | 1000 | 1500 | 2000 |
| Number of sites you can crosspost an entry to | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Number of interests allowed on profile | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Number of sticky entries allowed in journal | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Number of custom styles allowed | site styles only | 50 | 100 |
| Total number of entries in moderation queue (community) | 50 | 100 | 100 |
| Number of entries in moderation queue per user (community) | 3 | 5 | 5 |
Features that are only available to paid accounts, or that are significantly enhanced for paid accounts:
| Account features: | Free | Paid | Premium / Seed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to the site directory search | Y | Y | Y |
| Access to create new feeds | Y | Y | Y |
| Post via email | Y | Y | Y |
| Find people with similar interests on the Interests page | N | Y | Y |
| Network (people subscribed to by people you're subscribed to) | N | Y | Y |
| Receive emailed copies of comments you make in other journals | N | Y | Y |
| Post polls (personal) or allow any member to post polls (community) | N | Y | Y |
| Mass-change post security levels | N | Y | Y |
| Create custom mood themes | N | Y | Y |
| View your journal entries by security level | N | Y | Y |
| Forwarding email address at @dreamwidth.org | N | Y | Y |
| Ability to use Google Analytics in your journal | N | Y | Y |
| Full-text entry search, all of Dreamwidth | Y | Y | Y |
| Full-text entry search, your own journal | N | Y | Y |
| Full-text comment search | N | Y | Y |
| Notifications when people stop subscribing to your journal | N | Y | Y |
| Notifications when people stop granting you access | N | Y | Y |
| Notifications when people vote in your polls | N | Y | Y |
| Notifications when people you subscribe to upload icons | N | Y | Y |
| Notifications of new comments in specific threads | N | Y | Y |
| Icon browser when commenting or posting | N | Y | Y |
| Subscription filters to further refine your reading page | limited criteria | Y | Y |
| "Active Entries" sidebar module in your journal style | N | Y | Y |
| Ability to read your reading page by date | N | Y | Y |
Last Activity: November 19th, 2022 (karzilla)
» What extra services can communities benefit from?
You can purchase paid time for communities by visiting the Shop and choosing to purchase paid time for someone in your circle (if the community is in your circle) or "a different account" (in which case you will have to enter the username manually). A paid community receives access to some but not all of the extra paid services that personal journals receive because there are some features that are inapplicable or don't work for a community. What are paid accounts? lists the extra paid services available on Dreamwidth.
Here are the extra services that have limitations when applied to a paid community:
Icon slots: The admins of paid communities can upload icons up to the number of icon slots the community is allowed, but members can't use those icons when posting or commenting. (We do plan to add that feature in the future.) The only thing a community can use icons for is to display them.
Inbox tracking subscriptions: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because communities don't have inboxes.
Number of journals you can subscribe/grant access to: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because there's no limit on the number of members a community can have.
Number of sites you can crosspost an entry to: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because communities can't crosspost.
Ability to use site directory search: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because you can't log in as a community to use the directory search.
Ability to receive copies of comments you make in other journals in your email: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because you can't post to another journal as a community. (However admins can track all comments made in the community.)
Ability to receive text messages through Dreamwidth: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities.
Ability to receive notifications of updates to individual comment threads: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities.
All other extra services listed in What are paid accounts? work for paid communities the same way they do for paid personal accounts.
Admins of a community can perform features that involve customizing the community's look, and all people viewing the community can use features that affect certain things in the community, like the ability to use the comment thread expander.
A feature that paid communities receive but paid personal accounts don't is:
Members can track all comments: Members of a paid community can track all comments that are made in the community.
Here are the extra services that have limitations when applied to a paid community:
Icon slots: The admins of paid communities can upload icons up to the number of icon slots the community is allowed, but members can't use those icons when posting or commenting. (We do plan to add that feature in the future.) The only thing a community can use icons for is to display them.
Inbox tracking subscriptions: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because communities don't have inboxes.
Number of journals you can subscribe/grant access to: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because there's no limit on the number of members a community can have.
Number of sites you can crosspost an entry to: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because communities can't crosspost.
Ability to use site directory search: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because you can't log in as a community to use the directory search.
Ability to receive copies of comments you make in other journals in your email: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities because you can't post to another journal as a community. (However admins can track all comments made in the community.)
Ability to receive text messages through Dreamwidth: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities.
Ability to receive notifications of updates to individual comment threads: This feature doesn't apply to paid communities.
All other extra services listed in What are paid accounts? work for paid communities the same way they do for paid personal accounts.
Admins of a community can perform features that involve customizing the community's look, and all people viewing the community can use features that affect certain things in the community, like the ability to use the comment thread expander.
A feature that paid communities receive but paid personal accounts don't is:
Members can track all comments: Members of a paid community can track all comments that are made in the community.
Last Activity: May 18th, 2024 (karzilla)
» How do I buy paid time for my account?
To buy a paid account, you purchase Dreamwidth Points in the Dreamwidth Shop, which is linked from the "Shop" menu of pages in the site skin.
On this page, you first choose whether you want to buy Dreamwidth Points for an account for yourself, for another existing account, or to create a new account, by following the appropriate link.
On the next page, choose whether you want to use Dreamwidth Points for a paid account or a premium paid account, and for what period of time, by selecting the appropriate button.
If you have Dreamwidth Points in your account, you can apply them to the option you choose. If you don't have Dreamwidth Points in your account, you can purchase more points and apply them to your chosen option in a single step.
If you're buying time for someone else's existing account, you must also enter the recipient's username. If you're paying to create a new account, for you or for someone else, you must enter the recipient's email address if you're creating a new account. You may also optionally select a date for delivery, and whether you want the gift to be anonymous. Pushing the "Add to Order" button will then add this to your cart.
At this point, you can either select "continue shopping" to add to your order if you are buying for more than one person or account, or you can choose to check out to pay for your order. You can pay by credit card or check or money order.
If you want to buy paid time for a community, you can choose either someone in your circle or a different account. If the account is in your Circle (that is, you are a member of the community, or you are subscribed to it), you can use the first link and select the community you want to give paid time to. If the community is not in your Circle, you should choose the second link and enter the community's username manually.
If you are ever unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, please contact us by emailing accounts@dreamwidth.org and let us know what the problem is. We're happy to work with you to find a solution.
On this page, you first choose whether you want to buy Dreamwidth Points for an account for yourself, for another existing account, or to create a new account, by following the appropriate link.
On the next page, choose whether you want to use Dreamwidth Points for a paid account or a premium paid account, and for what period of time, by selecting the appropriate button.
If you have Dreamwidth Points in your account, you can apply them to the option you choose. If you don't have Dreamwidth Points in your account, you can purchase more points and apply them to your chosen option in a single step.
If you're buying time for someone else's existing account, you must also enter the recipient's username. If you're paying to create a new account, for you or for someone else, you must enter the recipient's email address if you're creating a new account. You may also optionally select a date for delivery, and whether you want the gift to be anonymous. Pushing the "Add to Order" button will then add this to your cart.
At this point, you can either select "continue shopping" to add to your order if you are buying for more than one person or account, or you can choose to check out to pay for your order. You can pay by credit card or check or money order.
If you want to buy paid time for a community, you can choose either someone in your circle or a different account. If the account is in your Circle (that is, you are a member of the community, or you are subscribed to it), you can use the first link and select the community you want to give paid time to. If the community is not in your Circle, you should choose the second link and enter the community's username manually.
If you are ever unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, please contact us by emailing accounts@dreamwidth.org and let us know what the problem is. We're happy to work with you to find a solution.
Last Activity: May 18th, 2024 (karzilla)
» How do I pay for an account with a credit card?
We accept payments in the Dreamwidth Shop by credit card and by check or money order in US dollars. Once you've put your desired services into your cart, select your preferred method of payment from the dropdown menu, then push the "Check Out" button.
If you decide to pay by credit card, selecting this button will direct you to a page where you can enter your details. Your personal information is fully encrypted. It is not stored permanently on Dreamwidth's servers. We transfer it directly to our merchant processor for them to authorize the charge. You will then be given a chance to review your order and confirm it.
You must confirm the order for it to be charged to your card, but our payment processor will attempt to make a small charge to verify your information before charging your card for the entire amount of your purchase. If this authorization fails, it's usually because you've entered your address information or your CVN (the three-digit confirmation number on the back of your card) incorrectly. Please double-check all your information and try again. The temporary authorization hold will usually expire in a few days, depending on your card's policies.
Currently we are able to accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express cards.
If you are using a prepaid credit card, we strongly suggest prepaid Visa cards rather than any other form of prepaid card. While other forms of prepaid cards may work, prepaid Visa cards are successful most often. If you have problems using your prepaid card in our shop, you may need to call the card company and activate your card before it can be used online.
If you decide to pay by credit card, selecting this button will direct you to a page where you can enter your details. Your personal information is fully encrypted. It is not stored permanently on Dreamwidth's servers. We transfer it directly to our merchant processor for them to authorize the charge. You will then be given a chance to review your order and confirm it.
You must confirm the order for it to be charged to your card, but our payment processor will attempt to make a small charge to verify your information before charging your card for the entire amount of your purchase. If this authorization fails, it's usually because you've entered your address information or your CVN (the three-digit confirmation number on the back of your card) incorrectly. Please double-check all your information and try again. The temporary authorization hold will usually expire in a few days, depending on your card's policies.
Currently we are able to accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express cards.
If you are using a prepaid credit card, we strongly suggest prepaid Visa cards rather than any other form of prepaid card. While other forms of prepaid cards may work, prepaid Visa cards are successful most often. If you have problems using your prepaid card in our shop, you may need to call the card company and activate your card before it can be used online.
Last Activity: May 18th, 2024 (karzilla)
» Can I use a prepaid credit card to buy paid time?
If you'd like to use a prepaid credit card to buy paid time, we recommend a prepaid Visa card. While other forms of prepaid cards may work, prepaid Visa cards are more likely to be successful. We don't recommend prepaid Mastercards: in our experience, they tend to have problems more often.
If you have problems using your prepaid card in our shop, you may need to call the card company and activate your card before it can be used online. Some prepaid credit card issuers also block all internet-only/"card not present" transactions unless you specifically call to allow them, as a fraud prevention method.
If your payment is failing, open a support request in the Account Payments category. We'll do our best to help you troubleshoot the problem. We can't always see the specific reason why a prepaid card issuer is rejecting a charge, though, so you should call the number on the back of the card first and see if the issuer can help you out.
If you have problems using your prepaid card in our shop, you may need to call the card company and activate your card before it can be used online. Some prepaid credit card issuers also block all internet-only/"card not present" transactions unless you specifically call to allow them, as a fraud prevention method.
If your payment is failing, open a support request in the Account Payments category. We'll do our best to help you troubleshoot the problem. We can't always see the specific reason why a prepaid card issuer is rejecting a charge, though, so you should call the number on the back of the card first and see if the issuer can help you out.
Last Activity: August 7th, 2015 (denise)
» How do I pay for an account with a check or money order?
We accept payments in the Dreamwidth Shop by credit card and by check or money order in US dollars. Once you've put your desired services into your cart, select your preferred method of payment from the dropdown menu, then push the "Check Out" button.
If you are sending a check or money order, you will be shown a page containing details of your order for you to review. If you are satisfied, then push the "Confirm Payment" button, which will give you the address you should send your check or money order to. Be sure to include the order number on both your envelope and your check or money order.
If you chose check or money order for your payment and checked out your cart, but change your mind about sending a payment, there's no need to cancel the order. Just don't send in the payment. If you want to pay with a credit card instead, make a new cart and select your items again, then check out using a credit card.
Please allow up to two weeks for processing time for check or money order payments. If you sent in your payment more than two weeks ago and it hasn't been credited to your account yet, open a support request in the Account Payments category to check on the status.
If you are sending a check or money order, you will be shown a page containing details of your order for you to review. If you are satisfied, then push the "Confirm Payment" button, which will give you the address you should send your check or money order to. Be sure to include the order number on both your envelope and your check or money order.
If you chose check or money order for your payment and checked out your cart, but change your mind about sending a payment, there's no need to cancel the order. Just don't send in the payment. If you want to pay with a credit card instead, make a new cart and select your items again, then check out using a credit card.
Please allow up to two weeks for processing time for check or money order payments. If you sent in your payment more than two weeks ago and it hasn't been credited to your account yet, open a support request in the Account Payments category to check on the status.
Last Activity: May 18th, 2024 (karzilla)
» When will my paid time be applied to my account?
Even if you've chosen immediate delivery for your paid time, how long it takes for your paid time to be applied may still vary slightly.
If you are paying for an order entirely in Dreamwidth Points, your paid time will start immediately. If you pay by credit card, your paid time will be activated as soon as we confirm the payment, which should only take a few minutes.
For check and money order purchases, your paid time will be activated when we receive your payment. This may take up to two weeks. If it's been longer, please check with us by opening a support request in the Account Payments category.
If you've chosen a future delivery date for your paid time, the paid time will be applied at the time you've chosen.
If you are paying for an order entirely in Dreamwidth Points, your paid time will start immediately. If you pay by credit card, your paid time will be activated as soon as we confirm the payment, which should only take a few minutes.
For check and money order purchases, your paid time will be activated when we receive your payment. This may take up to two weeks. If it's been longer, please check with us by opening a support request in the Account Payments category.
If you've chosen a future delivery date for your paid time, the paid time will be applied at the time you've chosen.
Last Activity: August 7th, 2015 (denise)
» How can I buy extra icon spaces for my account?
Paid, premium paid, and seed accounts can buy extra icon spaces over and above the number of icons their account type usually gets. Each additional icon space costs 10 Dreamwidth Points ($1 USD) and is permanently available to you except during periods when your account's paid time has expired. You may purchase up to 500 slots.
To buy extra icons for an account, visit the Shop and select the appropriate link under "Buy extra icons for...." You can buy extra icons for yourself or as a gift for another account.
To buy extra icons for an account, visit the Shop and select the appropriate link under "Buy extra icons for...." You can buy extra icons for yourself or as a gift for another account.
Last Activity: May 18th, 2024 (karzilla)
» What are Dreamwidth Points?
Dreamwidth Points are credits that can be exchanged for extra services or for anything else in the Dreamwidth Shop, except for the purchase of Dreamwidth Points themselves. You can buy them for yourself or for other people.
Each Dreamwidth Point is the equivalent of $0.10 in United States Dollars. You do not need to use your Dreamwidth Points all at once. You do not need to use all your Dreamwidth Points on a single order. You can buy points directly, in any amount over the minimum purchase of 30 points ($3 USD), or you can buy them in pre-packaged amounts that correspond to the cost of extra services.
When you order Dreamwidth Points and complete payment, the points are delivered to you immediately. You can choose to convert them to paid services, or hold them in your account for future use.
To exchange Dreamwidth Points for items in the shop, select the item you want to exchange your points for in the shop and proceed through the checkout process. If you have enough Dreamwidth Points in your account to meet the points cost of the item, you will be prompted to use your Dreamwidth Points for that order. If you do not have enough Dreamwidth Points in your account to meet the points cost of the item, you will be able to buy enough Dreamwidth Points to complete your order as part of the checkout process. If you have no Dreamwidth Points in your account, you should buy the bundle of points that is the exact number you need for your desired item by putting the item in your cart. This will automatically create an order for you that has the right number of points you'll need for that item.
You can complete an order with a combination of Dreamwidth Points you already have and Dreamwidth Points you buy at checkout. For example, if you have 30 points saved in your account, and you want to exchange them for six months of a Paid Account (which costs 175 points), at checkout you will be charged 30 points from your account and $14.50 to buy the remaining points your order requires.
After you've finalized your order, you will have a chance to pay for any additional Dreamwidth Points your order requires at the time of checkout. To complete your order and have the extra services applied to your account, all you need to do is pay for the Dreamwidth Points your item requires. The system will automatically convert your points to the extra services you've requested for you.
You can buy points for a friend, if you want to let them choose how to use them, or you can buy them a points bundle that is to be converted into a specific item. So, to make sure a friend gets two months of extra services, you'd select the two-month paid services bundle of points and check out. The points will automatically be applied to the extra services for your friend when you check out and pay.
You can also transfer points to a friend.
At all times, the minimum Dreamwidth Points order is 30 points (for $3 USD). If the difference between the number of points you have in your account and the number of points you need for your item is less than 30, you will need to buy 30 points and save some for your next order.
Unused Dreamwidth Points do not expire. If you check out a cart that points have been applied to, the points will be considered used once the item is delivered to you or applied to your account.
If you are ever unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, please contact us by emailing accounts@dreamwidth.org, or by opening a support request in the Account Payments category, and let us know what the problem is. We're happy to work with you to find a solution.
Each Dreamwidth Point is the equivalent of $0.10 in United States Dollars. You do not need to use your Dreamwidth Points all at once. You do not need to use all your Dreamwidth Points on a single order. You can buy points directly, in any amount over the minimum purchase of 30 points ($3 USD), or you can buy them in pre-packaged amounts that correspond to the cost of extra services.
When you order Dreamwidth Points and complete payment, the points are delivered to you immediately. You can choose to convert them to paid services, or hold them in your account for future use.
To exchange Dreamwidth Points for items in the shop, select the item you want to exchange your points for in the shop and proceed through the checkout process. If you have enough Dreamwidth Points in your account to meet the points cost of the item, you will be prompted to use your Dreamwidth Points for that order. If you do not have enough Dreamwidth Points in your account to meet the points cost of the item, you will be able to buy enough Dreamwidth Points to complete your order as part of the checkout process. If you have no Dreamwidth Points in your account, you should buy the bundle of points that is the exact number you need for your desired item by putting the item in your cart. This will automatically create an order for you that has the right number of points you'll need for that item.
You can complete an order with a combination of Dreamwidth Points you already have and Dreamwidth Points you buy at checkout. For example, if you have 30 points saved in your account, and you want to exchange them for six months of a Paid Account (which costs 175 points), at checkout you will be charged 30 points from your account and $14.50 to buy the remaining points your order requires.
After you've finalized your order, you will have a chance to pay for any additional Dreamwidth Points your order requires at the time of checkout. To complete your order and have the extra services applied to your account, all you need to do is pay for the Dreamwidth Points your item requires. The system will automatically convert your points to the extra services you've requested for you.
You can buy points for a friend, if you want to let them choose how to use them, or you can buy them a points bundle that is to be converted into a specific item. So, to make sure a friend gets two months of extra services, you'd select the two-month paid services bundle of points and check out. The points will automatically be applied to the extra services for your friend when you check out and pay.
You can also transfer points to a friend.
At all times, the minimum Dreamwidth Points order is 30 points (for $3 USD). If the difference between the number of points you have in your account and the number of points you need for your item is less than 30, you will need to buy 30 points and save some for your next order.
Unused Dreamwidth Points do not expire. If you check out a cart that points have been applied to, the points will be considered used once the item is delivered to you or applied to your account.
If you are ever unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, please contact us by emailing accounts@dreamwidth.org, or by opening a support request in the Account Payments category, and let us know what the problem is. We're happy to work with you to find a solution.
Last Activity: May 18th, 2024 (karzilla)
» What happens when my paid account expires?
When your paid account expires, you will lose access to all the extra services available to paid accounts.
If you have more icons uploaded than a free account is able to use, icons will be marked "inactive" until you are down to the number of icons available to a free account. Icons will be deactivated by the number of times they have been used on top-level posts in your own journal, with the least-used icons being inactivated first. Uses in comments to your journal, comments to other journals, and comments or posts in communities are not counted for determining least-used icons. Inactive icons do not appear on your icons page and are not available for use, but they are not deleted from the service. If you renew your paid account, those icons will be reactivated.
If you have more tracking subscriptions, journal subscriptions, journals granted access to, layout layers/styles, tags, or links in your links list than a free account is able to use, none of them will be deactivated, but you will not be able to add more until you edit them to bring them down to the number a free account is able to use.
If you have created a custom mood theme, you will not need to stop using it, but if you change to a different mood theme, you will not be able to change back to your custom mood theme.
If you've chosen to display the paid-user "Search" and "Recent Active Entries" modules in your journal style, they will no longer display in your journal.
If you renew your paid account, you will have access to all the extra features again.
If you have more icons uploaded than a free account is able to use, icons will be marked "inactive" until you are down to the number of icons available to a free account. Icons will be deactivated by the number of times they have been used on top-level posts in your own journal, with the least-used icons being inactivated first. Uses in comments to your journal, comments to other journals, and comments or posts in communities are not counted for determining least-used icons. Inactive icons do not appear on your icons page and are not available for use, but they are not deleted from the service. If you renew your paid account, those icons will be reactivated.
If you have more tracking subscriptions, journal subscriptions, journals granted access to, layout layers/styles, tags, or links in your links list than a free account is able to use, none of them will be deactivated, but you will not be able to add more until you edit them to bring them down to the number a free account is able to use.
If you have created a custom mood theme, you will not need to stop using it, but if you change to a different mood theme, you will not be able to change back to your custom mood theme.
If you've chosen to display the paid-user "Search" and "Recent Active Entries" modules in your journal style, they will no longer display in your journal.
If you renew your paid account, you will have access to all the extra features again.
Last Activity: March 13th, 2024 (denise)
» Why do I get errors when making multiple payments?
If you're trying to make two separate payments in a short period of time and receive an error message on the second payment, the problem is usually that the two payments are for the same amount. Our payment processor tries to prevent duplicate charges, and assumes that two charges for the same amount within a short period of time are accidental duplicates.
You can complete the second payment successfully by either waiting about an hour and trying to check out again, or by adding or removing something from your cart so that your second payment is for a different amount.
The best way to avoid the problem in the future is to buy enough Dreamwidth Points in a single transaction to cover the cost of upgrading all the accounts you'd like to upgrade. Then, you can transfer the points to each account and pay for the upgrades with those points. You can also upgrade all your accounts on a single order by buying the paid time for your other accounts as a gift.
You can complete the second payment successfully by either waiting about an hour and trying to check out again, or by adding or removing something from your cart so that your second payment is for a different amount.
The best way to avoid the problem in the future is to buy enough Dreamwidth Points in a single transaction to cover the cost of upgrading all the accounts you'd like to upgrade. Then, you can transfer the points to each account and pay for the upgrades with those points. You can also upgrade all your accounts on a single order by buying the paid time for your other accounts as a gift.
Last Activity: August 30th, 2015 (kaberett)
» Why is my credit card being declined?
The most common reasons why your credit card may be declined when you make a payment are:
If none of those seem like they're the right reason, or your credit card company tells you that the charge should be successful but it's still failing, open a support request in the Account Payments category. We'll help you figure out what the problem is and how you can fix it.
- The address, zip code, and security code (CVN/CVV) that you entered while checking out doesn't match the information that the bank has on file. To fix this, try checking out again with the correct information.
- The charge would put you over your credit limit (if it's a credit card) or there's not enough money in the account to cover the amount of the charge (if it's a debit card or a pre-paid credit card). To make sure that's not the problem, check your balance with your credit card company.
- You just made another payment (usually for an alternate account) with the same card within the past few minutes and the cart you're trying to check out is for the same amount. Our payment processor tries to prevent duplicate charges. Why do I get errors when upgrading multiple accounts? has some suggestions for working around the problem.
- You're trying to use a prepaid credit card. We do accept prepaid credit cards, but sometimes those cards need to be activated first. We recommend prepaid Visa cards over any other type, since they're most often successful. If you're having a problem with a prepaid card, call the number on your card and see if they can help you figure out why the charge is being declined.
- Your credit card company thinks the charge may be suspicious or fraudulent, or blocks internet-only/"card not present" transactions unless you call them to authorize the charge. To fix this, call the number on your card and ask if the charge is being flagged as possibly fraudulent.
If none of those seem like they're the right reason, or your credit card company tells you that the charge should be successful but it's still failing, open a support request in the Account Payments category. We'll help you figure out what the problem is and how you can fix it.
Last Activity: August 30th, 2015 (kaberett)
Back to the full FAQ list. Return to the Search Page. Need more help? Go to the Support Area.
