Users may see a temporary $1 authorization charge from Unity when adding a new payment card or starting a free trial, such as the Unity AI free trial. This is a standard payment validation step to confirm card legitimacy and bank approval for future charges. The $1 is not an actual charge but a hold that is quickly refunded or reversed, which may take up to 72 hours depending on the bank.
Symptoms:
- I received a $1 charge from Unity, which was immediately refunded.
- I've added a new card to my Unity account and Unity has unexpectedly charged me $1.
- Why was I charged $1 when I updated my payment method?
- I signed up for a Unity AI free trial and was unexpectedly charged a $1 authorization fee.
Cause:
Resolution:
Since subscriptions and free trials involve recurring payments, we need to make sure that your card is legitimate and that your bank allows us to charge your card once the trial ends or the monthly billing cycle begins.
To do that, Unity sends a $1 temporary authorization request to your bank to verify your identity and validate your credit card.
This isn't an actual charge. This is just an "authorization" hold, which will be returned to you. It typically shows as refunded or, more commonly, as "reversed" on your bank statement.
| Note: some banks can take up to 72 hours to reverse this verification charge on your card. |