Why can't BrightLocal accept payments from some countries (including India)?

At BrightLocal, we operate as a business-to-business (B2B) service provider. This means we supply our tools and services exclusively to registered businesses in countries where we can confirm and track company VAT (or equivalent) registration numbers.

Unfortunately, due to regulatory and compliance restrictions, we’re currently unable to accept payments or provide access to customers based in certain countries, including India.

Why is this the case?

There are two main reasons why we can’t support payments or supply services in these regions:

• Regulatory limitations around recurring card payments:
  Some banks, have strict regulations that block recurring card payments to overseas merchants. As BrightLocal subscriptions require recurring payments, this often results in transactions being declined — even if the card details are correct.
• Our B2B framework requirements:
  We are set up to work only with verified businesses in countries where we can validate company tax registration (such as VAT numbers).
  
  This is important for ensuring compliance with local tax laws and for meeting the regulatory standards that apply to B2B services. Supplying outside of this structure could create issues around pricing, liability, and consumer protections that we’re not set up to meet.

Can I pay manually or use a non-recurring method?

At this time, we don’t support manual or one-time payments as a workaround. All BrightLocal subscriptions renew automatically and require a valid payment method that allows for recurring transactions.

What if my business is based in a supported country?

If your business is registered in a supported country but you're experiencing issues with your payment method, please contact our Support team so we can look into this for you.