A charging app handles payment through your account, not at the charger. You store a payment method in the app once; when you start a session, the app authorises you against that account — often reserving a temporary hold — the charger meters the energy, and when you unplug, the final metered amount is charged to your stored method and a receipt lands in the app. The charger never sees your card.
Key Takeaways
- The app holds your account and payment method; the charger only meters and reports.
- A hold at the start is a reservation. The real charge is captured at the end, from the metered energy and the site’s tariff.
- Roaming runs the same flow on another operator’s charger; the price shown in your app applies.
- Payment disputes start with the app operator, who holds the session record.
The Five Steps of an App-Paid Session
- Account and payment method. You register once and store a card or wallet in the app. Every later session draws on it.
- Start and authorisation. You pick the charger in the app and start. The app checks your account and authorises the session — this is where a temporary hold may be placed on your card.
- Metering. The charger measures the energy delivered and reports it. The app shows progress, but the meter values come from the charger.
- End and capture. When you stop and unplug, the session closes. The price is worked out from the operator’s tariff and the metered energy, and charged to your stored method — replacing the hold, not adding to it.
- Receipt and settlement. Your receipt is the app record. Behind it, the app operator’s platform settles with the site operator under their contract.
The Hold and the Final Amount
The step drivers notice most is the hold, because a session is an open-ended purchase: nobody knows the final cost when it starts.
| Stage | What happens to your money |
|---|---|
| Session starts | The app operator may reserve a set amount on your card as a pre-authorisation hold — a reservation, not a charge. |
| Charging runs | Nothing further moves. The hold guarantees the session can be paid for. |
| Session ends | The final amount is calculated from the metered energy and the site’s tariff, and charged to your stored method. |
| Hold released | Your bank releases the unused part of the reservation. How long that takes is the bank’s timing. |
The operator chooses the hold amount; your bank controls the release. If a pending amount looks wrong, compare it with the receipt in the app once the session settles before treating it as a billing error.
One App, Other Networks’ Chargers
The same flow can run on a charger the app operator does not own. Through roaming arrangements, your account authorises the session, the host charger meters it, and the cost still lands on your stored method — the two operators settle between themselves afterwards. From the driver’s seat nothing changes. What does change is the price: the tariff shown for that charger in your app is the one that applies.
Not every public session runs this way. Contactless payment skips the account entirely, as our overview of whether EV charging stations take credit cards shows, and RFID identifies you to an account without a phone, as explained in what an RFID card for EV charging is. For brands building their own driver-facing service, our guide to white-label apps for smart EV chargers covers what sits behind the app.
The Charger Side of the Flow
For this to work, the charger has to report the session to the platform behind the app — a hardware claim to read literally. The EV-AC03201T station states OCPP 1.6J, the protocol over which it reports meter values and session records, and RFID for drivers who start with a card instead of a phone. The EV-ACT3204PE wallbox states RFID and app access. The pattern is the same: EVDANCE supplies the hardware and its stated protocol; the app, the accounts and the money belong to the operator’s platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a pending amount on my card after charging?
That is almost always the pre-authorisation hold from the session start. Once the session settles, the final charge replaces it and your bank releases the difference, on the bank’s timing.
When is my card actually charged?
At the end of the session, for the metered amount — not at the start. The start is an authorisation (and possibly a hold); the capture happens when the session closes.
Who do I contact about a wrong charge?
The operator of the app account you charged with — they hold the session record and the payment. The site host may own the charger, but the money trail sits in your app account, so start there.
Related Reading
- Do EV Charging Stations Take Credit Cards?
- What Is an RFID Card for EV Charging?
- White-Label Apps for Smart EV Chargers: What Brands Should Know
- RFID and User Management for Shared EV Chargers
