What differs a real charge on my credit card from a pre-authorization?
Written by Artyom Meltonyan
Updated at August 24th, 2025
Pre-authorizations are typical yet sometimes mistaken for genuine costs. Pre-authorizations are temporary holds, as opposed to in-store transactions, which are immediately charged and debited from your available balance. The hold's duration will differ, and your credit card company can provide advice on how they manage it.