Credit card disputes

A dispute (also known as a chargeback) occurs when a cardholder questions your payment with their card issuer. The card issuer creates a formal dispute which immediately reverses the payment. The payment amount, along with a separate dispute fee levied by the card network, is deducted from your account.

There is a dispute resolution process through which you can respond and submit evidence to make your case that the payment was valid. If the dispute is found in your favor, the disputed amount is returned to you. If a dispute is upheld, the card issuer’s decision is final and the cardholder’s payment remains refunded.
A disputed amount might be lower or higher than the amount of the original charge.

Please note! The full lifecycle of a dispute, from initiation to the final decision from the bank, can take as long as 2-3 months to complete.

How disputes work

If a cardholder disputes a card payment, you have the option to challenge the dispute by submitting evidence. When an account owner disputes a charge to their payment account, Stripe:

• Notifies you of the dispute through the software's Dashboard or email.
• Debits the disputed amount, plus a dispute fee, from your bank account until the dispute is resolved.
• Provides you with an explanation of the dispute and access to the account owner’s claim to their bank (if available).
• Will notify you of the outcome. If the dispute is resolved in your favor, the funds will be returned to your bank account.

Please note! Throughout this process, Stripe facilitates your case but doesn’t influence the outcome, which is at the sole discretion of the account owner’s bank.

Unlike credit card disputes, all ACH Direct Debit disputes are final and there is no process for appeal. If a customer successfully disputes an ACH payment, you must contact them if you want to resolve the situation.

Last updated:
Apr. 23, 2024