Stripe disputes: frequently asked questions
Common questions about Stripe disputes and chargebacks, answered directly: how they work, evidence, deadlines, and Recovra itself.
How disputes work
Is a dispute the same as a chargeback?
Yes, functionally. Stripe's own dashboard and API call it a dispute. Chargeback is the term you'll hear more widely across the payments industry for the same event.
What's the difference between an inquiry and a dispute?
An inquiry is a heads up, usually because a customer doesn't recognize a charge, giving you a chance to resolve it before it escalates. A dispute is the formal event, already debited from your balance, with a fee and a deadline attached.
Can a dispute happen without any warning?
Usually yes. The customer contacts their bank, not you, so the first you typically hear of it is Stripe's notification after the dispute already exists.
Can a lost dispute ever be reversed?
Rarely, and only if the customer withdraws it after the fact. It isn't something you can trigger directly.
Evidence and winning
What's the single most important evidence trait?
Specificity. Vague or generic evidence, even a lot of it, is weaker than one precise, verifiable fact, matched directly to the customer's actual claim.
Do I need to submit every evidence field Stripe offers?
No. Only the fields relevant to your specific reason code and case. Submitting irrelevant fields doesn't strengthen a case.
Should I always fight a dispute?
No. Some categories, like genuine fraud or a genuine duplicate charge, usually aren't worth countering. The dispute countered fee applies whether you win or lose, so fighting a weak case adds cost without improving the odds.
What if the customer's claim is actually correct?
Then the dispute is right, and the honest move is to accept it or refund directly rather than contest it. This comes up across nearly every reason code, and it's worth treating as a normal outcome, not a failure.
Deadlines and fees
Is the dispute fee ever fully avoidable?
Only by preventing the dispute itself. Once one is filed, the received fee applies regardless of outcome.
Why would losing cost more than not fighting at all?
Because countering adds a second fee that's only refunded on a win. Accepting a dispute you're unlikely to win avoids that second fee entirely.
What happens if I miss my response window?
The dispute is decided against you automatically. There's no extension and no appeal inside Stripe's process.
About Recovra
Does Recovra replace Stripe's own Smart Disputes?
Not exactly. Smart Disputes decides automatically based on eligibility rules. Recovra reviews each case individually and only recommends fighting the ones the evidence actually supports, a decision a person makes, not just a rule.
Does Recovra fight every dispute automatically?
No. Recovra reviews each case and only builds and submits the ones the evidence genuinely supports. Where a case isn't winnable, we say so rather than fight it anyway.
What does Recovra actually cost?
20 percent of the amount recovered, only on cases that are won. Nothing upfront, and nothing at all on a case that's lost.
Is the free dispute audit really free?
Yes. It doesn't require connecting your Stripe account, doesn't require signing up for anything, and carries no commitment.
Have a question this page didn't answer, about a dispute you're actually dealing with right now?
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