Stripe dispute fee calculator.

The fees Stripe charges

Stripe's published pricing lists a $15.00 dispute received fee for each dispute, and says unless your contract states otherwise it never returns that fee. If you answer the dispute manually there is a separate $15.00 countered fee, which Stripe returns when you win and keeps when you lose. The optional Smart Disputes product charges 30% of the disputed amount on disputes you win and nothing extra on disputes you lose, although the received fee still applies. On refunds, the processing fees from the original charge are not returned. Stripe's documentation also notes that when a dispute starts, Stripe debits your balance for the disputed amount plus the dispute fee. Amounts differ by country, so all three fees are editable.

Which option is cheapest?

Measured against a sale that was never disputed: accepting costs the amount plus the received fee. Countering costs the received fee plus, when you lose, the amount and the countered fee. Smart Disputes costs the received fee plus 30% of the amount when you win and the full amount when you lose. The calculator weights each outcome by your win rate. Countering beats accepting once your win rate is above fee / (amount + fee): about 13% on a $100 charge, but 37.5% on a $25 charge, so small disputes are often not worth fighting by hand.

Worked example

A $100 dispute at a 50% win rate: accepting costs $115; countering costs $15 + 0.5 x ($100 + $15) = $72.50; Smart Disputes costs $15 + 0.5 x $30 + 0.5 x $100 = $80. Countering is cheapest. On a lost dispute with $20 goods, $5 shipping and $3.20 processing you are out $43.20 in cash beyond the reversed sale, or $58.20 if you also paid the countered fee.

• Network fees can apply in rare cases and are not modelled.
• Your time answering a dispute is not priced in.
• Disputes also raise your dispute rate with the card network, which can lead to program penalties that no fee calculator captures.

Last checked against the sources 2026-10-19. Sources: Stripe Pricing & Fees (dispute received fee, countered fee, Smart Disputes 30%, refund fee policy; the page read by the author was Stripe's Canadian page showing CA$15.00, and the US $15 figure comes from Stripe's published pricing summaries, so confirm it on your own pricing page); Stripe Docs: How disputes work (disputed amount plus dispute fee debited; inquiries resolved by evidence or full refund).

FAQ

How much is the Stripe dispute fee?

Stripe's pricing shows a $15.00 dispute received fee for each dispute and a separate $15.00 countered fee if you respond manually. Check your own pricing page, because amounts vary by country.

Does Stripe refund the dispute fee if I win?

Stripe returns the countered fee when you win. It states that, unless your contract says otherwise, it does not return the dispute received fee.

What does Stripe Smart Disputes cost?

Stripe charges 30% of the disputed amount for each dispute you win and nothing extra for disputes you lose.

Should I accept or counter a small dispute?

Countering pays once your win rate exceeds fee / (amount + fee). On a $25 charge with a $15 countered fee that is 37.5%, so low-value disputes with low win rates are cheaper to accept.

Does Stripe return processing fees on refunds?

No. Stripe says the payment processing, Connect and currency conversion fees from the original transaction are not returned on refunds.

Does refunding before a dispute avoid the fee?

Stripe notes you can resolve an inquiry without a dispute fee by providing evidence or issuing a full refund, but you cannot refund outside the dispute process once a dispute is open.