In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
Open the dispute in your Stripe Dashboard, read the reason, contact the customer, and submit one complete evidence package before the deadline, usually 7 to 21 days. Stripe Singapore charges S$15 per dispute received, plus S$15 if you counter it, refunded only if you win.
How a Stripe dispute works
According to Stripe's guide to how disputes work, a dispute starts when a cardholder contests a payment with their bank. The bank, not Stripe, decides the outcome.
| Stage | What happens | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| Inquiry (some networks) | The bank asks for clarification; answering or refunding avoids a formal dispute and fee | Mostly Amex and Discover |
| Dispute opened | Stripe debits the amount plus a dispute fee and notifies you by email and in the Dashboard | Usually within 120 days of payment |
| Your response | You accept, or counter with evidence | Usually 7 to 21 days |
| Bank review | The issuer reviews your evidence | Usually 60 to 75 days |
| Outcome | If you win, the money comes back; if you lose, nothing more moves | 2 to 3 months overall |
For services paid in advance, such as appointments or event tickets, Stripe notes that the dispute window usually starts from the event date, not the payment date.
Stripe dispute fees in Singapore
From Stripe's Singapore pricing page, as of October 2026:
- Dispute received feeCharged on every dispute, not refunded even if you winS$15.00
- Dispute countered feeCharged when you respond manually; refunded if you winS$15.00
- Smart Disputes (optional)Stripe's AI prepares evidence; charged only on disputes you win30% of the disputed amount
Typical cost of fighting a dispute manually and losingS$30 + the sale
Approximate, as of October 2026. Check Stripe's pricing page for current fees.
On small orders, fighting can cost more than it recovers. For a S$20 order, accepting the dispute and refunding similar cases early is often cheaper.
How to respond to a Stripe dispute, step by step
Stripe's guide to responding stresses one point above all: you get one submission, and you cannot edit or add to it afterwards.
Note the deadline and the reason code
Open Payments, then Disputes, in the Dashboard. Write down the response deadline and the category, such as fraudulent or product not received. The category decides what evidence matters.
Read the bank's claim and contact the customer
Where available, Stripe shows the bank's documents. Email the customer politely: many disputes come from not recognising the charge. Keep a record of every message.
Decide: accept or counter
Accept if the claim is fair (for example, you really did not ship) or the amount is smaller than the fees. Counter if you have proof. If the customer agrees to withdraw, you still need to submit evidence for the dispute to close in your favour.
Collect evidence for that reason
Gather receipts, delivery proof, policies and messages. Combine items of the same type into one file and label each one, as Stripe's form asks.
Write a short, factual summary
One paragraph: what was bought, when, how it was delivered, and why the claim is wrong. Bank reviewers read many cases; make yours easy to check.
Submit once, before the deadline
Click Counter dispute, work through the form and submit. Then wait: Stripe emails you when the bank decides.
Evidence that wins each type of dispute
Stripe's dispute categories page lists recommended evidence by reason. The most common for small businesses:
| Dispute reason | What the customer claims | Strongest evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Fraudulent | They did not make the purchase | 3D Secure result, matching billing and delivery address, customer's past orders, IP and device details |
| Product not received | Goods or service never arrived | Tracking with delivery confirmation, signed delivery, proof the service was booked and attended |
| Product unacceptable | Item was faulty or not as described | Product page as shown at purchase, photos, return policy, messages offering a fix |
| Subscription cancelled | They cancelled but were still charged | Terms they agreed to, cancellation policy, proof no cancellation was received, usage after the date |
| Credit not processed | A promised refund never came | Refund policy shown before purchase, proof of any refund already made, why no refund is due |
| Unrecognised | They do not recognise the charge | Receipt, customer details and messages showing they knew your business |
How to prevent chargebacks on Stripe
Stripe's prevention best practices are worth an hour of your time. The ones that matter most for a small Singapore business:
Dispute prevention checklist
Stripe also notes that for a new or small business with fewer than about 100 payments a month, one or two fraud disputes can push your dispute rate up sharply, so refunding suspicious orders early is often the safer choice. PayNow payments through Stripe have no chargeback process at all, per Stripe's PayNow docs; see our guide to accepting PayNow on your website.
Do it yourself or get help?
A single dispute is usually something you can handle yourself in under an hour with the steps above. The setup work, such as descriptors, policies at checkout, 3D Secure and Radar rules, is worth doing once properly. If you are still choosing a provider, our HitPay vs Stripe comparison covers dispute fees for both, and connecting Stripe to Xero shows how dispute debits appear in your books.
If you would like help, our Online Payment Setup (S$290) sets up Stripe or HitPay with a clear descriptor, policies at checkout and test transactions. For one specific dispute or a settings change, a Quick Fix (1 hour) (S$119) covers it. We do not act for you with the bank; the response is submitted from your own Stripe account.
Frequently asked questions
Usually 7 to 21 days, depending on the card network. The exact deadline is shown on the dispute in your Stripe Dashboard. If you do not respond in time, you lose the dispute automatically and cannot recover the funds. Start gathering evidence the day the notification arrives.
Partly. In Singapore, Stripe charges S$15 when a dispute is received and another S$15 when you counter it manually, as of October 2026. If you win, Stripe returns the S$15 countered fee and the disputed amount, but the S$15 dispute received fee is not refunded unless your contract says otherwise.
No. Once a formal dispute is open, Stripe says you cannot issue a refund outside the dispute process, because the bank has already returned the money to the cardholder. You either accept the dispute or counter it with evidence. Refunding before a dispute is filed is what prevents it.
Friendly fraud is when a real customer disputes a purchase they made, for example because they forgot it, did not recognise the statement name, or want their money back without returning the item. Clear statement descriptors, receipts, delivery proof and an easy refund route reduce it, and good evidence often wins these cases.
Not through a chargeback. Stripe's PayNow documentation says there is no dispute process that can result in a chargeback and funds being withdrawn, because customers authenticate payments in their banking app. You can still refund PayNow payments within 90 days if a customer has a fair complaint.