15 Best Chargeback Protection Services for 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Payments.
Chargebacks cost merchants an average of 0.49% of their total transactions—that’s thousands of dollars of revenue or more lost to customers requesting refunds through their banks or credit cards due to criminal or friendly fraud. The best chargeback protection services can save you from these transactions and fight chargebacks when, or even before, they happen.
- Kount: Best overall chargeback protection service
- Chargeback Gurus: Best for chargeback analysis
- Sift (formerly Chargeback App): Best for combating friendly fraud
- Signifyd: Best for ecommerce companies selling physical products
- Verifi: Best for merchants that take Visa (also works with other chargeback apps)
- ClearSale: Best for reducing false declines
- Chargebacks911: Best for high-risk businesses and merchants that work with affiliates
- Midigator: Best for early detection for proactive/hands-on resolution before fees are assessed
- ChargebackHelp: Best for new merchants needing or switching payment gateways.
The best way to protect yourself from chargebacks is to prevent them. And if you’re just starting to accept payments, you could choose a merchant account that comes with built-in merchant chargeback protection to save you time and money.
Here are some popular processors that come with merchant chargeback protection:
- PayPal: Popular for online transactions
- Square: Merchant services for small brick-and-mortar and/or online businesses
- Stripe: Top payment processor for online startups
- Shopify: Popular ecommerce platform with built-in payments
- BlueSnap: Global payment processor for online B2B transactions
- Bolt: One-click checkout for online businesses
If you’re experiencing excessive chargebacks or operating a high-risk business, you may need a specialized high-risk merchant account in addition to chargeback protection.
Best Chargeback Protection Services Compared
Minimum Monthly Spend | Contract Required | Chargeback Guarantee* | Prevents False Declines | Provides Detailed Transaction Information | Automates Dispute Management | Chargeback Representment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | $1,000 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
 | None | Canceling needs 30 days advance notice | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
 | Unknown | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
 | $1,500 | Canceling needs 30 days advance notice | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
 | None | Canceling needs 30 days advance notice | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
 | None | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
 | None | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
 | None | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
 | None | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Guarantees refer to reimbursement for chargebacks or refunds on service if a fraudulent chargeback gets through and/or is not successfully defended.
What is a false decline? False declines happen when a transaction is mistakenly flagged as fraudulent and denied. This can have serious consequences to customer satisfaction, return visits, and your reputation.
Presentment vs representment: Presentment is the process of submitting a transaction to receive the funds from the customer’s bank. When a chargeback is filed, this process is reversed. Representment is the process of resubmitting the presentment with evidence to prove the transaction is valid.
Friendly fraud: This happens when a customer disputes a legitimate charge due to confusion or an attempt to get their money back. Friendly fraud chargebacks can be caused by customers not recognizing the charge or merchant name, family members making purchases unbeknownst to the cardholder, or customers wanting an illegitimate refund.
Kount: Best Overall Chargeback Protection Service
Overview
Overall Score:
4.41 / 5
Pros
- Sophisticated automation and AI tools
- Works with merchants already in an excessive chargeback program
- Highly rated by real-world users
- Personalized services
Cons
- $1,000 monthly minimum
- Users say some of the terminologies are confusing and processes are complex
What we like:
Kount earned top billing on our list of the best chargeback protection services because it has several programs that attack chargebacks on multiple levels: preventing chargebacks, stopping malicious logins, and analyzing chargebacks for patterns. It offers digital protection for over 9,000 businesses, from gas and gaming to finance and food. Kount even prevents false declines and fraudulent transactions.
Pricing
- Custom-quoted based on sales volume, goals, and the types of fraud and chargeback issues you typically have
- Offers three solutions: Kount Command, which protects against chargebacks and disputes; Kount Control, which protects customer accounts; and Kount Central, which offers fraud protection to merchants
- Monthly minimum: $1,000
Key Features
- AI-driven fraud detection that looks at billions of data points
- Protection against malicious logins
- Data storage and analysis to determine problem areas resulting in potential chargebacks
- Flag known customers to prevent false declines
- Rules setting for automated alerts
- Near Real-Time (NRT) Rapid Dispute Resolution (RDR) reporting
Integrations
- Partners with payment providers such as Chase, Sage, Braintree, and BlueSnap
- Integrates with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and Salesforce Commerce Cloud
- Offers optional third-party subscriptions to data from Chargebacks911, Ekata, LexisNexis, and others
Customer Support
- Phone support is available Monday through Friday (except holidays), 6 a.m.–6 p.m. Mountain time
- Email support
- Online help center
- Other tools like white papers, webinars, videos, and both live and virtual events
Kount earned the highest score on our evaluation: 4.41 out of 5. It would have scored higher if not for contract and minimum monthly spend requirements. Thus, it’s best for well-established businesses losing well over $1,000 monthly due to chargebacks. However, it is not the only chargeback company that requires a minimum—Signifyd has an even higher monthly minimum.
Kount has a partnership with Midigator, which is also on this list, for representment. This option is an add-on service that comes with a fee.
Strengths
- Fraud and pre-transaction chargeback protection: Kount is the only service on our list with a perfect score for its tools to prevent fraud and chargebacks even before the transaction is approved. It has artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) analysis, 3D Secure, fraud, scoring, and false decline prevention. It even lets you build your own fraud detection rules.
- Personalized chargeback prevention services: Like ClearSale, Kount provides live, personalized evaluation services for companies that have complex business issues, are experiencing sophisticated fraud attacks, or need extra guidance. It also offers an in-depth analysis of business and operational policies to minimize fraud risk.
- Good customer experience: Despite complaints about complex processes, it had the highest user approval rate: 4.75 out of 5 stars, averaged over multiple third-party user review sites. It offers a chargeback guarantee with 100% coverage of eligible fraud-related chargebacks or a KPI-performance guarantee. Customers report an average 83% reduction in manual reviews, 70% reduction in false positives, and a 99% reduction in chargebacks.
Weaknesses
- Monthly minimum: Unlike most chargeback services on our list, Kount expects you to pay at least $1,000 a month (Signifyd is $1,500 a month). For chargeback protection with no monthly minimum, consider Verifi, ClearSale, Chargebacks911, Chargeback Gurus, and ChargebackHelp.
- No included chargeback representment: Kount does not automatically provide chargeback representment. (Of course, it has a 99% chargeback reduction rate and dispute tools.) It does have a partnership with Midigator for fighting chargebacks, but it is available for an additional fee.
Chargeback Gurus: Best for Chargeback Analysis
Overview
Overall Score:
4.29 / 5
Pros
- Uses a chargeback predictive engine called ARI to analyze transactions
- Automated scans of 40+ data points to identify vulnerabilities
- Chargeback representment
Cons
- Services are available with separate fees
- Lacks customer reviews
What we like:
- Chargeback Gurus offers chargeback alerts and in-depth analysis of chargebacks with over 30 standard reports, making it an excellent choice for those wanting to get to the root of their chargeback issue without paying extra for a third-party analysis. Its chargeback predictive engine, called ARI, analyzes transactions based on order, transaction, and fraud data to detect those likely to become chargebacks and allows you to either deny the transaction, opt for extended verification, or approve the order. It also has chargeback representment for chargebacks that get through.
Pricing
- Call for a quote
Key Features
- Uses Verifi, Ethoca, and 3D Secure technology for validating transactions
- Has chargeback alerts, so you can respond before fees are applied
- Can integrate with Visa Merchant Purchase Inquiry (VMPI) engine
- Chargeback representment
- Chargeback Predictive Engine called ARI
Integrations
- Offers 91 integrations for payment processors, gateways, CRM, and ecommerce like Zendesk, Wells Fargo, Paysafe, HelloSign, FlexPay, Ethoca, Authorize.net, and Converge Pay
Customer Support
- Phone support
- Email and Skype support
- FAQs, e-books, and guides
With a score of 4.29, Chargeback Gurus placed second on our list. It offers a complete chargeback solution from prevention all the way to representment.
In the News: Chargeback Gurus launched its own chargeback predictive engine called ARI in December 2022.
ARI analyzes transactions and gives you options for your course of action. However, with the feature being relatively new, there are still very few reviews on how effective it is in predicting potential chargebacks.
Chargeback Gurus also offers a satisfying spectrum of chargeback and dispute tools, is easy to use, and scored well for pricing. It claims a 50% prevention and a 70% win against chargebacks. Moreover, if you do not see your chargebacks declining and your income increasing, you can quit and get your money back.
Although Chargeback Gurus came in behind Kount, it has its own chargeback representment service, which Kount only offers via its partnership with Midigator. What prevented Chargeback Gurus from taking the top spot is that its services are available individually—the monthly fee you can expect to pay depends on the services you would like to include. There are also little to no real-world user reviews.
Strengths
- Reports: While all the chargeback prevention companies provide some reports, Chargeback Gurus offers over 30. Its Root Cause Analyzer looks at over 40 data points to help you identify your vulnerabilities. It gives you an in-depth and personalized analysis of your weaknesses.
- Chargeback Predictive Engine: ARI analyzes transactions using order, transaction, and fraud data to develop a chargeback predictive score to help you decide on your next steps.
Weaknesses
- Individual service fees: The individual fees for the different services offered by Chargeback Gurus effectively makes each one available with an extra add-on fee.
- Lacks customer review: Despite Chargeback Gurus’ promising offerings, there is little to no reviews you will find for it in review sites like Capterra and G2.
Sift: Best for Friendly Fraud
Overview
Overall Score:
4.27 / 5
Pros
- AI-powered chargeback response generator
- Tied to bank rules for formatting and evidence requirements
- Fraud prevention tools available
- False decline prevention tools
Cons
- No guarantee
- Does not use 3D Secure
- No chargeback representment
What we like:
Sift Dispute Management (formerly Chargeback App) provides automatic sharing of transaction data with both customers and banks to identify transactions. It can use that same data to populate a detailed response using an extensive rules and regulations database, determining the information and formatting that meets requirements and putting forth the best argument. It then submits the response automatically.
This automated evidence compilation makes Sift an excellent option for combating friendly fraud with little effort. Sift can spot issues that lead to chargeback requests, allowing you to prevent future issues. It also provides real-time overviews and advanced reports for deeper examination.
Pricing
- Now that Chargeback App is part of Sift, pricing is not publicly available. Previous reports said Chargeback App charges by sales volume, around 5 cents per transaction, with minimum annual fees of $8,000.
Key Features
- Account analysis
- Enrollment in Visa Merchant Purchase Inquiry
- AI-powered automated responses to chargeback alerts
- Compiles evidence to accompany response letter
- Add-ons for account defense, fraud prevention, protection against malicious content, and more
Integrations
- Integrates with most payment technologies including, PayPal, Stripe, Vantiv, Authorize.net, and Worldpay
- Works with Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, and PrestaShop
- Offers an API for integrating into other software solutions
- Integrates with Verifi and Ethoca for card processing information
Customer Support
- Variety of self-serve support options such as response templates, a knowledge base, ebooks, guides, and reason codes
- Email support
Sift came in third on our evaluation, scoring 4.27 out of 5. The pricing score was average, especially now that Chargeback App is under Sift, which does not advertise its pricing but also does not list contracts or minimum spend like others do.
It did very well with chargeback prevention and resolution tools but lost points because it lacks representment and does not repay chargeback fees. Nonetheless, it is easy to use, has a real-world user rating of 4.59 out of 5 (averaged over multiple review sites), and is highly effective.
In the News:
Sift acquired Chargeback App in 2021. Sift is a leading provider of fraud prevention services with clients such as Box, DoorDash, and Wayfair. It added Chargeback App as its Dispute Management tool. It also provides fraud prevention and user account protection and tools to prevent account takeovers, block scams and stop malicious content.
Strengths
- More payment protection tools: Sift offers robust fraud prevention tools to stop bad transactions before they happen. (About half the services on our list, like Chargebacks911 and Midigator, specialize in reacting after a chargeback occurs.) One callout example is creating your own fraud rules for any known red flags. Only Verifi and Kount also offer this.
- Protect against false positives: Sift has an “Insult Monitor” that flags potential false positives, so you can manually approve them to prevent denying a legitimate customer a sale. Many chargeback protectors, including Verifi, lack this function.
Weaknesses
- No chargeback representment: Sift provides the tools and information to handle the issue but doesn’t have experts who handle the chargeback process for you. If you want this time-saving feature, check out Signifyd, ChargebackHelp, Chargebacks911, Chargeback Gurus, and Verifi.
- No guarantee: It does not refund fees for chargebacks it missed (ClearSale and Kount do).
Signifyd: Best for Ecommerce With Physical Products
Overview
Overall Score:
3.99 / 5
Pros
- Transaction-to-resolution protection
- Provides merchant insights for future prevention
- Protect accounts, manage abuse beyond payment fraud
- Prevents false declines
Cons
- $1,500 monthly minimum
- Support only through the contact form
What we like:
Signifyd provides comprehensive fraud protection for ecommerce. It can identify anomalies like account takeovers, unauthorized resellers, and promotions abuse. You can create your own custom logic and automated responses to these attacks. Insights reporting analyzes your chargebacks to uncover trends and help you prevent friendly chargebacks.
It handles shipping and offers a 100% reimbursement for item-not-received chargebacks on physical products, making it the best choice for online retailers of physical goods.
Pricing
- Custom pricing; call for a quote
Key Features
- Adaptive AI/ML that delivers actionable insights
- IDs multiple fraud anomalies automatically
- Guaranteed protection of approved orders
- Customer abuse scores
- Unauthorized reseller protection
- Automated chargeback recovery
Integrations
- Integrates with ecommerce platforms like BigCommerce, Magento, Salesforce, Commerce Cloud, and Shopify
- Custom API
Customer Support
- Contact form
- Support portal
It earned 3.99 out of 5 in our evaluation, with a perfect expert score for quality of features and effectiveness and only losing points on ease of use because it lacked personal recommendations (only a few, like Kount, Sift, and Chargeback Gurus do this). It can provide analyses that you can act upon, however, and its pre-transaction charge prevention offerings are among the strongest. Real-world users on third-party review sites give it an average of 4.63 out of 5 stars.
Signifyd is available in over 100 countries, which is a much higher number than most other chargeback protection companies (for reference, Visa’s Verifi works with just over 40). Users said that it is easy to use and flexible and that this chargeback company is quick to refund chargebacks based on fraud. However, it does not guarantee delivery of digital items.
Strengths
- Additional fraud tools: Like Sift, Signifyd can provide more than chargeback protection. Its commerce protection platform includes account abuse prevention to protect you from customers taking advantage of businesses through coupon misuse or item-not-received complaints.
- 3D Secure: Signifyd uses 3D Secure as part of its verification procedures. Only Kount and Chargeback Gurus incorporate this tool; the rest don’t mention it or say they work alongside other tools that use it. All transactions in the EU must be 3D Secure, but not every chargeback protector uses it for data.
Weaknesses
- Minimum $1,500 monthly spend: Its biggest hit came in pricing, requiring a $1,500 monthly spend and 30 days’ notice to cancel. This means a merchant will pay a minimum of $1,500 per month regardless of their actual transaction volume for the month. It is the most expensive on our list; most do not have a minimum at all. This makes Signifyd suitable only for large-volume merchants.
- No phone support. The only way to get customer support from Signifyd is through an online contact form. Although many users rarely need to contact support, having customer support available via phone, even on a limited basis, can greatly help when issues arise.
Verifi: Best for Visa Disputes
Overview
Overall Score:
3.79 / 5
Pros
- Works with 40+ countries
- Rapid Dispute Resolution (RDR) automates resolutions and reduces chargebacks
- Chargeback representation and management
- Works with other chargeback prevention companies
Cons
- No chargeback guarantee
- Doesn’t prevent fraudulent transactions
- Does not prevent false declines
What we like:
Verifi (owned by Visa) works with both sellers and banks or payment processors that issue chargeback notifications. When you have Verifi, the issuing authority can access transaction details to validate sales—a common cause of chargebacks. It can also give customers direct access to the details through the bank’s online or mobile applications.
This is one reason many chargeback apps and payment processors integrate with Verifi. If it isn’t sufficient on its own, it’s a selling point when looking at other services.
Pricing
- Like most of the other chargeback protection platforms on this list, Verifi doesn’t disclose pricing information on its website. You’ll need to contact Verifi directly for pricing information.
Key Features
- Data sharing with issuer call center or cardholder self-service
- Automated responses to disputes before charges are levied using seller-defined rules
- Financial resolution (refund) capability through Visa
- Dispute processing
- Reporting dashboard with KPIs and performance data
Integrations
- Integrates with payment processing services like Bank of America, Chase, BlueSnap, Vantiv, and Merchant Solutions
- Integrates with other chargeback protection services
Customer Support
- Phone support every Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific time
- Live chat
- Contact form
- Online knowledge base
Verifi earned a 3.79 out of 5 in our evaluation, with good but not outstanding scores. It lost points because it doesn’t protect against false declines or pay chargeback fees, and its overall chargeback decrease is slightly below the best on our list. However, it offers good reports and excellent deflection services.
It helps prevent chargebacks by sending fraud notifications as soon as they are confirmed by the bank or card authority. Verifi can also send notices of stop payments, so you can cancel orders or subscriptions accordingly. It reports lost or stolen Visa cards, so you can block them. Overall, it claims businesses will experience up to a 42% reduction in dispute rates.
About half the services on our list offer full management and representation when chargebacks occur. With Verifi’s program, you get a reporting dashboard with KPIs and performance and business summaries. This lets you uncover weaknesses leading to chargebacks and helps track Verifi’s success in disputing chargebacks for you.
Strengths
- Link to Visa: While some services, like Chargebacks911, link with Verifi or the Visa Merchant Purchase Inquiry program, Verifi offers direct access to Visa’s alerts and information without paying extra.
- Transaction details: Access to detailed transaction data can help prevent friendly fraud by consumers who don’t recognize or remember a sale. Verifi gets this directly from Visa, and you won’t find this tool with ClearSale, Chargeback Gurus, and Midigator.
Weaknesses
- No false decline prevention: Almost as important as preventing fraudulent transactions is avoiding false declines. Consider ClearSale, Sift, Kount, and Signifyd.
- No chargeback reimbursement: Unlike ClearSale, Kount, Signifyd, and Chargeback Gurus, Verifi does not reimburse you for chargebacks, even those that slip through the system.
ClearSale: Best for False Decline Reduction
Overview
Overall Score:
3.68 / 5
Pros
- Uses both AI/ML and human fraud experts to spot and block fraudulent charges before they go through
- 80% reduction in false declines
- Fraud consulting services
Cons
- Not every plan has representment
- Response and processing times can be slow
What we like:
ClearSale is a chargeback protection system for online shopping carts and apps that prevents chargebacks by blocking fraudulent orders. Similar to Chargebacks911, it uses a blend of AI/ML technology and manual review to identify fraudulent transactions. ClearSale has 700+ specialized fraud analysts in their review team. Instead of automatically declining potentially fraudulent orders, ClearSale’s fraud analysis team reviews transactions identified by their AI platform. This helps in reducing false declines—up to 80%, the highest in this guide. It also boasts 98% chargeback reduction.
Pricing
- Pricing is applied by KPI. You can call for a quote or get ClearSale Chargeback Protection for 0.4%–0.5% of sales.
Key Features
- Fraud scoring using AI/ML
- Manual checks of transactions failing AI fraud scores
- Protection from false declines
- Blocking fraudulent transactions
- Reimbursement for chargebacks caused by missed fraudulent transactions (with Guaranteed Protection plan)
Integrations
- Integrates with about a dozen ecommerce platforms, including Magento, Shopify, Oracle, and BigCommerce
- API for custom integrations
- Mobile software development kit (SDK) for Android and iOS app integrations.
Customer support
- 24/7 technical support
- Phone support
- Email support
- Contact form
- Knowledge base
With 3.68 out of 5 on our rubric, ClearSale is a solid service with most tools you need for chargeback prevention and dispute management. It scored high for pricing because of its choice of plans and lack of contracts or minimum fees. While it lost points for not letting you create fraud detection rules, it makes up for it by evaluating suspicious transactions twice to reduce friendly declines. It also took a hit for not having representment. Its real-world user score on G2 was 4.7 out of 5 stars.
ClearSale AI scans each transaction, assigning a fraud score based on factors like order information, device, and behavioral data. If a transaction fails the fraud score, it’s then checked manually by ClearSale’s review team, composed of 700+ fraud analysis experts.
The provider offers a guarantee plan that reimburses you for any missed frauds resulting in chargebacks. Or, you can purchase the key performance indicator (KPI) plan, where you and ClearSale set KPIs, and you get a discount if ClearSale doesn’t meet them. Kount also has a KPI-dependent warranty.
Strengths
- Human and AI fraud checks: ClearSale is unique in that it employs both AI/ML and human evaluation of each transaction. This provides an extra layer of protection against false declines and sneaky fraud.
- Fraud consulting: While other services provide white papers and general tips or have dashboards where you can analyze your fraud, ClearSale offers consulting services. You’re paired with a fraud protection expert in your industry who analyzes your current methods and makes recommendations—without an upsell to its platform. (Fees apply.) Kount also has an assessment program.
Weaknesses
- No integrated chargeback response tools: ClearSale only prevents chargebacks. Most other chargeback prevention companies in this guide have tools for addressing disputes.
- No representment: ClearSale does not dispute chargebacks. For representation, consider Signifyd, Chargebacks911, Chargeback Gurus, and ChargebackHelp.
Chargebacks911: Best for Affiliate & High-risk Business
Overview
Overall Score:
3.60 / 5
Pros
- Spots merchant missteps leading to chargebacks
- Chargeback representment
- Works with high-risk industries
- Prevents merchant error chargebacks
Cons
- Does not seek or block customer charges before they occur
- Does not refund chargeback fees
What we like:
Chargebacks911 works with all industries, including high-risk merchants, but it’s the only one we found with a specific program for merchants working with affiliates. This chargeback management service combines technology and personalized analysis to evaluate affiliate marketing techniques to identify those that may intend to commit fraud.
As with Verifi, Chargebacks911 offers a number of dispute prevention tools, like providing chargeback alerts before they are officially filed, issuing immediate responses or refunds to prevent chargebacks, and providing representation in fighting a chargeback.
Pricing
- Call for a quote
Key Features
- Affiliate fraud protection and prevention
- Fraud analysis for source detection
- Merchant compliance reviews to prevent merchant errors
- Merchant account cost analysis for cost reduction
- High-risk merchant support
- Chargeback alerts
Integrations
- Integrates with 40 different CRM platforms
- Custom integration—sets up a workaround with any platform to engineer a complete integration
- APIs
Customer Support
- Knowledge base and online guides
- Online contact request form
- Email support
- Phone support
Chargebacks911 got an overall of 3.6 out of 5 in our evaluation, an excellent score considering the lack of fraud prevention tools. Like many services ranking below Chargebacks911, its focus on dispute management and chargeback resolution means it received a low score on our rubric for fraud prevention. Nonetheless, it earned high marks on chargeback resolution, ease of use, and overall quality of features.
It works with around two dozen industries and about 90 currencies to provide international coverage. In addition to ecommerce, travel, and digital industries, it has customizable programs for larger businesses and solutions for financial institutions. Chargebacks911 also offers a merchant account cost analysis to determine how to reduce your credit card processing costs.
Strengths
- Affiliate Fraud Shield: If you work with affiliates, you could be at risk of paying commissions on bogus sales through affiliate fraud. Chargebacks911 is the only service on our list with a program designed to safeguard against this.
- Prevent merchant error: Chargebacks911 says half of all chargebacks are caused by merchant error. To help alleviate that, it has a 106-point noncompliance check of merchant processes to catch errors before they occur. No other service we reviewed offers such a program, although ClearSale and Kount provide live consultation.
- High-risk merchant accounts: Chargeback911 works with merchants with any merchant category code or MCC, including those that fall under the high-risk categories.
Weaknesses
- No fraud prevention: In our rubric, ChargebackHelp has the third-lowest score for fraud prevention—1 out of 5 (Chargeback Gurus has 0.75; Midigator 0.38). The only credit it earned in this criterion was for 3D Secure. Look at Signifyd, Shift, and Kount if you want to stop fraud before it happens. Note: This score did not look at affiliate fraud, which is a separate program.
- Does not pay chargeback fees: Unlike others on our list, such as Chargeback Gurus and Kount, Chargebacks911 does not reimburse you for fees incurred by chargebacks it was unable to deflect.
Midigator: Best for Hands-on Resolution
Overview
Overall Score:
3.51 / 5
Pros
- Customized and automated dispute responses
- Set custom triggers for notifications
- Partners with Ethoca and Verifi
- A la carte pricing
Cons
- Does not prevent fraudulent transaction
- No guarantee
- No false decline prevention
What we like:
Midigator provides chargeback dispute tools to help you resolve issues before the fees are assessed. It analyzes hundreds of options for compelling evidence for a dispute package with the best chance of winning and has a platform where you can analyze your chargebacks. Here, you can respond to alerts with refunds, stop-order fulfillments, subscription cancellations, or disputes. Midigator claims a 65% to 80% win rate on disputes.
It can also analyze early-indicator data and order information to identify issues that could cause future chargebacks. Unlike the other chargeback services on our list, if it thinks your dispute does not have a good case, it will recommend resolution instead.
Pricing
- Charges are based on services provided; contact Midigator for a quote
Key Features
- In-depth analytics
- Account reporting dashboard
- Chargeback alerts and custom notifications
- Dispute flows to reduce time spent on disputes
Integrations
- Integrates with Verifi and Ethoca for real-time alerts
- Integrates with Stripe, Shopify, Authorize.net, Worldpay, Paysafe, and other payment systems for transaction data
Customer Support
- Online resource center where you can view reports and tutorials, access a chargeback reason code directory, and pull templates and sample documents
- Email support
We gave Midigator a 3.51 out of 5—just a hair above the average for this list. It had the lowest score for fraud and pre-transaction chargeback prevention, but that reflects its focus. Midigator got perfect scores for quality of features and effectiveness and only lost points on ease of use because it does not provide personalized recommendations for reducing fraud (you can do analysis, however). It missed a perfect score for dispute resolution because it does not pay chargeback fees. With no contracts or minimum spend, it did well in the pricing category, too.
Strengths
- Improved ROI for chargeback defense: While other chargeback protection services brag that they dispute 100% of chargebacks, Midigator’s software analyzes chargebacks for conditions like evidence and costs associated with defense. If it fails to meet guidelines, then Midigator will not defend. This may affect how many you win, but it may save you money and time in the long run.
- Works with Verifi and Ethoca: Midigator integrates with Verifi and is a certified VMPI facilitator, like about half of those in this guide. However, Midigator also partners with Ethoca, the Mastercard equivalent of Verifi. This gives it access to information from the most commonly used credit cards. Of those in this guide, only Chargeback Gurus, ChargebackHelp, and Sift also use Mastercard’s system, though most offer it as a separate integration.
Weaknesses
- Weak fraud prevention tools: Midigator, like others on this list, defends against chargebacks but does not prevent them. Its platform provides the data and order information that will allow the user to do their own analysis and decide on their next course of action. The lack of actual fraud prevention capability makes it suitable for those who want a more hands-on fraud prevention approach. For fraud prevention tools, consider Kount, Sift, and Signifyd.
- No guarantee: Kount, Chargeback Gurus, and ClearSale reimburse you at least your chargeback fees for each lost case. Midigator does not have a similar guarantee.
ChargebackHelp: Best for Merchants Needing a Payment Gateway
Overview
Overall Score:
3.28 / 5
Pros
- Can automate dispute management
- BILLAPAY gateway, designed to support high-risk merchants, captures data needed for disputing chargebacks
- Provides merchant account
Cons
- Very few tools to stop fraud or chargebacks requests
- Does not provide ongoing transaction/chargeback analysis for preventing future chargebacks
- Help site not very helpful
What we like:
ChargebackHelp is about resolving rather than preventing chargebacks. You can resolve disputes, have ChargebackHelp manage them, or automate the process. It also provides free chargeback analysis and helps high-risk merchants get accounts. ChargebackHelp is the only one on this list with its own gateway to reduce costs while providing fraud protection and built-in data capture.
It can send information and evidence to customers who may have forgotten a purchase or the bank, to allow you to fight chargebacks, often before the bank issues the chargeback fee. Finally, it can automatically refund customer money to resolve legitimate disputes, which it says cuts chargebacks by 40%.
Pricing
- Call for pricing information
Key Features
- Chargeback representment
- Automatically refund money to customers with legitimate disputes
- Manual or automated chargeback response
- Merchant accounts
- BILLAPAY payment gateway
- Managed alerts
Integrations
- Integrates with CRMs, payment gateways, and major card networks
- Partners with Verifi, CDRN, and Ethoca
Customer Support
- Phone support
- Email support
- Knowledge base and code guide
ChargebackHelp earned 3.28 out of 5 (for comparison, the list average is 3.5). Like Midigator, it had a low score for pre-transaction chargeback protection because that’s not its focus. However, it also took hits for not paying chargeback fees like many competitors and not providing personalized tips. Other individual functions were there, but not as high-quality as, say, Kount or Chargebacks911. Nonetheless, it made an excellent showing for chargeback resolution tools, reports, and dispute management.
Strengths
- Automated dispute management: If your disputes are basic, you can set ChargebackHelp to handle them automatically. You can also set up rules for issuing refunds through ChargebackHelp’s integration with Verifi.
- Payment gateway: If you need a payment gateway, ChargebackHelp offers BILLAPAY. It offers 3D Secure authentication, PCI compliance, and, of course, ChargebackHelp’s chargeback protection. No other service on our list has its own payment gateway, although at the bottom of this article we list some gateways with their own chargeback protection.
If you are looking for other payment gateway options, check out our evaluation of the leading payment gateways.
Weaknesses
- Anemic help section: The online knowledge base and FAQs are sparse and more geared toward marketing than answering in-depth questions. Midigator has a more robust product knowledge base, while Sift offers a wide range of ebooks, webinars, and infographics with tips for avoiding fraud.
- Little fraud/chargeback prevention: Like several services on our list, ChargebackHelp focuses on reacting to chargeback claims. If you want to be proactive in stopping fraud or false denials, Kount, Signifyd, and Sift are your best bets.
Payment Services That Include Chargeback Protection
Not every business needs a separate chargeback management service, as some are cost-prohibitive for small businesses. Many merchant accounts, payment processors (such as Stripe, Square, and PayPal), and ecommerce platforms offer some form of protection, and it could be a cheaper alternative for getting the chargeback management services you need.
Built-in Chargeback Protection Compared
Chargeback protection fees | Guarantee | Dispute management | Chargeback representment | Standout feature | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 0.40% per approved transaction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Available in 202 countries |
 | Fraud monitoring: 6 cents per transaction; chargeback protection included in plans | Reimbursement on qualified transactions | ✓ | ✓ | $250 in chargeback fees waived each month |
 | Free for merchants with standard flat-rate pricing* | Reimbursement | ✕ | ✓ | AI/ML monitoring, customizable fraud rules |
 | Undisclosed | Reimbursements | ✓ | ✕ | Works in Shopify dashboard |
 | Charges for service you’re enrolled in | Depends on enrolled service | ✓ | ✓ | DIY or full-service options |
 | Undisclosed | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Automated responses |
*4% per transaction for chargeback protection; 5 cents per transaction for Radar fraud protection for businesses on custom or interchange-plus pricing plans.
Overview
Pros
- Pays for disputes from unauthorized transactions
- Works in 202 countries
- Known and trusted platform by consumers
Cons
- Not for digital items
- Complex pricing
- $20 chargeback fee
What we like:
While most chargeback protection services integrate with PayPal, it offers its own PayPal Seller Protection Program, free of charge. It will cover disputes due to unauthorized transactions and items not received and holds funds until issues are resolved and works with you on the investigation. This guarantee covers customers in 202 countries; however, it has limitations for disputes concerning digital items or services not received. PayPal Business Account holders enrolled in Advanced Credit and Debit Card Payments can also take advantage of PayPal’s fraud detection tools and chargeback fee reimbursement.
Pricing & Features
Pricing
- No extra fee for protection
- $20 for lost, undisputed chargebacks
Features
- Dispute management tools
- AI/ML fraud protection tools for qualified merchants
Overview
Pros
- AI/ML fraud monitoring
- Multiple blocking options
- Includes human expertise
- Chargeback representation
Cons
- Not all disputes eligible for protection
- Does not identify/address underlying issues
What we like:
Square provides free fraud monitoring and has a risk management program for 6 cents per online transaction, with a free 90-day trial. For fraud monitoring, it uses machine learning and payments across the Square system to seek the latest fraud trends and alert you accordingly. Square will work with your customer’s bank on disputed charges. Its risk management program includes alerts with blocking options, card blocking, custom rule creation, and analytics to spot trends leading to chargebacks in your business. However, if you don’t purchase the risk program, you still get $250 in “free” chargebacks for qualifying purchases.
Pricing & Features
Pricing
- Fraud monitoring: 6 cents per transaction, 90-day free trial
- Chargeback protection: Up to $250 in chargebacks per month
Features
- Chargeback representment
- Monitors payments
- Sends alerts if there’s unusual activity
- Create fraud rules
- Explains reasons for suspicious payments
Overview
Pros
- Integrates with card networks
- Automates dispute information
- AI/ML fraud monitoring
- Chargeback reimbursement
Cons
- Monitoring can get pricey
- No human double-check
What we like:
Stripe offers chargeback protection for an additional 0.4% per transaction. Like Square, it uses machine learning to spot and block fraud. You can also set up custom rules and block and allow lists. It covers online sales for digital and physical products for purchases around the world. Unlike other chargeback programs, if you get a chargeback, Stripe simply reimburses you the disputed amount and waives the dispute fees.
Pricing & Features
Pricing
- 0.4% per transaction for chargeback protection
- 5 cents per transaction for Radar fraud protection (waived for accounts with standard 2.9% + 30 cents pricing)
Features
- AI/ML fraud detection
- 3D Secure
- Customizable rules, block, and allow lists
- Reports
Overview
Pros
- Shopify handles chargebacks for you
- Chargebacks tracked in Shopify
- Integrates with other chargeback services
Cons
- US-based businesses only
- May not cover added items for modified orders
What we like:
For US customers accepting online payments through Shopify, the ecommerce software will reimburse you for fraudulent chargebacks. It says it does this “for a small fee,” so talk to your representative for specific rates. The provider includes fraud tracking and prevention in all its plans, however. If its packages are not for you or prices are too high, most of the chargeback services on our list integrate with Shopify.
Pricing & Features
Pricing
- Undisclosed, per-transaction pricing
Features
- Fraud monitoring included in Shopify plans
- Shopify reimburses for damages and chargeback fees
- Fraud/chargeback statistics tracked in Shopify
Overview
Pros
- Self-serve or full-serve options
- Uses Chargebacks911 tools
- Automated responses
- Global reach
Cons
- Fees for processing <$2,500/month
- Charges you for services
- Protection is not automatic
What we like:
BlueSnap is a payment platform with chargeback control. It offers self- and full-service options. It uses Chargebacks911 tools and works with Verifi and other chargeback services to help you automate responses and eliminate merchant issues that lead to chargebacks. Plans start at 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction with a monthly fee if the processing is less than $2,500 per month. In addition, if you need fraud or chargeback protection, it will enroll you in Kount or Chargebacks911 and charge you at the rate those companies charge them.
Pricing & Features
Pricing
- Charges you for the service they enroll you in
Features
- Integrates with Kount and Chargebacks911
- Customizable rules
- Device fingerprinting
- 3D Secure
- Representment
Overview
Pros
- AI/ML monitoring
- Assists with disputes
- 100% fraud chargeback guarantee
- False decline prevention
Cons
- May be responsible for payment and fees
- Pricing not transparent
What we like:
Bolt has a checkout process that flags potential fraud but leaves final approval to you. However, it can automatically respond to chargeback disputes and offers full representation. It covers transactions where a cardholder did not give authorization, such as with lost or stolen cards. For other transactions, merchants are responsible for the payment amount, plus $15 dispute fees levied by the card network. Users praise its simple checkout process and say customer service is quick and helpful. They also like that the platform is always improving.
Pricing & Features
Pricing
- Undisclosed
Features
- AI/ML monitoring
- Custom rules
- Chargeback representment
- 100% chargeback guarantee
- Automated responses
How We Evaluated the Best Chargeback Protection Services
We looked at over a dozen chargeback protection services and narrowed it to the top nine (plus six payment services with chargeback protection plans). To do this, we started with the core tools needed to fight chargebacks, then we expanded to features for preventing fraudulent transactions and improving business tactics.
Kount grabbed the top spot with an overall score of 4.41 out of 5; Chargeback Gurus came in a close second at 4.29. Both Kount and Chargeback Gurus may be more expensive if you want the most complete protection from fraud and account protection to chargeback dispute tools and chargeback representment.
Click through the tabs below for our full evaluation criteria.
10%
Pricing
20%
Pre-transaction Chargeback Prevention
40%
Chargeback and Dispute Resolution
15%
Ease of Use
15%
Expert score
10% of Overall Score
The services don’t list pricing as it depends on tools, sales volume, and chargeback volume. Thus, we looked for multiple options, no monthly minimums, and no contractual obligations. The top scores were ClearSale, ChargebackHelp, and Midigator.
20% of Overall Score
40% of Overall Score
These are the tools you hire a chargeback service for: alerts, dispute handling, chargeback representment, and a guarantee or reimbursement of fees if something slips through the cracks. Chargeback Gurus took top billing here with a perfect 5 out of 5.
15% of Overall Score
We looked for modern, user-friendly dashboards, dispute management tools on the app, and other UI tools. Extra points went to those with strong reports and personalized recommendations. Sift and Chargebacks911 got perfect scores.
15% of Overall Score
This included our overall impression of quality, the professed success rate, and user reviews on third-party review sites. Perfect scores went to Signifyd, Midigator, and Kount.
*Percentages of overall score
Best Chargeback Protection Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The fees for merchant chargeback protection differ among chargeback management companies. All the providers on this list, except for Stripe, do not have publicly disclosed pricing information, and you will need to contact each of them for a quote. Expect to pay anywhere from 0.3% to 0.6% per transaction.
When a client or customer files for a chargeback, the merchant will need to pay a fee ranging from $20 to $100, depending on the merchant’s payment process. This amount is on top of the payment that will be refunded back to the customer.
There are several practices to follow that may help prevent chargebacks. Some steps you can take are making your return, refund, and cancellations policies clear, providing good customer service, using a payment processor with strong authentication rules, and signing up with a reliable chargeback protection company.
Bottom Line
Chargebacks drain your profits not only through lost products and revenue but in chargeback fees. They stem from fraudulent charges, as well as merchant error, charges forgotten by a customer, and lost packages. If chargebacks are draining your profits, one of the chargeback protection services above may pay for itself and more.
Overall, we recommend Kount for the most complete protection. Its tools do more than help with chargeback disputes. It prevents fraudulent transactions while ensuring legit purchases are approved. It also analyzes fraud and chargeback activity to help you identify trends and issues and provides other personalized services. It can address industry needs as well.
