Hotel chargeback loss calculator
Quantify what chargebacks cost your hotel: enter disputes per month, average booking value and the fee per chargeback, and see the monthly and annual loss — the number that justifies fixing your payment stack. Free, no signup.
Your results
Lost per month
$1,180
Of which fees per year
$720
Lost per year
$14,160
4 chargebacks a month on $280 average bookings cost you $1,180 monthly — $14,160 a year, not counting staff hours or the risk of higher processing rates if your dispute ratio climbs.
Estimates based on the formulas shown below. Edit the assumptions to match your property.
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How the calculator works
Loss per chargeback = booking value + processor fee (typically $15–25). The calculator multiplies by your monthly dispute count and annualizes. It doesn't include the hidden costs — staff hours gathering evidence, higher processing rates if your dispute ratio climbs — so the real number is worse.
How hotels cut this number
Most hotel chargebacks are either fraud (stolen cards) or "friendly fraud" (guest disputes a legitimate charge). The stack that prevents both: 3-D Secure authentication on the booking payment (shifts fraud liability to the issuing bank), clear published cancellation policies attached to the confirmation, deposits handled as card pre-authorizations instead of surprise charges, and evidence-ready records (booking confirmation, policy acceptance, folio). Stripe-based checkouts automate most of this.
FAQ
Can a hotel win a chargeback dispute?
Yes — with evidence: the booking confirmation, the cancellation policy the guest accepted, check-in records and the folio. Hotels that respond with complete documentation win a meaningful share of friendly-fraud disputes; hotels that don't respond lose by default.
Is this tool really free?
Yes — every GuruHotel tool is free, with no signup and no usage limit. GuruHotel makes money helping hotels grow commission-free direct bookings, and these tools show you where that opportunity is.