Handling a Stripe Dispute
If a client disputes a card payment (also called a chargeback), Stripe — not LancerPad — handles the entire process. This page explains what's happening and what to do.
1. What a dispute is
A dispute happens when your client's bank reverses a card payment, usually because the client contacted their bank directly instead of you — for example, claiming they didn't authorize the charge or didn't receive what they paid for. Stripe notifies you immediately when this happens.
2. You have a limited window to respond
Stripe gives you roughly 20 days from when the dispute opens to submit evidence, though the exact deadline is shown in your Stripe Express dashboard for each dispute — always check it there rather than assuming 20 days exactly. Respond well before the deadline; last-minute submissions risk not being received in time.
3. Log into your Stripe Express dashboard
LancerPad doesn't have its own dispute-response tool — your Stripe Express dashboard is where you submit evidence and track the outcome. Use the "Open Stripe dashboard" button on the dispute banner in the LancerPad app, or go directly to:
connect.stripe.com/express_login
Important: your Stripe Express dashboard login is separate from your LancerPad login. If you haven't set a password for your Stripe Express account before, use the "forgot password" flow on that page with the email you used to connect Stripe.
4. What evidence to upload
Stripe's evidence form asks for specific fields, but in general, the strongest evidence includes:
- Your signed contract or proposal (if you used SignWell through LancerPad, download the signed PDF from that project).
- Proof of delivery — screenshots, links, or files showing the completed work was delivered to the client.
- Project communications — emails or messages showing the client agreed to the scope and price, and any discussion of the work in progress.
- The original invoice and any record of the client accessing or acknowledging it.
5. How disputes affect your payouts
Stripe may hold back funds related to the disputed charge (and sometimes a broader hold on your balance) while the dispute is open, as a precaution. This is standard Stripe practice, not something LancerPad controls or can override.
6. What happens if you win or lose
If Stripe's review finds in your favor, the held funds are released back to your balance. If you lose — including if you miss the response deadline, which counts as an automatic loss — the disputed amount is permanently deducted from your balance, and Stripe charges a $15 dispute fee regardless of outcome (this is Stripe's standard fee, not a LancerPad charge). Not responding at all is treated the same as losing, so it's always worth submitting whatever evidence you have.
7. If the dispute is withdrawn
Sometimes a client contacts their bank to withdraw a dispute after realizing the charge was legitimate. When that happens, the "active dispute" notice in LancerPad clears automatically — no action needed on your part.
8. Questions
For questions about a specific dispute's evidence requirements or deadline, Stripe's own support is the fastest path since they run the review: support.stripe.com. For anything LancerPad-specific, email [email protected].