Chargeback defense comparison
ChargeGuard vs Chargeflow
Chargeflow is the biggest name in AI chargeback recovery — and their pay-on-success model is genuinely attractive to start. The trade-off is hidden in year two: 25% of everything you recover, forever, with no cap. Here is the math, using their own published pricing.
The 12-month cost, side by side
Chargeflow figure = 25% of recovered amounts (their Automation plan). ChargeGuard figures = published monthly plans or 10% Enterprise.
| Recovered per year | Chargeflow (25%) | ChargeGuard flat plans | ChargeGuard Enterprise (10%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000/yr | $2,500 | $1,788 | $1,000 (10%) |
| $25,000/yr | $6,250 | $1,788 | $2,500 (10%) |
| $50,000/yr | $12,500 | $3,588 | $5,000 (10%) |
| $100,000/yr | $25,000 | $3,588 | $10,000 (10%) |
Sources: chargeflow.io/pricing (25% Automation fee, no cap) and trychargeguard.com/pricing. Annualized, excluding processor dispute fees. Chargeflow pricing verified September 2026.
Feature by feature
| ChargeGuard | Chargeflow | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly fee | 25% of recovered chargebacks, uncapped |
| Entry cost | $149/mo (14-day free trial, no card) | $0 (pay on recovery) |
| Cost at $10k/yr recovered | $1,788 – $5,988/yr (plan-dependent) | $2,500/yr (25% of $10k) |
| Cost at $50k/yr recovered | $1,788 – $5,988/yr — never scales with success | $12,500/yr and climbing |
| Cost at $100k/yr recovered | Same flat price, every year | $25,000/yr |
| Prevention (alerts) | Included in every plan | $29 per deflected chargeback |
| Fee cap | Enterprise plan: 10% of recovery, capped | No cap — fee grows with your recovery rate |
| Dispute fee handling | Included | 25% fee excludes the processor dispute fee (their FAQ) |
| Payment processors | Stripe, Shopify, PayPal, Braintree | 100+ integrations |
| Human support | Email (all plans), priority & 24/7 phone on higher plans | Self-serve; dedicated support on Enterprise |
| Setup | 2 minutes, Stripe OAuth | One-click integrations |
When Chargeflow is the right choice
Fairness matters: if you recover less than ~$10k/year in chargebacks and want zero upfront commitment, Chargeflow's free entry and pay-on-success model can genuinely cost you less in year one. Their data network is real and their integration catalog is wider. We built ChargeGuard for merchants who expect to recover serious money — and who'd rather not pay an ever-growing percentage on that success.
FAQ
How much does Chargeflow cost per year?
Their Automation plan takes 25% of every recovered chargeback, uncapped. At $50,000 recovered per year, that is $12,500/year. Insights is free; Prevent adds $0.40 per scanned transaction after the first 1,000.
What is cheaper, ChargeGuard or Chargeflow?
Below ~$10k recovered per year, Chargeflow's pay-on-success can cost less upfront. Above that, ChargeGuard's flat pricing costs 3–7× less, and the gap widens every year.
Does Chargeflow have a fee cap?
No. 25% of recovered amounts with no cap, and their FAQ notes the fee excludes the processor dispute fee.
Know your real cost before you commit
Get a free chargeback risk audit first — your estimated exposure, the 3 costliest gaps, and what recovery is realistically worth for your store. No call, no credit card.