Understanding Statement Descriptors in Stripe via Chargebee

When reviewing transaction details in Chargebee, you may notice two parameters related to the statement descriptor:

• statement_descriptor
• statement_descriptor_suffix

This article explains how these parameters interact with Stripe, why merchants may see what looks like a duplicated descriptor, and how to configure them correctly to comply with Stripe's character limits.

How Statement Descriptors Work

1. Stripe Prefix

• The part before the asterisk (*) is set directly in the merchant's Stripe dashboard.
• Example: "CHARGEBEE*"

2. Chargebee-Sent Descriptor

• The part after the asterisk (*) comes from Chargebee's configuration:
  • For card transactions → Stripe uses statement_descriptor_suffix.
  • For non-card transactions → Stripe uses statement_descriptor.
• Example: "CHARGEBEE PRIME"

Common Misunderstanding

Some merchants believe seeing “CHARGEBEE” twice in the descriptor means Chargebee is sending duplicate values. This is not the case.

• Prefix: "CHARGEBEE*" → from Stripe (set in the merchant's dashboard).
• Suffix: "CHARGEBEE PRIME" (or a truncated version) → from Chargebee.

Character Limit Consideration

Stripe enforces a 22-character limit for card transaction descriptors, including the asterisk * and spaces.

Example calculation:

• Prefix: "CHARGEBEE*" - 9 characters
• Suffix: "CHARGEBEE PRIME" - 15 characters
• Combined: "CHARGEBEE* CHARGEBEE PRIME" - 24 characters

Since this exceeds the limit, Stripe truncates the suffix, causing "CHARGEBEE PRIME" to be cut off.

Recommended Approach

To ensure compliance with Stripe's limits and maintain brand clarity:

1. Send only the meaningful suffix (e.g., "PRIME") from Chargebee via statement_descriptor.
2. The final output will be: CHARGEBEE* PRIME

• Length: 16 characters
• Well within Stripe's 22-character limit
• Preserves brand visibility on the customer's card statement