Introducing the Chargebee CLI

How can I request the release of reserve funds in Chargebee Pay?

Problem Statement

Chargebee Pay is holding part of your balance in a reserve, such as a Refund Reserve or Chargeback Reserve, and you want those funds released—often when your account activity is low and you believe the reserve is larger than you need.

  • Funds held in a Refund Reserve or Chargeback Reserve that you want released.
  • Reviewing why Chargebee Pay is holding a reserve against your balance.
  • Checking when held reserve funds return to your Current Account.

Solution

Chargebee Pay uses reserves—Refund Reserve, Chargeback Reserve, Rolling Reserve, and Upfront Reserve—to cover refunds, chargebacks, and payment returns. Rolling and Upfront reserves release automatically to your Current Account after their configured hold period. There is no self-serve control to release a reserve early, so an early release is handled by Chargebee Support after a review of your account.

  1. Review your reserve balance and activity. In the Chargebee Pay portal left sidebar, click Balance Reserves to open the Balance Reserve page. Check your current reserve balances and the Activity Log to see how funds moved and whether a hold period is still active.
  2. Confirm there are no open exposures. Make sure there are no pending chargebacks, refunds, or negative reserve balances that the reserve is there to cover. Chargebee can pull from your Current Account and other reserves to cover a shortfall.
  3. Contact Chargebee Support with the request. Reach out to Chargebee Support to request an early release, and share your account details and recent activity so the team can assess the risk.
  4. Follow the agreed release. If approved, Chargebee may release the funds in stages based on your account's risk profile. Track the returns in the Balance Reserve Activity Log and in Payouts.

Important Notes

  • Reserves are a precaution against refunds, chargebacks, and payment returns, so an early release depends on your account's risk profile and transaction history.
  • Rolling and Upfront reserves are released automatically after their hold period—you do not need to request those.
  • Keep your reserve balances funded. If a reserve goes negative, Chargebee may deduct the shortfall from your daily payouts.