Transparency
The formula is public.
PayCanary uses a deterministic scoring formula. Not AI, not machine learning, not a black box. The same math runs every time. You can reproduce it yourself.
We publish the formula because your trust matters more than our trade secrets.
PayCanary Risk Score Formula
Score is capped at 100. All inputs are percentages except Keyword Flags (count).
Dispute Rate
Refund Rate
Volume Spike
Keyword Flags
Risk Thresholds
Factor weights explained.
Dispute Rate
Weight: 40%Your monthly dispute rate as a percentage of transactions. This is the single most important factor. Stripe's published freeze threshold is 0.75%.
< 0.25%
Low
0.25–0.50%
Watch
0.50–0.75%
Elevated
> 0.75%
Critical
Refund Rate
Weight: 25%Monthly refund rate as a percentage of volume. High refund rates signal product or expectation mismatches, a pattern Stripe monitors for customer dissatisfaction.
< 2%
Low
2–5%
Moderate
5–10%
Elevated
> 10%
Critical
Volume Spike
Weight: 20%Percentage change in transaction volume over the last 30 days. Sudden increases trigger Stripe's fraud detection, even if the transactions are legitimate.
< 50%
Normal
50–200%
Moderate
200–500%
Elevated
> 500%
Critical
Keyword Flags
Weight: 15%Count of high-risk terms in your business description or product names. Terms like "crypto", "gambling", "adult", "pharmacy" trigger automated Stripe reviews.
0
Clear
1
Low
2–3
Elevated
4+
Critical