Rolling reserve calculator
Enter card sales, reserve terms, chargebacks, refunds and delivery times to see the reserve held once full.
Reserve held once full
Once full, the reserve holds €300,000 against €301,000 of exposure, and a reserve share of 10.03% would cover it.
Reserve held by day
The dashed line marks exposure, and the reserve falls short until it reaches that line.
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Set each merchant's reserve with rules that read its chargebacks, refunds and delivery times the same way every time. Start free
Show the formula
Reserve held once full = Monthly card sales × Reserve share × Hold days ÷ 30 Exposure = Monthly card sales × (Chargeback rate + Refund rate) × Chargeback and refund window ÷ 30 + Monthly card sales × Sales delivered later × Days to delivery ÷ 30 Coverage = Reserve held once full ÷ Exposure Reserve share to cover = Exposure ÷ (Monthly card sales × Hold days ÷ 30)
Assumes steady sales, a 30-day month, every chargeback and refund lost in full, and nothing won back in disputes.
Rolling reserve calculation
A rolling reserve holds back a share of a merchant's card sales for a set period. This calculator uses card sales, the reserve share and hold days to work out the amount held once full, then compares it with chargeback, refund and delivery exposure.
Payment providers and marketplaces may pay merchants before chargebacks and deliveries settle, while the merchant's cash is held in reserve. Compare the reserve with the exposure, then see what reserve share would cover it.
Common questions
How does a rolling reserve work?
A share of the merchant's card sales is held for a set period. Once the reserve is full, this calculator compares it with exposure from chargebacks, refunds and goods not yet delivered.
How do you calculate a merchant reserve?
Multiply monthly card sales by the reserve share and hold days, then divide by 30. The result is the reserve held once full.
What does a chargeback reserve cover?
This calculator compares the reserve with exposure from chargebacks, refunds and sales delivered after payment. It uses the rates and timing entered to work out that exposure.
How long is a rolling reserve held?
Enter the hold days to see how long each day's reserve is held before payout. The calculator also shows the days until the reserve is full.
How much money will the payment processor hold?
The amount depends on the card sales, reserve share and hold period entered. This calculator shows the reserve once full and compares it with exposure.