Aloe chabaudii is a stemless, perennial succulent plant with grey-green upright leaves arranged in a rosette, and forms dense clusters that grow about 300 to 500 mm tall, up to 1 m high including the inflorescence. The leaves have serrated margins with short pointy thorns at the edges. The colour of the leaves may change to pinkish red when the plant experiences dry periods. The leaves of mature plants have faint thin lines on both sides while young plants have white spots on both sides of their leaves. Aloe chabaudii inflorescences are typically much-branched and rounded to spreading and consist of cone-shaped clusters, about 160-100 mm long, made up of bright reddish or pinkish tubular flowers, 35-40 mm long. The inflorescences appear in midwinter, between June and July. The small, brown to black, angled seeds are released from capsules that dry up and split open. The mature seeds have a narrow, noticeable translucent or white wing. The wing helps the wind to easily disperse the seeds.

Specimens of yellow and orange flowering Aloe chabaudii have been collected in both Zimbabwe and Malawi. Aloe chabaudii var. mlanjeana and Aloe chabaudii var.verekeri are two varieties that are described. Aloe chabaudii var. verekeri is no longer recognised, it was thought to occur in Zimbabwe and was differentiated by its olive green leaves with hooked thorns on the margins, however, plants with these characteristics were found throughout the natural range. Aloe chabaudii var. mlanjeana occurs in Malawi and can be differentiated by its bright green leaves with white margins and shortened inflorescences.

Aloe chabaudii may be mistaken for Aloe globuligemma when not in bloom. Aloe chabaudii’s leaves are more grey and less recurved than those of Aloe globuligemma, and compared to Aloe globuligemma, this plant is often smaller. The lateral branches of the inflorescences in Aloe globuligemma are carried horizontally and the latter species bears globular, club-shaped, deep pinkish blooms that are borne almost entirely vertically.