What is PayHeld and how does it work?

PayHeld is a payment protection platform for freelancers and clients. When a client pays, funds are securely held by Stripe until the work is complete. Both parties approve the release, or payment auto-releases after 7 days. This protects both freelancers (guaranteed payment) and clients (only pay for completed work).

How much does PayHeld cost?

PayHeld charges a 5% platform fee when payments are released. This is significantly lower than Upwork (20% fee) and Fiverr (20% fee). There are no monthly subscriptions, no hidden fees, and no upfront costs. You only pay when you successfully complete a transaction.

Is PayHeld safe and secure?

Yes. PayHeld uses Stripe Connect for all payment processing, providing bank-level security with 256-bit encryption. Funds are held securely by Stripe until work is approved. We never store credit card information, and all transactions are PCI-DSS compliant. Your money is protected by Stripe's fraud detection and dispute resolution systems.

How is PayHeld different from Upwork or Fiverr?

PayHeld has 75% lower fees (5% vs 20%), no forced marketplace (you bring your own clients), payment links that work without accounts, and faster payouts. Unlike Upwork and Fiverr, you keep full control of your client relationships and don't compete in a crowded marketplace. Perfect for freelancers who find their own clients.

Do I need an account to use PayHeld?

Clients don't need an account to pay via payment links. Freelancers need a free account to receive payments and connect their Stripe account. Account setup takes less than 5 minutes with email verification and Stripe Connect onboarding.

When do I get paid as a freelancer?

Funds release when the client approves your work, or automatically after 7 days if there's no dispute. Once released, money transfers to your bank account within 1-2 business days via Stripe. You can also request early release if both parties agree.

What happens if there's a dispute?

If there's a dispute, both parties can submit evidence through PayHeld's dispute resolution system. Our team reviews all evidence and makes a fair decision based on the project agreement, deliverables, and communication. The dispute process typically takes 3-5 business days.

Can I use PayHeld for international payments?

Yes! PayHeld supports global payments in 135+ currencies through Stripe. Both clients and freelancers can be anywhere in the world. Currency conversion is handled automatically, and payouts work in most countries where Stripe is available.

What types of projects can I use PayHeld for?

Any freelance or contractor work: web development, design, writing, marketing, video production, consulting, virtual assistance, and more. PayHeld works for one-time projects, recurring work, milestone-based contracts, and hourly agreements. Both online and local services are supported.

How does PayHeld compare to traditional payment methods?

PayHeld is specifically built for freelance work with lower fees (5%), faster setup, and features like payment links, milestone tracking, and automatic dispute resolution. Unlike direct bank transfers or PayPal, PayHeld holds funds securely until work is approved, protecting both parties. Optimized for $50-$50,000 freelance projects.

Get Paid. Every Time. Guaranteed.

Payment protection for any project. Funds held until you approve the work. Compare platform fees with competitors or browse freelancer profiles to get started.

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See How It Works

Stripe Connect

Secure infrastructure

Instant setup

No integration needed

Calculate your fee

Only 5% when payment releases — no hidden costs

Project Amount

Platform Fee (5%)-$5.00

Activate Premium

See 0% fee

You Receive$95.00

Payment released automatically when both parties approve, or after 7-day review period. Learn how freelancers get paid or get matched with verified talent.

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Three steps. Total protection.

Secure payments that protect both sides—every time

Client deposits funds

Funds held securely via Stripe Connect—untouchable until work is done.

Protected by Stripe

Freelancer delivers

Work with confidence knowing payment is guaranteed. Upload deliverables and mark project complete.

Milestone tracking

Payment releases

Approval triggers instant transfer. No response? Auto-releases after 7 days.

1-2 day payout

Not Just for Freelancing

Payment protection for any transactionPayment protection for any transaction

Online work, local services, personal purchases—secure any transaction with payment protection that outperforms traditional platforms.

Web Development

Home Repairs

Event Services

Buying Used Goods

Consulting

Auto Services

Landscaping

Tutoring

Design Work

How It Works

Secure Held Funds

Funds held until both parties approve

Send Anywhere

Payment links work via text, email, or QR code

Approve or Dispute

Review work before releasing payment

Auto-Release

Automatic payout after review period

Online Services

Web DevDesignWritingVideo

Real-World Work

RepairsContractorsEventsInstallation

Local Purchases

FurnitureElectronicsVehiclesEquipment

Professional Services

ConsultingLegalTutoringCoaching

Any project. Any location. Complete protection.

Whether you're hiring a developer remotely or paying a contractor to fix your roof, PayHeld provides payment protection for every transaction.

See All Use Cases

NewSave up to 67% on platform fees

Plans and Pricing

Start for free. Upgrade to reduce fees and unlock premium features for your freelance business.

MonthlyYearly

Current Plan

Free

$0/month

Start earning with payment protection — no monthly fees

Transaction Fees

5% per transaction

Instant Payouts AvailableN/A

Everything Included

10 payment links per month

1 mediation request per month

3 message templates

Payment protection

Basic analytics

Email notifications

Standard support

Best for: $3K-20K/month

PRO

$29/month

Try FREE for 7 days - No credit card required

Transaction Fees

0% on first $2K/mo, then 2.3%

Instant Payouts AvailableUnlimited

Get paid immediately for all projects. No waiting for admin approval.

Everything Included

0% fees on first $2K/mo, then 2.3%

Unlimited instant payouts (2.5% + $1.50 fee)

100 payment links per month

5 mediation requests per month

Payment Splits (up to 5 recipients)

Milestone Payments

HD Voice & Video Calls (1080p)

Unlimited Message Templates

Real-time Translation (100+ languages)

Advanced Analytics Dashboard

File Version Control

Screen Sharing & Call Recording

PRO badge on profile

Featured marketplace placement

Priority email support (24h)

Search ranking boost (+20%)

Priority in Quick Match AI

Custom profile branding

Unlimited portfolio items

In-call chat & reactions

View tracking for video messages

Smart variable auto-fill

Auto-detect language

Custom reports & export

File comments & annotations

Real-time collaboration

10 GB storage quota

Business

$99/month

Maximum savings for high-volume operations

Transaction Fees

0% on first $10K/mo, then 1.4%

Instant Payouts AvailableUnlimited

Get paid immediately for all projects, regardless of amount. No approval delays, ever.

Everything Included

0% fees on first $10K/mo, then 1.4%

Unlimited instant payouts (1.5% + $1.50 fee)

Unlimited payment links

15 mediation requests per month

Unlimited Payment Splits & Recipients

Advanced Distribution Methods

Everything in PRO

Revenue forecasting

Client performance tracking

Context-aware translation

Multi-language support

Premium support (1hr response)

Full API access & webhooks

Automated payment distribution

Tax withholding & reporting

Waterfall & tiered distributions

Payment routing optimization

Priority featured placement

Custom branding options

Advanced reporting & export

Custom integrations support

Bulk file operations

Custom retention policies

Advanced security features

Priority dispute resolution

99.9% uptime SLA

100 GB storage quota

Compare Plans

Detailed feature comparison across all subscription tiers

Features	FREE	PRO	BUSINESS
Payment Links
Payment links per month	10	100	Unlimited
Unlimited projects
Transaction Fees
Free volume per month	$0	$2,000	$10,000
Fee rate on free volume	5%	0%	0%
Fee rate above free volume	5%	2.3%	1.4%
Effective savings	0%	Up to 54%	Up to 72%
Core Features
Payment protection
Email notifications
Dispute resolution
Analytics & Insights
Basic analytics
Advanced analytics
Custom reports
Data export
Profile & Branding
PRO badge
Featured placement
Search ranking boost		+20%	+20%
Custom branding
Support & Payment Release
Support response time	24 hours	2 hours	1 hour
Payment release approval	24-48 hours	Instant (unlimited, 2.5% + $1.50)	Instant (unlimited, 1.5% + $1.50)
API access
Priority support queue
Advanced Features
Advanced reporting & analytics
Export data (CSV, JSON)
Webhook notifications
File Storage & Security
Storage quota	1 GB	10 GB	100 GB
Max file size (general)	25 MB	50 MB	100 MB
Max video file size	50 MB	200 MB	500 MB
Files per upload	5	20	100
Files per project	50	200	1,000
Virus scanning priority	Low	Normal	High
File versioning
Bulk file operations

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about our pricing and subscription plans

Can I switch plans at any time?

Yes! You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time. When upgrading, you'll be charged a prorated amount for the remainder of your billing cycle. When downgrading, the change takes effect at the start of your next billing cycle.

How do payment link limits work?

FREE tier: 10 links/month. PRO tier: 100 links/month. BUSINESS tier: Unlimited links. The counter resets on the first of each month. This limit applies to both clients and freelancers who create payment links.

How do the platform fees work?

FREE tier: 5% on all transactions. PRO tier: 0% on first $2K/month, then 2.3% above. BUSINESS tier: 0% on first $10K/month, then 1.4% above. Fees are only charged when payments release from payment protection, and the free volume resets monthly.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) via Stripe. All payment processing is PCI-compliant and secured with bank-level encryption for your protection.

How does the free volume limit work?

Your free volume limit resets on the first of each month. PRO users get $2,000/month with 0% fees. BUSINESS users get $10,000/month with 0% fees. Any transactions above the limit are charged at the discounted rate (2.3% for PRO, 1.4% for BUSINESS).

Can I cancel my subscription?

You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings. Your access to premium features continues until the end of your current billing period. After that, you'll automatically downgrade to the FREE plan.

What happens to my existing projects if I downgrade?

All your existing projects remain active when you downgrade. However, you'll lose access to premium features like advanced analytics, PRO badge, faster payouts, and custom branding. Your transaction fees will return to the FREE tier rate (5%), and you'll be limited to 10 payment links per month.

Do you offer annual billing discounts?

Yes! When you choose annual billing, you save 17% compared to monthly billing. PRO annual: $290/year (save $58). BUSINESS annual: $990/year (save $198). Lock in your savings with yearly plans.

Get paid safely on every project

Create your first payment link in under 60 seconds. No credit card required.

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