Escrow Village · Service guide
Escrow payments for freelancers and digital services
A digital service is easy to describe loosely and difficult to judge later. A website, design, written document or technical task needs an agreed scope that both the client and provider can check. Escrow Village lets the parties connect that agreement to a payment-release process.
Turn the brief into acceptance conditions
Write down the actual files, features or outcomes that must be delivered. For a website, specify the required pages, responsive layouts, integrations and handover materials. For a design, specify the formats, sizes and number of concepts rather than using a phrase such as “a professional logo”.
- List each deliverable and its file format.
- Agree dates, review periods and revision limits.
- State who provides text, images, access and other inputs.
- Record what must be handed over before acceptance.
Use milestones for a larger engagement
A large project can be easier to manage as separately agreed stages. A design approval, working prototype and final handover are different decisions. If you use separate escrow transactions for stages, describe each stage independently and check the account fees before funding. Do not assume the platform will create a custom milestone contract for you.
Keep delivery evidence useful
Send progress updates and deliverable links in the agreed conversation. A screenshot can show appearance but may not prove that a website works, that a file is editable or that access has been transferred. Agree in advance how the client will test the work and how long that review will take.
For work that needs credentials, use suitable access permissions rather than sharing an entire personal account. Remove unnecessary access after handover. A verified profile is useful identity information; it is not a promise of professional qualifications or ownership of every item shown in a portfolio.
Handle revisions and disputes before release
Separate a failure to deliver the agreed scope from a request for extra work. Keep the original brief and later changes in writing so that both parties can see what changed. If the delivery does not match the terms, use the open transaction dispute process and provide specific evidence.
Common questions
Can I protect a graphic design or website payment?
You can use an escrow transaction for agreed digital deliverables. The written scope, handover requirements and review evidence are important.
Does a seller profile prove that a portfolio is genuine?
No. Ask about relevant experience, review examples carefully and agree a testable scope. Identity verification and service quality are different questions.
Should I release payment before I receive the final files?
Follow the acceptance conditions you recorded. If final files or agreed access are part of delivery, check that handover before release.
Agree the details before you pay
Review the current fees, eligibility and available methods in your account. Keep the agreed terms and use the correct transaction flow.
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