Protected Payments & disputes
Coming soon. Milestone payments through LanceNest aren’t available yet. For now, clients and freelancers agree on payment directly, and LanceNest isn’t a party to those payments. This page describes how Protected Payments will work once they open.
1. Agree on the milestone
Each milestone has a title, an amount, and a description of the deliverable. Put the scope and acceptance criteria in writing in the contract messages before funding.
2. The client funds it
The payment is held through Stripe Connect before work starts. LanceNest is not an escrow agent.
3. The freelancer submits
Submitting requires a note saying what was delivered and where to find it — a link or file name.
4. The client responds
Approve to release payment, or request changes by saying what doesn’t match the agreed scope.
5. Reminder, then automatic release
If the client takes no action, a reminder is sent 3 days before the payment releases automatically, 14 days after submission.
6. Disputes freeze the milestone
Either side can open a dispute before release. The payment stays held while LanceNest reviews it.
How disputes are decided
- Both sides may submit evidence — messages, files, and the agreed scope — within 5 business days of the dispute opening.
- LanceNest reviews the contract record and releases the payment to the freelancer or refunds the client.
- Disputes over $2,500 receive a second review before a decision.
- Card-network chargebacks, payment-processor rules, and the law can override a platform decision.
Booking fee
When a client hires a freelancer, the client pays LanceNest a booking fee of 5% of the agreed price, at least $4.99 and at most $499. Freelancers pay nothing to be booked, unless they choose to cover the fee for their client (their listing or proposal then says “No booking fee”, and they pay it to confirm the job). The fee is shown before payment and refunded if the freelancer declines within 48 hours, before the two of you start talking details. Contact details can be shared once the job is booked. If the job grows and the freelancer’s invoices add up to more than the booked price, the fee follows the invoiced total (still 5%, at most $499 in all), and the difference is paid before the invoice is sent.
| Job price | Booking fee |
|---|---|
| $50 | $4.99 |
| $400 | $20 |
| $1,500 | $75 |
| $3,000 | $150 |
| $6,000 | $300 |
| $15,000 | $499 |
This applies to every hire while milestone payments are coming soon.
Payment fees (once milestone payments open)
Clients pay 5% by card or 3% by bank transfer, plus a one-time contract fee based on the contract’s size ($0 under $100, $4.99 under $1,000, $9.99 from $1,000), shown before payment. Freelancers pay 10% on Free, 7% on Pro, or 5% on Career Accelerator, so they keep at least 90%. Each milestone is at least $25. On a refund, the milestone amount is returned in full; the client service fee (the percentage and the contract fee) is not, because it covers payment processing.
Full terms: Terms of Service · Trust & verification