How it works
From risky invoice to funded steps
Take any client project, break it into clear steps between 30 and 999 970 USD, let your client fund each step through Stripe by card, invoice or bank transfer where supported, and Stripe holds the money as a delayed payout until they approve.
One simple example: painting an apartment
You get a request to paint a small apartment.
Instead of one vague price and one invoice at the end, you do this:
• Step 1 – Planning and materials, 300 USD.
• Step 2 – Walls and ceilings, 900 USD.
• Step 3 – Touch-ups and final walkthrough, 300 USD.
Each step has one amount, clear description and what "done" means. All steps stay within the 30 to 999 970 USD range that Flikker supports.
The same project, seen from both sides
For you (the provider)
• You see exactly which steps are funded before you buy paint or start work.
• You only move to the next step when that step is funded inside Flikker.
• You attach photos or files on each step, so approval is about evidence, not memory.
For your client
• They get one contract with 3 steps, each with amount and description in plain language.
• They fund the steps safely through Stripe by card, invoice or bank transfer where supported.
• They can see at any time what is funded, what is delivered and what is waiting for approval.
1 · Contract and steps
You describe the work in your own words. Flikker helps you break it into steps with one amount and clear "done" per step. Both sides see the same structure in the contract.
2 · Funding through Stripe
Your client opens a private link, reads a short explanation and the contract, and funds one or more steps through Stripe by card, invoice or bank transfer where supported. Stripe charges the payment method and holds the money as delayed payouts per step.
3 · Delivery, proof and approval
You do the work for that funded step and attach files or links as evidence. The client approves when the criteria are met. Every approval is tied to a specific funded step, not to a vague project memory.
4 · Stripe pays out the step
When the client clicks approve in Flikker, Stripe releases payout for that step to your connected account. Only that step is paid out; the rest stays parked until it is funded, delivered and approved. Flikker platform fees are taken from what was already funded, Stripe card fees are separate and go directly to Stripe.
What changes compared to classic invoicing
• You do not wait until the end of the project to get paid – each approved step has its own payout.
• You only work more when the next step is actually funded inside Flikker, between 30 and 999 970 USD per step.
• The client sees exactly what they have funded and which steps are waiting for delivery or approval.
• Instead of silent unpaid invoices, you get clear funding, delivery and approval events in one place that both sides can understand.
Start with one real client and one project. Split it into funded steps and feel how it changes the stress around payment.
Many people who start a service business search for how to make sure clients actually pay, how to avoid unpaid invoices and what to put in a contract so they get paid on time. Flikker answers that by changing the structure of the project, not just the wording in the contract. Instead of one big invoice at the end with net thirty or net sixty terms, the work is split into funded steps and each step has its own funding and approval.
The client funds each step up front through Stripe by card, invoice or bank transfer where Stripe supports it. Stripe holds the money as a delayed payout for that specific step. Flikker never holds or pools client funds on its own balance sheet; it controls when Stripe is allowed to release the payout after approval. This gives freelancers, agencies and trades a simple answer when a new client asks how payment works on the project.
Flikker is not a marketplace like Upwork or Fiverr. It does not give you leads, a public profile or a job feed. It also does not charge a commission on every client you bring for life. You bring your own client, agree the work directly and then use Flikker to run that work as funded steps with Stripe based payouts and a clear audit trail. This makes sense if you already have or can find clients but want a safer, more professional way to handle payments.
Flikker is not a bank and does not replace your accountant. It is project payment software that sits on top of Stripe Connect. Funds are held by Stripe as delayed payouts per step until approved, Flikker platform fees are charged as a separate, transparent line, and Stripe card processing fees are kept separate. For people starting a service business, this means you can offer a payment structure that looks like something bigger companies use without hiring a lawyer or building your own payment system.