Safety
Money, safety and how Flikker sits on top of Stripe
Flikker is software on top of Stripe. Funds for each step are held by Stripe as delayed payouts until approval. Flikker never holds client money; it gives both sides structure, evidence and an audit trail around those payouts.
Who actually holds the money
• When a client funds a step, Stripe handles the payment. That can be by card, invoice or bank transfer depending on what Stripe supports in your region.
• Stripe keeps the amount as a delayed payout to your connected Stripe account for that specific funded step.
• Flikker never pools client money, never runs its own wallet and never moves funds outside Stripe.
• Approval in Flikker is the signal that this funded step is ready for payout in Stripe. Until then it stays clearly marked as on hold.
• If you and the client agree to cancel a funded step before payout, Stripe can refund 100 percent of that funded amount back to the client's payment method. Flikker does not take a platform fee on steps that are fully refunded before payout.
What both sides see during a project
• Both client and provider see the same contract, funded steps, amounts and approval status in one place.
• Each step has its own clear description, amount and proof so there is less room for misunderstanding.
• Before approval the money is visible as held by Stripe, not yet paid out. After approval that step moves into payout.
• This structure builds trust on both sides. The client knows what is funded, you know what you can safely work on.
• If a step is not approved, it does not release. You either improve the work, adjust scope or agree to cancel and refund that step instead of silently carrying unpaid work.
What happens if there is a dispute
• If something feels off, both sides see the same contract, funded steps, files and approval events instead of digging through email threads.
• In practice you talk, improve the work, adjust scope or agree on a partial or full refund for one or more steps. The history inside Flikker makes those talks concrete.
• As long as a funded step has not been released, it can be refunded in full back to the client. Flikker does not earn a platform fee on cancelled projects.
• Clients still have their normal card dispute and chargeback options through Stripe if something serious happens.
• Flikker does not decide who is right. It makes the facts easier to see so that you, your client and Stripe can make better decisions.
Not a bank and not a marketplace
• Flikker is not a bank, savings product or investment platform. It never lends out or reuses client funds.
• Flikker is not a public marketplace like Upwork or Fiverr. There is no job board, no bidding system and we do not take a cut for matching you with clients.
• You bring your own clients, agree on scope directly and use Flikker to turn that agreement into funded steps with clear proof and payouts via Stripe.
• This means you keep full control of your client relationships while still getting the structure and safety benefits.
Fees and separation between Flikker and Stripe
• Flikker fee is a clear platform fee per funded step. It pays for contracts, evidence storage, reminders and the audit trail around each approval and release.
• Flikker fee is only taken on steps that actually release to your Stripe account. If a funded step is fully refunded before payout, Flikker's fee for that step is zero.
• Stripe processing fees for card, invoice and bank transfer are separate and go directly to Stripe. We never blend Stripe fees into the Flikker fee line.
• In every project we aim to show which part is Flikker platform fee and which part is Stripe fees so you and your client can see where money is going.
• On Free the Flikker fee is higher and payouts are more conservative. On Pro and Business the fee is lower and we aim to use the fastest payout lanes Stripe supports in your region.
Stripe payout timing and step limits
• When a funded step is approved, Flikker sends a clear signal to Stripe that this payout is ready. From there, timing depends on your Stripe payout schedule, country, currency and bank.
• First payouts can take longer while Stripe verifies your account and business. Later payouts usually follow a stable pattern.
• On Pro and Business we aim to use the fastest payout options that Stripe offers in your region where that is supported.
• Each funded step in Flikker sits between 30 and 999 970 USD or local equivalent. Client Protect is a 29 dollar per project add on for extra comfort, but the core step limits stay the same.
Sign in, pick one real project and turn it into funded steps. Your client sees a clear explanation, you both see the same funding, refund and approval history, and Stripe keeps the money as delayed payouts until each step is approved.
Flikker is designed for people who run client projects and worry about unpaid invoices, cancellation and late payment. Instead of sending one big invoice at the end and hoping the client pays, you break the work into funded steps. Each step has a clear description, a single amount between 30 and 999 970 USD and files or links as proof. The client funds each step up front through Stripe using card, invoice or bank transfer depending on what Stripe supports in that country. Stripe holds the money as a delayed payout for that specific funded step until the client approves.
Many freelancers, agencies and small business owners search for ways to avoid unpaid work when they start a company. Classic advice focuses on contracts, but even a good contract does not automatically put money into your account if a client delays or disappears. It often costs time and money to enforce. Flikker focuses on structure and timing instead. Money and delivery move together in funded steps so you never work far ahead of what has actually been funded, and the client always knows what they have paid for. If a step is never approved and you agree to cancel, that funded step can be refunded in full back to the client, and Flikker does not earn a platform fee on that step.
Safety in Flikker comes from how it is built on top of Stripe rather than from holding money itself. Stripe is a large, regulated payment provider used by many software platforms. When a client pays, Stripe charges their card or processes their invoice and holds the money as a delayed payout to the provider's connected account. Flikker never takes custody of client funds and never runs its own balance of user money. It sends structured instructions to Stripe based on contract, funded steps and approval events. The provider keeps their direct relationship with Stripe and can see payouts in their Stripe dashboard as normal.
Flikker is not a bank and not a marketplace like Upwork or Fiverr. There is no public profile, no job listing and no bidding. You bring your own clients from existing relationships, referrals or your own marketing. Flikker helps you answer questions like how do I structure my first client project, how do I make sure my client actually pays, how can I protect my small business from unpaid work and how do I keep the client safe at the same time. The client can see that their money is held by Stripe until they approve a clearly defined step, and that if a step is cancelled before payout they can get 100 percent of that funded amount back.
For people who are thinking about starting a business or already run a small studio, agency or trade company, the safety model in Flikker can replace vague payment terms and uncomfortable debt collection with a clearer structure that feels fair. Instead of net thirty or net sixty invoices with no guarantee, they run funded steps with Stripe based delayed payouts. Flikker provides the project layer, audit history and refund logic. Stripe provides the actual payment rails, card processing and payouts into your bank account.