Protection that moves
with your money
Every payment on PaySafer can pass through a structured escrow layer. Funds are held until conditions are met, disputes are resolved with evidence, and neither party is left guessing.
How protected payments work
Four phases from checkout to payout. Funds never move until the right conditions are met.
Payment captured
Buyer completes checkout. Funds are captured by the payment gateway and confirmed within seconds.
Held in escrow
Confirmed funds move into a segregated escrow account. Neither party can access them until conditions are met.
Delivery submitted
Seller marks delivery complete. The buyer enters a 3-day inspection window to verify the goods or service.
Funds released
Buyer confirms satisfaction — or the inspection period expires — and funds are released to the seller. Transaction complete.
Both sides are covered
Buyer protection, seller assurance, and a structured dispute process that doesn't pick a winner before looking at the evidence.
Buyer Protection
Funds stay locked until the buyer confirms they received what was promised. If delivery fails or doesn't match, the buyer can raise a dispute before release.
Seller Assurance
Sellers know the money exists before they ship. No chargebacks through the escrow path — disputes are resolved through a structured evidence process, not card-network reversals.
Admin-Resolved Disputes
When buyer and seller disagree, the transaction freezes. Both parties submit evidence, and an admin resolves within 7 business days. No auto-refunds, no guessing.
Inspection Window
Every delivery triggers a default 3-day inspection period. The buyer can accept early or dispute. If they do nothing, the system auto-confirms and releases funds.
Evidence Collection
Disputes include a structured evidence phase — screenshots, tracking numbers, communication history. Decisions are based on submitted proof, not who complained first.
Mutual Cancellation
Both parties can agree to cancel an in-escrow transaction at any time. Funds return to the buyer. No admin intervention needed when both sides agree.
Transaction lifecycle
Every protected transaction follows a deterministic state machine. No ambiguity, no hidden logic.
| State | What happens | Who acts |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Transaction created, details editable. Auto-expires in 7 days. | Buyer or Seller |
| Awaiting Payment | Buyer redirected to payment gateway. 30-minute session window. | Buyer |
| Payment Confirmed | Funds captured. Brief transitional state before escrow. | System |
| In Escrow | Funds locked. Seller can begin delivery. Buyer cannot cancel unilaterally. | — |
| Delivery Submitted | Seller marks complete. 3-day inspection window starts. | Seller |
| Disputed | Freeze state. Evidence collected. Admin resolves within 7 business days. | Admin |
| Completed | Funds released to seller. Platform fee deducted. Irreversible. | System / Buyer |
| Refunded | Funds returned to buyer. Irreversible. | Admin / Mutual |
Built for real transactions
Escrow protection works across industries and deal sizes — from a $50 freelance gig to a $100K cross-border shipment.
Freelance & Services
Milestone-based payments where funds are held until the client signs off on each deliverable. No more chasing invoices or disputing quality after payment.
Cross-Border Trade
International suppliers and buyers who don't share a legal jurisdiction. Escrow removes the trust gap so both sides commit to the deal.
Marketplace Transactions
Platform operators split payments between buyer, seller, and the platform — with built-in protection at every leg of the transaction.
High-Value Goods
Electronics, vehicles, collectibles, or any item where the price justifies a structured release process instead of a blind bank transfer.
Digital Deliverables
Software, design work, content — anything delivered digitally where the buyer needs to verify before funds move.
Rental & Deposit Holds
Security deposits and rental holds where funds need to be provably locked and conditionally returnable.