Refund Policy

1. Escrow Protection Overview

Every engagement on zayase is protected by escrow through Stripe Connect. When a Client accepts a proposal, the engagement budget is charged and held securely in escrow — funds are never released to the Professional until the Client approves the work or the approval window expires. This protects both parties: the Professional knows the funds are committed, and the Client knows they can request a refund if work isn't delivered as agreed.

2. Release of Funds from Escrow

Funds are released to the Professional when any of the following occurs:

• •The Client explicitly approves the completed work or milestone from the project page.
• •Fourteen (14) days pass after delivery with no action from the Client — the escrowed amount is released automatically.
• •The Client and Professional jointly agree to release funds through the dispute resolution process.

3. When Refunds Apply

Clients may request a refund from escrow in the following situations:

• •A project is cancelled before any work begins — the full escrowed amount is refunded to the Client.
• •Work is cancelled mid-engagement — the Client is refunded for any milestones not yet started; completed and approved milestones are paid to the Professional.
• •A Professional fails to deliver accepted work and no replacement is agreed — the affected escrowed amount is refunded to the Client.
• •A duplicate or erroneous payment is identified by our team — it is refunded in full to the original payment method.
• •A Professional's background check fails on a high-risk project that has already been funded — the escrowed amount is refunded in full to the Client.

4. Hourly Engagements

For hourly projects, the Client approves time logs before payment is released from escrow. Hours that have been submitted but not yet approved are refundable. Once hours are approved by the Client, they are released from escrow and are non-refundable.

5. Non-Refundable Amounts

The following are non-refundable once the applicable condition is met:

• •zayase service fees on completed and approved milestones.
• •Hourly time that has been logged and explicitly approved by the Client.
• •Funds released automatically after the 14-day approval window expires.
• •Boost fees paid by Professionals to feature a proposal — these are a separate advertising charge, not held in escrow.

6. Subscription Cancellations

If you are subscribed to a paid membership plan, you can cancel at any time from your account settings. Cancellation stops future billing immediately. Fees already charged for the current billing period are non-refundable, but you retain access to plan features until the end of the paid period.

7. How to Request a Refund

Open a dispute from the project page within fourteen (14) days of the triggering event. Provide a clear description of the issue and any supporting details. Alternatively, contact our support team through the Contact Us page with the project reference. Our team reviews disputes within five (5) business days and notifies both parties of the outcome.

8. Dispute Resolution Process

When a dispute is opened, funds remain in escrow until the matter is resolved. Our team reviews the project details, communication history, and any delivered work. We may facilitate a partial refund if some milestones were completed satisfactorily. Both parties are notified of the decision and the rationale behind it.

9. Processing Time

Approved refunds are returned to the original payment method. Depending on your bank or card issuer, funds may take five (5) to ten (10) business days to appear in your account.

10. Chargebacks

If you dispute a charge directly with your bank or card issuer, we may suspend the related account and engagement until the matter is resolved. We strongly encourage you to contact us first through our dispute process — most issues can be resolved faster and without affecting your account standing.