Skip to content
Menu

A safer way to pay someone you don't know.

Holdipay sits between the person paying and the person being paid. The payment is locked before you meet up, before the seller posts it, or before a job starts, and it's only released when you're happy.
The Holdipay owl giving a thumbs-up with a phone showing a tick

When you're buying

Pay safely, and release the money when you're happy.

  1. 1

    Agree a price with the seller

    Find an item on any marketplace and agree the price and where to meet, as you normally would.

  2. 2

    Lock the money with Holdipay

    Enter the price and pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or card. You see the buyer protection fee before you pay. The money is held by Stripe, not sent to the seller.

  3. 3

    Send the seller your secure link

    Share the link in your chat. The seller can see the money is secured. If you like, ask them for live photos or a short video of the item first.

  4. 4

    Meet and check the item

    Take your time. Make sure it's what you agreed and that it works.

  5. 5

    Release the money

    Happy? Show the seller your QR code, or read out your 6-character code. The money is sent to them straight away.

When you're selling

See the money is there, then get paid at the meet-up.

  1. 1

    Open the buyer's link

    You'll see the amount that's been secured for your item and who it's from. There's no account to create and no app to install.

  2. 2

    Confirm your mobile number

    We text you a 6-digit code so that only you can be paid from this link.

  3. 3

    Add your payout details

    Stripe asks for a few details to pay you safely. It takes about two minutes, and Holdipay never sees your bank details.

  4. 4

    Meet the buyer

    Let them check the item properly.

  5. 5

    Get paid

    Scan the buyer's QR code or type their code. Once the screen says you've been paid, hand over the item. The money usually reaches your bank in 1 to 3 working days.

If something's wrong

Don't release the money. Report a problem and your payment stays on hold while our team looks at what happened. Read about buyer protection.

If you change your mind

Until the seller has added their payout details, the buyer can cancel and get the item price back (the fee isn't refunded). Unclaimed links are refunded in full automatically after 14 days.

Release codes can't be reused

QR codes last 5 minutes and typed codes 15 minutes, so a screenshot or an overheard code is useless later.

If it's posted

Buying from someone further away? Choose "Posted to me" when you pay.

  1. 1

    Lock the payment and share your address

    Choose "Posted to me", pay, and send the seller your secure link and your address in your chat.

  2. 2

    The seller posts it with proof

    They post the item and take a live photo of the postage receipt or label in Holdipay. You'll see it, with any tracking number.

  3. 3

    Release it when it arrives

    Happy with it? Release the payment. If you don't, it's paid to the seller automatically 7 days after posting, unless you report a problem first.

Fair to both sides

The buyer has 7 days from posting to release the payment or report a problem. If they do neither, the seller is paid automatically. If there's a problem, our team reviews the evidence, including the seller's proof of postage.

If it's a job or a service

Paying a decorator, a builder, a gardener or anyone else to do work for you? Choose "A job or service" and pay in stages.

  1. 1

    Agree the job and its stages

    Agree the price with the tradesperson and split it into up to 6 stages, for example materials, first coat and finishing.

  2. 2

    Pay for the whole job upfront

    Choose "A job or service", add the stages and pay. Send the tradesperson your secure link so they can see the money is secured.

  3. 3

    They mark each stage done with photos

    When a stage is finished, they take live photos of the work in Holdipay. You'll see them straight away.

  4. 4

    Release each stage when you're happy

    Happy with the work? Release that stage and only that amount is paid. If you don't, it's paid automatically 7 days after it was marked done, unless you report a problem first.

Good for both of you

The tradesperson knows the whole job is paid for before they start, and you only pay for each stage once it's done. Stages already paid stay paid; if there's a problem, our team reviews what's still on hold, including the photos of the work.