For customers
You see the payment request before you pay, you can ask for changes, and you review the work before the vendor can request a payout.
Payment Protection
How payments work on SkillConnect
The customer pays before the job starts. The vendor can ask for a payout once the work is approved.
The short version
Why payment confidence matters
Paying someone before an event is stressful. Doing the work and then waiting to be paid is just as stressful. Clear steps help both sides know what to expect.
The vendor sends a payment request. You check it, ask for changes if you need them, and pay. The vendor is told the payment is successful and does the work. You review the finished work. Once it is approved, the vendor can ask for a payout.
Customer payments are processed through Paystack and settle to SkillConnect's Paystack merchant balance. SkillConnect normally initiates the vendor payout after you approve the completed work. An eligible dispute raised before payout can pause release while the issue is reviewed. SkillConnect is not a licensed escrow provider. Release follows the agreement and our Terms.
The steps
Eight steps, in order
Only payments made through the app follow these steps. If you pay outside the app, none of this applies.
Agree
The customer and vendor talk and agree the job, date and price.
Payment request
The vendor sends a payment request. For bigger projects it can be split into milestones.
Check
The customer reviews the amounts, what will be delivered and the dates. The customer can ask for changes before paying.
Pay
The customer pays through the app. The vendor is notified once the payment is successful.
Deliver
The vendor does the agreed work and submits it in the app.
Review
The customer checks the work and approves it, or asks for changes.
Approval
The customer has seven days to approve the work or ask for changes. If the customer does not respond, SkillConnect reviews the case and may authorise release. Payment is not released automatically just because those seven days have passed. An open dispute is dealt with before release.
Payout
After the customer approves the work, the vendor can ask to withdraw. We aim to process a withdrawal within 3 to 5 working days. That is a target, not a promise of when the money arrives.
Agree the details first
Everything depends on the agreement. Write down the date, time, place, what will be delivered and the price. If anything changes, agree it in writing before the day.
Milestones for bigger projects
On a project with milestones, each milestone is paid, delivered, reviewed and approved on its own. Approving one milestone does not approve the others. The project is only complete when all the required milestones are complete and approved.
If something goes wrong
Either side can raise a dispute in the app or by email. While a dispute is open, an amount that has not been released may be held back from release. SkillConnect reviews the agreement and the evidence, and tells both sides the outcome and the reasons. The Terms set out the possible outcomes. Keep your agreement and messages, and contact support@myskillconnect.com if you need help.
Important limits
What these steps do not do
These steps help reduce certain financial risks. Payouts are not instant. A Verified vendor has completed identity checks and filled in their profile in the app. It does not guarantee quality.
- Guarantee a vendor will arrive on time
- Guarantee the work will meet your expectations
- Guarantee a particular result in a dispute
- Mean every payment can be refunded
- Mean money that has already been released or paid out can always be recovered
- Prevent every scam
What it means for each side
Customers and vendors
For vendors
The job is paid for before you start. After your work is approved, you can request a payout. It is not instant.
Illustrative example. Not a real customer or vendor.
Story (illustrative, not a real case)
A customer pays a decorator in cash on the roadside. Later the decorator stops answering. There is no agreement, no record and nothing to point to. Now picture the same job with the details written down, a payment request checked before paying, payment made in the app, and approval before payout. The risk is smaller, though not gone.
Quick answers
Payment questions
Who holds my money?
Customer payments are processed through Paystack and settle to SkillConnect's Paystack merchant balance. SkillConnect is not a licensed escrow provider.
Who decides when it is released?
SkillConnect normally initiates the vendor payout after you approve completed work, following the agreement and our Terms.
Can I ask for changes before I pay?
Yes. You review the vendor's payment request first and can ask for changes.
Can I ask for changes to the finished work?
Yes, where appropriate, when you review it.
What if I do not respond after the vendor delivers?
You have seven days to approve the work or ask for changes. If you do not respond, SkillConnect reviews the case and may authorise release. Payment is not released automatically just because those seven days have passed. An open dispute is dealt with before release.
When can a vendor request a payout?
After the customer approves the work, and not while a dispute that affects that money is open.
How long do payouts take?
We aim to process a withdrawal within 3 to 5 working days. That is a target, not a promise of when the money arrives. Instant payouts are not available.
What happens to the money in a dispute?
An eligible dispute raised before vendor payout can pause release while the dispute is reviewed. Once a payout has been processed, it may not be possible to reverse it through the normal dispute process. This does not affect your rights under applicable law.
Can I get a refund?
It depends on the agreement, the facts and our Terms. A refund is not guaranteed. A partial refund can be made after a dispute is settled. Settling a dispute does not mean a refund in every case.
What should I do before I approve release?
Please review the completed work carefully before approving payment release. Approval authorises SkillConnect to initiate payment to the vendor.
Does this apply if I pay outside the app?
No.
Does the planner on the website take payments?
No. The planner is for your own notes. You pay vendors in the app.