Money moves when the work lands.

Your client pays into escrow first. You deliver. The money reaches your wallet the moment they confirm.

A woman in a Nairobi room packing a parcel beside her phone
Pay linkPayment secured
KES 3,500

Vintage jacket, sent in a WhatsApp chat. Ships next.

Deal #1042Payment secured
KES 45,000
Billed to
Acme Studios
For
Brand design retainer
Paid inDeliveredReleased
1% + processingPaid by the seller. The buyer pays only the invoice total. Withdrawals are free.
Confirm or 72 hoursMoney is released on confirmation, or 72 hours after payment with no dispute.
Card or mobile money inM-Pesa or bank out, free to withdraw.
Disputes freeze fundsRaise an issue and the money stays put until it is settled.

Two ways to get paid. One way to stay safe.

Whether you bill clients or sell to followers, the buyer pays first and the money waits in escrow.

A designer working on a laptop in a Nairobi cafe

Bill a client

Freelancers, agencies and businesses. No chasing, no "I will pay next week".

  1. 01Create and send an invoiceAdd the client, items and amount. Send by email or WhatsApp.
  2. 02Client pays into escrowCard or mobile money. Held, so not yours yet and not theirs.
  3. 03You deliver the workThe money is already secured and cannot vanish.
  4. 04Sign-off releases to your walletYour client confirms and escrow releases.
See invoices
A hand holding a phone showing a payment confirmation

Sell to a follower

Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok. Drop the link in the DMs and get paid before you ship.

  1. 01Create a pay linkItem, price and the buyer's handle. A secure link, nothing shipped yet.
  2. 02Buyer pays upfrontThat is their commitment, made before you pack anything.
  3. 03Ship with confidencePayment is locked in escrow. Ship knowing you will be paid.
  4. 04Confirmation releases to your walletThe buyer confirms delivery and escrow releases.
See pay links

Every deal leaves a record.

Payment proof plus delivery confirmation gives both sides a full trail. Nobody has to trust a screenshot.

Sample record · Deal #1042

TimeEventState
Mon 10:02Invoice sent to Acme StudiosOpen
Mon 10:14KES 45,000 paid into escrowPayment secured
Thu 09:30Work deliveredDelivered
Thu 11:05Client signed offDelivered
Thu 11:06KES 45,000 released to walletCompleted

A clear countdown.

Funds release on confirmation, or 72 hours after payment if no dispute is open. Both sides see the same date.

  • Proof of payment
  • Delivery confirmation
  • A receipt for both sides

For anyone paid by someone they cannot fully trust yet.

The same escrow works for a thrift seller, a freelance developer and a company importing from a supplier it has never met.

A parcel handed to a courier on a motorbike in Nairobi

Social sellers

Your buyer pays upfront into escrow, so there are no "I have sent it" screenshots that never arrive.

InstagramWhatsAppTikTokDMs

Freelancers and creatives

Designers, writers, developers and consultants who invoice clients.

DesignDevWriting

Agencies

Retainers and milestones, funded before the work starts.

Service professionals

Contractors, tutors and lawyers who want deposits that hold.

Cross-border trade

Importers paying suppliers they have never met, with delivery as the trigger.

20% platform fee

Paid by the seller, plus 3% card or 1.5% M-Pesa processing. Buyers pay nothing extra. Withdrawals are free.

Buyer feeNone

The buyer pays exactly the invoice total.

Monthly feeNone

Pay only when a deal happens.

SetupNone

Create an account and send your first invoice or link.

See your payout on your own numbersOpen calculator

Built to kill doubt.

Three rules the whole product follows.

Held in escrow, not in our hands.

Buyers pay in, the funds are locked, and they are released when delivery is confirmed or after 72 hours with no dispute.

Release in 72 hours at most.

Money moves when the buyer confirms, or 72 hours after payment if neither side has acted and no dispute is open.

Disputes freeze funds.

Raise an issue before release and the money stays frozen until an arbiter decides.

Good to know.

Short answers. The full terms are in the policies linked below.

When do I get my money?
The moment the buyer confirms delivery, or your client signs off, escrow releases to your wallet. If neither side acts and no dispute is open, it releases automatically 72 hours after payment. Withdrawals to M-Pesa or bank are free.
What if the buyer never confirms?
Escrow releases automatically 72 hours after payment if neither side has acted and no dispute is open. The buyer can dispute from payment until release, and a dispute freezes the funds until an arbiter decides.
Which countries and payment methods?
Buyers pay by card (Visa or Mastercard) or mobile money such as M-Pesa. Sellers receive to M-Pesa or bank. InstaEscrow is built in Kenya and works across Africa and beyond, with pricing shown in your currency.
Is my money safe if InstaEscrow disappears?
Escrowed funds are not held in InstaEscrow's own hands, and they are released only on confirmation or after the 72 hour hold.
How much does it cost?
The buyer pays exactly the invoice total. The seller pays a 1% platform fee plus payment processing: 3% on card, 1.5% on M-Pesa. On KES 1,000 that leaves the seller KES 960 by card or KES 975 by M-Pesa. Withdrawals are free, with no monthly fee and no setup cost.

Stop chasing. Start getting paid.

Your next client pays upfront. Set it up in under 60 seconds.

Start free