Agree the deliverables, deadline and usage rights in writing first, then commit the money in a way that only releases when the work is delivered and approved. Escrow does that: the payment is held by a third party and released on approval. Without it, split the fee (part upfront, the rest on delivery), pay by bank transfer or invoice to the creator’s own business details, and keep every agreement in writing. Avoid paying the full fee upfront to someone you’ve never worked with.
What are the ways to pay?
All upfront — High: the work may never arrive — None
All on delivery — Low — High: they may never be paid
Half upfront, half on delivery — Medium — Medium
Escrow, released on approval — Low — Low
Good creators often refuse to work without some money committed, so “pay on delivery” can cost you the best people. Escrow is the middle ground both sides accept.
What should you agree before paying?
Deliverables: number of videos or posts, format and length.
Dates: when it’s delivered or posted.
Changes: how many rounds, and how quickly each side replies.
Usage rights: where you can use the content and for how long.
What happens if it’s late or not as agreed.
A message thread isn’t enough. Put it in one document or deal page both sides have signed off.
How do you check you’re paying the right person?
Contact them from their official account or the email in their bio, not a number that messaged you first.
Pay to bank details on an invoice that matches their name or business.
Be wary of last-minute changes to payment details, gift cards or crypto.
If they’re represented, confirm the agent with the creator directly.
How does escrow work for creator deals?
You pay when the deal is agreed. The money is held, not passed to the creator. They deliver, you review, and the payment is released when you approve. If something goes wrong, it stays held while it’s settled against what was agreed. More in escrow for creator deals.
What paperwork do you need?
An invoice for every payment, showing the creator’s name or business, the deliverable and the amount. If the creator is VAT registered they’ll add VAT and show their VAT number. Keep the agreement and the invoice together for your accounts.
How Sponsarva handles it
On Sponsarva the deliverables, deadline and usage rights are written on the deal before anyone pays. Your payment is held by Stripe until you approve the content, invoices are issued automatically, and there’s no fee for brands. Get three matched creators or browse creators.
Not in full, unless you’ve worked with them before. Use escrow, or split the fee between upfront and delivery.
With escrow the money is still held, so you get it back. Without it, you’re relying on your written agreement and asking for a refund.
You can offer it, but most creators beyond the smallest accounts expect a fee. A gifted post still has to be labelled as an ad.
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