Paid before you post.
Released when the work is approved. A protected deal is a short agreement and a payment in one link. Here is every step, and the rules that decide when the money moves.
- 01
Create the deal
Write the brief and pick the terms: where you post, how many posts, how long they stay up, what the brand can do with the content, your price, how many days after payment you need, how many rounds of changes, and how long the brand has to review (7 to 30 days).
When you send it, the terms lock. The brand sees exactly what you wrote, and nobody can change it later without sending a new deal.
- 02
The brand pays up front
The brand gets a link by email, and you can also share it in a DM, WhatsApp or LINE. They review the terms and pay through Stripe by card or bank transfer. They don't need an account.
Until they pay, you can withdraw the deal, change it and send it again.
- 03
Funds secured: start creating
Once the payment clears, the deal shows Funds secured and we email you to start. HotInfluencer holds the money as your payment collection agent, so neither side can pull it back while you work.
Use the deal's message thread for questions. It keeps a record if anything is disputed later.
- 04
Submit your work
Add links to the published posts, upload the files (raw video, photos, up to 5 GB each), or both. Submitting starts the brand's review period.
- 05
The brand reviews
They can approve it, ask for changes if the deal has revisions left, or report a problem. We remind them as the review period runs out.
If they don't respond in time, the work is approved automatically.
- 06
You get paid
On approval, we send your price minus our platform fee to your Stripe account, and Stripe pays it out to your bank. On your first deals there can be a hold of up to 7 days after the brand pays.
The rules that protect you
Silence means yes
If the brand doesn't approve, ask for changes or open a dispute before the review period ends, the work is approved and the money is released.
Reminders before the deadline
The brand is emailed when you submit, again with 3 days left, and on the last day.
Changes have a limit
The brand can only ask for as many rounds of changes as the deal includes, and only for what the deal describes. Each resubmission starts a fresh review period.
A code, not just a link
Approving, asking for changes or disputing needs a one-time code sent to the brand's email, so a forwarded link can never move money.
Disputes decided on the deal
If you can't agree, we look at what the deal says, what you delivered and the messages, then release, refund or split the payment.
The full rules are in the Payment Protection Policy and the Dispute Policy.
Questions
When should I start working?
Only once the deal shows Funds secured. Until then the brand hasn't paid, and nothing protects your time.
What if the brand never responds after I submit?
Nothing for you to do. When the review period you chose ends, the work is approved automatically and the payment is released to you.
Can the brand keep asking for changes?
No. They get the number of revisions written in the deal, and each request has to fit what the deal describes. After that they can approve or open a dispute, which we decide on the deal terms.
What does it cost?
Brands pay a 4% service fee on top of your price. You pay a 4% platform fee, and less on the part of a deal above US$10,000.00. You can also cover every fee yourself so the brand pays a round number.
Who can get paid?
Creators in the United States, the United Kingdom, the EU and EEA, Canada and Switzerland. Brands can pay from almost anywhere.
What if the deal is cancelled?
Before the brand pays, you can cancel at any time. After they pay, a deal is cancelled only if you both agree or as the result of a dispute. Refunds go back to the brand minus Stripe's processing fee.
Your next deal, paid up front.
Create your first dealHiring a creator? See how it works for brands.
Not sure how to bring it up with a brand? Here's how to ask for payment up front, with scripts.