FAQ about payments

Is my payment safe?

Payment happens on our payment processor’s hosted checkout, so card details never enter AutoGineer and we never see or store them. The funds are then held in escrow until work is approved. Never pay outside the platform — nothing above applies if you do.

What are the fees?

One platform fee, 10% by default, deducted from the expert’s amount when a milestone releases. It is not added to the client’s total. Clients see the full amount they will pay at checkout; experts see their net on every contract and offer.

Who holds the money while it is in escrow?

Our regulated payment processor, on the platform account — not a bank account of ours, and it earns no interest for anyone. It is tracked per milestone, so each milestone is released or refunded on its own.

Can I get a refund?

Unreleased escrow can be refunded by agreement or through a dispute, including a proportional split where part of the work was genuinely delivered. Money already released is a completed transaction and cannot be recalled that way.

My checkout expired. Was I charged?

No. An expired session charges nothing and reserves nothing — the window is 30 minutes by default. Start it again.

Should I use a chargeback?

Open a dispute here first. It is faster, it can split funds proportionally instead of all-or-nothing, and unlike a chargeback it does not put either account at risk. A chargeback is decided by your card issuer, not by us.

What about tax?

Where a tax rate applies it is shown as a separate line and added to the client’s total, never taken from the expert’s earnings. Experts are responsible for their own income tax and any VAT registration — AutoGineer is not your employer and does not withhold tax for you.

Is there a minimum or maximum?

A minimum engagement value may be set, and if so you are told before you commit rather than at checkout. There is a small minimum balance to withdraw (1 by default). See “Platform rules and limits” for the full list.