Escrow & Payment Policy

Surcal uses a strict Escrow system to ensure buyers get what they paid for, and sellers get paid for their hard work. In plain English, here is how our ecosystem processes payments:

1. How Escrow Works

When a buyer accepts a seller's bid, the buyer must pay the full amount upfront. This money does not go directly to the seller; instead, it is securely held in an Escrow account managed by our payment partner, Stripe. The seller is instantly notified that the funds are secured and they can confidently begin work.

2. When Are Funds Released?

Funds are released to the seller's connected Stripe account when the buyer explicitly confirms delivery in their Surcal dashboard. If the buyer does not confirm delivery, funds will be auto-released exactly 3 days after the seller marks the request as "Delivered," unless the buyer opens a dispute.

3. What Happens in a Dispute?

We pause the delivery timer and Escrow release process as soon as a dispute is opened. The funds will remain safely held in Escrow while a Surcal mediation team member works with both parties to reach a resolution.