Our dual-sided protection system ensures fair treatment for clients and freelancers. Here's how disputes, refunds, and payment protection work on Phasely.
Safeguards against inactive or unresponsive freelancers
4-layer anti-fraud system prevents refund abuse
Clients cannot refund funded holds directly—they must open a dispute first. You receive instant notification when a dispute is opened, giving you a chance to respond.
Refunds are blocked for 48 hours after a dispute is opened. This gives you time to upload proof of completion, provide explanations, and defend your work.
If you've uploaded proof-of-completion files, refund requests are automatically blocked. The system flags it for admin review, preventing clients from getting free work.
When evidence exists, our support team manually reviews the dispute. We check proof files, message history, and project requirements before making a decision.
Our admin team manually reviews all disputed refunds with evidence. We check:
Fraudulent evidence results in account suspension.
Once you approve release, payment is immediately transferred to the freelancer and cannot be reversed. Always double-check deliverables in the Files tab before approving. If you're unsure, use "Request Changes" instead to ask for clarifications.
Yes! Any activity automatically resets the expiration timer:
The 90-day limit only applies to completely inactive holds with zero communication.
After the 48-hour response period:
The 48-hour period ensures freelancers have fair opportunity to defend their work.
Typical response times:
You'll receive email updates throughout the process. Include your Hold ID when contacting support for fastest response.
Valid proof of completion includes:
Mark files as "Proof of Completion" when uploading to ensure they're reviewed during disputes. Files should clearly demonstrate work was completed according to original agreement.
Currently, only clients can initiate disputes. However, if a client is unreasonably withholding approval despite completed work, freelancers should: (1) Upload all proof of completion files, (2) Send detailed message explaining completion, (3) Contact support at support@phasely.tech with your Hold ID. Our team will review and can manually release payment if work clearly meets requirements.
If a dispute is opened but neither party takes action for 7 days, our support team will proactively reach out to both sides via email. We'll request additional information, review any available evidence, and make a decision based on the hold history, uploaded files, and message logs. Unresponsive parties risk unfavorable outcomes.
Partial refunds are available through admin review. If work was partially completed or doesn't fully meet requirements, our support team can split the payment based on: (1) Percentage of deliverables completed, (2) Usability of delivered work, (3) Agreement between both parties. Contact support to request partial resolution.
Stripe processing fees (2.9% + $0.30) are non-refundable as they're charged by Stripe when payment is made. Phasely platform fees (2.5%) are fully refunded. For example, on a $100 hold: you paid ~$105.50 total, refund returns $102.50 (original amount + platform fee). The ~$3 Stripe fee is not recoverable.