How it works

One guaranteed payment, start to finish

From posting a job to taxes handled — here's exactly what happens, step by step. No surprises, no chasing invoices.

1
Create the job

Set the scope, deadline, and price for your freelancer.

2
Fund & hold

The money is locked in escrow — your freelancer can see it before they start.

3
Work delivered

They do the work knowing payment is guaranteed, then upload it for review.

4
Approve & release

One tap pays them out, instantly — no net-30, no chasing invoices.

5
Taxes set aside

A slice of every payout is auto-saved to their tax vault. April stops hurting.

How we compare

Your freelancer keeps 100%

Marketplaces take a cut out of the freelancer’s pay. On Paper charges the creator a small fee instead — so the person who did the work keeps every dollar.

Recommended
On Paper
Fiverr
Upwork
Freelancer keeps
100%
~80%
~90%
Cut from the freelancer
None
Up to 20%
10%
What it costs you
5% on top
20% + ~5.5%
10% + fees
Guaranteed escrow
Automatic tax set-aside
Clean books & CSV exports
Works with your own team

Competitor fees are approximate and as publicly listed; check their current terms. On Paper isn’t a marketplace — it’s the payment rail for people who already work together.

Both sides, one deal

However you show up, you’re covered

Pay once, we handle the rest

Fund a job and On Paper splits the payout, reserves the freelancer’s taxes, and keeps the record — automatically.

Your freelancer trusts the deal

The money is locked in escrow before they start, so there’s no “did the check clear?” tension.

Books your accountant will love

Every job categorized, every payout logged, one-click CSV export at tax time.

Look like a real employer

Guaranteed pay and automatic tax set-aside make you the client freelancers want to work with again.