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The basics
What is Holdy, exactly?
Holdy is a buyer protection platform for online deals. When a buyer pays, the money is held securely via Stripe until the seller delivers and the buyer confirms. If something goes wrong, either party can open a dispute and we review it.
Is Holdy an escrow service?
No. Holdy is a buyer protection product powered by Stripe Connect. Your funds are held by Stripe (a regulated payment service provider in Ireland), not by Holdy. We never touch your money directly.
Who pays the fee — buyer or seller?
The buyer pays a small protection fee on top of the deal amount: 8% up to €250, 6.5% between €250 and €1,000, and 5% between €1,000 and €5,000. Sellers receive 100% of the agreed price — no platform fees for them.
Do I need an account to pay?
Yes, a free Holdy account is required so we can notify you about delivery, let you open disputes, and give you access to your invoices. Sign-up takes about 30 seconds.
What's the minimum and maximum deal size?
The minimum is €30 and the maximum per deal is €5,000. For deals larger than that, contact support@getholdy.com — we can split them into milestones.
For buyers
When is the seller paid?
The seller is paid only after you confirm delivery. If you haven't confirmed within 7 days of the seller submitting delivery, funds are automatically released. Before that window, you can dispute if something is wrong.
What if the seller never delivers?
Open a dispute. Go to the deal page and click "Open a dispute" — you describe what's missing, attach any evidence, and the seller has 48 hours to respond. If they don't or can't justify the delay, you get a full refund.
Can I get a refund if I just change my mind?
Not automatically — but you can request a mutual refund. If the seller agrees, we process a full refund (including the fee) with no impact on anyone's trust score. If the seller refuses, the deal continues and you can only dispute if the delivery is actually wrong.
How long do refunds take?
Refunds are initiated immediately via Stripe and typically land in your bank within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your card issuer or bank.
Which payment methods do you support?
All major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), iDEAL, Bancontact, SEPA Direct Debit, and Apple/Google Pay. Exact availability depends on your country and is handled by Stripe at checkout.
For sellers & freelancers
How do I get paid?
You connect a Stripe account (takes ~2 minutes during signup) and payouts are transferred there automatically once the buyer confirms delivery. From Stripe, payouts land in your bank account on your configured schedule — usually 1–2 business days.
Does Holdy take a cut from my earnings?
No. You keep 100% of what you charge. The buyer pays a protection fee on top — Holdy and Stripe split that fee. Stripe's card processing fees come out of that, not your earnings.
What happens if the buyer opens a false dispute?
You get 48 hours to respond. If you delivered via Holdy, we have timestamped and hashed proof of delivery. We review both sides' evidence plus the chat log, then make a decision. If the delivery clearly matches the agreed deliverables, the dispute is resolved in your favor.
Can I use Holdy for recurring payments or subscriptions?
Not yet. Holdy is built for one-off protected deals (up to 90 days). For ongoing subscriptions, use regular Stripe or a dedicated subscription tool.
Trust & security
What's a trust level and how do I raise it?
Trust levels are automatic labels (New, ID Verified, Verified, Trusted, Top Rated) based on completed deals, ratings, and dispute rate. Raise it by completing deals successfully, getting positive reviews, and keeping disputes low.
Is my payment information safe?
Holdy never sees your card details. Everything goes through Stripe, which is PCI-DSS Level 1 certified. Our own platform uses TLS 1.3, row-level security on all data, SHA-256 hashing for delivery files, and encrypted storage.
Where is my data stored?
All user data is stored in the EU (AWS Frankfurt, via Supabase). Payments go through Stripe's Irish entity. We're fully GDPR compliant. See our Privacy Policy.
Can I delete my account?
Yes. Any time, via Settings → Delete account. You'll need to resolve any active deals first. Transaction records are retained 7 years for Dutch tax law compliance, but your personal profile + uploaded files are removed immediately.
Billing & invoices
Do I get an invoice?
Yes. A VAT-compliant invoice for the Holdy protection fee is emailed to you automatically as soon as payment completes. You can also download any invoice from your dashboard under Invoices.
I'm a business with a VAT number — do you handle reverse charge?
Yes. At checkout you can enter your VAT number. If it's a valid EU VAT ID (not Dutch), we apply reverse charge (0% VAT) per Article 196 of Directive 2006/112/EC. For non-EU buyers, 0% VAT as export of services.
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