General Terms and Conditions

The provider is the operator named in the legal notice ("Stipme"). A "Stip" is a project with one or more milestones handled through a payment link. The "service provider" creates a Stip; the "client" pays and approves milestones. Payments and payouts are processed through the payment partner Stripe; Stipme itself never takes possession of customer funds.

Stipme provides tools to create and share payment links with milestones and to track their status, including approval by the client and automatic approval once the agreed review period has elapsed. Stipme does not provide legal, tax or advisory services and is not a party to the underlying agreement between the service provider and the client.

The platform can be used without a user account (via a browser key) or with a user account (registration). The usage relationship with Stipme comes into existence upon creation of the first Stip or upon registration, as applicable. The underlying service relationship (work performance, service contract, etc.) is governed exclusively between the service provider and the client.

Users must provide only truthful information (project, amounts, deadlines, identity for payouts). Prohibited are in particular projects intended for fraud, sham transactions, money laundering, unlawful content, or violations of sanctions and card scheme rules, as well as phishing, identity deception, or impersonation of third-party brands, banks or authorities. Stipme may block the relevant Stips and terminate accounts.

Stipme offers the "Start" plan (no monthly fee, 2.9% per secured payment), the "Pro" plan (€29 per month, cancellable monthly, 1.2% per secured payment) and "Enterprise" (individually agreed terms). The Pro plan is currently in preparation and not yet available; until launch, the "Start" plan applies, unless a free Pro period from the referral program (§ 12) is active. The fee is withheld as a percentage of the secured milestone amount directly at payment through the payment partner as an intermediation share (application fee). In addition, the payment partner withholds its own processing fee (per its price list, depending on the payment method) directly from the payout amount; its amount is shown in the payment statement. The plan applicable is the one in effect at the time the client secures the budget. After launch, the Pro plan is billed monthly in advance and can be cancelled at any time effective at the end of the current billing period; the "Start" plan then applies. Current prices are published on the pricing page; price changes are announced at least 30 days in advance.

The client secures the milestone amount upon payment with the payment partner. Approval by the client triggers the payout to the service provider. If a milestone is not approved within the review period and no revision is requested, it is deemed approved (auto-release). The review period is 72 hours by default, counting only business days (Monday to Friday, Europe/Berlin time zone), with weekends pausing the period; alternatively it is 7 or 14 business days if the service provider sets this when creating the Stip. The deadline is shown to the client before payment and is logged together with their consent.

Before clients can secure a budget, the service provider confirms their identity and bank account once in the guided form of the payment partner, Stripe. This check is legally required (anti-money-laundering prevention); Stipme only receives the verification status from it. Payouts are made exclusively through the payment partner after a milestone is approved, to the bank account on file. Stipme does not hold back any funds and does not have access to customer funds. Any chargebacks or payment failures are handled under the payment partner's terms.

Stipme is not an arbitrator, does not mediate, and does not decide on acceptance or on disputes between the service provider and the client. Money is moved only by the action of a party or according to a rule both parties agreed to before payment.

The number of revisions included per milestone (1 to 3) is set by the service provider when creating the Stip and is shown to the client before payment. A revision request must name the affected acceptance criterion and include a reason. Once the agreed revisions have been used, the client can only approve or propose a settlement (partial approval, remainder refunded); the review period with automatic approval continues to run unchanged. A settlement only becomes effective once the service provider accepts it.

The service provider may refund secured amounts in whole or in part at any time before approval. Refunds are carried out through the payment partner, Stripe, and are deducted from the service provider's share; the Stipme fee is only refunded in the case of a full refund.

Payments are processed on behalf of the service provider, who is the seller vis-à-vis the client. Chargebacks are reviewed by Stripe and the card-issuing bank; any resulting amounts and fees are deducted from the service provider's share.

Stipme keeps an immutable log of all project steps and approvals and makes it available to both parties as evidence. Stipme does not evaluate the entries.

Stipme strives for high availability but does not guarantee it. Maintenance work and disruptions outside our control (in particular disruptions at the payment partner or on the internet) do not give rise to any claim for damages.

Stipme is liable without limitation for intent and gross negligence, for injury to life, body or health, and as required by applicable mandatory law. In cases of ordinary negligence, Stipme is only liable for breach of material contractual obligations, limited to the foreseeable, typical damage.

If a user violates these Terms and Stipme thereby incurs costs or third-party claims for damages (e.g. payment reversals, card scheme rules), the user shall indemnify Stipme. The same applies to claims brought against Stipme by a party to the underlying service relationship in connection with disputes arising from that relationship. Stipme is not a payment service provider and does not hold funds.

Anyone who signs up via a referral link and creates their first Stip receives one free month of Pro as a one-time bonus. The referrer receives one free month of Pro once the referred person has received their first confirmed payment. Free months accumulate, up to a maximum of 12 months within any 12-month period. Self-referrals, multiple accounts, and referrals involving the same person or the same payout account are excluded. In case of misuse, Stipme may deny or revoke credits. Free Pro applies only as long as no paid plan is active; there is no entitlement to a cash payout. Stipme may modify or end the program with effect for the future; months already earned remain valid.

Italian law applies. The place of jurisdiction is Bolzano, South Tyrol, to the extent legally permitted. Mandatory consumer protection provisions of a consumer's country of residence remain unaffected. We are neither obliged nor willing to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board. Should individual provisions be invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions remains unaffected.