How escrow protects you
Escrow locks your campaign budget when an influencer accepts and only releases when you approve, dispute, or 7 days pass without action.
Escrow is the core protection mechanism for any campaign you don’t run in Self-service mode. Money flows like this:
Your Wallet → Escrow Lock → Influencer Wallet
(top-up) (on accept) (on approval)You stay in control until the deliverable is approved.
What’s locked
When an influencer accepts an invitation in an Escrow or Managed campaign, the agreed amount moves from your Company wallet’s available balance to a campaign-specific escrow lock. It’s still your money, but it can’t be spent on anything else, and the influencer can’t access it yet either.
The locked amount appears in:
- Your wallet ledger as
escrow_hold - Your campaign view under “Funds locked”
- The influencer’s view as “Pending approval”
When it releases
| Trigger | What happens |
|---|---|
| You approve the deliverable | Escrow releases to the influencer’s wallet (escrow_release) |
| You dispute within 7 days | Timer pauses, Keepface mediates |
| You do nothing for 7 days after submission | Auto-release (escrow_release), see Auto-release timeline |
| Influencer doesn’t deliver by deadline | Escrow refunds to your wallet (escrow_refund) |
What you’re protected from
- Influencer takes payment, doesn’t post. Money never leaves escrow until they post. If they miss the deadline, money returns to you.
- Post is wrong / off-brief. You can dispute; Keepface reviews evidence on both sides. See Dispute window.
- Post is taken down later. Refund clawback applies in some cases, see Refund clawback rules.
What you’re NOT protected from
- Performance. Escrow doesn’t refund a poor-performing post. Bad reach or low engagement isn’t a deliverable failure if the brief was followed.
- Subjective taste. “I don’t like the angle they shot it at” isn’t a valid dispute if the brief didn’t specify.
Related
Frequently asked questions
When is money actually locked in escrow?
At the moment an influencer accepts your invitation. The agreed amount moves from your Company wallet's available balance into a campaign-specific escrow lock until the deliverable is approved, disputed, or auto-releases.
What happens if I don't approve in time?
After 7 days of silence post-submission, escrow auto-releases to the influencer. The 7-day clock pauses if you raise a dispute. Auto-release exists so a brand on holiday doesn't strand an influencer's payment.
Can I get a refund for a poorly performing post?
No. Escrow refunds happen for missed deadlines, undelivered work, or deliverables that violate the brief, not for performance. Bad reach or low engagement isn't a deliverable failure if the brief was followed.
What if the post is taken down later?
Refund clawback applies if the influencer removes the post within 30 days of approval. Platform-side takedowns (algorithm flags, content moderation) are not the influencer's fault and don't trigger clawback if they followed the brief.
Pick a service mode that fits, Self, Escrow, or Managed, and launch your first campaign.
See pricing