Escrow, in plain language
Where the money sits at every stage of a Swifli booking, and why this is the single most important thing about how we work.
When you book a service on Swifli, your card isn’t charged the moment you tap "book." Understanding what actually happens to the money is the clearest way to understand the whole platform.
Authorize, then capture
At booking, we place a hold on your payment method; the funds are set aside, not taken. The provider sees a confirmed job backed by real money, so they can show up with confidence. Nothing is charged until the work is actually completed.
On completion, we charge the held funds and split them: the provider is paid their share, and Swifli keeps its platform fee. If something goes wrong before then, the hold can be released or refunded; the money never left your account in the first place.
Why hold funds at all
Escrow protects both sides. Residents don’t pay for work that wasn’t done; providers don’t do work they won’t be paid for. Payment status follows confirmed events, not hopeful promises - which is why disputes are rare and, when they happen, easy to settle against a clear record.