Buyer workflow

Agree a fixed price with a developer, fund the job, try the delivery live, accept when it works. You get the source. Hosting is optional for that app. Not WordPress or classic CMS (what is supported).

Compared with typical freelance platforms: Why not freelance platforms.

Hire and fund

Find a developer

Invite by username or email. When the public directory is open you can also browse developers. Or post an open listing when listings are open.

Username works if they already use Velcio with developer mode on. Email sends a 14-day invite. From the project you can resend, fix a typo, cancel the invite or assign someone else.

For a directed hire, either Set opening offer or Request a quote.

Agree on price

Directed hires negotiate in Pricing (accept or counter). Open listings lock the price when you accept a proposal.

Talk scope in Discussion whenever you need. You can cancel a draft before funding (Cancelling).

Fund the project

Stripe Checkout authorises the full price. After 24 hours Velcio takes the payment and work starts. Cancel free in that window (no Stripe fee if you cancel before capture).

On an open listing, fund after you accept a proposal.

Set production secrets

Fill every env var the developer declared. Only required keys block deploy. Saving a secret redeploys if the app is already running. Secret values stay with you. Developers never see them.

Review and accept

Wait for delivery

Once payment has cleared, the developer builds and verifies (ZIP or GitHub snapshot). Your review starts only when they confirm. Deployment stays hidden until then.

Review live

In review you get controls and logs. If preview time runs out, use Restart preview.

Accept needs status running. If the work is wrong, Request changes or open a dispute (request changes, disputes).

Accept

Accept transfers ownership. It is not a second charge. The developer is paid after a hold (7–45 days by project price). The clock starts when you accept.

Hosting when you accept

Pick Accept delivery (app stops) or Accept and start hosting.

Hosting at accept includes a trial (default 14 days). Accept without hosting and the app stops. There is no trial later. Web apps can rename the *.velcio.app subdomain after accept.

After accept

Start hosting later from the project or Apps if you skipped it at accept. Billing starts immediately (no trial). While hosting is active you control secrets and restart.

Download the ZIP from Deployment once the project is completed. Not during review.

You can rate the developer afterwards (Verified buyer on their profile).

Open marketplace listings

Post the job for developers to find, instead of picking someone first.

1. New project → Post to the open projects marketplace
2. Verify a card once (Stripe setup, no charge). Stops spam listings. You only pay when you later fund
3. Title, description, at least one skill, budget, optional timeline/tags/questions. Set a match tip delay (0–12 hours, default 2): matched developers get email first. The public board waits until the delay ends or you publish early
4. Anyone with the link can propose while it is held. It shows on Open projects once listed
5. On the project: edit, publish now, close, republish, review Proposals
6. Accept a proposal to assign and lock price, then fund as usual
7. Reject one proposal, or republish if you are still looking

Username and email hire still work. Open listing is the third option.

Code ownership

Accept delivery and you own the submitted source and related work product, as far as the developer could assign it. They cannot reuse it for other clients unless you agree outside Velcio.

Same rule when you accept a funded revision.

Revisions

After completed, fund a revision job for follow-up work. The developer submits a new ZIP or GitHub snapshot for a revision preview. Test it (use different secrets if one credential cannot run in two places). Accept promotes that build and secrets to live and transfers ownership of the revision.

Review runtime is free but capped (default 120 minutes per continuous run). Same cap while the developer verifies. Confirming delivery starts a fresh buyer review window. If the deadline passes with no accept or dispute, Velcio auto-accepts and stops the app. You can still start hosting later.

Hire a different developer for follow-on work

Revisions stay with the same developer. To hire someone else for upgrades, use Start a new project with this delivery on the completed job. That opens a normal new project (direct hire, invite, or open listing). Velcio can attach the prior delivery ZIP under Files. The new developer can download those files only after you fund. Hosting and secrets on the original project stay put.

Plans: Hosting (Starter £3.99/month, Standard £5.99, Pro £9.99. Scale is not self-serve).

Worker secrets

Workers are long-running with no public URL. Set every required key under Production secrets before deploy. Velcio injects them at runtime. Developers never see the values.

After accept, rotate credentials with the provider and update them here.

Request changes

In review, Request changes for fixable problems. Each request uses one included change round (agreed before funding). When you have none left, you can only Accept or Open a dispute. Review pauses. They must confirm a new delivery.

Paid revisions after accept are separate and always billed.

Delivery deadline

Open listings can set a preferred timeline. Developers can estimate days on a proposal. After work starts, Velcio may set a soft deadline (end of day UTC). Both sides get overdue notices. No automatic refund. Use discussion or a dispute if it stalls.

Disputes

Open a dispute after work has started (in_progress / submitted, when the termination fee applies) or during review. You must give a reason. During review, dispute does not need a running deploy. Accept still does.

Use Request changes when the delivery is fixable. Dispute before review if they are not performing and you want to avoid the termination fee.

While disputed, status is disputed. Auto-accept and termination-fee cancel are blocked. Payout stays frozen until an admin decides. Preview can keep running under the same cap. Source download waits until completed. Velcio emails the developer and admins.

Outcomes:

• Buyer wins: refund (or cancel an uncaptured hold). Project cancelled. Developer access revoked
• Closed: back to the previous stage without accepting
• Developer wins (review only): accept completes. Payout is scheduled

Cancelling a project

Stage	Fee
draft or funded (before payment is taken)	Free. Hold released.
in_progress or submitted (after capture, before review)	25% termination fee from the price. Rest refunded. Or dispute if they are not performing.
review or disputed	Cannot cancel. Accept, request changes (review) or dispute.
submitted after request changes	Cannot cancel until a new delivery or a dispute.

If the developer declines during cooling-off, the project cancels and the hold is released (no fee).

Payment wording

• Authorised / funded: full price held at fund. Charged after 24 hours
• Paid / captured: payment taken. Work can start
• Accepted: you own the delivery. Developer payout is scheduled after the hold
• Cancelled (hold released): you cancelled before capture, or they declined while funded
• Termination fee: Cancelling a project

Your data

Account settings → Your data: download a copy, or schedule deletion (30-day cancellable grace). Active projects, open disputes, hosting and unpaid payouts block deletion until cleared.

Stuck? Troubleshooting.