How payment works on VirtualMasst
Updated: 5 days ago
Before you can fund a project, the enterprise account and required onboarding need to be complete. VirtualMasst may review registrations and profiles, while Stripe handles the payment-related KYC/AML checks where required.
Once the account has the necessary access, you can post a public or private project, agree the work directly with an independent professional and fund it according to the agreed offer.
Here is how the money actually moves.
Step 1: understand the model How payment works on VirtualMasst
How payment works on VirtualMasst? On VirtualMasst, companies pay independent professionals according to the offer both sides agreed. The rate, the scope and the timeline are settled at the start, so nothing has to be renegotiated halfway through.
Simple, and deliberately so. But there are rules underneath it.
The two compensation minimums
Fixed-price contracts. The current Terms require fixed-price projects to start at a minimum of €300, VAT excluded.
Hourly contracts. The current Terms require an hourly starting rate of at least €15 per hour, VAT excluded.
Those are compensation floors, not a standard project size. The client and professional agree the actual budget based on scope, deliverables and timeline.
There is no blanket 20-hour minimum
For hourly work, agree the expected effort and boundaries clearly. The way the work is organised must still reflect a genuinely independent relationship where that is the intended model.
Platform fees sit separately from the professional's agreed service rate.
A €15 monthly Iris fee and a €35 Calla fee per confirmed hire for independent professionals. Enterprise fees differ for public and private postings and funded projects. Always check the current Terms because fees can change.
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Step 2: post the project and set the offer
When you post, define whether the work is hourly or fixed-price, then set the budget, scope, deliverables and timeline.
Make the offer realistic. Good independent professionals expect good offers, and they can tell the difference at a glance.
Clear scope → fewer misunderstandings
Fair budget → better results
Transparent terms → collaborations that last
Step 3: engage and pay
Once the professional accepts, you are away.
Payments are pre-funded through the platform and held by Stripe. That adds payment certainty, but VirtualMasst remains a technical intermediary rather than a party to the service contract.
Before work starts, the client pre-funds the full project or agreed milestone into the Stripe-managed escrow structure. After completion, the client confirms the work, checks the professional's final invoice and authorises release under the Terms.
Payout timing follows the current Terms: milestones released between the 1st and 15th of a month are scheduled for payout on the 30th of that month; milestones released from the 16th to month-end are scheduled for the 15th of the following month. Stripe and banking requirements can also affect settlement, so the current Terms govern.
Why we set minimums at all
These are not arbitrary numbers on a page. They are the argument.
The minimum compensation thresholds are intended to discourage very low-value listings and set a visible floor for professional work. They do not decide what a particular skill or project should cost.
There is a second reason, and it is about the marketplace itself.
Clear entry requirements can reduce unserious listings, but no platform rule replaces a good brief, sensible due diligence and a properly structured service contract.
Trust, one project at a time
Pre-funding means the agreed money is set aside before work begins. The company still buys services directly from the independent professional, who remains responsible for delivering and invoicing under their own contract.
A professional marketplace works best when scope, funding, fees and responsibility are visible before the first hour of work.
The aim is not maximum listing volume. It is a professional space where the commercial terms are clear enough for both sides to make an informed decision.
A quick note from us. The insights shared here are based on our team's honest opinions and experiences, presented in good faith to help you along the way. This isn't formal legal, financial, or tax advice. Rules differ by country and by working arrangement, so check the current VirtualMasst Terms of Use and consult a qualified local professional where you need advice for your specific circumstances.
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