Client filed a payment dispute after work was delivered
A freelancer delivered their service in full, only to have the client dispute the charge with their bank, reversing the payment. This is a real risk for solo SaaS builders and freelancers. The thread highlights why keeping proof of delivery and solid contracts matter.
A chargeback happens when a buyer tells their bank or payment processor they didn't receive a service — or simply deny authorizing the charge. The bank then pulls the money back from the seller automatically, often before any investigation. Without clear proof of delivery, sellers usually lose, and platforms like Stripe also charge an extra dispute fee (around $15) on top.
The community's top advice: always collect timestamped proof when you finish work (screenshots, email confirmations, screen recordings), include a no-refund clause in your contract for completed deliverables, and split large projects into milestone payments so you're never owed the full amount at once. Requiring a larger upfront deposit on bigger projects was also strongly recommended.
Key points
- A client can reverse a payment via their bank even after you fully deliver the work
- Save timestamped proof of completion (emails, screen recordings) every time
- Add a clear no-refund clause to your contract for delivered work
- Split projects into milestone payments to limit how much you can lose at once
- Payment platforms like Stripe charge sellers an extra fee whenever a dispute is filed
Quick term guide
- client
- The game interface program you use to connect to a server and actually play
- dispute
- A formal way to ask a shopping site to step in and help you get a refund when a seller makes a mistake.
- SaaS
- Software that people use online, usually paid for by subscription.
- build
- A chosen set of in-game abilities or items a player equips for their character.
- thread
- A single conversation flow where messages are stored in order
- chargeback
- When a buyer asks their bank to forcibly reverse a payment, pulling money back from the seller's account
- milestone payment
- Breaking a project into stages and getting paid after each stage is completed, instead of all at the end
- TRON
- A compact data format made to describe tool use with fewer words for AI systems.