The process
Simple. Secure. Settled.
We sit in the middle — holding the money, documenting every step, and making sure both sides walk away exactly as they agreed.
The concept
What is escrow, in plain English?
Escrow is a simple idea: a neutral third party holds the buyer's money while the deal is happening. The seller can see the funds are secured, but they don't get paid until the buyer confirms "yes, I got exactly what I paid for."
Think of it as a trusted friend who holds the cash while you inspect the item — and only hands it over once you're satisfied. Except this friend is documented, timestamped, and doesn't lose the money.
PeerSettle does exactly this — for the person-to-person deals that happen every day on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, or in a WhatsApp DM. No more wiring money to strangers. No more shipping a $400 jacket and praying.
Neutral third party
PeerSettle holds the funds — not the buyer, not the seller.
Digital contract
Both parties agree on 6 product characteristics before any money moves.
Funds locked
Payment is secured before the seller ships. Not a promise — a lock.
Verified release
Funds only move when the buyer confirms receipt, or the inspection window expires.
Step by step
The complete transaction flow.
From agreeing on a deal to funds released — every step documented and verifiable.
Agree on the deal
Find your buyer or seller on any platform — Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, or anywhere else. Agree on price and item details.
Create the digital contract
The seller creates the transaction on PeerSettle in under 3 minutes: declares 6 product characteristics that become a binding digital contract.
Buyer pays into escrow
The buyer reviews the declared characteristics and pays securely via Stripe. Funds are held in escrow — the seller cannot touch them yet.
Seller ships with proof
The seller ships with tracking, photographs the package, and uploads the tracking number. For in-person trades, both parties confirm the meetup.
Confirm & release funds
The buyer checks each declared characteristic one by one. Everything matches → one tap releases funds instantly. Something off → a focused dispute opens.
The digital contract
The 6 mandatory fields. Why they matter.
When a seller declares these fields, the buyer explicitly accepts them. That acceptance is the binding contract. Disputes are evaluated against what was agreed here — nothing else.
Condition
New / Used-Excellent / Used-Good / Used-Fair
Sets the quality baseline before any money moves. Eliminates the most common post-sale argument.
Warranty
No warranty → 1 year+
Protects the buyer if something fails shortly after purchase. Declares what recourse exists.
Packaging
Original / Generic / N/A
Original packaging affects resale value and signals care. Must be declared upfront, not discovered on delivery.
Functionality
Works well / Has issues / Parts only / Doesn't work
The most critical field for electronics and appliances. A device either works or it doesn't — this commits the seller.
Visual State
Perfect / Minor wear / Scratches/dents / Damaged
Documents cosmetic condition. "Scratches/dents" declared upfront means that can't become a dispute.
Includes Accessories
All / Partial / None / N/A
Chargers, cables, cases, manuals. What's included is contractual — not a surprise on delivery day.
Sellers can also add up to 4 custom fields (color, size, serial number, mileage, etc.) and a free-text description for additional context.
On delivery
The reception checklist.
This is what makes PeerSettle's dispute system fundamentally different from everything else.
Instead of a vague "I'm not satisfied" button, the buyer reviews each declared characteristic individually — one by one. Every confirmation or flag is timestamped. Photos are required for any disputed item.
Disputes are surgical, not emotional
Only the specific characteristic that doesn't match triggers a dispute — not the whole transaction.
Evidence captured in real time
Photos are required at the moment of delivery — not reconstructed later from memory.
Resolutions are faster
Everyone knows exactly what's in question. No back-and-forth about what was meant.
Reception checklist — iPhone 14 Pro
Condition
Used-Excellent
Functionality
Works well
Visual State
Minor wear
Packaging
Original box
Includes Accessories
All (cable + adapter)
Warranty
No warranty
1 item disputed · Dispute opened on: Includes Accessories
Cable missing. Photo evidence uploaded. Seller has 3 days to respond.
5 of 6 characteristics matched · Partial dispute only
If something goes wrong
Objective dispute resolution.
Our dispute system asks "what does the evidence show?" — not "who do you believe?"
Buyer opens dispute
Within the inspection period, buyer flags the specific characteristic with photo evidence. Photos are timestamped at upload.
Seller responds
Seller has 3 days to submit their response and counter-evidence — their own photos, packing records, listing description.
Arbitrator reviews
A PeerSettle arbitrator evaluates both sides against a criteria-based scoring system. Not gut feeling — objective criteria.
Resolution delivered
Both parties are notified with a clear explanation of the decision. Full release, full refund, or partial. Documented permanently.
Dispute timelines
Buyer can open a dispute
Within inspection periodSeller response deadline
3 days from dispute openingArbitrator resolution deadline
5 business daysAuto-resolution (buyer wins)
After 10 days totalNo transaction ever gets stuck indefinitely. The system takes automatic action when deadlines aren't met.
Not shipping?
In-person delivery is fully supported.
Meeting in a parking lot, delivering a piece of furniture, picking up a car — PeerSettle handles all of it. The personal delivery flow skips the shipping steps and takes both parties directly to the reception checklist.
Both parties confirm the meetup inside the app (with optional location note)
Buyer completes the reception checklist on-site — right there at the handoff
If everything matches, one tap releases funds instantly. No inspection period needed.
If something doesn't match, a focused dispute opens on that specific point — same system as shipped transactions.
In-person vs shipped — key differences
Inspection period
Set upfront (1–14 days)
No inspection period
Fund release trigger
Buyer confirms OR period expires
Buyer confirms on the spot
Evidence for dispute
Photos + tracking + checklist
Photos + checklist (taken on-site)
Time to get paid
Days
Minutes
Video walkthrough
See a real transaction, start to finish.
Under 3 minutes. No narration. Just the actual app.
How to create a transaction (seller)
~90 sec
Video coming soonHow to verify and release funds (buyer)
~90 sec
Video coming soonReady to try it on a real transaction?
Batch 1 testers lock in 0% PeerSettle commission for life. Spots close without notice.