FAQs: Payments

How does payment work on Storyhunter?

One of the biggest problems for freelancers in our industry is getting paid on time, so we’ve gone to great lengths to try to solve this problem. Our system guarantees that freelancers get paid within 30 days whenever they are commissioned on the platform. Upon completion, Storyhunter will bill the client the amount owed, plus Storyhunter’s service fee. The freelancer will get paid once Storyhunter gets paid, and often times earlier.

We also offer a custom workflow for advances and expenses, along with early payment options for select freelancers.

How much do I get paid?

You work out your rates directly with your client the way you normally do. You’ll be sent the total amount negotiated directly with the publishers (minus any fees for the money transfer or currency conversion, detailed here). Feel free to use the counter-offer tool when you negotiate and let publishers know if they’ve posted a project under the market rate.

How do I get paid?

We guarantee that you’re payment will be issued within 30 days of your project getting marked as complete on the Storyhunter platform (as long as your account is set up and barring any extraneous issues). Our global payments partner is Payoneer, which offers dozens of payment options including local currency bank transfer, pre-paid debit cards and more. Click here for more information about payments.

Are Advances Possible?

Yes, we have a custom workflow for advances, upon request from the publisher. If you’ve negotiated an advance, make sure to ask the client to put in a request with support to get started. The message should include these details:

• The freelancers name
• The project name and link
• The amount of the advance
• The date when the advance should be issued

Depending on the billing setup of the client, Storyhunter reserves the right to discretion on approving advances.

What about Expenses?

Yes, we have a custom expenses workflow in which freelancers upload their itemized expenses and receipts for your approval (read more here). Make sure that your client approves any expenses beforehand, and make sure to upload  your expenses before a publisher marks the project as complete. If not, the final bill will not include expenses.

How do I get paid on Payoneer?

We ask that you enter the email address associated with your Payoneer account in the Payment Information section of your profile. If you do not have a Payoneer account, please create one here.

With your new Payoneer account, you can:

• Get paid in your local currency
• Avoid excessive transfer and conversion fees
• Receive funds to your local bank account, between 3-5 business days
• Withdraw to Bank feature: quick, easy and low cost* access to your earnings.

With Payoneer’s Withdraw to Bank service, you can transfer funds from your Payoneer account, directly to your local bank account in over 180 countries and currencies. Payoneers comprehensive global banking network enables us to transfer funds from a local bank in your country, so you significantly reduce the cost of getting paid and avoid delays.

If you have any questions regarding payment, or in the event that Payoneer is not available in your country, please contact Payoneer Support with all inquiries.

*To withdraw your funds from your Payoneer account to your local bank account outside of the US is $3.00. If your local bank does not accept US Dollar deposits, you may be subject to a 2% conversion fee.

How do I sign up to Payoneer?

Here’s a step-by-step on how to sign up and more info about Payoneer. Note that Storyhunter has different fees than Payoneer publicizes on its web site, so please refer to our help desk for the most up to date information on fees.

What are the fees for the different payment methods?

The most recent payment fee information can be found here. Currently the fees are as followed:

FOR WIRE TRANSFERS OR ACH

• ACH Withdrawal to a U.S. bank account:
• If you withdraw directly to a U.S. bank account, you can choose this option
• Fees: No fee for U.S. accounts
• Wire to a U.S. bank account:
• Fees: $15 per wire + $3 load fee plus your bank’s processing and possible currency conversion fees
• Timeline: Similar to normal bank processing times, withdrawal from Payoneer to your bank may take between 3-5 business days.
• ACH Withdrawal to a non-U.S. bank account:
• If you withdraw to a non-U.S. bank account and elect to withdraw in your own currency, you can do so through Payoneer with lower transfer and conversion fees.
• Transfer & Conversion Fees: $3.00 fee per withdrawal to a non-US bank account.
  If your bank does not accept USD, a 2% currency conversion fee will apply to your withdrawal in addition to your bank's usual international fees. Please check with your bank to understand their rates.
• Please review the list of supported countries where bank transfer is available.

FOR STORYHUNTER PRE-PAID DEBIT CARD

• Withdrawing to a pre-paid debit card:
  We offer a pre-paid Mastercard in order to offer more global coverage. If you are in a location that is under-supported when it comes to international bank transfers, we highly recommend choosing this option.
  FEES:
• $12.00 activation fee
• $3.00/month low-activity fee if you withdraw less than $5 a month.
• Estimated Timeline:
  Typically takes 15 days for you to receive your pre-paid card, but some cases may take 30 days. Withdrawing your earnings to card takes only minutes and can be used in ATMs.

Can you transfer into countries sanctioned by the US?

No. As a US  company it is illegal for us to make money transfers into countries restricted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), including Iran, North Korea, Syria, Crimea, Cuba, Sudan, South Sudan, and additionally, any other country restricted from doing business with the US. Here is the updated list by the US Treasury Department.

What about tax forms?

Because we are a US company, we must collect these tax forms from any user who we have paid out $600 or more during the year. These forms must be filled out before xxxx date every year. Here’s more info about the sign up process:

• After the Payoneer account is properly created, the freelancer will be prompted to complete either a W9 or W8-BEN tax form.
• Freelancers based in the US or who hold American citizenship should complete the W9 form.
• Those based outside of the US and who are not American citizens must complete the W8-BEN
• For Part 1 on the W8-BEN, the freelancer will input their details including their name, date of birth, and address.
• Please leave the SSN and ITIN fields blank and to the right insert country and Tax ID.
• For Part 2, insert the country of residence, then leave the Special rates and conditions section blank.