Settleby is a payment collection tool for UK tradespeople, built around the idea of “getting paid before the job starts.” According to the site, customers are required to pay the full project amount upfront. The funds are then held securely and released only after the customer confirms that the work has been completed. Its underlying payment infrastructure is built on Stripe Connect, positioning it more as a prepaid escrow-style payment solution for local services.
In terms of use case, Settleby addresses common problems for tradespeople, repair providers, renovation contractors, and similar service businesses—such as delayed final payments, invoicing friction, and chasing customers after a job is done. Its workflow connects “customer payment → funds held → completion confirmation → payment release,” reducing the pressure on service providers to collect payment after project completion. In terms of coverage, the page explicitly says “Built for UK trades,” so it appears to be primarily aimed at the UK market. Supported payment methods, settlement timelines, refund policies, and dispute-handling rules are not disclosed in the captured text.
Pricing is straightforward: Settleby charges 1% per project, capped at £29 per transaction. For local service projects with medium to high order values, the fee cap may be attractive. On the compliance side, the page only states that it is “Built on Stripe Connect.” This means its payment infrastructure relies on Stripe Connect, but it does not clarify whether Settleby itself holds any relevant licenses, how funds are specifically held, or what its KYC/AML processes look like. Users should therefore review the full terms before adopting it formally.
The main advantages are its clear positioning and simple workflow. It can help reduce the risk of tradespeople not getting paid after starting work, or having to chase invoices after completion. The fee structure is also easy to understand. The downside is the limited public information available, especially around supported payment methods, payout speed, customer disputes, refunds, risk controls, and customer support. For large projects or more complex contractual arrangements, transparency may be insufficient.
Settleby is best suited to UK-based tradespeople, renovation and repair providers, installers, and small project service businesses that want to secure customer funds before work begins. Access from China is unknown. Since it is designed for UK local service scenarios and relies on Stripe Connect, the feasibility for merchants in mainland China to use it directly would need further verification. Alternatives worth considering include Stripe Connect, PayPal, Square, GoCardless, and Escrow.com.
⚠ This review is compiled from public sources and does not constitute a purchase recommendation. Verify all facts on the vendor's official site. Verify on settleby.com official site.
settleby.com is an United Kingdom Payments provider. TG4G tracks its product information, an overall rating of 7.0/10, and a China-accessibility score of Limited (proxy recommended). Click "Visit Official Site" to reach settleby.com directly.