Project Payment Models (for Buyers) (Click here to see this information for workers)

There are two different ways to pay a worker on a project: pay-for-deliverables and pay-for-time. Below is an explanation of when to choose one over the other.

Pay-for-deliverables (recommended for new buyers and/or the first project you do with a new worker): You will pay the worker a fixed price for delivering your entire project (or portions of it, if you setup paid milestones).  If the worker does not deliver to the contract, then you receive a refund of unawarded funds via arbitration. Advantages You are guaranteed to receive either the completed deliverables or your money back. If the worker underestimates the amount of effort the project will take, they are responsible for absorbing the extra cost. You can set a deadline and if the worker agrees to it and misses it, you can terminate the project and receive back unawarded funds. Disadvantages The Rent A Coder fee to the worker is higher (due to arbitration costs), which means they will tend to charge you more for the same job. You commit to completing the entire project (assuming the worker works competently). If you pull out prematurely, the worker is paid for the work they completed and you receive a poor rating from Rent A Coder. You must take the time to define your entire project up front so that the worker can bid.  If this is too time consuming or if you cannot do this, then you should choose pay-for-time instead. Since the worker is not guaranteed to be paid for each hour of work, he/she may prioritize your project lower than pay-for-time projects. Your company's policy may not allow you to use pay-for-deliverables and only allow paying for time. Pay-for-time (recommended for advanced buyers or when doing repeat work with a trusted worker) You will pay the worker for the time they spend working on your project.  If the worker did not work any of the time they've logged (as described below), you receive a refund for that amount. The worker will prove he/she is working by logging into and out of the AccuTimeCard™ application.  This application periodically takes a webcam picture (to verify that the worker is present on the computer), as well as screenshots of the worker's desktop (to verify that the work being done is in fact your project).  At the end of the timeperiod, you can verify the above and then pay only for time that the worker has legitimately worked. If a picture shows that the worker was not present or was working on something other than your project, an arbitrator will verify it and refund you for that portion of the time. This option is ONLY recommended for users who have the time and ability to (1) closely interview workers before the project, (2) oversee/analyze interim work for progress and (3) review the worker's timecard regularly.   Advantages The Rent A Coder fee to the worker is lower (due to arbitration costs), which means they will tend to charge you less for the same job. The worker is guaranteed to receive payment for each hour worked, and has an incentive to prioritize your project higher than pay-for-deliverables projects. (This makes it a good way to reward and maintain a loyal worker). You don't have to define the work up front. This allows for a more experimental or discovery-oriented process. Pay-for-time is also ideal if you need a quick-question answered, desire live technical (or other) support, or are using Agile development methodologies. You can terminate the project at any time and for any reason, without receiving a poor rating from Rent A Coder. (Note: the worker is paid for the work they completed before termination). If your company's policy requires you to pay in this way, you can do so. Recommended if you have a pre-existing employee working remotely, and you need a way to ensure his/her productivity. Disadvantages If the worker underestimates the amount of effort the project will take, you will pay for more hours than you initially expected. There is no guarantee that you will receive the deliverables you desire...only that the worker will work a certain amount of time on your project. Requires close supervision of interim work and timecards to avoid cost overruns.