Useme deals vs traditional contracts – what’s the difference?

When you pay a freelancer through Useme, it’s Useme – not you – that enters into a formal contract with the freelancer. We prepare the required documents and issue an invoice to you for the completed work.

This setup is intended to help you manage international payments, freelancer relationships, and legal responsibilities without additional paperwork.

What makes it different from signing a direct contract?

The main difference is responsibility.

In a direct agreement, you are responsible for preparing the contract, collecting the freelancer’s personal and payment details, transferring funds, and making sure the contract complies with legal requirements in both your country and the freelancer’s.

In Useme, we handle those steps on your behalf. We formally sign a contract with the freelancer and manage the process according to the terms you both agreed to.

How Useme works in practice

No need to draft contracts
We gather all the necessary information from the freelancer – including identification, address, and payout details. The scope, payment amount, and deadlines are defined in a form by a freelancer.

Freelancer identity verification
We verify freelancer identity through a standard KYC process. This helps reduce risk, especially when you're working with a new freelancer. We also check whether the freelancer appears on international watch lists or sanction databases.

One payment for multiple freelancers
If you work with several freelancers, you don’t need to make separate payments. Useme can help you process all transactions together and issue one invoice per month. Contact us to set up monthly billing.

Currency handling
You receive an invoice in USD, EUR, GBP, or PLN. You can pay via bank transfer or card in the currency listed on the invoice. The freelancer chooses their payout method (e.g., bank account, PayPal, Wise) and preferred currency. You don’t need to convert funds yourself.

Copyright and licensing
If needed, the freelancer can transfer copyright or grant a license for their work during the invoicing process. This is built into the workflow and doesn’t require signing or scanning documents.

Pre-payment checks
Before payment, we review the freelancer’s submission to ensure it matches the job description. If anything looks unclear, you can contact either the freelancer or our team. We’ll help resolve any inconsistencies.

When is the contract created?

The contract between Useme and the freelancer is created when you pay the deposit request. This confirms your intention to move forward with the agreed project.

There are two use cases:

If the freelancer already completed the work

This applies if you’ve already received and approved the final files. Useme helps you finalize the payment:

1. You invite the freelancer to Useme.
2. They enter the job details through a form.
3. We send you a deposit request for review and payment.
4. After payment, we create the contract, issue the invoice, and pay the freelancer.

If you’re outsourcing through Useme Jobs

This applies if you haven’t chosen a freelancer yet and want to manage the full process through Useme:

1. You post a job publicly or send it to a specific freelancer.
2. You review freelancer offers and select one.
3. We send you a deposit request based on the offer.
4. Once paid, we create the contract and notify the freelancer they can start working.
5. The freelancer uploads the finished work.
6. You accept the files or request changes.
7. Once approved, we issue the invoice and release payment to the freelancer.