The three safety layers
- Verification — ID + booking history + reviews visible on the profile
- Escrow — payment held by the platform until after the event
- Written contract — set times, fees, cancellation, refund policy
Red flags
- Only accepts bank transfer, no card / escrow option
- No reviews and no verifiable prior bookings
- Insists on full payment upfront
- Won't sign a contract
- Communication moves off-platform quickly
Green flags
- Verified badge on the profile
- Reviews from bookings with visible event dates
- Public liability insurance certificate on request
- Digital contract with cancellation ladder
- Escrowed payment through the platform
If something goes wrong
On StageSide, if the act cancels or doesn't perform, you raise a dispute inside the platform. Funds stay held until admin reviews and decides — release, partial refund, or full refund. That's the difference from paying an act direct: your money isn't gone until the event has actually happened.
"Ninety-nine percent of online music bookings are fine. The 1% that aren't are almost always the ones that skipped the contract and paid in full up front."
Book with buyer protection on StageSide.
How escrow works
