Updated 15 October 2026
Paying a deposit to a DJ or artist you have never met is a leap of faith. Escrow removes most of that risk: the money is held safely until the performance has happened. Here is how it works on GigFinder, and what to check before you pay anyone.
What escrow means
Escrow means a neutral party holds the money while a deal is in progress. The person paying knows the money cannot disappear before they get what they paid for, and the person being paid knows the money is real and waiting for them.
For event bookings this solves an old problem. Organisers worry about paying an act that never shows up, and artists worry about travelling to a gig and then chasing payment for weeks.
How it works on GigFinder
- Agree the booking. Send a request from the artist’s profile and agree the date, times and final quote in the GigFinder chat.
- Pay through GigFinder. You pay the full booking fee upfront through GigFinder’s secure checkout, by EFT or another major South African payment method.
- The money is held in escrow. It is held by GigFinder’s appointed payment partner, not paid to the artist yet.
- The event happens. The artist performs as agreed.
- You release the payment. You share your 4 digit confirmation code with the artist’s label or booking agent. They enter it on GigFinder and the money is released to them, and they pay the artist.
Keep your 4 digit code private until the performance is done. It is what releases the money.
Why it protects both sides
For organisers
- Your money is not in the artist’s account before the event.
- Every detail you agreed is recorded in the GigFinder chat.
- Clear refund rules apply if you need to cancel.
For artists and labels
- The money is confirmed before you travel or turn down other work.
- No chasing invoices after the event.
- Payment is released as soon as the organiser shares the confirmation code.
Book with your payment protected. Find your artist on Discover and book directly on their profile.
If you need to cancel
- Cancel within 48 hours of paying and you get 100% of the booking fee back.
- Cancel more than 48 hours after paying and you get 85% back. GigFinder keeps its 15% platform fee.
- Cancellations after the event has started are handled case by case under the Refund Policy.
Refunds go back to the payment method you used, and banks can take several working days to clear them. The full rules are in the Refund Policy.
What to check before you pay a deposit
Whether you book on GigFinder or anywhere else, these checks protect you:
- Pay on the platform. Payments made outside GigFinder are not protected by escrow or the Refund Policy.
- Check who you are dealing with. On GigFinder, the artist’s label or booking agent is shown on the booking. Be careful with anyone who contacts you separately claiming to represent the same artist.
- Get it in writing. Date, arrival time, set length, sound, travel and overtime should all be agreed in the chat.
- Be wary of pressure. Urgent requests to pay today, discounts for paying cash, or a personal bank account in someone else’s name are warning signs.
- Confirm the practical details. Who supplies sound and power, where the artist parks and who meets them at the venue.
Frequently asked questions
Who holds the money when I book on GigFinder?
Your payment is held in escrow by GigFinder’s appointed payment partner. It is not paid to the artist or their label until you share your 4 digit confirmation code after the performance.
When does the artist get paid?
After the event. You share your confirmation code with the artist’s label or booking agent, they enter it on GigFinder, and the money is released to them. The label then pays the artist.
What if the artist does not show up?
Do not share your confirmation code. Contact GigFinder support straight away. The payment stays in escrow while the problem is sorted out.
Can I pay the artist directly to save money?
We advise against it. A payment made outside GigFinder is not protected by escrow or the Refund Policy, so you carry all the risk if something goes wrong.