Ask HN: Would freelancers concider using a smart contract for fees on services?
Asking for (part) payment in advance [1] is really common, so, say, you could ask for 1&#x2F;3 before work starts, 1&#x2F;3 halfway and 1&#x2F;3 on completion.<p>If these are not paid in time, you are in a good position to pester your client before the job finishes, because you have the very real threat of walking out before the job is done, likely leaving them with essentially worthless WIP.  The threat is so obvious you don&#x27;t need to allude to it, just say that if you don&#x27;t get paid soon, you will need to take other work to tide you over.<p>No need for escrow, which is tricky in the same way as PIA if there are milestones: what if the client agrees to the escrow contract, puts in the first installment, but then fails to put in later installments?  Don&#x27;t you still need to dangle the possibility that the job won&#x27;t get done anyway?<p>If you do want escrow, there are a number of problems with smart contracts:<p>1. They are notoriously difficult to phrase in an exploit-free way<p>2. Your client may be suspicious of the technology<p>3. Cryptocurrency-based contracts are exposed to high volatility; there is an element of gambling<p>There are more traditional escrow services that are not too expensive, such as <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.escrow.com" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.escrow.com</a> - of course you are exposed to risks from the escrow service provider, but with a reputable company these should be small.<p>[1]: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;due.com&#x2F;blog&#x2F;10-invoicing-terms-need-know&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;due.com&#x2F;blog&#x2F;10-invoicing-terms-need-know&#x2F;</a>