When a client pays you through Mellow, you send them either an offer or an invoice. These aren’t sequential steps – they’re two different routes to the same destination: money on your balance. The choice comes down to one thing: whether the work is completed yet.
How they differ
| Offer | Invoice |
What it is | A prepaid invoice with a payment guarantee | An invoice for work you’ve already done |
When it fits | The work is still ahead | The work is already done |
Money | The client pays upfront, and Mellow holds the funds until both sides confirm the work is done | The client pays by bank transfer via a link |
Client registration | Required | Not required – just a short company check before the first payment |
Team work | An offer can be split into tasks for each contributor | – |
With an offer, the money is secured before work begins – the client deposits it upfront, and you receive it only once both sides confirm the work is done. Mellow holds the funds in escrow until the project is complete. An invoice is the simpler option: no escrow, just a straightforward payment for work that’s already done.
Choose an offer when:
You’re working with a client for the first time
You want to lock in the terms and scope upfront
You want payment guaranteed before work begins
An invoice is a better fit when:
The work is already done
The client just needs a quick, easy way to pay
The client doesn’t want to register with Mellow
The fee is 5% either way – and you decide whether you or your client covers it when you create the document.
After your client pays the offer or invoice, the money reaches your balance within one to three business days, depending on bank processing times.
How to send an offer to a client
Your client doesn’t need a Mellow account yet – they’ll create one when they follow your link.
Create an offer in your dashboard. Choose the service, describe the work, add your client’s details, and set the amount, currency, and work status – Service provided or Service not provided. You can start from scratch or copy an existing offer and adjust it for the new task. If a team is working on the project, you can split the offer into separate tasks – one per contributor.
Send the client a link to the offer. What happens next depends on the work status you chose.
The work status is key – it determines how payment works.
Service not provided – the Secure Deal applies: the client deposits the money before work begins, and you receive it once they accept the result.
Service provided – no funds are reserved upfront: the client accepts the offer and pays right away.
Important! The Secure Deal only applies with the Service not provided status. With Service provided, there’s no upfront deposit – the client pays when they accept the offer.
If the work isn’t done yet
The client signs in to Mellow (or registers), adds funds to their balance, and accepts the offer – the offer then moves to the In progress status.
Once the work is finished, mark the tasks as complete and attach any result files if needed.
The client reviews the work and confirms it – the money lands on your balance immediately, ready to withdraw.
For more on how offer payments work, see the separate article.
If the work is already done
The process is the same, just without the upfront deposit.
The client registers and accepts the offer – no deposit needed.
From there, they pay whichever way they prefer: from their balance or by bank transfer using the payment details they receive.
After payment, the money reaches your balance, ready to withdraw.
And if this client has paid you through Mellow before, you don’t need to send a link to the offer at all – the invoice will arrive in their email automatically.
How to send an invoice to a client
An invoice is simpler all around – the client won’t even need to register with Mellow.
Create an invoice in your dashboard. Choose the service, describe the work, add your client’s details, and set the amount, currency, and who pays the fee – you or the client. You can start from scratch or copy an existing invoice and adjust it for the new task.
Send the client a link. Before their first payment, they’ll go through a quick company check.
The client downloads the invoice and pays it by bank transfer.
Questions and answers
Is there a charge for creating offers and invoices?
Creating them is free – Mellow only charges the 5% fee once the client transfers the money. You decide who pays it: you can cover it yourself or pass it to the client.
If the client pays the fee, the 5% is added on top: for you to receive $1,000, they’ll transfer $1,050. If you pay it, Mellow calculates and withholds the fee automatically.
What information does the client see in an offer or invoice?
The client can see all the details: task names, amounts, deadlines, and contributors.
How long is the link to an offer or invoice valid?
The link stays active until the client accepts the offer or invoice.
Who can act as a client?
Only legal entities and other business structures – depending on the country, this includes sole proprietors. Private individuals and the self-employed can’t be clients.
What currencies can I use for an offer or invoice?
Dollars or euros. You can withdraw the money in any currency your payment method supports – at the Mellow conversion rate. For more details, see the article on payouts and currencies.
The client isn’t accepting the offer – what should I do?
Adjust the offer based on the client’s feedback – change the amount, the deadlines, or the scope of work.
What documents will the client and I receive?
Both sides receive the full set of closing documents – work completion certificates and invoices.
Want to see how it all works? Watch a short video: offers and invoices in Mellow.
If you have any questions, message us via the chat in your Mellow dashboard or at [email protected].