Policies & How Questyz Works

Heroes always keep 100%

Heroes pay 0% in fees on every reward, regardless of tier or quest type. The full reward amount is paid out to the hero. There is no hero-side platform fee.

Patrons pay a tiered platform fee

The patron's platform fee depends on their tier. Tiers are based on completed quests with good reviews. Higher tiers pay lower fees:

Card & payout fees (separate line item)

On top of the platform fee, patrons cover the card processing and payout fees. These are pass-through costs charged by Stripe (card processing) and PayPal (hero payout). They appear as a single "Card & payout fees" line at checkout.

Approximate breakdown:

• Card processing: 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe)
• Payout fee: 2% capped at $1.00 (PayPal)

What patrons pay total

Patron total = reward amount + platform fee + card & payout fees. The hero receives the full reward amount; the platform fee covers Questyz operations; the card & payout fees go directly to the payment processors. None of the platform fee is shared with payment processors.

Card authorized upfront, charged on approval

When a patron posts a paid quest, their card is authorized but not charged. The card is on hold for the quest amount. The patron is not actually billed until the quest is completed and approved.

Approval flow

1. Patron posts a quest. Card is authorized in Stripe (held, not charged).
2. Hero accepts and completes the work.
3. Hero submits the completed quest.
4. Patron has 48 hours to approve, request changes, or dispute.
5. If patron approves (or 48 hours pass with no response), the card is charged and the hero is paid out.
6. If patron disputes, the payment is held until the dispute resolves (see Disputes).

What happens to the money between authorization and capture

The card is on hold via Stripe. The funds are not held by Questyz — Stripe is the merchant of record for the authorization. Questyz never has access to the patron's payment details; everything is tokenized through Stripe.

This is technically called secure payment hold or card authorized upfront, charged on approval. It is not "escrow" in the regulatory sense — Questyz is not a money transmitter or escrow agent. Stripe handles the payment custody.

How heroes get paid

Once a patron approves your completed quest, your payout is sent automatically via PayPal Payouts to the PayPal email (or Venmo phone) on your profile. Payouts typically arrive in your PayPal or Venmo balance shortly after approval. From there, you choose when to transfer funds to your bank account.

Setting up your payout method

Add your PayPal email or Venmo phone number under Settings → Payout method. You must have this set before you can accept paid quests above $10. Item-only quests do not require a payout method.

You can also set an optional backup method (the other of PayPal/Venmo). If your primary method is temporarily unavailable, we'll automatically try the backup before queuing for manual processing.

Payout timing

For most payouts the funds arrive in your PayPal or Venmo within minutes of the patron's approval. Your first payout may take longer (up to an hour) due to PayPal's standard first-transaction security review. After that, payouts are typically instant.

If our automated system can't reach your account (e.g., account restricted, email/phone needs updating), your payout falls into a manual processing queue and we'll process it within 24 hours.

What happens if you don't have a payout method set up

The patron's payment is captured but the payout is held until you add a PayPal email or Venmo phone number. You'll receive an email reminder. Once you set up your payout method, we'll process the held payout within 24 hours.

If you go more than 30 days without setting up a payout method on a completed quest, contact support — we'll work with you to arrange payment.

What charter members get

Charter members are users who joined Questyz before 2026-07-12. The charter bundle is a thank-you for early support and includes:

• 60 days of 0% platform fees from the date of joining
• Permanent Merchant tier (Level 4) floor — even if your tier drops below Merchant due to inactivity, your platform fee never goes above 9%
• 6 boost passes (mix of Basic/Featured/Elite) — never expire
• Charter Member badge on profile
• Charter title selectable in your trophy case

How charter is granted

Automatic. If your account creation date is before 2026-07-12, you have charter status. There is no opt-in or signup; your benefits activate when you create the account during the charter window.

If you join after the cutoff

You won't be a charter member, but you'll progress through the standard tier system based on your activity. The benefits charter members got are not retroactively granted.

Item quests are 100% free

Quests paid in physical items (instead of money) have no fees at all. No platform fee, no card processing fee, no payout fee. The hero receives the item directly from the patron, off-platform. Questyz facilitates the matchmaking only.

Mixed quests (money + item)

Mixed quests pay both money and an item. Fees only apply to the money portion. The item portion is free.

Acceptance attestation

Before accepting any item-payment quest, the hero must confirm they have reviewed the item description and any photos/video the patron provided. The exact wording depends on pickup type:

• Local pickup: "I have discussed this item with the patron and accept it as payment as described. I will inspect it at pickup before starting work."
• Patron will ship: "I have reviewed photos / video of this item and accept it as payment as described."
• Hero will arrange shipping: Same as above plus "I am responsible for return shipping if the item is not as described."
• Remote / digital quest: "I have reviewed photos / video of this item and accept it as payment as described. I understand I will not physically inspect it before completing the work."

If the item is not as described

File a dispute through the platform within 14 days of the quest being marked complete. Your acceptance attestation is part of the audit trail — it establishes you saw the item as described before you committed. Patrons must still deliver the item as described regardless of attestation.

Pickup options

• Local pickup: Hero comes to the patron's location to inspect and pick up the item. Patron sets a pickup radius.
• Patron ships: Patron pays shipping and sends the item to the hero.
• Hero ships: Hero arranges shipping (and pays for return shipping if the item is not as described).
• Remote / digital: No physical handoff needed — the "item" is digital (gift card, account, license key, etc.) and is delivered electronically.

How heroes level up

Heroes earn XP by completing quests. XP unlocks new ranks (Novice through Eternal across 20 levels). Higher ranks unlock the ability to apply to higher-tier quests posted by selective patrons. Heroes always pay 0% in fees — rank is about reputation and access, not pricing.

How patrons level up

Patrons advance tier by posting completed quests with good reviews from heroes. Higher patron tier = lower platform fee.

What counts

To prevent abuse, only quests that meet certain conditions count toward title progression:

• Reward must be at least $10 (for paid quests)
• Limited number of quests with the same partner count toward your progression (prevents friend-loop farming)
• Cancelled or disputed-against quests don't count
• Both parties must leave reviews for the quest to fully count

Your profile shows you the most common reasons quests didn't count, so you can adjust your activity if needed.

Activity decay

If you go more than 30 days without a qualifying activity, your tier drops one level. You'll see a warning in your profile during the 10 days before this happens. Complete one qualifying quest in the warning window to reset the clock.

Once you've ever reached B-tier (L7 Baron) or higher, you'll never drop below D-tier (L5 Guild Master) — or below the charter Merchant floor if you're a charter member.

Stripe Identity

Verification is handled by Stripe Identity. You upload a government ID + take a selfie; Stripe matches them. If verified, you get a verified badge on your profile. Questyz never sees or stores your government ID — Stripe holds those documents.

When verification is required

• Tier C+ quests: Heroes must be verified to accept. Patrons should be verified to post.
• Item-payment quests above a certain reward threshold: Both sides must be verified.
• F/E/D tier quests: Verification encouraged but not required.

What "verified" means and doesn't mean

Verified means: this person matched a government ID to a selfie via Stripe Identity. It does NOT mean Questyz has reviewed their professional history, criminal background, insurance status, or licensing.

Self-attested professional licenses

For licensed-trade categories (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc.), heroes can attest they hold a professional license. The platform marks the listing as self-attested but does NOT independently verify the license. Patrons should verify with the issuing state board before hiring for licensed work.

Background checks are a separate roadmap item planned for late 2026 via a background-check partner. Specific vendor and timing will be announced when finalized.

1. Posted — Patron creates the quest. Card is authorized.
2. Applied — Heroes apply (and may submit counter-offers if the patron allows it).
3. Accepted — Patron picks the hero. Quest is locked.
4. In progress — Hero is doing the work.
5. Submitted — Hero marks the quest as complete. 48-hour patron approval window starts.
6. Approved — Patron approves (or auto-approval after 48 hours). Card is charged. Payout begins.
7. Paid — Hero receives payment via PayPal. Both sides can leave reviews.

If a dispute is filed at any point after submission, the quest enters a disputed state and follows the dispute resolution process.

Patron cancels before hero acceptance

Free. The card authorization is voided. No charges. Quest disappears from the board.

Patron cancels after hero acceptance

The hero is notified. The patron's card was authorized but never captured. The authorization is voided — no charge. If the hero had already started work, they may file a dispute (rare for pre-submission cancels).

Hero requests to cancel mid-work

The hero submits a cancel request to the patron. The patron can:

• Approve — quest is cancelled, no charge, no penalty to either party
• Escalate to dispute — if the patron believes work was done that should be paid for

Hero ghosting (no activity for 7+ days after accepting)

The patron can request a hero-side cancel. After 48 hours of hero silence, the cancel auto-approves. The hero's accept is logged but no payment penalty is applied.

Patron ghosting after submission

The 48-hour auto-approval handles this — patron silence at 48h post-submission counts as approval, and the hero is paid.

How disputes work

Either party can file a dispute on a completed quest within 14 days of completion. Disputes are categorized by severity:

1. Tier 1 — Communication issue. Most disputes. Mediated chat in the dispute panel. Most resolve within 24 hours.
2. Tier 2 — Quality issue. Hero submitted, patron disputes quality. Photos and files can be attached. Admin review if not resolved in 72 hours.
3. Tier 3 — Item-payment dispute. Item was not as described, missing parts, or damaged.
4. Tier 4 — Fraud or safety. Skips mediation, goes straight to admin review. Account holds possible.

Resolution outcomes

• Hero is paid — patron's complaint not upheld; full payment goes to hero
• Patron is refunded — hero didn't deliver as agreed; payment voided
• Partial — split payment based on the resolution
• No action — both parties agree to drop the dispute

Audit trail

Every action on a dispute (filing, messages, attachments, decisions) is logged. If a dispute is reopened or a user appeals a decision, the full timeline is reviewable by admin.

Filing a dispute

Open the quest from your activity feed and click File dispute. You'll choose a severity tier, write a description of the issue, and optionally attach files. Once filed, the other party is notified and the payment is paused until resolution.

What boost passes do

Boost passes increase the visibility of a posted quest (patron side) or hero listing (hero side). There are three tiers:

How to get boost passes

At launch, boost passes are earned only. Direct purchase will be enabled post-launch with advance notice. Earn paths active at launch:

• Charter member bundle: Charter members get a one-time bundle of 6 lifetime passes at signup (1 Basic + 1 Featured + 1 Elite for each side) — never expire
• Charter Hero quarterly: Charter Heroes also receive 1 Elite hero-side pass per calendar quarter, lifetime
• Quest milestones: Heroes earn 1 Basic every 10th completed quest
• Rank-ups: Each hero rank-up grants 1 Featured
• World boss kills: Defeating a world boss awards 1 Elite to every participating hero
• Sovereign monthly: Sovereign-tier heroes (top rank) receive 1 Basic hero-side pass per month while at Sovereign tier
• Future: Direct purchase at planned pricing — Basic $1.99, Featured $2.99, Elite $9.99 — will be available post-launch

Sides

• Patron passes boost a posted quest (more applicants see it)
• Hero passes boost a hero listing in Browse Heroes

The two are not interchangeable.

What we store

• Account email and hashed password (Supabase Auth)
• Profile data: display name, bio, location, persona, profile photo
• Verification status (verified/not, never the ID itself)
• Quest history, applications, and reviews you've left or received
• Inventory, gear, and badges (RPG-side state)
• Saved quests and blocked users

What we don't store

• Government ID images — Stripe Identity holds these
• Credit card numbers — Stripe Vault holds tokenized references
• PayPal credentials — we have email/phone for payouts only
• Real names beyond what's part of Stripe Identity verification

For full details, see our Privacy Policy.

To be clear about scope and avoid surprises:

• Questyz is not an employer. Heroes are independent and responsible for their own taxes, insurance, and equipment.
• Questyz is not an escrow service. The card-authorized-upfront flow is handled by Stripe; we are not a money transmitter or escrow agent.
• Questyz does not run background checks. Verification is identity-only (Stripe Identity). Background checks are a late-2026 roadmap item via a background-check partner; specific vendor and timing will be announced when finalized.
• Questyz does not verify professional licenses. Heroes who attest to a license are marked as self-attested — patrons should verify with the issuing state board.
• Questyz is not insured for hero work. Heroes are responsible for their own work, tools, and any liability arising from their work. Patrons should confirm insurance coverage with the hero before hiring for high-risk work.
• Questyz does not guarantee item value. The AI-estimated item value shown on item-payment quests is an estimate based on the patron's description, not a guarantee. The dispute system is the backstop if items are not as described.
• Questyz does not control off-platform communication. All quest communication should stay on the platform for safety and dispute resolution. Sharing personal contact info before a quest is accepted is discouraged.

For platform issues, billing questions, or to report a problem:

• General support: support@questyz.com
• Safety concerns: safety@questyz.com
• Press & partnerships: partnerships@questyz.com

For account or quest-specific questions, the in-app dispute and message systems are the fastest path to resolution.

For emergencies (immediate physical safety): call 911 first. Then notify Questyz so we can support whatever follow-up is needed.