What is a secured payment?

What are the fees?

Cradle charge one flat rate of 2% per transaction (up to $10,000) which is charged upon release of the funds into your bank account, meaning you only pay once you’ve been paid.

There are no other hidden annual or subscription fees and your customers aren’t charged any fees from us either.

How is Cradle different to other accounting programs?

We focus on the payments side of your business so you don't have to.

We secure your customers payments at regular agreed intervals throughout the life of each project and before you start the works.

We take care of all communications from proposal, payment requests and reminders through to invoicing, so you can literally set and forget. And our in-built communication portal houses all communition between you and your customer.

We’ve revolutionized the way disputes are handled by integrating our custom Dispute Resolution Process.

Our platform has been specifically designed with micro and small trade and service business owners and Managers in mind with simplicity, efficiency and security at the forefront.

I'm a Tradie, can I use Cradle?

If you're an Australian registered business with an ABN being paid for providing a trade or service to customers then yes, you can use Cradle.

Please remember; If you’re conducting any work that under Australian Law requires qualifications &/or licences, you’re required to provide those to your customers. As different States in Australia have different requirements it’s your responsibility to check what licences and qualifications you need for specific tasks. You are also required to carry your valid licence with you at all times.

Cradle allows for licences and certificates to be uploaded to your Profile so that every time you dispatch a Project Proposal they will automatically be attached and sent to your customers for their reference and peace of mind.

Am I locked in to a minimum term contract when I sign up?

No. With Cradle there is no minimum term, it’s a pay-per-use service and there are no lock‑in contracts, so you can come and go as you please.

What's a milestone?

A milestone is a stage within a project. Each project can be divided up into as many as xxx Cradle milestones. Each milestone outlines the work to be completed within that stage and the value of the milestone. Each milestone can have a total value of up to $10,000.

Can I cancel a job before I start works even if a milestone payment has already been secured?

Yes. Cradle can refund the money to your customer at your request via the Cradle platform.

Can I add new milestones to a project in Cradle once I've started works?

Yes. You have the option to create a variation to each project if additional work arises, for example. Your customer will be sent a notification once this is done and will be required to approve the variation/s.

Can I cancel a job if I have started works and the milestone payment has been secured?

Yes. If you and your customer agree to the cancellation you can make the request for all or part of the secured funds to be returned to the customer. If an amount has already been released into your bank account however Cradle cannot refund this amount to the customer, you will need to arrange this refund via your bank. Cradle is not responsible for payments once they have been released into your bank account.

Can milestone detail including amount be altered once the project work has started?

TBC

Yes. Only you can make these alterations though. Your customer will be sent a notification once this is done and will be required to approve the amendments.

What if my customer doesn't approve the release of their milestone payment?

This happens from time to time and can be due to a number of reasons. This is usually resolved after direct communication between you and your customer, and we strongly recommend doing this over the phone or in person to ensure good, efficient communication. If a resolution is still not met, we have a step-by-step process to ensure all solutions are considered before moving to the next step of lodging a formal dispute via our Dispute Resolution portal. Our Customer Service tem are here to support you at any point during this process.

How are deposits determined?

Am I notified when a milestone payment is secured or released?

Yes. You and your customer will be notified every time a milestone payment is requested, secured and released.

Where are my customers payments held?

TBC

We secure all payments in an Australian bank account managed by our trusted and licensed global Payment Services Provider. All payments are secured and encrypted.

What happens if my money isn't released?

If a dispute arises, is there an additonal fee?

What if my customer is late making a milestone payment?

This can happen from time to time and for a number of reasons. We allow the customer a few days from when they receive the Milestone Payment Request to make payment. Thereafter we have a structured follow up process to ensure payment. If payment is still not received within 7 days we strongly recommend calling your customer to discuss the reason for delay. You may choose to place the job on hold until payment is secured.

When does the milestone payment get released?

At the end of each milestone your customer will be sent a Payment Release Request to approve. If the work is completed to their satisfaction and in line with the milestone detail, they can then approve the release of the milestone payment.

When will a released payment appear in my bank account?

TBC

Once the customer approves the release of the milestone payment the funds will appear in your nominated bank account within 1 - 3 business days.