Pay-to-Download — Gating Media on Payment

The worst part of the job isn’t the shoot — it’s chasing an invoice after the agent already has the files. Pay-to-download flips that around. You require payment before media is released, so the files stay gated until you’re actually paid. No more delivering first and hoping the balance clears.

How the gate works

The client still gets the full delivery gallery — they can open the link and preview everything. What’s gated is the download.

The gallery shows web-optimized previews so the client can see exactly what they’re buying. The full-resolution files — sized for MLS upload — are what stays locked. Once payment clears, those downloads unlock.

Turning it on

The gate is tied to the order’s payment timing, which you set on the order form. Choose Pay on delivery: the booking is confirmed and the shoot goes ahead, but downloads stay locked until payment lands.

For more on the timing options — upfront, on delivery, or invoiced after — see when clients pay.

The gate holds without online payments

You don’t need Stripe connected for the gate to work. For paid modes, the media stays locked until the payment is settled — meaning recorded on the order.

So if a client pays you another way — bank transfer, cash, a check — they still can’t download until you record the payment on the order. The gate follows the payment status, not the payment method.

When downloads unlock

An order’s payment status can be unpaid, awaiting payment, partial, paid, overdue, refunded, or partially refunded. The gate releases on one condition: the order is paid. Full payment settled, downloads open.

Until then, the previews are all the client sees — which is exactly the point. From the agent’s side, settling the balance happens right in the portal — see paying a booking from the client portal.

For the bigger picture on billing, payment timing, and invoices, see getting paid.