How it works
Three steps, start to finish
Clients find and engage independent experts directly. The founding team checks every accepted credential and mediates payment disputes; it does not supervise experts' work.
For clients
Step 1: Scope your project
Answer a few questions and get a clear, scoped request.
Step 2: Choose a verified expert
Compare experts whose credentials are checked with the issuer.
Step 3: Pay by milestone
Fund 30/40/30 milestones held by Stripe and approve each deliverable.
For experts
Step 1: Apply and get verified
List your accepted credentials; we check each with the issuer.
Step 2: Get matched and sign
Receive scoped requests with the NDA and SOW ready to sign.
Step 3: Deliver and get paid
Each milestone is funded before you start and paid out on release.
Detailed steps for clients
- 1
Scoping intake
A guided questionnaire captures your objective, deliverables, budget, timeline, industry and required credentials, then tags the request by category, seniority and urgency.
Start intake → - 2
Choose an expert
See suggested experts with a match score and decide who to engage. Suggestions are not endorsements; you choose and engage the expert directly. Clients should confirm that the expert's credential and scope fit their needs before engaging.
Browse experts → - 3
Conflict check
List competitors and sensitive parties. The expert attests that there is no conflict before any confidential information is shared.
- 4
Contracts
Sign the platform mutual NDA and the Client MSA once, then an SOW for each engagement with deliverables, acceptance criteria and milestones.
Read the templates → - 5
Protected milestone payments
Fund each milestone (30/40/30 by default) through Stripe, our payment processor, before work on it starts. Approve the deliverable to release it, or open a dispute within the 48-hour review window. If you do neither, the payment auto-releases. Fees: 20% platform fee plus any Stripe processing fees.
- 6
Review
Only clients with a completed, paid engagement can leave a review, so every rating is real.
Detailed steps for experts
- 1
Build your profile
Choose your credentials from the accepted list (with issuer and ID), then add highlights, case studies, portfolio links, rates and availability.
Become an expert → - 2
Verification
The founding team checks your ID and checks every credential against the issuer's public registry, then background and references. Your profile goes public only when every listed credential shows a Verified on date. Experts may only offer services within their credential and license. You remain responsible for your own licenses and must tell us if a credential lapses or is disciplined.
See the tiers → - 3
Insurance
Upload proof of E&O / professional liability insurance. It is required for finance, technology security, risk and compliance, and the Enterprise tier.
- 4
Engagements
Receive scoped requests, attest to no conflicts and sign the generated NDA and SOW without negotiating paperwork from scratch.
- 5
Get paid
Each milestone is funded through Stripe before you start. When it is released, your payout starts, minus the published 20% platform fee (lower for clients you bring) and any Stripe processing fees. You work as an independent contractor, not an employee of the platform.
- 6
Grow
Earn platform badges like Enterprise-Ready from completed engagements and strong client feedback.
Clients should confirm that the expert's credential and scope fit their needs before engaging.
A worked fee example
On a $10,000 project, the expert receives $8,000 (20% platform fee).
| Milestone | Client funds | Expert receives (80%) |
|---|---|---|
| Milestone 1 (30%) | $3,000 | $2,400 |
| Milestone 2 (40%) | $4,000 | $3,200 |
| Milestone 3 (30%) | $3,000 | $2,400 |
| Total | $10,000 | $8,000 |
Uses the standard 20% rate for clients matched by Peritelos (10% for clients an expert brings). Payment processing fees charged by Stripe may apply and are shown before payment.
Frequently asked questions
Fees, verification, refunds, disputes and payouts
- What does it cost?
- Experts set their own fee in the SOW. Peritelos charges a 20% platform fee on each milestone (10% for clients an expert brings), shown before anyone signs. Payment processing fees charged by Stripe may apply and are shown before you pay. There are no other markups.
- How are experts verified?
- The founding team checks the expert's ID, then checks each listed credential against the issuer's public registry and records a Verified on date. Profiles go public only when every listed credential is verified, and credentials are re-checked periodically. A verified credential is not an endorsement.
- What if I'm not happy with the work?
- You fund one milestone at a time and review each deliverable before it is released. If it doesn't meet the SOW acceptance criteria, open a dispute within the 48-hour review window and the payment stays on hold with Stripe. If a first-milestone dispute is upheld, that milestone is refunded under the refund terms.
- How are disputes resolved?
- The milestone payment stays on hold while the client and expert try to resolve it in good faith. If that doesn't work, the founding team mediates, and arbitration is available if needed.
- When do experts get paid?
- Each milestone is funded through Stripe before work on it starts. It is released when the client approves it, or automatically when the 48-hour review window closes without a dispute. The payout then starts, minus the 20% platform fee and any Stripe processing fees.
- Does Peritelos give advice?
- No. Peritelos is a marketplace. Experts are independent contractors who work within their own credentials, and nothing on the platform, including the Concierge, is legal, tax, accounting or investment advice.
The founder's role
Founder / admin role
Curate. Review intake requests and suggest suitable experts; clients make the final choice.
Verify. Approve or reject expert applications, check each credential against the issuer's registry, re-verify periodically and set tiers.
Govern. Mediate disputes, manage fees, and suspend or delist experts on a credential lapse, discipline or low ratings.