How do brands actually pay creators?
Net-30
the most common contractual term
Net-30 dominates contracts, but the gap between the contractual term and the experienced payment date is where the real story lives. Payment triggered by "publication" or "internal approval" rather than "delivery" consistently correlates with longer waits.
How often do creators have to chase?
A significant share of paid deals require at least one payment reminder. Chasing is a tax on creators that never appears in the rate card.
What predicts getting paid in full and on time?
- A deposit on signing — the single strongest predictor.
- A payment trigger tied to delivery, not publication.
- A named finance contact in the contract.
- A brand with a positive, recent reliability profile.
“Reliability, not reach, is what creators wish they could check before signing. The registry exists to make it checkable.”