Getting Paid

You have completed your work, your client has approved it, and now it is time to get paid. On Opengates, payments are instant and automatic — once a client releases the payment, the funds are sent immediately to your payout method of choice. There is no waiting period or manual withdrawal needed. This guide covers everything you need to know about how payouts work, setting up your payout method, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Understanding Your Balance

Here are the types of earnings on your Opengates dashboard.

Pending Earnings

Pending earnings represent money for work you have submitted but the client has not yet approved. The funds are still held in escrow until the client reviews and releases the payment.

You will not receive pending earnings until the client approves and releases the payment.

Paid Out

Once the client releases the payment, the platform fee is deducted and the remaining amount is instantly and automatically sent to your payout method of choice (M-Pesa or bank account). There is no need to manually withdraw — the money arrives immediately.

Earnings History

Your earnings history shows a complete record of all payouts you have received, including the amount, destination, date, and transaction reference.

Setting Up Your Payout Method

To receive instant payouts, you need to set up your preferred payout method in advance. This is where your money will be sent automatically every time a client releases payment.

Step 1: Go to Payment Settings

1. Open the Opengates app and log in to your account.
2. Go to Settings → Payment Settings.
3. Tap Payout Method.

Step 2: Choose Your Payout Method

Select your preferred payout destination:

• M-Pesa — Enter your M-Pesa phone number
• Bank Transfer — Enter your bank account details

Step 3: Verify Your Payout Method

Follow the verification prompts to confirm your payout details. Once verified, all future payments will be sent instantly to this method.

You can change your payout method at any time in Payment Settings.

How Instant Payouts Work

1. You complete and submit your work.
2. The client reviews and approves the deliverables.
3. The client releases the payment.
4. The platform service fee (12% standard, or 7% for Premium) is automatically deducted.
5. The remaining amount is instantly sent to your payout method of choice.

There is no manual withdrawal step — the money arrives in your M-Pesa or bank account immediately after the client releases the payment.

Payout Speed

Payments on Opengates are instant. Once the client releases the payment, funds are sent immediately to your payout method:

• M-Pesa: Funds arrive instantly.
• Bank Transfer: Funds are sent instantly from Opengates. In rare cases, your bank may take a short time to reflect the credit.

Payout Fees

Small fees may apply to each payout depending on your payout method. These fees cover the cost of processing the payment through the respective financial networks.

The exact fee amount is automatically deducted from each payout. You can see the fee breakdown in your Payout History.

Viewing Your Payout History

Keeping track of your payouts is important for financial management. To view your payout history:

1. Go to Earnings → Payout History.
2. You will see a chronological list of all your payouts, including:
   • Date — When the payout was sent
   • Amount — The USD amount paid
   • KES Amount — The converted amount in Kenyan Shillings
   • Method — M-Pesa or bank transfer
   • Reference number — A unique identifier for each transaction

You can filter the history by date range or payout method to find specific transactions.

Automatic Release

If a client does not review your submission within 14 days, the escrow is automatically released and the payment is instantly sent to your payout method — just as if the client had approved and released it manually.

Troubleshooting Failed Payouts

In rare cases, a payout may fail. Here are the most common reasons and how to fix them:

"Insufficient balance"

• The payout amount could not be processed because a dispute resolved against you.
• Solution: Check your earnings page for any dispute resolutions.

"Payout method not verified"

• Your M-Pesa or bank account has not completed verification.
• Solution: Go to Payment Settings and complete the verification process for your payout method.

"Invalid payout details"

• The phone number or bank account details linked to your account may be incorrect or outdated.
• Solution: Update your payout details in Payment Settings and try again.

"M-Pesa account limit reached"

• Your M-Pesa account has reached its maximum balance or daily transaction limit.
• Solution: Spend some funds from your M-Pesa account to bring it below the limit. The payout will be retried automatically.

"Bank account closed or dormant"

• Your linked bank account may have been closed or marked as dormant by your bank.
• Solution: Contact your bank to reactivate the account, or link a different active bank account.

"Transaction timeout"

• The payment system experienced a timeout during processing.
• Solution: Wait a few minutes and check your Payout History. If the payout shows as "Failed," contact support. Do not request another payout for the same amount to avoid duplicates.

"Verification required"

• Additional identity verification is needed before the payout can be processed. This may occur for large amounts or unusual activity patterns.
• Solution: Complete the verification steps prompted by the platform.

Best Practices

1. Keep your payout details up to date — If you change your phone number or bank account, update your payout settings immediately so payments are not disrupted.
2. Enable notifications — Turn on payment notifications so you are alerted the moment a client releases payment and your payout is sent.
3. Save your payout receipts — Keep records of all payouts for your personal financial management and tax reporting.

Still need help? Contact our support team and we'll be happy to assist you.