Terms of Service
Last updated: May 17, 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of HandyBid (the "Service"). By creating an account or using the Service you agree to these Terms.
1. The Service
HandyBid is a marketplace that connects homeowners ("Homeowners") with independent service professionals ("Pros") for residential services such as landscaping, painting, repairs, and hauling. HandyBid does not provide the underlying services and is not a party to any agreement between Homeowners and Pros.
2. Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old and able to enter binding contracts. Pros must have all licenses and insurance required by their jurisdiction.
3. Accounts
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and all activity under it. Notify us immediately of unauthorized use.
4. Marketplace conduct
- Listings, bids, messages, and reviews must be accurate and not misleading.
- No off-platform circumvention of fees once a bid has been accepted.
- No harassment, hate speech, or unlawful content.
- No scraping, reverse engineering, or attempting to access other accounts.
5. Payments
- HandyBid does not process payments between Homeowners and Pros for marketplace jobs. Payment for the work is made directly between the parties per the terms in the accepted contract.
- The parties shall agree in writing — through the HandyBid messages thread on the job — on deposit, milestones, payment method, and timing. Default if not otherwise agreed: jobs under $500 paid in full upon completion; larger jobs 50% upon kickoff, 50% upon completion.
- HandyBid's revenue comes from opt-in services (e.g. the $20/mo Job Alerts subscription) and does not include a per-job take rate.
- Disputes between Homeowner and Pro should first be resolved between the parties; HandyBid may, at its sole discretion, mediate via the report tools described in Section 5a but is not obligated to.
5a. Reporting off-platform solicitation
If a Pro solicits additional services or payment from a Homeowner outside the HandyBid platform after a bid has been accepted, the Homeowner may file a report through the job page. The Homeowner has three resolution options:
- Terminate — cancel the contract. Available only if no work has begun (no contractor "before/after" media has been uploaded yet).
- Settle for percentage completed — the parties agree on what fraction of the work is done and a corresponding dollar settlement. HandyBid records the agreement; payment is exchanged directly between the parties off-platform.
- Amend the contract — formalize the new scope at an agreed price through HandyBid. Once the counterparty accepts, the amendment is part of the contract record.
HandyBid reviews every report and may suspend or terminate accounts that violate this Section or Section 6c (Non-Circumvention). Reports may also trigger the liquidated damages provided for in Section 6c.
6. Independent contractors and hold harmless
Pros are independent contractors, not employees, agents, partners, or joint venturers of HandyBid. HandyBid provides only a venue to discover, communicate with, and pay one another. Any agreement to perform work forms directly between the Homeowner and the Pro; HandyBid is not a party to that agreement.
You agree that HandyBid is held harmless from, and disclaims all liability for:
- The quality, safety, legality, fitness, or completion of any service performed;
- Property damage, personal injury, theft, or other harm caused by either party;
- Defects, delays, missed appointments, or no-shows;
- Unpaid invoices, withheld payments, or chargebacks between Homeowner and Pro;
- Any additional charges, change orders, materials, or services agreed to outside of this platform;
- Misrepresentation of credentials (license, insurance, bond, certifications) by a Pro;
- Any tax, regulatory, permitting, or compliance obligations of either party;
- Disputes between Homeowner and Pro of any kind.
Disputes are resolved directly between the Homeowner and the Pro. HandyBid may, at its sole discretion, attempt informal mediation but has no obligation to do so and no authority to compel a particular outcome.
6a. No off-platform side agreements
Once a bid has been accepted on the platform, the Homeowner and the Pro agree to keep the engagement on-platform: payments are processed through HandyBid escrow, and material change orders should be reflected in messages on the job thread. Side agreements — including off-platform payments, "cash discounts" intended to evade the platform fee, or undocumented scope expansions — are not enforced or supported by HandyBid in any dispute, and may result in account suspension.
6c. Non-circumvention (Pros)
Scope. A "HandyBid Lead" means any Homeowner whose contact information, job posting, or other identifying details the Pro first learned of through the HandyBid platform — whether by viewing the job, exchanging messages, submitting a bid, or having a bid accepted. A Homeowner the Pro can prove they knew independently before the HandyBid introduction is not a HandyBid Lead.
Restricted period. For 18 months from the date the Pro first interacted with a HandyBid Lead on the platform, the Pro shall not:
- Solicit, accept, perform, or invoice for any service for that Lead outside the HandyBid platform;
- Direct the Lead to pay, contact, or contract through any channel other than HandyBid;
- Offer a "cash discount", invoice via the Pro's own billing system, or otherwise structure the engagement to evade the 8% platform fee;
- Refer the Lead to an affiliated business or sub-contractor to accomplish the same purpose.
Casual social contact, repair warranty work on a job that was completed through HandyBid, and unsolicited inbound requests from the Lead that the Pro promptly redirects back to HandyBid are not breaches of this clause.
Liquidated damages. Because actual damages from circumvention are difficult to quantify, the Pro and HandyBid agree that any breach of this Section 6c entitles HandyBid to liquidated damages equal to the greater of (a) USD $500, or (b) 2× the platform fee that would have been due on the original HandyBid bid, per off-platform transaction. The parties stipulate that this is a reasonable estimate of HandyBid's loss (including lost fees and customer-acquisition cost) and is not a penalty. Liquidated damages do not preclude HandyBid from also pursuing injunctive relief, attorneys' fees, or other equitable remedies.
Right to terminate. HandyBid may, at its sole discretion, suspend or permanently terminate the Pro's account for a breach of this Section 6c without refund of any subscription fees (including Job Alerts).
Audit rights. If HandyBid reasonably suspects circumvention, the Pro shall, within 14 days of a written request, provide records sufficient to confirm or refute the suspicion. Acceptable records include: invoices issued to the Lead, payment-processor statements (Stripe, Square, Venmo, PayPal, etc.), bank deposit records, and contemporaneous communications. Records may be redacted to remove unrelated client information. Refusal to provide records on request creates a rebuttable presumption that circumvention occurred.
Survival. This Section 6c survives termination of the Pro's account for the duration of the restricted period.
6b. Self-reported credentials
Pros may self-report licensing, insurance, bonding, and certification information on their profile. HandyBid does not verify these claims. Homeowners are responsible for independently confirming any credential with the issuing authority before hiring. Pros affirm that any credentials they list are true, current, and accurate at the time of attestation, and accept full liability for any misrepresentation.
7. Reviews
Reviews must reflect actual experience. HandyBid may remove reviews that violate these Terms.
8. Termination
You may delete your account at any time from Account → Delete. We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.
9. Disclaimers
THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. HandyBid DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.
10. Limitation of liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, HandyBid'S TOTAL LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE PLATFORM FEES YOU PAID OR EARNED IN THE 12 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CLAIM, OR (B) USD $100.
11. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless HandyBid from any claim arising out of your use of the Service, violation of these Terms, or violation of any third-party right.
12. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, USA, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. Disputes will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in that jurisdiction.
13. Changes
We may modify these Terms. Material changes will be communicated by email and announced in-app at least 7 days before they take effect.
14. Contact
This template is a starting point and is not legal advice. Have it reviewed by a lawyer before launch.