Escrow for private sales · Canada
Safehold holds the buyer's payment until both sides confirm the deal is done, so nobody has to click send on an e-transfer, or hand over cash, before they know the deal is real. Built for Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, and private used-car sales.
100%
Of the payment held in escrow until the handoff is confirmed
2
Sides must confirm before release
CA
Built for Canadian private sales
Hold ticket
SH-40217
Amount held
$9,400.00 CAD
01
E-transfer sent, seller vanishes. Once an Interac e-transfer is accepted, it can't be recalled. There's no bank to call.
02
Cash meets in a parking lot. Counting large amounts of cash for a used car is exactly the moment scammers count on.
03
The listing photo isn't the item. By the time you've paid, you've already lost your only leverage to walk away.
How it works
Every hold goes through the same lifecycle, tracked from open to close. Buyer and seller run it themselves — a Safehold reviewer steps in only if one side raises a dispute.
01 · Issued
Open a hold
Buyer and seller agree on a price for the listing, then both confirm the details in Safehold: item, price, and where the handoff happens.
02 · Funds held
Buyer pays in
The buyer pays the full amount through a secure Stripe-hosted checkout. Funds are held by Safehold, not the seller, from this point on.
03 · Confirmed
Meet and inspect
Buyer and seller meet as usual to hand over the vehicle or item. The buyer inspects it and confirms in the app that it matches the listing.
04 · Released
Funds released
Once the handoff is confirmed, the funds are released to the seller, minus the Safehold fee. If either side raises a dispute instead, the hold freezes and a Safehold reviewer decides.
What's covered
Private used-car sales
For deals between private sellers, not dealerships. We ask for the VIN and, where the province requires one, the used vehicle information package before funds are held.
1.25% of price, min $45
Facebook Marketplace
Furniture, electronics, appliances, anything worth more than a coffee. Link the listing when you open the hold so both sides are confirming the same item.
2.5% + $2 flat
Kijiji
Same protection for Kijiji listings, including local delivery or curbside handoffs where buyer and seller never meet in person.
2.5% + $2 flat
Trust & safety
→ Held until the handoff is confirmed
The payment stays in escrow from the moment the buyer pays until the handoff is confirmed in the app. It never sits with the seller in the meantime.
→ Payments held through Stripe
Funds sit with our payment processor, not in a personal account, from the moment the buyer pays.
→ Two-sided confirmation
Release requires the buyer to confirm the item matched the listing, not just that payment was sent.
→ Disputes go to a reviewer
If either side flags a problem, the hold is frozen and a Safehold reviewer works the case before anything is released or refunded.
Current status
Funds Held
Pricing
No subscriptions. You only pay when you open a hold, and the fee is fixed before checkout.
Marketplace & Kijiji
For general items under $2,000.
Private vehicle sales
For vehicles, trailers, and other high-value private sales.
FAQ
Already agreed on a deal?
Set up a hold in under two minutes. The other side gets an email with clear instructions, no account needed for them to accept the invitation and confirm the deal.
Takes about three minutes. You'll need the listing link, the agreed price, and the other side's email.
Start a hold