# StrideHQ > The AI back office for creator payments. Onboard creators, check every > contract and tax form, and get every payment run ready. Your team reviews and > approves. Built for talent agencies, brands and finance teams. ## What changes when creator payments run on StrideHQ - 70% less time managing creator payments - 3x faster payment runs - 1 run pays every creator, in every currency - 60+ currencies supported for creator payouts ## From signed deal to creator paid 1. Onboard: send one link; the creator completes KYC, tax forms and bank details in minutes. 2. Contract: pick a template, set deliverables and rate, send for e-signature. 3. Check: the agent matches invoices to contracts and runs the required compliance checks. 4. Approve and pay (you): approve the run; creators are paid in their own currency, reconciled to your books. ## Creator admin, without the admin Most teams run creator payments on email, spreadsheets and bank uploads. StrideHQ replaces the lot. | | The old way | With StrideHQ | |---|---|---| | Onboarding | Chase bank details, tax forms and ID by email | One link: KYC, tax forms and bank details collected for you | | Contracts | Word templates, signatures in another tool | Generated and signed against every deal | | Compliance | IR35 and DAC7 checks live in someone's head | Checks recorded against every creator, ready if HMRC asks | | Invoices | Matched to deals in a spreadsheet | Matched to signed contracts automatically | | Payment run | Paying creators by hand across multiple bank accounts and tools | The agent builds it; you approve in one click | ## Run creator payments with a conversation Ask StrideHQ in the app or in Slack. It tells you what came in, flags what is blocked, prepares the run and handles bounced payouts. Nothing moves without a person saying yes. See [Agentic payments](https://stridehq.ai/agentic-payments.md). ## Built for the teams who actually pay creators - [Talent agencies](https://stridehq.ai/solutions/talent-agencies.md): pay creators 3x faster, across every client. Self-billing invoices, one ledger across every client and campaign, creators onboarded without chase emails. - [Brands](https://stridehq.ai/solutions/brands.md): pay every creator through one approved vendor. Every payment tied to a PO, creators checked before they are paid, an audit trail on every payout. - [Finance teams](https://stridehq.ai/solutions/finance-teams.md): every invoice matched, one approval, paid. GBP, EUR, USD and more in one run, synced to your accounting software, a full record of every payment, ready if HMRC asks. ## Every creator payment is a compliance record StrideHQ completes the required checks before money moves, and keeps the evidence. - UK, IR35: status checked per engagement; the SDS is stored against the contract. - EU, DAC7: earnings, jurisdictions and tax IDs collected at onboarding. - US, W-8BEN, W-9 and 1099: forms collected, stored and renewed before they expire. - Audit: HMRC-ready records, one trail from onboarding to payout. ## Customers - "StrideHQ has reduced the time our team spends managing creator payments by 70%." Shira Jeczmien, CEO, Screenshot Media. [Case study](https://stridehq.ai/case-studies/screenshot-media.md) - "Paying creators across multiple countries used to be a nightmare. StrideHQ handles it all from one dashboard." Maddie Hall, Co-founder and Talent Manager, The Coup Management. [Case study](https://stridehq.ai/case-studies/the-coup-management.md) ## FAQ - Do creators need to create an account? No. Each creator gets one onboarding link to complete KYC, tax forms, bank details and their contract. Most finish in minutes. - Does the agent pay anyone without approval? No. The agent prepares the run, flags anything blocked and chases missing documents. Money only moves when someone on your team approves it. - How does IR35 classification work? Each engagement is assessed against HMRC status criteria. StrideHQ issues the Status Determination Statement and stores it against the contract. - Can you pay creators in other currencies? Yes. Creators are paid in their local currency, across 60+ currencies on local rails, and every payout is reconciled back to its contract. - What happens if a payment fails? StrideHQ tells you which payout bounced and why. Once the creator corrects their details, you retry in one click. - Which accounting software do you work with? StrideHQ syncs with Xero and QuickBooks today, and we build integrations for the accounting software our customers use. Your accounting software stays your books; StrideHQ handles creator onboarding, checks, approvals and payouts before the payment lands there. - How much does StrideHQ cost? A monthly platform subscription, plus a small percentage of each payment run. Your price depends on how many creators you pay and where. Book 15 minutes and we'll give you a quote based on your real volume. - How is our data protected? Data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest (AES-256), hosted in the UK, and multi-factor authentication is required at every sign-in. ## Next step We'll build your next payment run, free. [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) --- # StrideHQ platform > The AI back office for creator payments. Onboard, contract, check and pay > creators on one ledger. An AI agent does the work. Your team approves it. ## Four jobs, one platform - **Agentic payments**: an agent reads every invoice, matches it to a signed contract, chases what is missing and queues the payment run. Nothing moves until someone approves. See [Agentic payments](https://stridehq.ai/agentic-payments.md). - **Creator onboarding**: one link collects KYC, tax forms, bank details and the contract. See [Creator onboarding](https://stridehq.ai/creator-onboarding.md). - **Global creator payments**: one run across GBP, EUR, USD and more, in 60+ currencies, on local rails, reconciled to your books. See [Global creator payments](https://stridehq.ai/global-creator-payments.md). - **Compliance**: IR35, DAC7 and cross-border tax checked on every creator, with evidence stored for HMRC. See [Compliance hub](https://stridehq.ai/compliance.md). ## How it works 1. Onboard: send one link; the creator completes KYC, tax forms and bank details. 2. Contract: pick a template, set deliverables and rate, send for e-signature. 3. Check: the agent matches invoices to contracts and runs the required compliance checks. 4. Approve and pay (your step): creators are paid in their own currency. ## Who it is for UK talent agencies, brands and finance teams that pay creators. [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) --- # Agentic creator payments > Run creator payments with a conversation. An agent prepares every run. > You approve it. Nothing is paid until a person approves it. ## What the agent does - Reads every invoice and checks amounts, dates and VAT. - Matches each invoice to the signed contract and deliverables. - Chases creators for missing tax forms or bank details. - Builds one payment run across currencies. ## Guardrails - The agent never moves money on its own. Every run waits for a named approver. - Every action the agent takes is logged to the audit trail with a timestamp. ## FAQ - Can the agent pay creators without approval? No. The agent prepares the payment run, but nothing is paid until a named person on your team approves it. - What can the agent see? Only the data in your StrideHQ account: creator onboarding details, contracts, invoices and payment history. - What does the agent actually do? It reads each invoice, checks the amount, dates and VAT, matches it to the creator's contract, flags duplicates and missing details, chases creators for anything missing, and builds the payment run. - What can't the agent do? It can't move money, change a creator's bank details, or change your approval rules or limits. - What happens when it's unsure? It holds the invoice back from the run and tells you why, rather than guessing. You decide what happens next. - Is every action recorded? Yes. Every check, chase and change is written to an audit log with a timestamp, showing whether the agent or a person did it. - Can we turn it off? Yes. You can run every step by hand in StrideHQ and use the agent only where it helps. [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) --- # Creator onboarding > Onboard creators with one link. The creator verifies their identity, completes > the right tax form, adds bank details and signs the contract. ## What creators complete - Identity check (KYC). - The right tax form for their situation, for example a W-8BEN or W-9. - Bank details, verified once, for payouts in their local currency. - Contract signature, using your template, deliverables and rate. ## What your team gets - One status per creator: ready to pay, contract sent, or chased. - Automatic reminders until the creator finishes. - IR35 and tax checks at onboarding, not at payment time. - Data encrypted in transit and at rest, stored in the UK and EU. ## FAQ **How long does it take a creator?** Most finish in minutes. **Can we use our own contract templates?** Yes. [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) --- # Global creator payments > Pay creators anywhere. One run, 60+ currencies, local rails, > reconciled to your books. ## In numbers - 70% less time managing creator payments - 3x faster payment runs - 1 run pays every creator, in every currency - 60+ currencies supported for creator payouts ## Payment runs Approve every creator payout in one go, whatever the currency. ## Local rails Creators receive their own currency through local payment networks, for example Faster Payments (UK), SEPA Instant (Eurozone), ACH (US), PIX (Brazil), UPI (India). ## Creator payments, already in your books Every payout is tied to its invoice and contract, and synced to your accounting software. Your books stay where they are; StrideHQ does the creator work before the payment. ## Failed payouts StrideHQ explains which payout failed and why, asks the creator to correct their details, and lets you retry without rebuilding the run. ## FAQ - **Which currencies can you pay in?** 60+ currencies, paid on local rails where available. - **Who actually moves the money?** StrideHQ prepares and orchestrates the payment run. Payments, currency conversion and safeguarding of funds are handled by our regulated payment provider. - **How long do payouts take?** Local rails such as Faster Payments and SEPA Instant are usually much faster than international wires. - **Does it work with our accounting system?** Payouts sync to Xero and QuickBooks today, and we build integrations for the accounting software our customers use. [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) --- # StrideHQ pricing > Pricing built around how you pay creators. Tell us about your roster and > StrideHQ builds your next payment run free. ## Talent agencies Pricing that fits client-based work. Scales with your roster and clients. Self-billing invoices included. ## Brands Simple pricing that scales with campaigns. One approved vendor for every creator. PO matching and approval roles. ## Finance teams One platform for every creator payout. Multi-currency payment runs, synced to your accounting software, HMRC-ready records. ## How pricing works A monthly platform subscription, plus a small percentage of each payment run. Your price depends on how many creators you pay and where. ## FAQ - How is StrideHQ priced? A monthly platform subscription, plus a small percentage of each payment run. Your price depends on how many creators you pay and where. Book 15 minutes and we'll give you a quote based on your real volume. - Is there a free trial? Yes. Send us this month's creator invoices and we'll build your next payment run free, so you can see StrideHQ working with your own data before you commit. - Can our plan change? Yes. As your volume grows or your needs change, we'll adjust your plan. - Do creators pay anything? No. Creators receive the full amount you approve. ## Get a price A 15-minute call, your next payment run built free, and a quote based on your real volume. [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) --- # StrideHQ for talent agencies > Creator payment software for talent agencies. Pay creators 3x faster. > Onboard creators, match invoices to deals and pay everyone in one run, across > every client. ## Built for how agencies work - Self-billing invoices raised on every talent payment. - Client billing: every payout tied to a client and campaign. - Roster onboarding: one link per creator for KYC, tax forms, bank details and contract. - Payment runs across currencies, on local rails, synced to your accounting software. ## Results - 70% less time managing creator payments - 3x faster payment runs - 1 run pays every creator, in every currency - 60+ currencies supported for creator payouts [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) --- # StrideHQ for brands > Creator payments for brands. Use one approved vendor. Stop onboarding > individual creators into procurement. StrideHQ handles creator checks, > contracts, approvals and payout records in one workflow. ## Built for brand teams - One vendor: procurement approves StrideHQ once, not every creator. - PO matching: spend tracked against budget as campaigns run. - Compliance: IR35, DAC7 and tax forms checked on every creator. - Global payouts in 60+ currencies, reconciled to your books. [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) --- # StrideHQ for finance teams > Creator payment automation for finance. One approval. One payment. > Every creator invoice checked and matched before it reaches you. Approve the > run once, pay in any currency, and it syncs straight to your accounting software. ## Built for finance teams - Payment runs: every approved invoice in one run, across currencies. - Reconciliation (creator payments, already in your books): every payout is tied to its invoice and contract, and synced to your accounting software. Your books stay where they are; StrideHQ does the creator work before the payment. - Audit trail: one trail from onboarding to payout, per creator. - Approvals: approval roles so the right people sign off every run. [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) --- # StrideHQ compliance > Every creator payment is a compliance record. IR35, DAC7, cross-border tax and > HMRC audit readiness, handled. - [IR35 and off-payroll working](https://stridehq.ai/compliance/ir35.md) - [DAC7 and platform reporting](https://stridehq.ai/compliance/dac7.md) - [Cross-border creator tax: W-8BEN, W-9, 1099](https://stridehq.ai/compliance/cross-border-tax.md) - [HMRC audit readiness](https://stridehq.ai/compliance/hmrc-audit.md) StrideHQ collects, checks and stores the information these rules require. ## Compliance automation, not legal advice StrideHQ collects the information, runs the checks and keeps the records each creator payment needs. Compliance outcomes depend on the facts of each engagement and the law that applies, so your team stays responsible for the final decisions. StrideHQ doesn't replace professional tax or legal advice. --- # IR35 for creator payments > IR35, handled on every engagement. Status checked, SDS issued, evidence kept. ## What is IR35? IR35, also known as the off-payroll working rules, decides whether someone working through their own limited company should be taxed like an employee. Since April 2021, medium and large private-sector clients make that decision themselves and tell the worker in a Status Determination Statement (SDS). Small clients leave the decision to the worker's own company. ## Why it matters for creator payments Many creators work through their own limited companies. If an engagement that is inside IR35 is treated as outside, the fee-payer can become liable for the tax and National Insurance that should have been deducted. ## What you need to do - Decide status for each engagement, not each creator - Take reasonable care and record your reasons - Give the creator and their company an SDS - Have a process for them to disagree - Keep the records StrideHQ collects what these rules need during [creator onboarding](https://stridehq.ai/creator-onboarding.md), before anyone is paid. Read our guide: [IR35 for influencer campaigns: who is liable?](https://stridehq.ai/blog/ir35-uk-creators.md) ## How StrideHQ handles IR35 1. **Status checked per engagement.** Each engagement is assessed against HMRC status criteria before the contract is signed. 2. **SDS issued and stored.** The Status Determination Statement goes to the creator and is stored against the contract. 3. **Disagreements logged.** Creators can respond to a decision, and every response is recorded. StrideHQ automates compliance work. It doesn't replace professional tax or legal advice. --- # DAC7 and platform reporting > DAC7 and platform reporting, ready to file. Collected at onboarding. Exported on demand. ## What is DAC7? DAC7 is an EU directive that requires digital platform operators to report what sellers earn through their platforms to tax authorities. It has applied since 1 January 2023. The UK introduced matching platform reporting rules from 1 January 2024. ## Does it apply to you? That depends on your model. Platforms that let creators sell services to third parties are most likely in scope. ## What has to be reported - Who the creator is, including their tax identification number - Where they are resident - What they earned, and when - The account they were paid into StrideHQ collects what these rules need during [creator onboarding](https://stridehq.ai/creator-onboarding.md), before anyone is paid. ## How StrideHQ handles DAC7 1. **Collected at onboarding.** Identity details, tax IDs and residency gathered in the creator's onboarding link. 2. **Jurisdictions mapped.** Every creator tagged with the country that needs to hear about their earnings. 3. **Export when you need it.** Reporting data exported in one click. StrideHQ automates compliance work. It doesn't replace professional tax or legal advice. --- # Cross-border creator tax > Cross-border creator tax, without the forms chase. W-8BEN and W-9 collected and renewed. ## Why cross-border tax matters When you pay creators outside the UK, their tax status follows them. Paying the wrong rate, or paying without the right form on file, creates withholding and reporting problems later. ## US forms, explained A W-9 confirms a creator is a US person. A W-8BEN confirms a non-US individual's foreign status and lets them claim tax treaty benefits. A W-8BEN generally stays valid until the end of the third calendar year after it is signed, unless the creator's details change. US payers may also need to file 1099s for US creators. ## What you need to do - Collect the right form before the first payment - Apply the correct treaty rate - Track when forms expire - Keep the forms on file StrideHQ collects what these rules need during [creator onboarding](https://stridehq.ai/creator-onboarding.md), before anyone is paid. ## How StrideHQ handles cross-border tax 1. **Right form, automatically.** StrideHQ asks each creator for the form that matches where they live and how they are paid. 2. **Renewals tracked.** Creators are reminded before a form expires, so payments never stall. 3. **Treaty rates at payment time.** The right rate applied when the payment runs, not fixed afterwards. StrideHQ automates compliance work. It doesn't replace professional tax or legal advice. --- # HMRC audit readiness > Every record HMRC could ask for, in one place. One audit trail per creator, exported in minutes. ## What HMRC can ask for HMRC can ask to see the records behind any payment you make. For creator payments that usually means the contract, the status decision, the invoice and proof of payment. ## How long to keep records UK companies generally need to keep accounting records for six years from the end of the financial year they relate to. ## What a good audit trail shows - Who the creator is and how they were checked - The contract and the IR35 decision - The invoice, matched to the contract - Who approved the payment, and when - The payout, including any FX StrideHQ collects what these rules need during [creator onboarding](https://stridehq.ai/creator-onboarding.md), before anyone is paid. ## How StrideHQ keeps you audit-ready 1. **One trail per creator.** Every step from onboarding to payout recorded in one place. 2. **Tamper-evident records.** Changes are logged, so the trail shows exactly what happened. 3. **Export in minutes.** Hand an inspector the full record without digging through inboxes. StrideHQ automates compliance work. It doesn't replace professional tax or legal advice. --- # StrideHQ case studies > See how agencies and brands run creator payments on StrideHQ. ## Screenshot Media (influencer marketing agency) 70% less time managing creator payments. "What was previously a manual process across invoices, Xero and multiple bank accounts is now managed through one workflow." Shira Jeczmien, CEO. [Read the case study](https://stridehq.ai/case-studies/screenshot-media.md) ## The Coup Management "Paying creators across multiple countries used to be a nightmare. StrideHQ handles it all from one dashboard." Maddie Hall, Co-founder and Talent Manager. [Read the case study](https://stridehq.ai/case-studies/the-coup-management.md) --- # Screenshot Media case study > How Screenshot Media cut the time it takes to process creator payments by 70%. Screenshot Media is an influencer marketing agency running creator campaigns for brands. Paying creators used to mean working across invoices, Xero and several bank accounts. Now it runs through one workflow in StrideHQ. ## Key facts - Type: Influencer marketing agency - Based in: United Kingdom - Creators paid: 300+ - Currencies paid: 4 ## The challenge Paying creators meant working across invoices, Xero and multiple bank accounts. Every payment run was put together by hand, and checking who had been paid meant going back through all three. Most creators are new to the agency for each campaign, so every payment run started with collecting bank details and checking invoices from people the team had never paid before. Payments went out in several currencies, and each one had to be keyed into the books by hand. ## In their words "What was previously a manual process across invoices, Xero and multiple bank accounts is now managed through one workflow." Shira Jeczmien, CEO, Screenshot Media. ## What changed Creator invoices now come into StrideHQ, where each one is checked and matched before it reaches the payment run. The team reviews the run once and approves it, and creators are paid in their own currency. Every payout is reconciled to Xero, so the books match the payment run without anyone re-keying it. ## The result Screenshot Media's team spends 70% less time managing creator payments. What was a manual process across several systems is now one workflow. Creators get a payout confirmation automatically, so the team no longer fields "has it been paid?" emails. A bounced payment is retried in a click instead of rebuilding the run, and finance reconciles from Xero rather than from bank statements. ## Products used - [Payment runs](https://stridehq.ai/platform.md) - [Global payments](https://stridehq.ai/global-creator-payments.md) - [Creator onboarding](https://stridehq.ai/creator-onboarding.md) --- # The Coup Management case study > How The Coup Management pays creators across countries in an hour, not half a day. The Coup Management is a talent management agency that looks after creators and their brand partnerships. Paying creators used to mean juggling five different apps and tools and took half a day. Now it all runs in StrideHQ, takes an hour, and every payment is audit-ready. ## Key facts - Type: Talent management agency - Based in: Australia - Creators paid: 150+ - Currencies paid: 2 ## The challenge Paying creators meant juggling five different apps and tools: invoices in one place, bank transfers in another, spreadsheets to track who had been paid, and email threads for tax forms and bank details. Every payment run took around half a day. Talent managers were chasing paperwork between brand deals, and checking whether a payment had gone out meant digging back through all of it. ## In their words "Paying creators across multiple countries used to be a nightmare. StrideHQ handles it all from one dashboard." Maddie Hall, Co-founder and Talent Manager, The Coup Management. ## What changed Everything now runs in StrideHQ. Creators onboard once through a single link: identity, tax form and bank details. Every payment then goes out in one run, in each creator's own currency, from one dashboard. Each creator's checks, contract and payments are kept together in one place, so the team is audit-ready without pulling records from five different tools. ## The result A payment run that took half a day now takes about an hour. One tool instead of five, and every payment backed by the right records. That time now goes back into managing talent and landing brand partnerships, not chasing paperwork. ## Products used - [Global payments](https://stridehq.ai/global-creator-payments.md) - [Creator onboarding](https://stridehq.ai/creator-onboarding.md) - [Compliance](https://stridehq.ai/compliance.md) --- # Security and privacy > Built to protect creator and payment data. StrideHQ handles identity, tax and > payment data for creators and the teams that pay them, so we protect it at > every step. ## Security - Encryption: data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest (AES-256). Bank details and integration credentials are also encrypted field by field. - Access control: multi-factor authentication is required at every sign-in, and role-based permissions decide what each person can see and do. - Approvals and audit trail: you can require a different person to approve a payment run from the one who prepared it. Every action is written to an audit log with a timestamp, and log entries can't be edited or deleted. ## Works with the tools you already use Xero, QuickBooks, HubSpot, monday.com, Zapier, Excel, DocuSign and PandaDoc. ## Data privacy and protection - Data protection: we process personal data under UK GDPR. Our [Data Processing Agreement](https://stridehq.ai/dpa.md) sets out how. - Data storage: platform data is hosted in the UK on Amazon Web Services (AWS). - [Privacy Policy](https://stridehq.ai/privacy.md): how we collect, use and protect personal data. Questions about security? [Talk to us](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md). --- # About StrideHQ > The back office creator teams deserve. StrideHQ was built in the UK to take the > admin out of paying creators. ## Our story Creator payments shouldn't be this complicated. We saw teams spending too much time chasing tax forms, checking contracts, reconciling spreadsheets and working out whether everything was actually ready to pay. The tools around creator management were built to manage campaigns and relationships, but the messy operational work behind the payment was still largely manual. So we built StrideHQ to fix that. We're building the back office for the global creator economy, using AI to handle the repetitive work, while keeping people firmly in control of the decisions that matter. ## What we do StrideHQ brings creator onboarding, contracts, compliance and payments into one workflow. Our AI agent handles the admin: collecting information, checking documents, preparing payment runs and keeping the audit trail up to date. Your team approves it. Less chasing. Less spreadsheet archaeology. Fewer things falling through the cracks. ## Where we are Based in the UK, building for the global creator economy. StrideHQ Ltd is registered in England and Wales, company number 17105516. ## What we believe - **Creators get paid on time.** Every feature starts with the person waiting for the money. - **Compliance is not optional.** If it would not survive an HMRC enquiry, we do not ship it. - **Agents do the admin.** People make the decisions. Software does the chasing. ## Team - Roberto, Co-founder - Aaron Brooks, Co-founder --- # Free creator payment review > Find the audit risks in how you pay creators. StrideHQ reviews your > onboarding, contracts and payments, free. Walk us through how you onboard, check and pay creators, and we'll show you any audit risks. ## What you get - A review of how you onboard, contract and pay creators - Any IR35, DAC7 or tax-form gaps flagged - A written summary of what we found ## Book a review Request it at https://stridehq.ai/free-review. We ask for your name, work email, company, company type, how many creators you manage, and anything you're worried about. For a product demo instead, see [Contact](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md). --- # Request a StrideHQ demo > See StrideHQ in action. Tell us how you pay creators today. > We'll show you StrideHQ running your real payment run. ## What you get - Your next payment run, built free. Send us this month's creator invoices. We'll load them into StrideHQ and show you the run, ready to approve. - 15 minutes, no slides. A live walkthrough of your own payment run, not a pitch deck. - Your compliance gaps, flagged. We'll point out any IR35, DAC7 or tax-form gaps in how you pay creators today. ## Form fields First name, last name, work email, company name, company type (talent agency, brand, in-house, platform, marketplace, other), how many creators you manage (0-50, 51-100, 101-200, 201+), and anything we should know (optional). After submitting, you can book a 15-minute call straight away. ## FAQ - What happens after I request a demo? We'll email you to book a 15-minute call at a time that suits you. On the call, we'll show you StrideHQ running a payment run with your own creator invoices, so bring a few if you can. - Is StrideHQ right for us? StrideHQ is built for teams that pay creators: talent agencies paying their roster, brands paying influencers for campaigns, and finance teams running creator payouts. If you pay creators in more than one currency, chase tax forms by email, or worry about IR35, it's for you. - How much does StrideHQ cost? Pricing is based on how many creators you pay and where you pay them. We'll give you a price on the demo, based on your real volume. - Does StrideHQ work with our accounting software? StrideHQ syncs with Xero and QuickBooks today, and we build integrations for the accounting software our customers use. Your accounting software stays your books; StrideHQ handles creator onboarding, checks, approvals and payouts before the payment lands there. - Can I use StrideHQ on any device? Yes. Your team can use StrideHQ in any modern browser, and creators can complete onboarding on their phone. - I'm a creator. How do I get help with a payment? Log in to your StrideHQ account to see the status of your invoices and payments. If something's wrong, contact the agency or brand that's paying you. --- # StrideHQ blog > Guides on compliance, payments and running creator finance. - [Agentic payments in the global creator economy: what changes, and what shouldn't](https://stridehq.ai/blog/agentic-payments-creator-economy.md) (8 October 2026, 7 min read) - [IR35 for influencer campaigns: who is liable when you pay a creator?](https://stridehq.ai/blog/ir35-uk-creators.md) (27 July 2026, updated 8 October 2026, 8 min read) --- # Agentic payments in the global creator economy: what changes, and what shouldn't > What agentic payments are, how they differ from traditional automation, and how AI agents can prepare creator payments while people keep approval. Payments · AI · 8 October 2026 · 7 min read Somewhere in most agencies and brand teams, there is a person who knows exactly which creator still owes a W-8BEN, which invoice was sent twice, and why last month's payout to Lisbon bounced. That person is usually brilliant, and usually the bottleneck. When they go on holiday, payment runs slow down. When the roster doubles, they don't. That is the real problem agentic payments are trying to solve. Not "AI for the sake of AI", but the gap between how fast creator marketing has grown and how slowly the back office behind it has changed. ## What are agentic payments? Agentic payments use AI agents to do the operational work around a payment: reading invoices, matching them to contracts, checking that the required information is in place, identifying exceptions and preparing the payment run. A person remains responsible for approval and control. Creator marketing has grown into a serious global payments operation. Goldman Sachs Research estimates the creator economy could approach $480 billion by 2027, and IAB UK found that UK creator partnership revenue reached £966 million in 2025. Behind every one of those pounds is a payment to a person: often a sole trader or a one-person company, often in another country, often with their own tax paperwork. Multiply that by a roster of 200 creators and a dozen campaigns a month, and you have a finance operation that spreadsheets were never built for. ## Why creator payments run late Late payments are often operational failures rather than deliberate decisions. A missing tax form, an invoice that doesn't match the contract or an unverified bank account can hold up an entire payment. The more creators an agency manages, the more these exceptions stop being one-off problems and become a systems problem. > Most late creator payments are not a decision. They are a missing form, a mismatched invoice or a bank detail nobody checked. ## Agentic payments vs traditional automation The word "agentic" is everywhere, so it is worth being precise. Traditional automation follows a fixed rule: if an invoice arrives, put it in a folder. A chatbot answers a question. An AI agent is given a goal, works out the steps, uses tools to carry them out, and checks its own progress. In a payment run, that might look like: read the invoices that came in this week, find the contract for each one, notice that one creator's tax form has expired, email them for a new one, and prepare the run without them until it arrives. | Traditional automation | Agentic payments | |---|---| | Follows predefined rules | Works toward an operational goal | | Handles known workflows | Adapts to exceptions | | Requires workflows to be configured | Can determine the next operational step | | Usually stops when information is missing | Can identify and chase missing information | | Doesn't explain much | Can explain what it found and why | | A person handles every exception | The agent handles routine exceptions, a person handles decisions | Gartner expects agents to become normal quickly. It predicts that by 2028, 33% of enterprise software applications will include agentic AI, up from less than 1% in 2024, and that at least 15% of day-to-day work decisions will be made autonomously by AI agents. Gartner is also blunt about the hype. It predicts that over 40% of agentic AI projects will be cancelled by the end of 2027, because of escalating costs, unclear business value or inadequate risk controls. It warns about "agent washing", where existing chatbots and automation tools are relabelled as agents, and estimates that only about 130 of the thousands of vendors claiming agentic AI are the real thing. > The useful question is not whether a tool calls itself agentic. It is what the agent is allowed to do, and what it is not. ## Where AI agents help in a creator payment run A large part of the operational workload in creator payments is checking, matching and chasing, while higher-risk decisions still need human judgement. That split is what makes it a good job for an agent. - **Reading and matching** Every invoice is read as it arrives, checked for amount, dates and VAT, and matched to the signed contract and its deliverables. Duplicates are caught before they become a payment. - **Chasing** Missing tax form, expired W-8BEN, no bank details? The agent asks the creator, reminds them, and flags them as ready for review when the information arrives. Nobody on your team writes a chase email. - **Handling failures** When a payout bounces, the agent explains why, asks the creator to correct their details, and adds the payment back into the next run for approval, without anyone rebuilding it. The pattern that works looks like a chain with a person firmly in the middle of it: Invoice in (Read and checked) → Matched (To contract and deal) → Compliance (Tax forms, IR35, KYC) → Approved (By a person) → Paid (In local currency) The agent does the reading, matching, checking and chasing. A named person approves before any money moves. ## Agentic doesn't mean autonomous money movement In a controlled payment environment, the agent does operational work without ever being given authority to release funds. The distinction matters. An agent can read, check, match, chase and prepare. A person approves and releases. > AI prepares. People approve. Money moves. In practice, that means: - **A named approver for every payment run.** The agent builds the run; a person with the authority to pay signs it off. - **Limits the agent cannot change.** Spend limits, approved countries and approval roles are set by people, and the agent works inside them. - **Every action written down.** Every check, chase and change is logged with a timestamp, so you can show an auditor or HMRC exactly what happened and who approved it. - **An off switch.** Your team can do any step by hand, and use the agent only where it helps. **The risk is not the agent. It is the missing controls.** Gartner's reasons for cancelled agentic AI projects include "inadequate risk controls". In payments, that is the whole game. Before you let any agent near a payment run, ask to see the approval step, the limits and the audit log. ## Global creator payments are where it gets hard A UK agency paying a UK creator in pounds is the easy case. The creator economy is not that tidy. A single campaign might involve a creator in the US who needs a W-8BEN, one in Germany who invoices through a company, and one in the UK whose engagement needs an IR35 status determination. Each needs paying in their own currency, on local rails, with the right paperwork attached. This is where an agent's patience matters more than its intelligence. Checking the right form for the right country, noticing when one is about to expire, and holding a payment until it is fixed are tasks people do badly when they are rushed and agents do the same way every time. ## 7 questions to ask before trusting AI with creator payments - Can it move money without a person approving? (The answer should be no.) - Who sets the limits, and can the agent change them? (People, and no.) - Is every action logged with a timestamp, and can you export the log? - What data can the agent see, and where is that data stored? - Can you turn it off and run every step by hand? - Does it keep compliance evidence (tax forms, status determinations, KYC) attached to each payment? - When something goes wrong, does it tell you what happened in plain English? ## Controlled autonomy, not autonomous finance McKinsey describes a "gen AI paradox": nearly eight in ten companies say they use generative AI, yet a similar share report no significant effect on their bottom line. The companies that break out of it tend to redesign a real workflow around AI rather than bolting a chat window onto the old one. Creator payments are a good place to start, because the workflow is clear, the pain is measurable and the guardrails are obvious. The future of creator payments isn't fully autonomous finance. It's controlled autonomy. The agent handles the repetitive operational work: it checks the paperwork, matches the invoice, follows up with the creator, explains exceptions and prepares the payment run. People remain accountable for the decisions that matter. That is what makes agentic payments useful rather than simply autonomous. **An agent prepares every run. You approve it.** See what controlled agentic payments look like in practice. StrideHQ prepares the payment run, flags exceptions and keeps the approval decision with your team. [See agentic payments](https://stridehq.ai/agentic-payments.md) ## Sources - Goldman Sachs Research: [The creator economy could approach half a trillion dollars by 2027](https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/the-creator-economy-could-approach-half-a-trillion-dollars-by-2027), 19 April 2023 - IAB UK: [UK creator revenue to surpass £1bn for the first time in 2026](https://www.iabuk.com/news-article/uk-creator-revenue-surpass-ps1bn-first-time-2026) (research conducted by IRM), 15 September 2026 - Gartner: [AI agents: powering new business models](https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/ai-agents-pc1) - Gartner: [Gartner predicts over 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by end of 2027](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-06-25-gartner-predicts-over-40-percent-of-agentic-ai-projects-will-be-canceled-by-end-of-2027), 25 June 2025 - McKinsey: [5 McKinsey insights on how agentic AI is reshaping industries](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/5-mckinsey-insights-on-how-agentic-ai-is-reshaping-industries), 23 November 2025 --- # IR35 for influencer campaigns: who is liable when you pay a creator? > How IR35 works when a creator invoices through a limited company: who decides status, who gets the SDS, who runs PAYE, and what records to keep. UK · Off-payroll working · 27 July 2026 · Updated 8 October 2026 · 8 min read Most established UK creators do not invoice as individuals. They invoice through a limited company, usually set up the moment brand deals turned into real income. That one fact can bring a campaign inside the off-payroll working rules, better known as IR35. IR35 on its own is old news. What makes it hard in creator marketing is the chain. A single campaign can run from a brand, through a media agency and a talent agency, to a creator's own company. The rules split the work between those parties: one decides the creator's status, others pass the decision down, and one of them may have to run PAYE. These are often not the same business. > The party that decides a creator's IR35 status is often not the party that pays them. ## When IR35 applies to creators **IR35 is only relevant where the creator provides services through an intermediary, such as their own limited company. A sole-trader creator is outside IR35, but that does not mean the engagement is automatically self-employed.** A creator who invoices as a sole trader can still be an employee for tax purposes if the working relationship looks like employment, and where a sole trader is supplied through an agency, separate agency rules can apply instead. So the first question in any creator payment review is a blunt one: what legal entity is on the invoice? Most talent agencies cannot answer that across their full roster without opening a spreadsheet. If that is you, start there. Record the legal entity for every creator at onboarding, because everything below depends on it. ## How responsibility moves down the chain The off-payroll rules work as a chain of handoffs. Get the order clear and the rest of the article follows. Client decides (Status, with reasons) → SDS issued (To creator and next party) → SDS passed down (By each party in the chain) → Deemed employer (Usually the fee-payer) → PAYE (Only if inside IR35) If the creator is inside IR35, the deemed employer deducts tax and National Insurance before paying the creator's company. Two definitions do most of the work: - **The fee-payer** is the party immediately above the creator's company in the contractual chain: the business that pays the creator's company. - **The deemed employer** is the party that must actually operate PAYE if the creator is inside IR35. HMRC says it is the lowest "qualifying" party above the creator's company. To qualify, that party must be UK resident or have a UK place of business, must have received the SDS, and must not be controlled by the creator. It is often the fee-payer, but not always. Status determination and tax withholding are different jobs. The client does the first. The deemed employer does the second. ## Who is who in a creator campaign Take a common set-up: a brand hires a media agency, the media agency books creators through a talent agency, and the talent agency pays each creator's limited company after taking its commission. | Party | Role under the off-payroll rules | What it must do | |---|---|---| | Brand | Usually the client, as the business receiving the creator's services | Decide status with reasonable care, issue the SDS with reasons, run the disagreement process | | Media agency | Agency in the chain | Pass the SDS down. If it doesn't, it becomes the deemed employer | | Talent agency | Fee-payer, and usually the deemed employer if it is UK based and received the SDS | Operate PAYE if the creator is inside IR35 | | Creator Ltd | The intermediary | Receives the SDS and can challenge it | Three things shift this picture in practice: - **Who the client is depends on the contracts.** Where an agency contracts to deliver the content itself, it may be the client rather than the brand. The chain is defined by who contracts with whom, not by whose logo is on the post. - **A missing SDS moves the liability.** HMRC's guidance is direct: if you receive an SDS but do not pass it on, you are the deemed employer. Until the client shares the SDS, PAYE responsibility stays with the client. - **An overseas fee-payer pushes it up the chain.** If the party paying the creator's company has no UK residence or place of business, it cannot be the deemed employer, and responsibility moves to the next qualifying UK party above it. If tax goes unpaid lower down, HMRC can also transfer the debt up the chain: first to the agency that contracts directly with the client, and then to the client itself where there is no realistic prospect of recovering it from anyone else. ## Who has to make the determination Since 6 April 2021, medium and large private sector clients have been responsible for deciding status and issuing a Status Determination Statement (SDS) for each engagement. The rules also apply to all public sector clients. Small clients are exempt. Where the client is small, the creator's own company decides status under the original IR35 rules. If the brand is based wholly overseas, the off-payroll rules do not apply to it, and the creator's company decides instead. A subsidiary of a medium or large group is treated as medium or large too. A company is small if it meets at least two of three conditions. For financial years beginning on or after 6 April 2025, those are: - **£15m**: Turnover or less, up from £10.2m - **£7.5m**: Balance sheet total or less, up from £5.1m - **50**: Employees or fewer, unchanged **Don't stop issuing determinations yet.** Company size changes only after the thresholds are met or exceeded for two consecutive financial years, and the off-payroll rules follow the filing deadline for those accounts. RSM's analysis is that the new thresholds will likely start to take effect for most clients from the 2027/28 tax year, and HMRC has said it will update its guidance. If you are a client and think you have become small, you must also tell the creator and the deemed employer before the tax year starts, or you are treated as medium or large for that engagement. Confirm your timing with your accountant. ## The three tests that decide most creator engagements Status turns on whether the creator would look like the client's employee if they had been engaged directly. Three factors carry most of the weight. **Control.** Does the client direct how, when and where the work is done? A brief that sets deliverables, usage rights and a posting window is normal commercial contracting. A schedule that sets the creator's working hours and signs off their process starts to look like employment. **Substitution.** Could someone else do the job? For most creator work the answer is genuinely no, because the brand is buying that person's face and audience. Personal service is a real indicator of employment, and it is the one that most often surprises marketing teams. **Mutuality of obligation.** Must the client offer more work, and must the creator accept it? A one-off campaign with a fixed deliverable is weak on mutuality. A long retainer with monthly commitments is a different conversation. Supporting factors matter too: who supplies the equipment, who carries the financial risk, and whether the creator works for competing brands. Here is why two "influencer campaigns" can land in different places: | | Creator A: one campaign | Creator B: ambassador deal | |---|---|---| | Contract | £5,000 for a fixed set of deliverables over 30 days | 12-month exclusive ambassador agreement | | Control | Creator decides how the content is made | Brand sets the content calendar and working schedule | | Personal service | Required | Required | | Future work | No obligation either way | Monthly content the creator must deliver | | Other clients | Works with other brands | Exclusivity clause | | Likely direction | Likely outside IR35, subject to a full review of the facts | Materially higher risk of being inside IR35 | Neither example is a determination. Both creators provide personal service, but they differ on control, ongoing obligations and exclusivity. Those differences, and the evidence for them, are what an SDS has to explain. ## The SDS is a document, not a checkbox If you are a medium or large client, you must give the SDS to the creator and to the party you contract with, with your reasons. You must take reasonable care in reaching it. If you don't, the tax and National Insurance stay your responsibility, whoever else is in the chain. You must also run a status disagreement process. If the creator or the deemed employer challenges the SDS, you have 45 days from receiving their representations to respond. Miss that deadline and PAYE responsibility for further payments moves to you, even if your original determination was made with reasonable care. Keep one more distinction clear: an SDS is a tax determination. It does not decide employment rights such as holiday pay, and those tests can land differently. ## CEST isn't the compliance record. The evidence is. HMRC's Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool is not mandatory, and HMRC will stand by its result only if the information entered was accurate and the tool was used in line with its guidance. That is where most teams come unstuck. The problem is rarely a missing PDF of the CEST result. It is the question that comes three years later: why did you answer those questions that way? By then the person who ran the campaign has left, the contract has been amended, the determination lives in a shared drive, the contract in an e-signature tool and the payment in a bank feed, and nobody can reconstruct the decision. > A determination you cannot explain three years later is not much of a determination. ## If a creator is inside IR35 The deemed employer must deduct income tax and employee National Insurance from each payment to the creator's company, and pay employer National Insurance and, where it applies, the Apprenticeship Levy on top. Those employer costs cannot be deducted from the creator's payment. For a talent agency sitting between a brand and its roster, that is often you, so price it in: employer National Insurance is a real cost that does not appear in the creator's quoted fee. - **6 April 2021**: Medium and large private sector clients become responsible for status determinations. - **6 April 2024**: HMRC can set off tax already paid by the creator and their company against a deemed employer's liability. - **6 April 2025**: Higher small company thresholds apply to financial years starting on or after this date. - **2027/28 tax year**: When the new thresholds are likely to start changing status for most clients, per RSM. Since 6 April 2024, where HMRC assesses a deemed employer for getting it wrong, it can reduce the bill by tax and National Insurance the creator and their company already paid on the same income. That is not automatic: HMRC must be satisfied the conditions are met and direct the set-off. It reduces the old double-taxation exposure. It does not make a wrong determination free. ## Keeping one record across the chain The practical requirement is not simply to produce an SDS. You need to keep the link between the engagement, the determination, the evidence behind it, the contract, every version of each, and the payments that followed, for every creator, across every party in the chain. That is what StrideHQ is built to manage. Each engagement holds its determination and the answers behind it, the SDS and who it was sent to, the signed contract and every payment made against it, on one record with a full audit trail. ## A short checklist - Record the contracting entity for every creator on your roster, not just the ones you paid last month. - Map each campaign's contractual chain and agree in writing who is the client, who is the fee-payer and who is the deemed employer. - If you are a medium or large client, make a determination per engagement, not per creator, and issue the SDS with reasons before the first payment. - If you are an agency in the chain, pass every SDS down promptly and keep proof that you did. - Re-run the determination when the engagement changes shape, and keep the history. - Keep the determination, the evidence, the contract and the payments joined together, so an HMRC enquiry is a search rather than an archaeology project. **Every creator engagement, with the paperwork attached.** See how StrideHQ keeps each determination, its evidence, the contract and the payments on one record, across every party in the chain. [Request a demo](https://stridehq.ai/contact.md) *This article is general information about UK tax rules and is not legal or tax advice. IR35 outcomes depend on the specific facts of each engagement, and the rules change. Take advice from a qualified adviser before relying on any determination.* ## Sources - HMRC: [Off-payroll working for clients](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/off-payroll-working-for-clients), updated 30 August 2024 - HMRC: [Deemed employer responsibilities under off-payroll working rules](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fee-payer-responsibilities-under-the-off-payroll-working-rules), updated 8 August 2024 - HMRC manual: [ESM10017, off-payroll working and the contractual chain](https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-status-manual/esm10017) - HMRC manual: [ESM10018, responsibilities of agencies and other parties in the chain](https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-status-manual/esm10018) - HMRC manual: [ESM10014, reasonable care](https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-status-manual/esm10014) - HMRC manual: [ESM10015, client-led status disagreement process](https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-status-manual/esm10015) - HMRC manual: [ESM10016, client ceasing to be medium or large](https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-status-manual/esm10016) - HMRC manual: [ESM10037, setting off tax and National Insurance already paid](https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-status-manual/esm10037) - HMRC: [Check employment status for tax](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-employment-status-for-tax) - RSM: [Impact of the small company threshold change on off-payroll working rules](https://www.rsmuk.com/insights/employment-matters/global-mobility/impact-of-the-small-company-threshold-change-on-off-payroll-working-rules), 4 July 2025 - RSM: [Liability transfer rules](https://www.rsmuk.com/insights/ir35/liability-transfer-rules) --- LEGAL # StrideHQ Terms and Conditions Last updated: 30 July 2026 These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") form a legally binding agreement governing your access to and use of the websites, applications, tools and services offered by STRIDEHQ LTD, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 17105516 ("StrideHQ", "we", "us", "our"), including stridehq.ai and app.stridehq.ai (together, the "Services"). By continuing to use any of our websites or Services, you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms. Please read them carefully. The policies and agreements linked below together enable us to deliver the Services to our clients and creators: - [StrideHQ Client Terms and Conditions](https://stridehq.ai/terms-and-conditions/clients) - [StrideHQ Creator Terms and Conditions](https://stridehq.ai/terms-and-conditions/creators) - [StrideHQ Privacy Policy](https://stridehq.ai/privacy) - [StrideHQ Cookie Policy](https://stridehq.ai/cookies) - [StrideHQ Data Processing Agreement](https://stridehq.ai/dpa) - [Airwallex Terms of Service](https://www.airwallex.com/uk/terms) --- [← All terms and policies](https://stridehq.ai/terms-and-conditions) # Client Terms and Conditions The agreement between StrideHQ and agencies and brands using the platform. Last updated: 14 August 2026 ## 1. Introduction These terms and conditions (the "Terms") govern access to and use of the StrideHQ platform at stridehq.ai (the "Platform") and the associated services (the "Services") provided by STRIDEHQ LTD, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 17105516 and registered office at 10 Duke Street, Windsor, England, SL4 1SA ("StrideHQ", "we", "us", "our"). These Terms apply between StrideHQ and the business client identified in the applicable Order Form (the "Client", "you", "your"). By signing an Order Form, or by accessing or using the Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms. These Terms are for business clients only; you confirm you are not acting as a consumer. ## 2. Definitions - **"Creator"**: an individual or entity engaged by the Client (directly or via an intermediary) whose details, contracts, invoices or payments are managed through the Platform. - **"Order Form"**: the ordering document signed by both parties setting out the Services, fees, subscription term and any special terms. - **"Payment Provider"**: Airwallex and/or any other regulated third-party payment or electronic money institution through which payments are executed. - **"Client Data"**: data submitted to the Platform by or on behalf of the Client, including Creator personal data, contracts, invoices and payment instructions. - **"Compliance Tools"**: Platform features relating to IR35 assessment support, DAC7 reporting support, KYC/KYB workflows, contract scanning and audit trails. ## 3. The Services 3.1 StrideHQ provides a software platform for managing creator engagements, including invoice intake and approval workflows, compliance workflows, contract scanning, audit trails, and payment orchestration. 3.2 The Services are provided on a subscription basis as set out in the Order Form. In the event of conflict, the Order Form prevails over these Terms. ## 4. Payments and regulatory status **StrideHQ is a technology provider.** StrideHQ is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide regulated payment services or electronic money services. 4.1 All payment execution, foreign exchange and safeguarding of funds is carried out by the Payment Provider under its own terms of service, which the Client must accept directly. The Client's contractual relationship in respect of payment execution is with the Payment Provider. 4.2 StrideHQ does not hold, control or safeguard Client funds or Creator funds at any time. 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Client obligations The Client shall: - use the Platform only for lawful business purposes and in accordance with these Terms; - ensure that all Client Data, including Creator details, invoices and payment instructions, is accurate and complete; - hold a lawful basis to share any personal data uploaded to the Platform, including Creator personal data; - comply with all laws applicable to its use of the Services, including anti-money laundering, sanctions, tax and employment status laws; and - not resell, sublicense or make the Services available to third parties except as expressly agreed in the Order Form. ## 7. Creators and underlying engagements 7.1 The commercial relationship between the Client and each Creator, including any agency, brand or campaign contract, is solely between those parties. StrideHQ is not a party to, and has no liability under, any such contract. 7.2 Any dispute regarding deliverables, quality, engagement terms or amounts owed is between the Client and the Creator. Approval of an invoice in the Platform constitutes the Client's instruction to pay; StrideHQ does not verify the underlying commercial entitlement. ## 8. Compliance Tools: no legal or tax advice 8.1 The Compliance Tools provide workflow support, record-keeping and informational outputs only. **They do not constitute legal, tax, accounting or regulatory advice**, and StrideHQ does not act as the Client's tax agent, legal adviser or compliance officer. 8.2 The Client remains solely responsible for its own compliance obligations, including determinations of employment status under the off-payroll working rules (IR35), reporting obligations under DAC7 or equivalent UK reporting rules, VAT treatment, and withholding obligations. The Client should obtain independent professional advice where appropriate. 8.3 StrideHQ does not warrant that use of the Compliance Tools will satisfy any legal or regulatory obligation of the Client. ## 9. Fees and payment 9.1 The Client shall pay the fees set out in the Order Form. Unless stated otherwise, fees are in pounds sterling, exclusive of VAT, and payable within 30 days of invoice. 9.2 Late amounts bear interest at 4% per annum above the Bank of England base rate, accruing daily. StrideHQ may suspend the Services on 14 days' written notice if undisputed fees remain unpaid. 9.3 Fees are non-refundable except as expressly stated in these Terms or the Order Form. Payment Provider charges (including FX margins and transfer fees) are separate and are governed by the Payment Provider's terms. ## 10. Acceptable use The Client must not use the Services: - for any unlawful purpose, including money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions evasion or fraud; - to pay for goods or services that are illegal, or that StrideHQ or the Payment Provider prohibit under their published policies; - to introduce malicious code, or to attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Platform or its related systems; or - in a way that infringes the rights of any third party. StrideHQ may suspend the Services immediately where it reasonably suspects a breach of this clause 10, and will notify the Client where lawful to do so. ## 11. Data protection 11.1 Each party shall comply with applicable data protection law, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. 11.2 In respect of Creator personal data processed on the Client's behalf through the Platform, the Client is the controller and StrideHQ is a processor, acting under the [Data Processing Agreement](https://stridehq.ai/dpa). 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Limitation of liability 15.1 Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for: death or personal injury caused by negligence; fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or any liability that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded. 15.2 Subject to clause 15.1, neither party is liable for loss of profits, loss of business, loss of anticipated savings, loss of goodwill, or any indirect or consequential loss. 15.3 Subject to clauses 15.1 and 15.2, StrideHQ's total aggregate liability arising in connection with these Terms in any 12-month period shall not exceed the fees paid or payable by the Client under the Order Form in that 12-month period. 15.4 StrideHQ has no liability for acts or omissions of the Payment Provider, any bank, or any other third party in the payment chain, or for the Client's own compliance determinations. ## 16. Indemnity The Client shall indemnify StrideHQ against losses, liabilities and reasonable costs arising from: (a) Client Data, including any claim that it infringes third-party rights or was uploaded without a lawful basis; (b) disputes between the Client and any Creator; and (c) the Client's breach of clause 6 (Client obligations) or clause 10 (Acceptable use). ## 17. Term, suspension and termination 17.1 These Terms commence on the date of the Order Form and continue for the subscription term stated in it, renewing as stated in the Order Form. 17.2 Either party may terminate on written notice if the other commits a material breach not remedied within 30 days of notice, or becomes insolvent. 17.3 StrideHQ may suspend the Services where required by the Payment Provider, a regulator or law, or under clause 10. StrideHQ will give as much notice as reasonably practicable and lawful. 17.4 On termination, the Client's access ends and StrideHQ will, on request within 30 days, provide an export of Client Data in a standard format, after which StrideHQ may delete Client Data except as retained to comply with law (including AML and tax record-keeping obligations). ## 18. Changes to these Terms StrideHQ may update these Terms by giving the Client at least 30 days' written notice. If a change materially disadvantages the Client, the Client may terminate on written notice before the change takes effect. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance. Changes required by law or by the Payment Provider may take effect on shorter notice. ## 19. General 19.1 Neither party is liable for delay or failure caused by events beyond its reasonable control. 19.2 The Client may not assign these Terms without StrideHQ's prior written consent. StrideHQ may assign to an affiliate or in connection with a corporate reorganisation or sale. 19.3 These Terms, together with the Order Form and any referenced policies, constitute the entire agreement between the parties in relation to their subject matter. 19.4 No third party has rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce these Terms. 19.5 If any provision is found invalid, the remainder continues in force. ## 20. Governing law and jurisdiction These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them (including non-contractual disputes) are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction. --- [← All terms and policies](https://stridehq.ai/terms-and-conditions) # Creator Terms and Conditions The agreement for influencers, creators and freelancers receiving payments through the platform. Last updated: 14 August 2026 ## 1. Introduction These terms and conditions (the "Terms") govern your use of the StrideHQ platform at stridehq.ai (the "Platform") as a creator, influencer, freelancer or other payee ("Creator", "you", "your"). The Platform is provided by STRIDEHQ LTD, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 17105516 ("StrideHQ", "we", "us", "our"). You use the Platform because a business that engages you (a "Client") uses StrideHQ to manage onboarding, contracts, invoices and payments. By creating a Creator account or submitting an invoice through the Platform, you agree to these Terms. ## 2. What we do StrideHQ is a technology provider. StrideHQ is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, does not hold your funds, and does not provide regulated payment services. Payments are executed by Airwallex or another regulated payment provider (the "Payment Provider") under its own terms. 2.1 StrideHQ provides onboarding, contract, invoicing and record-keeping tools, and transmits payment instructions approved by your Client to the Payment Provider. 2.2 Your entitlement to payment arises from your agreement with your Client, not from these Terms. StrideHQ is not a party to that agreement and does not owe you the amounts your Client agrees to pay you. ## 3. Eligibility and account To use the Platform as a Creator you must: - be at least 18 years old and able to enter legally binding agreements; - provide accurate, current information, including your legal name, address, tax identification details and bank details, and keep them updated; - complete any identity verification (KYC/KYB) required by StrideHQ or the Payment Provider, and you authorise checks of your information against third-party databases for this purpose; and - keep your account credentials confidential and tell us promptly about any suspected unauthorised access. ## 4. Payments 4.1 When your Client approves an invoice, a payment instruction is transmitted to the Payment Provider. Funds are paid to the bank account you have registered, in your local currency where supported. 4.2 Payment timing depends on the Payment Provider, the destination country and the payment rails used. StrideHQ is not responsible for delays, holds or reversals effected by the Payment Provider or any bank in the payment chain. 4.3 If you receive a payment you were not entitled to receive, you agree to return it promptly. 4.4 It is your responsibility to ensure your bank details are correct. Payments sent to details you provided are made at your risk. 4.5 The Payment Provider may delay, hold or decline payments, or restrict access to funds, in order to conduct compliance, fraud, sanctions or anti-money laundering reviews, or where required by law or its regulators. StrideHQ cannot require the Payment Provider to release funds or complete a review within any timeframe, and is not liable for any loss arising from such holds, reviews, declines or restrictions. ## 5. Tax 5.1 You are responsible for all taxes on amounts you receive, including income tax, National Insurance or equivalent social contributions, and VAT where applicable, and for your own filings with HMRC or your local tax authority. 5.2 The Platform collects tax-related information (for example tax residency, UTR, W-8BEN or W-9 details) to support your Client's reporting obligations, including under DAC7 and equivalent rules. You confirm the information you provide is accurate. 5.3 Where an engagement is subject to the UK off-payroll working rules (IR35), the status determination is made by your Client, not by StrideHQ. Nothing in the Platform constitutes tax or legal advice to you. ## 6. Contracts and disputes with Clients 6.1 Contracts you sign through the Platform are between you and your Client. StrideHQ provides the tooling, not the counterparty. 6.2 Any dispute about deliverables, engagement terms, or amounts owed is between you and your Client. StrideHQ does not mediate or resolve such disputes and has no liability for them. ## 7. Acceptable use You must not use the Platform: - for any unlawful purpose, including money laundering, sanctions evasion or fraud; - to receive payment for illegal goods or services, or activities prohibited by StrideHQ's or the Payment Provider's policies; - to provide false identity, tax or banking information; or - to interfere with the security or operation of the Platform. StrideHQ may suspend or close your account where it reasonably suspects a breach of this clause or where required by the Payment Provider, a regulator or law. ## 8. Data protection Your personal data is processed as described in our [Privacy Policy](https://stridehq.ai/privacy). In summary: your Client is the controller of the engagement data it manages through the Platform, StrideHQ processes that data on the Client's behalf, and StrideHQ and the Payment Provider each act as controllers for their own legal compliance (for example identity verification and AML screening). ## 9. Liability 9.1 Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for any liability that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded. 9.2 Subject to clause 9.1, StrideHQ is not liable for: amounts owed to you by any Client; acts or omissions of the Payment Provider or any bank; losses caused by inaccurate information you provided; or any indirect or consequential loss. 9.3 Subject to clauses 9.1 and 9.2, StrideHQ's total aggregate liability to you arising in connection with these Terms in any 12-month period shall not exceed £500. ## 10. Changes and termination 10.1 StrideHQ may update these Terms by giving you at least 30 days' notice by email or through the Platform, except where changes are required by law or by the Payment Provider, which may take effect sooner. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance. 10.2 You may close your account at any time. StrideHQ may suspend or close your account for breach of these Terms, or where required by the Payment Provider, a regulator or law. Records are retained after closure where required by law, including AML and tax record-keeping obligations. ## 11. Governing law These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them (including non-contractual disputes) are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction, except that if you are a consumer resident elsewhere you may benefit from mandatory protections of your local law. --- [← All terms and policies](https://stridehq.ai/terms-and-conditions) # Privacy Policy What personal data we collect, why, and your rights under UK GDPR. Last updated: 30 July 2026 ## 1. Who we are STRIDEHQ LTD ("StrideHQ", "we", "us"), registered in England and Wales with company number 17105516, operates stridehq.ai and the StrideHQ platform. For personal data described in this policy, StrideHQ is the controller unless stated otherwise. ## 2. Roles: when we are and are not the controller 2.1 **Website visitors and demo requests:** StrideHQ is the controller. 2.2 **Engagement data on the platform** (creator details, contracts, invoices uploaded by a client): the client is the controller and StrideHQ is a processor acting under the [Data Processing Agreement](https://stridehq.ai/dpa). Rights requests about that data should go to the client; we will assist them. 2.3 **Compliance processing** (identity verification, sanctions and AML screening): StrideHQ and its payment provider each act as independent controllers to meet their own legal obligations. ## 3. What we collect - **Contact and account data:** name, work email, company, role, login credentials. - **Creator onboarding data:** legal name, address, date of birth, tax identifiers (for example UTR, W-8BEN/W-9 details), bank details, identity documents where verification requires them. - **Transaction and engagement data:** contracts, invoices, payment instructions and their audit trail. - **Technical data:** IP address, browser and device information, and usage logs kept for security. - **Marketing data:** demo requests and correspondence, managed in our CRM. ## 4. Why we use it and our lawful bases - **To provide the platform** (performance of a contract). - **Identity verification, sanctions and AML checks** (legal obligation, and legitimate interests in preventing fraud). - **Security, logging and abuse prevention** (legitimate interests). - **Responding to enquiries and marketing to business contacts** (legitimate interests, or consent where required; you can opt out at any time). - **Tax and regulatory record-keeping** (legal obligation). We do not sell personal data. ## 5. Who we share it with - **Payment provider (Airwallex)** to execute payments and meet its own regulatory obligations. - **Service providers** that host and support the platform (for example cloud hosting, email delivery, CRM and analytics providers), under contracts restricting their use of the data. - **Regulators, tax authorities and law enforcement** where required by law. - **Professional advisers and prospective acquirers** in connection with corporate transactions, under confidentiality obligations. A current list of sub-processors used for platform data is available in the [Data Processing Agreement](https://stridehq.ai/dpa) or on request. ## 6. International transfers Platform data is stored in the UK and EU by default. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK or EEA (for example to pay a creator in another country, or where a service provider processes data abroad), we rely on adequacy regulations, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum, or EU Standard Contractual Clauses, as applicable. ## 7. Retention Tax, AML and audit records are retained for the periods required by law, typically 5 to 7 years. Account data is deleted or anonymised within 90 days of account closure unless a longer period is legally required. Marketing data is kept until you opt out or it becomes inactive. ## 8. Your rights Subject to legal limits, you can ask us to: access your personal data; correct it; delete it; restrict or object to processing; provide a portable copy; and withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. Contact [support@stridehq.ai](mailto:support@stridehq.ai). You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at [ico.org.uk](https://ico.org.uk), or to your local supervisory authority. ## 9. Cookies Cookies and similar technologies are described in our [Cookie Policy](https://stridehq.ai/cookies). Consent is managed through the banner on this site and can be changed at any time. ## 10. Changes We will post updates to this policy on this page and, for material changes affecting platform users, notify you by email or in the platform. --- [← All terms and policies](https://stridehq.ai/terms-and-conditions) # Cookie Policy Cookies and similar technologies used on this site, and how to manage consent. Last updated: 30 July 2026 ## 1. What this covers This policy explains the cookies and similar technologies used on stridehq.ai. Consent is collected and managed through our consent banner (Cookiebot); no non-essential cookies are set before you consent. ## 2. Categories we use - **Strictly necessary:** cookies required to operate the site, including session, security (CSRF) and consent-preference cookies. These do not require consent and cannot be disabled. - **Statistics:** Google Analytics 4, used to understand which pages perform. Set only with your consent. - **Marketing:** Google Ads conversion measurement and HubSpot tracking, used to measure campaigns and manage demo requests. Set only with your consent. ## 3. Managing your consent You can change or withdraw your consent at any time using the cookie settings link in the consent banner, or via your browser settings. Withdrawing consent stops future setting of non-essential cookies; existing cookies can be cleared in your browser. ## 4. Third parties Cookies set by Google and HubSpot are governed by their own privacy policies. The full, automatically maintained list of cookies in use, including names, providers and durations, is shown in the cookie declaration within the consent banner. --- [← All terms and policies](https://stridehq.ai/terms-and-conditions) # Data Processing Agreement How StrideHQ processes personal data on behalf of clients under UK GDPR. Last updated: 30 July 2026 ## 1. Roles For engagement data submitted to the platform (creator details, contracts, invoices, payment instructions), the client is the controller and StrideHQ is the processor. Where StrideHQ determines its own purposes, for example fraud prevention, security logging and its own regulatory compliance, it acts as an independent controller. The payment provider acts as an independent controller for payment execution and its own AML obligations. ## 2. Subject matter and instructions StrideHQ processes personal data only to provide the services described in the Client Terms and the client's documented instructions, unless required otherwise by law. Categories of data subjects: creators, client personnel. Categories of data: identity, contact, tax, banking, contract and transaction data. ## 3. Sub-processors The client authorises the use of sub-processors for hosting, communications and service delivery. A current list is available on request. StrideHQ gives at least 30 days' notice before adding or replacing a sub-processor, during which the client may object on reasonable data protection grounds. StrideHQ remains responsible for its sub-processors' performance. ## 4. Security Technical and organisational measures include encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest (AES-256), UK and EU data residency by default, least-privilege access with MFA enforced, and audit logging across onboarding, contracts and payments. ## 5. Personnel and confidentiality Personnel with access to personal data are bound by confidentiality obligations and receive data protection training appropriate to their role. ## 6. Data subject requests and assistance StrideHQ will promptly notify the client of data subject requests it receives relating to client data, and will assist the client with requests, security, breach notification, and data protection impact assessments, taking into account the nature of the processing. ## 7. Breach notification StrideHQ notifies affected clients without undue delay after becoming aware of a personal data breach affecting client data, providing the information reasonably required for the client to meet its own notification obligations. ## 8. International transfers Transfers outside the UK or EEA are made under adequacy regulations, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum, or EU Standard Contractual Clauses, as applicable. ## 9. Deletion and return On termination, StrideHQ deletes or returns client data at the client's choice, except where retention is required by law (including AML and tax record-keeping), in which case the data remains protected under these terms until deletion. ## 10. Audit StrideHQ makes available information reasonably necessary to demonstrate compliance and allows audits by the client or its appointed auditor, on reasonable notice, no more than once per year unless required by a supervisory authority or following a breach.