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A delivery gate that automatically releases files when invoice is paid

A delivery gate that automatically releases files when invoice is paid

by pixelatedRudy·Apr 18, 2026·1 point·1 comment
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AI Analysis

●●SolidSlickSolve My Problem

Locks deliverables in invoices to pressure clients, acting as an automated bad cop.

Strengths
  • •Locked delivery link workflow creates payment leverage without awkward personal follow-ups.
  • •Time tracking sessions auto-populate invoice line items, reducing administrative overhead significantly.
  • •Escalating email reminder templates handle late payments professionally without emotional labor.
Weaknesses
  • •Manual payment confirmation lacks true automated escrow or Stripe webhook integration.
  • •Crowded freelance SaaS market makes differentiation against Harvest or Toggl difficult.
Category
SaaS
Target Audience

Freelancers, consultants, and small agencies

Similar To

Harvest · FreshBooks · Bonsai

Post Description

Hi HN,

I've been doing freelance work and realized the most stressful part of the entire lifecycle isn't doing the work, it's the final handoff. You send over the final ZIP file or Figma link, attach your invoice, and then just wait and hope the client actually pays instead of running off with your files.

To fix this, I built TimeDrop to act as a mechanical intermediary. It basically removes the "trust" variable from the final delivery.

Here is the workflow:

You secure your final project link behind a "delivery gate" in the app.

The app emails the invoice to the client on your behalf.

The client receives the invoice and sees that the files are ready, but the link is strictly locked.

The second you mark the invoice as paid on your dashboard, the system automatically unlocks and delivers the final files to the client.

It acts as the bad cop so you never have to send another awkward "just following up on the payment" email.

The site is https://timedrop.work

I would love to hear your thoughts on the mechanics of this workflow, or if you see any glaring edge cases I'm missing..

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Focused product-market fit: it automates Turkish e‑invoice/e‑archive compliance and adds basic payment tracking, which is exactly the kind of local regulatory pain that general invoicing tools ignore. The landing page is clear about who should join (freelancers, solopreneurs), the beta reward and the 37‑question feedback loop — smart for early-stage product development. Missing: details on integrations (banks, accounting, API) and whether it handles cross‑border VAT or reconciliation, which will decide if this stays a niche utility or becomes a broader alternative.

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