I Built a File Paywall Platform for Freelancers

TL;DR: I got tired of chasing clients for payments before delivering files, so I built PayGate — a platform where freelancers create payment links, clients pay, and only then get access to download the files. No more "I'll pay you next week." Here's the full technical breakdown. The Problem If you've ever freelanced, you know the dance: You finish the work Client asks to "just see the final version first" You send it over Invoice goes unpaid for 3 weeks Awkward follow-up emails The power dynamic shifts the moment you hand over the files. I wanted to flip that. Existing solutions? Sure — Gumroad takes 10% and doesn't use your own Stripe. Payhip and SendOwl charge 5% on free plans. Stripe Payment Links work but have zero file protection — once redirected, the client can share the download link with anyone. None of them handled invoicing for my local tax regulations either. So I built my own. Meet PayGate The concept is dead simple: Upload a file → set a price → send the link to your clie