Free isn't the same as protected.
Craigslist is free and it's everywhere, but it doesn't touch the money and it doesn't check who you're dealing with. Bounty does both.
Side by side
What happens to your money, and who are you letting in?
On Bounty, Stripe holds your money until you approve the work, and you choose who comes. On Craigslist, you pay a stranger directly and nobody checks who they are.
- Payment Bounty: held by Stripe from the moment you post, released only once you approve the work. Craigslist: no built-in payment — you arrange cash, Venmo, or anything else directly with a stranger.
- Verification Bounty: Stripe checks a hunter's identity and bank details before they can cash out. That confirms who gets paid. It isn't a background check. Craigslist: no identity check of any kind — anyone can respond to a listing.
- If it goes wrong Bounty: the reward isn't released unless you confirm the job, and you can use “Report a problem” in the app. Craigslist: no dispute process built in — it's between you and whoever showed up.
- Reputation Bounty: only two people who completed a task together can rate each other, and you can see how many tasks someone has completed before you choose them. Craigslist: no ratings or reviews system.
- Cost Bounty: free to post, and you pay exactly the reward. The hunter pays a 5% finder's fee out of it once the task is done. Craigslist: free to post, no fee — and no protection either.
Questions people ask
Does Bounty cost more than Craigslist?
Not for the person posting. On a $60 furniture-assembly job, you pay $60 on either one. The difference is that on Bounty, Stripe holds that $60 until you approve the work.
The hunter pays a 5% finder's fee out of the reward when they're paid, so they take home $57 on a $60 job, or $114 on a $120 moving job. On Craigslist, nobody pays a fee, and nobody holds the money.
Not sure what to offer? The going local ranges for the tasks people post most are on what tasks cost: $35–60 for lawn mowing, $40–75 for furniture assembly, $60–120 for moving help.
What if I pay up front and they don't show up?
On Bounty, they don't get paid. Your payment is held by Stripe from the moment you post and is released only when you confirm the task is complete. Nobody else can release it. If the person you chose doesn't come through, don't confirm the job. Tell them in the app's messages, or use “Report a problem” in the app.
On Craigslist, there's no one in the middle. If you handed over cash or sent a Venmo before the work, getting it back is between you and the person who took it.
How do I know who's coming to my house?
On Bounty, you choose them, and you can see their record first: their note, how long they've been on Bounty and how many tasks they've completed. Ratings come only from people who completed a task together, so someone new won't have any yet.
Stripe checks a hunter's identity and bank details before they can cash out. That confirms who gets paid. It isn't a background check, so read their profile and choose for yourself.
On Craigslist, anyone can reply to a listing. You're judging a stranger from an email thread, with no ID check and no ratings to go on.
Do I have to put my full address in the post?
No. On Bounty, your street or neighborhood is enough for the post. Give the house number to the one person you choose, in the app's messages, once you've decided. On Craigslist, whatever you put in the listing is public to anyone who opens it.
What if nobody answers my post?
On Bounty, nobody is paid, and you can get your money back. Until you've chosen someone, you can cancel in the app and the full payment goes back to your card. The reward can't be changed once it's paid, so to offer more, cancel and post again with a higher reward or more detail.
What can I post on Bounty, and where?
Any legal task, with a reward from $5 to $10,000: yard work, moving and hauling, furniture assembly, TV mounting, cleaning, tutoring, repairs, deliveries or online work. Posting is free. You can post from this website without an account. We email your sign-in link straight after.
In-person bounties are live in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Online bounties can be claimed from anywhere.
When is Craigslist the better choice?
When the job is small, it happens outside your home, and you're comfortable settling up face to face. Also when you're outside the DMV, where Bounty doesn't have people yet.
Why pick one over the other
Is Craigslist good enough for odd jobs?
For some, yes. Craigslist costs nothing because it does nothing past the listing.
No escrow, no ID check, no one to call if the job goes sideways — that trade is fine for some things. For letting a stranger into your house, or handing over $200 before you know they'll show up, it's a trade a lot of people would rather not make.
Bounty adds nothing to what you pay, and your money still doesn't move until you say the job's done. You choose who comes, and Stripe checks their identity before they're paid.