Getting paid is the least glamorous part of UGC and the one that causes the most trouble. In Costa Rica the problem is rarely bad faith: it is that nobody put in writing when, how and against what payment happens.

The payment methods actually used

  • SINPE Movil. Instant and heavily used for small and medium amounts. Perfect for deposits and small local clients.
  • Bank transfer. The standard with hotels, companies and agencies, against an electronic invoice.
  • Dollar account. Almost mandatory if you work with tourism or clients abroad.
  • Platforms and marketplaces. For international clients, when you want to avoid high transfer fees and have the agreement on record.

Practical rule: the bigger the client, the slower and more formal the payment. A hotel chain pays at thirty days. A neighbourhood diner or shop sends you a SINPE the same day.

The terms you will meet

With companies and agencies, thirty days from the invoice is standard. With international companies based in a free zone it can be longer, because payment goes through their head office.

What you can negotiate is when the clock starts. Having it run from delivery rather than from an undated approval completely changes your cash flow.

The deposit, your best protection

For a new client: fifty per cent up front, the rest on delivery. It filters out whoever was never going to pay and covers your production time.

With recurring clients you can move to monthly invoicing. With foreign clients you do not know, keep the deposit without exceptions.

What must be in writing

  • What is delivered: number of pieces, duration, formats, language.
  • How many rounds of changes are included and what an extra one costs.
  • Where the material may be used and for how long.
  • Price, currency, applicable exchange rate and taxes.
  • What happens if the project is cancelled after filming.

Most payment disputes come from one of those five lines being missing.

Trade deals, handle with care

In tourism you will be offered accommodation or tours in exchange for content. That can make sense early on, to build a portfolio and relationships.

It stops making sense the moment that material runs in paid media. At that point it is advertising, and advertising is paid in money.

When the client is late

First a friendly reminder with the invoice attached. Then a phone call, which works far better than email number four. And if needed, a written notice that work in progress is paused.

Do not hand over final high quality files until the agreed payment is made. Sending watermarked versions for review is normal practice.

Where to go next

Getting paid well is a skill separate from filming well. Our guide on how to become a UGC creator places this piece within the whole craft.