The simplest way for a freelance designer or artist to avoid an unpaid-work dispute is to send only watermarked, low-resolution proofs until payment, and keep the final files private. Keep a dated record of the final artwork, the proof you sent, the quote or contract, and any approval messages. A timestamp of those files shows that the exact files existed no later than the recorded time. It doesn’t force anyone to pay, and it doesn’t show who owns the work. Your contract does that. This is general information, not legal advice.
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Why proofs and final files should be different
If a client holds the full-size file, they can use it whether or not they’ve paid. A proof limits that risk:
- A watermarked or low-resolution proof shows the design but isn’t usable for printing or publishing.
- The final file (layered, vector, high-resolution) is released after payment or on the terms in your contract.
This is a business practice, not a legal guarantee. It works best when the contract says when rights pass to the client, often on payment.
What to keep, and when
| Stage | Record to keep |
|---|---|
| Quote or brief | The signed quote or contract, with scope, fee, number of revisions and when rights pass. |
| First concepts | The concept files you sent, and the date you sent them. |
| Proofs | The exact watermarked proof, and the message that sent it. |
| Approval | The client’s written approval of a specific proof. |
| Final files | The final layered or vector files, before you release them. |
| Payment | The invoice and the payment confirmation. |
A routine that fits in ten minutes
- Finish the final file and save a copy that you won’t change.
- Make the proof. Add the watermark and export a low-resolution version.
- Timestamp together. Put the final file, the proof and the signed quote in one TimeBind (up to 10 files). See how to timestamp a file.
- Save the Proof of Time Certificate in the job folder.
- Send the proof only. Ask for written approval of that exact proof.
- Release the final files when the contract says you can.
Your browser makes the fingerprint and the files stay on your device, so the full-size file isn’t shared as part of the timestamp. A TimeBind shows the files existed no later than the recorded time and still match their fingerprints.
If the client uses the work without paying
Collect your records: the contract, the proof, the dated final file, and the messages. Then follow the steps in client used your design without paying: evidence to keep. If the work was taken from your portfolio or posted online, see how to prove someone copied your content.
Related routines
- Protect your design before sending to a client
- Prove a logo vector file existed before a date
- Freelancer timestamping
Frequently Asked Questions
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Should I send a watermarked proof or the final file?
A watermarked or low-resolution proof is safer if payment is still due. Your contract should say when the client receives the final file and when rights pass.
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Does a timestamp make a client pay?
No. It records that your files existed by a certain time. Payment depends on your contract and the law where you work.
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Can I timestamp the proof and the final file in one TimeBind?
Yes. One TimeBind holds up to 10 files, so you can include the final artwork, the proof and the quote.
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What if the client says the proof was different?
Keep the exact proof you sent, with the message that carried it, and the TimeBind Proof of Time Certificate showing that exact proof existed by a certain time.
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What does a TimeBind cost?
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, Pooled TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. See plans and pricing
Keep the proof and the final file on record
Free to start. The files stay on your device and your browser makes the fingerprint.
Last fact-checked: 10 November 2026.
Date the final files before you send the proof
Add the final artwork, the watermarked proof and the approved quote (up to 10 files) to one TimeBind before you share anything.
Make your first TimeBind free → See plans and pricing
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. Your browser makes the fingerprint and the file stays on your device. A TimeBind shows a file existed no later than the recorded time. It doesn’t show who made it.
