Paid call platforms connect buyers and sellers over live video or audio and charge per minute of call time. The process involves several coordinated systems -- authentication, payment authorization, real-time video infrastructure, metering, settlement, and dispute handling. Here is how each step works.
Step 1: Buyer authentication and payment method on file
Before a buyer can initiate a call, they must create an account and add a payment method. Most platforms use Stripe as the payment processor, which tokenizes the card and stores a Stripe customer ID server-side. The raw card number is never stored on the platform's servers.
Step 2: Payment hold at call initiation
When the buyer taps to connect, the platform places an authorization hold on the buyer's card for a pre-set amount -- typically enough to cover a short call. This hold verifies the card is valid and has sufficient funds before the call begins. If the card declines at this step, the call does not connect.
Step 3: Ringing the seller
The platform sends a push notification -- or, for mobile apps, a VoIP push via Apple's PushKit / Firebase Cloud Messaging on Android -- to the seller's device. This wakes the seller's app even if it is backgrounded or the screen is off, so the seller can answer without the app running in the foreground.
Step 4: Call connect via WebRTC
When the seller accepts, both clients join a live video session using WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication). Most platforms use a managed WebRTC infrastructure layer rather than running their own media servers. Common stacks include Agora (which Cheddify uses) and Twilio Video. These SDKs handle signaling, NAT traversal, codec negotiation, and media relay, so the platform team does not need to manage low-level networking.
Step 5: Meter ticks per minute
Once the call is connected and both parties are in the session, the server starts a billing meter. The meter tracks elapsed time and emits billing events at regular intervals (typically every 60 seconds or every few seconds, depending on implementation). These events are logged server-side so billing can be reconstructed even if the client disconnects unexpectedly.
Step 6: Hang-up triggers settlement
When either party ends the call, the platform captures the final elapsed time and calculates the charge: elapsed minutes times the seller's per-minute rate. The Stripe authorization hold from Step 2 is captured for the final amount (or a new charge is issued if the hold was smaller than the total). If the call was shorter than the hold amount, the remaining hold is released.
Step 7: Payment split to seller and platform
The settled amount is split between the seller and the platform. On Cheddify, the seller keeps 80% and the platform takes 20%. Some older platforms in this category (psychic advice networks, for example) take 50% or more. The seller's portion is credited to their in-app earnings balance, not immediately transferred to their bank -- there is typically a settlement window (often 24-72 hours) during which disputes can be filed before earnings become withdrawable.
Step 8: Rating and dispute window
After the call, both parties are prompted to rate the experience. If a buyer files a dispute -- claiming the call did not deliver what was expected, or that a technical failure cut the call short -- the platform reviews it during the settlement window before releasing seller earnings. The specifics of dispute resolution policies vary by platform.