On a bid or quote site you post a job and wait to hear back. On Ch4pter you see the price and the open dates first, send a request, and nothing is charged until the photographer accepts.
| Ch4pter | Bid and quote sites | |
|---|---|---|
| Seeing the price | Each photographer lists her packages and prices on her profile. You see them before you ask anything. | You post a job, then wait for quotes or bids to come back. |
| Checking a date | Photographers keep their own calendars current. You pick a real open date. | Usually a message thread: “Are you available on the 14th?” |
| When your card is charged | Only after the photographer accepts. If she declines, or doesn’t answer within 24 hours, it is never charged. | Depends on the site, and often happens off the site, directly with the photographer. |
| Paying the balance | A deposit holds the date. You approve a preview of the gallery, and the balance comes due only once you have seen the work. | Usually arranged between you and the photographer. |
| For photographers | Free to join, no subscription. First three bookings carry no commission; then 8% on your clients, capped at $59 a month, and 12% on the first booking with a client who found you through Ch4pter. | Some sites charge photographers for each lead or quote, whether or not it becomes a booking. |
When a bid site is the better fit
If you want several photographers to pitch you on a job you describe, a bid or quote site does that. Ch4pter is for when you’d rather look at real work and real prices and book the photographer you pick.