The short answer
Every booking has a maximum: the most you'll pay an hour. Only crew whose own rate is at or under it are offered the booking. You pay the rate of whoever accepts, not the maximum. Crew never see your maximum. A crew member can ask for more with a counter offer. Inside your maximum it books at once. Above it, you choose. Gaffr's Platform Fee never rises with a counter.
Where do I set my maximum?
On the booking form, under "Most you'll pay per hour". The app says: "You pay the rate of whoever accepts, never more than this."
- There are quick picks of £20, £25, £30 and £35 an hour.
- Or set your own with − and +, in whole pounds.
- It can be anything from £1 to £500 an hour.
- The app starts from the maximum you last used for that role, or £25.
What does the maximum do?
It decides who's offered the booking. Each crew member sets their own hourly rate in Gaffr Live. Only those charging at or under your maximum get the Opportunity.
While Gaffr is looking, the booking reads "Open to crew charging up to" your maximum "an hour."
What am I charged?
The rate of the crew member who accepts, × the hours booked, plus Gaffr's Platform Fee. If your maximum is £30 and they charge £25, you pay £25 an hour.
Why is the hold bigger than the charge?
Until someone accepts, Gaffr doesn't know their rate. So the card hold covers your maximum × the hours, plus the Platform Fee. The booking shows it as "Up to" that amount.
Once someone accepts, the booking shows the real figures, for example: "£125 held on your card. We take £101 when the shift ends and release £24." What you pay and cancellations explains the hold in full.
Do crew see my maximum?
No. An Opportunity shows the crew member their own rate, even when your maximum is higher. A crew member charging £25 sees a £30 booking at £25.
What's a counter offer?
A crew member offered your booking can ask for more than their rate for that one job. Setting your rate explains the crew side.
- A counter is a firm offer. If it's accepted, they're booked at that rate.
- Each crew member can counter once each time the booking is offered to crew. If it reopens, they can counter again.
- They can give a reason: "Short call", "Travel", "Anti-social timing" or "Other".
What happens when a counter is inside my maximum?
The crew member is booked at once, at their counter rate. The app doesn't ask you first. It's covered by the hold you've already placed, because it's no more than your maximum.
What happens when a counter is above my maximum?
You decide. Gaffr sends a notification, such as "Counter offer: £30/hr". The booking screen shows a "Counter offer" card with:
- the rate and how far over your maximum it is, such as "£30/hr, £4/hr over your maximum"
- the reason, if one was given
- the Crew Member fee, the Gaffr Platform Fee and the total
The card says: "A crew member will take this booking at this rate. Accept and they're booked: we raise the hold on your card to cover it. The Gaffr Platform Fee doesn't go up. Reject and nothing changes. We keep looking at your maximum either way."
The card shows nothing about who sent the counter. You see who they are once they're booked.
What if I accept?
Gaffr places a larger hold on your card first. The booking is confirmed only once your bank authorises it. Then the first hold is released. The app says "Booked at the countered rate."
If your card declines the larger hold, nothing changes. The app says: "Your card declined the larger hold, so nothing's changed. Use another card, or reject the counter."
The app also doesn't accept a counter if your bank wants to approve the larger hold. Nothing changes, and you can use another card or reject it.
The larger hold covers that crew member only. If they later release the booking, Gaffr looks again at your original maximum.
What if I reject it?
Nothing changes, and Gaffr keeps offering the booking at your maximum. The app says: "Counter rejected. We're carrying on looking."
How long do I have to answer?
There's no time limit. A counter stays open until one of these happens:
- you accept or reject it
- someone else takes the booking, at or under your maximum
- the crew member takes it back, or takes another job at the same time
- the booking is cancelled, or closes because nobody took it
If you don't answer, Gaffr carries on looking. If nobody takes the booking, it closes and your card hold is released. When nobody takes your booking explains what you see then.
Someone else may take it while you decide. Then the app says: "Someone else has just taken this booking, at or under your maximum."
Does a counter change the Platform Fee?
No. The Platform Fee is worked out before any counter, and a counter never raises it. Only the Crew Member fee changes.
Can I change my maximum on a booking?
Not once it's placed. To try a different maximum, cancel the booking and book again. Cancelling before anyone accepts costs nothing.