Marketplace comparison
SkyLog vs Droners.io
Both connect clients with commercial drone pilots. They differ in one structural way that decides almost everything else: Droners.io a percentage commission from both the pilot and the client on every completed job, and holds the client's payment until the work is delivered and approved, then pays the pilot out on its own schedule. SkyLog takes nothing from either side and stays out of the payment entirely.
| SkyLog | Droners.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission on the job price | 0% from either side | A percentage from both sides |
| Cost to post a job | Free, unlimited | Free to post |
| Cost to receive quotes | Free, unlimited | Free |
| What the pilot pays | $41/month flat, regardless of work won | A share of every completed job |
| Who holds the payment | Nobody — you pay the pilot directly | The platform, in escrow |
| Platform-backed refund if work disappoints | No | Yes, via escrow |
| When the pilot is paid | Whenever the two of you agree | After a client review window, then a payout delay |
| Fee grows as the job gets bigger | No | Yes |
Droners.io's fee structure is described here in shape rather than in figures — their exact percentages are their own to publish, and we would rather state the difference than quote a number that could change without our noticing. Their current terms are on their site.
When a commission platform is the better choice
If you want the marketplace to stand behind the transaction — money held until you approve the work, and somewhere to go if it disappoints — a commission funds exactly that, and SkyLog does not offer it. A first-time client hiring a stranger for a high-consequence shoot has a real reason to want escrow.
When SkyLog is
When the work is worth enough that a percentage stops being trivial, or recurring enough that you would rather build a direct relationship than route every job through an intermediary. A percentage is cheap on a $250 shoot and expensive on a $6,000 survey; a flat subscription does not care.
The part nobody quotes you
When a platform charges both sides, each party is shown only their own half. The client sees a fee added; the pilot sees a deduction. Neither sees the gap between what was paid and what was banked — and that gap is the real cost of the model.
Common questions
Does Droners.io charge a commission?
Yes. Droners.io a percentage commission from both the pilot and the client on every completed job, and holds the client's payment until the work is delivered and approved, then pays the pilot out on its own schedule. SkyLog charges neither side a commission — pilots pay a flat $41/month subscription to send quotes, and clients pay nothing at all.
Which is cheaper?
For a pilot winning regular work, a flat monthly fee costs less than a share of every job, and the gap widens the more they bill. For a pilot who wins nothing in a month, a commission model costs nothing and a subscription still costs $41. For a client, SkyLog is free and a commission marketplace adds a fee on top of the pilot's price.
What do I give up by using SkyLog?
Escrow. SkyLog never holds your money, so there is no platform-held deposit and no platform-backed refund — payment terms are between you and the pilot, as with any contractor. If having a marketplace stand behind the transaction matters more to you than the fee, that is a real reason to choose a commission platform.
Can I use both?
Yes, and plenty of pilots do. They are not exclusive, and listing on more than one marketplace is normal — the question is only which one a given job is worth taking through.
Try it on one job and compare.
Posting is free and you are not obliged to hire. The quotes you get back are the price you would actually pay.