Why I Built PWA Payment Notifications for IndieHQ (And How It Changes Everything for UK Freelancers)

2025-07-18

Yesterday, I pushed a feature to IndieHQ that I've been thinking about: real-time payment notifications that work like a native mobile app.


As someone who's juggled ICU nursing shifts while running freelance projects, I know the pain of constantly checking email to see if clients have paid. You're either refreshing your inbox obsessively or missing payment confirmations entirely.


The problem: Email notifications get buried, phones don't buzz for important payment updates, and you're always wondering "did that German client pay the €1,200 invoice yet?"


The solution: PWA notifications that pop up on your phone, tablet, and desktop the moment a client reports a payment.


PWA Payment Notification Screenshot

Why This Matters for UK Freelancers

Let's be honest - cash flow is everything when you're freelancing. That €800 payment from your Munich client or the £1,200 from your London startup can make the difference between a good month and a stressful one.

But most freelancers are stuck in this cycle:

  • Send invoice
  • Wait
  • Check email constantly
  • Send payment reminder
  • Check email again
  • Wonder if the payment reminder was too pushy
  • Repeat

IndieHQ's new PWA changes this completely.

How It Works: The Technical Side

PWA (Progressive Web App) notifications use the same technology as native apps. When you visit IndieHQ and allow notifications, the system registers a service worker that can push notifications even when you're not actively using the app.

Here's what happens:

  1. Client reports payment through their secure portal (no registration required)
  2. IndieHQ processes the payment report and updates your dashboard
  3. Enable notifications in both your phone settings and app settings
  4. Notification fires instantly to all your devices
  5. You get both - push notification AND email confirmation

The beauty is that you don't need to download anything. Just add IndieHQ to your home screen and it behaves exactly like a native app.

📱 How to Add IndieHQ to Your Home Screen

Step-by-step guide: Installing IndieHQ as a PWA and enable notifications

Real-World Impact: Yesterday's Success Story

Within hours of launching this feature, I got a message from Ben (one of our UK freelancers):

"Just got the notification that my client paid while I was in a meeting. Normally I'd be checking email every 10 minutes wondering if payment came through. This is brilliant."

That's exactly the problem I built this to solve.

The Complete Payment Workflow

Here's how the full system works now:

1. Professional Client Experience

  • Client receives clean, professional invoice email
  • Clicks secure portal link (no registration needed)
  • Views invoice details and payment instructions
  • Reports payment with reference details

2. Instant Notification System

  • Push notification fires to all your devices
  • Email confirmation sent as backup
  • Dashboard updates in real-time
  • Payment status changes from "sent (time viewed)" to "pending confirmation"

3. One-Click Confirmation

  • Tap notification to open payment review
  • Confirm or dispute with one click
  • Payment marked as received
  • Client gets automatic email confirmation
  • Client navigates to portal via new link in email to see payment status and download invoice pdf.

Why PWA Instead of Native Apps?

I chose PWA over building separate iOS/Android apps for several reasons:

1. No App Store Barriers

  • No waiting for Apple/Google approval
  • No 30% app store fees
  • Instant updates without app store delays

2. Works Everywhere

  • iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux
  • Same codebase, same experience
  • Add to home screen on any device

3. Privacy-First Approach

  • No tracking through app stores
  • Your data stays on IndieHQ servers
  • No third-party analytics or ads

4. Professional Without Complexity

  • Acts like a native app
  • No additional downloads
  • Works offline for viewing invoices

The UK Freelancer Advantage

This feature is particularly powerful for UK freelancers because:

Multi-Currency Payment Tracking

  • Get notified when EUR, USD, or GBP payment reports arrive
  • Each currency tracked separately
  • No algorithm or forced api conversion

Time Zone Awareness

  • Clients in different time zones can report payment anytime
  • You get notified immediately regardless of time
  • No more "did they pay overnight?" uncertainty

Tax Compliance

  • All payment confirmations properly documented
  • Automatic audit trail for tax purposes
  • Reference numbers and dates properly tracked

Setting Up PWA Notifications

Getting started is simple:

  1. Visit IndieHQ on your phone or computer
  2. Allow notifications when prompted
  3. Add to home screen (optional but recommended)
  4. Get instant alerts when clients report payments

The system works across all your devices. Allow notifications on your phone, tablet, and desktop to stay updated everywhere.

What This Means for Your Business

Before: Constantly checking email, missing payments, delayed follow-ups After: Instant awareness, professional client experience, faster payment cycles

Real impact:

  • Faster payment confirmation (hours instead of days)
  • Professional client experience (no email chains)
  • Better cash flow visibility (know immediately when paid)
  • Reduced admin time (no more email checking)

The Technology Behind It

For the developers reading this, here's the technical approach:

  • Service Worker for background notifications
  • Web Push API for cross-platform alerts
  • Notification API for rich notification content
  • Background Sync for offline capability
  • IndexedDB for client-side caching

The PWA passes all Core Web Vitals and works offline for viewing invoices and client data.

Try It Yourself

If you're tired of email-based payment tracking and want to see what professional freelancer business management looks like, try IndieHQ's PWA notifications.


Current features:

  • Professional client portals (no registration required)

  • Multi-currency invoicing and payment tracking

  • Real-time PWA notifications

  • Tax ready exports your accountant will love

  • UK mileage tracking with proper rates

  • Complete data ownership (no bank integrations required)


    Pricing: £11.99/month for unlimited usage, or try the generous free tier that includes all features with volume limits.


Get started: Visit IndieHQ.org, create an account, and enable notifications. Add it to your home screen and experience freelancer business management that actually works like a professional tool.


Built by a freelancer, for freelancers. Because your payment notifications shouldn't get lost in your inbox.


What do you think? Are PWA notifications the future of freelancer tools, or do you prefer traditional email updates? Let me know on Twitter @builtbyDecency.