Who you can message
You can send a new message to another member right now if, and only if, one of these is true at this moment:
- You’re connected — you have an accepted Connection with them on your Professional Profile.
- You have an active Spaces booking together — a booking between you that’s still pending or confirmed (not yet completed, declined or cancelled).
- You have an active Gigs hire together — a task you’ve hired each other for that’s still assigned (not yet completed or cancelled).
This is checked in real time, not based on whether you’ve ever messaged before. It exists so messaging stays tied to a genuine reason to be in touch, rather than turning into an open inbox anyone can drop into.
When a thread closes
The moment the reason you were talking goes away, sending new messages closes — automatically:
- A booking moves to completed, declined or cancelled, and you weren’t already connected.
- A gig moves to completed or cancelled, and you weren’t already connected.
- Someone removes a Connection.
If you want to keep talking with someone after a booking or gig wraps up — to book them again, refer other work, or just stay in touch — send a Connection request from their profile before (or as soon as) that happens. Once you’re connected, the thread stays open regardless of what happens with any individual booking or gig.
Your message history is never deleted
Closing a thread only blocks new messages — it never hides or deletes what’s already been said. A closed conversation stays fully readable, with a note explaining why you can’t reply and a link to that person’s profile if you want to reconnect.
Getting started
A new booking or gig hire opens its own thread automatically, with a welcome message sent on the other person’s behalf so the conversation doesn’t start from a blank page. If you’ve got more than one booking or gig with the same person, everything you’ve ever said to each other is merged into one continuous conversation in your inbox — you’re never juggling several separate threads with the same person.
Finding your way to a profile
Tap or click anyone’s photo — at the top of a conversation, or on a notification card — and it takes you straight to their profile, so you can check who you’re talking to or send a Connection request without leaving the conversation.
Keeping messaging appropriate
Messages are covered by the same rules as everything else on CoHub — honest, on-platform, and respectful. Don’t use messaging to arrange payment outside the platform to avoid the CoHub fee, and don’t use it to harass, threaten or discriminate against another member. See Appropriate & inappropriate use for the full picture.