Tips for open source, free

Take tips for your open source project

Link a tip page from your README, your website or your app. People tip once or every month, and the money goes straight to your own PayPal or Stripe account.

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How can I accept tips for my open source project?

Put a link to a tip page in your README, on your project website and inside your app, so people who use your free work can thank you. Offer a one-time tip and a monthly one. Word the page as thanks for work you have already done, because Stripe allows tips only for something you have already provided. Pick a tool that pays you directly, so nobody else holds the money.

Why Payly

Monthly tips for steady work

Keeping a project alive is not a one-off job. The Open source template lets people tip once or every month, and PayPal or Stripe charges each monthly tip on schedule to your own account.

Your code stays free

A tip is a thank-you and unlocks nothing, so your project stays free for everyone. Tippers get a receipt by email and do not need an account.

Find out who uses it

The template asks tippers what they use it for. Answers, names and email addresses show in your dashboard, not on the tip page, and you can download them as CSV.

How an open source tip jar works in Payly

You start from a template. PayPal or Stripe collects each tip.

Start from Open source

In Your sites, click New, choose Tip jar, then pick the Open source template. Its words thank people for work you have already done. Add your project's name and your own words.
Set the tips

Change the suggested amounts (up to 8) and keep the box where people type their own. The template offers one-time and monthly tips, and you can change that.
Connect PayPal or Stripe, then publish

Your tip jar runs on your own free Cloudflare account. Try a tip yourself in Test mode first, then share the link.

What you get

The Open source template, with one-time and monthly tips
Suggested amounts, and an amount people type
A question for tippers, such as what they use your project for
A link for your README and website, and a QR code to download
Your logo, header photo, colors and font
Test mode, to tip yourself before you share the link
A receipt by email for every tip, and every tip in your dashboard

What it costs

Completely free - no paid plan, no transaction fees, no commission

PayPal and Stripe charge their standard processing fees, as they would on any platform.

How can this possibly be free?

Start from a template

Start from one of these and change anything you like, or start from scratch.

Open source

One-time or monthly tips from people who use your free app, plugin or code.

Honest answers

Can I try a tip before I share the link?

Yes. Turn on Test mode on the Payments tab and tip yourself with sandbox accounts. Turn it off before you share your link. How test mode works

Do small tips lose a lot to fees?

PayPal and Stripe charge their fee on every payment, and it usually includes a fixed part, so a very small tip loses a larger share. Payly takes nothing. You can also let tippers add the fee: cover the fee.

Can I offer sponsor levels or perks?

Not in a tip jar. It has no levels, and a monthly tip unlocks nothing. If you want levels and members-only posts, see creator memberships.

Do tippers get a donation receipt?

No. A tip gets an ordinary receipt by email, not a donation receipt. The Tax ID and Receipt note boxes in Settings do not apply to it.

Is it really free?

Yes. There is no monthly fee, no transaction fee and no paid tier. PayPal and Stripe charge their standard processing fees on each payment, as they would on any platform. How can this possibly be free?