What is a creator donation? A plain guide to supporting creators
In the creator world, a donation or tip is money a fan gives, of their own free will, to a creator they love: to say thanks and to help them keep making things. Persian speakers often call it "donate" (دونیت) as a loanword.
Donations, tips, sponsorships, memberships
- Donation or tip: a one-off, voluntary payment from a fan.
- Sponsorship: usually a brand paying in exchange for advertising; a donation comes from the audience and buys no ad.
- Membership: recurring monthly support in exchange for perks like exclusive content.
How creators take donations
The safest way is a support page where a trusted processor handles the payment, rather than a card number or payment address passed around. On Qahvejo, supporters pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, we never see their card number, and the money goes straight to the creator's own payment account.
How to donate safely
- Only pay through the page the creator links from their own bio or channel.
- Check the address; Qahvejo pages always start with qahvejo.com/.
- Never send your card number to anyone in a message or chat.
- If a page looks suspicious, use "report this page" at the bottom of it.
Donations and Iran
Because of sanctions laws, international payments from inside Iran are not possible and residents of Iran cannot receive donations through Qahvejo. Qahvejo is for Persian-speaking creators who live outside Iran and supporters in most countries of the world.
Qahvejo at a glance
- Cost: signing up and every feature are free. Qahvejo takes 5% of each payment and the card processing fee comes out of the same payment. There are no paid plans and no monthly subscription.
- How supporters pay: Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards, or wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, from most countries in the world. One-off support needs no account.
- Who can create a page: any creator aged 18 or over who lives in one of 43 supported countries (such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Australia and the UAE) and has a bank account in their own name.
- Payouts: automatic, daily, weekly or monthly, to your own bank account, in US dollars or your country's currency. The money goes straight to your own payment account; Qahvejo never holds it.
- Sanctions: residents of Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria and comprehensively sanctioned regions cannot create a page or receive money, and payments from inside Iran are not possible.
Common questions
What does donate mean for creators?
It means a fan voluntarily giving money to a creator they love, to say thanks and help them keep going.
How is a donation different from a sponsorship?
A sponsor is usually a brand paying for advertising. A donation comes from the audience and buys no advertising.
Do I need an account to donate on Qahvejo?
No. One-off support works without an account, and even without an email address.