Plain answers.

It works like Patreon, but for ordinary people. Regulars support the people they see every day (the barista, the bartender, the server) with a small monthly amount, often just a few dollars. The money goes straight from the regular to that person. It isn't for influencers or creators. It's for the everyday workers in someone's routine.

Tips left at the counter or on the card machine are often pooled, split by a formula the worker didn't design, or controlled by management, and staff can be pressured to give some away. TipRiver is a separate channel: the employer never handles the money, never sees it, and has no role in it. Many workplace arrangements are fair. This simply guarantees that your thanks reaches the person you meant.

Not from us. Employers aren't users, co-owners or recipients of any report or notification. There are no employer-side records of TipRiver funds. A worker is free to tell their employer, but TipRiver never will.

No. It's a supplement with a known rhythm, not a salary, contract or insured income. Regulars can pause or cancel at any time. Ten regulars at $5.00 a month produce $43.00 net, and we describe that as exactly what it is.

No. There are no posts, perks or tiers. It's a tip in the plain sense: voluntary and without conditions.

With their personal code, link or QR code, which they share with you themselves. There's no public directory or search on purpose. A code resolves to exactly one person, so there's no risk of supporting a similarly named stranger.

Any monthly amount from $3.00 to $100.00 per person. The floor keeps contributions meaningful after fees, and the ceiling keeps it in the territory of appreciation. You can support several people, each with their own amount and their own $100.00 limit. Entries outside the range get a plain message. We never quietly change your number.

$5.00, every month, until you change or stop it. Fees come out of the tip, not on top of it. Before you confirm you'll see: "You will be charged $5.00 monthly for Alex. You can cancel anytime."

PayPal, Venmo or a card. Card details are entered in our payment partner's secure fields and never reach TipRiver's servers. We keep only a token and display details such as "Visa ending 4242."

Yes, from one page. A new amount applies from your next monthly charge, with no proration, and charges already processed are never altered. Pausing stops charges with nothing owed when you resume. Cancelling stops all future charges straight away, and the person keeps what you've already sent. Every change gets a confirmation you can save.

We try three times in total: on your billing date, 2 days later, then 3 days after that, five days in all. You get a plain email each time with one link to update your payment method. After the third attempt the subscription shows as failed. It reactivates automatically once the outstanding amount (one month's tip, never a stacked multiple) goes through. The person you support is never told why.

Yes. Refunds cover the full amount of one monthly tip, and partial refunds aren't available. Your $5.00 goes back to the original payment method. The worker's credit for that tip ($4.30) is reversed, and TipRiver absorbs every fee. Cancelling a subscription doesn't trigger a refund by itself. Contact us to request one.

Create an account, verify your email, set up two-factor sign-in, add your legal name, date of birth and address, and connect a payout method. You'll get a personal link and QR code to show at the counter, print on a card or text to a regular.

Whatever feels natural. We suggest: "If you ever feel like showing extra support, this goes directly to me." Many regulars won't subscribe, and that's normal. We never add urgency, suggested amounts or income claims to your card.

Payouts run weekly on Tuesday for balances of at least $10.00 as of Sunday 23:59 UTC, and arrive in 1–3 business days. Bank transfer is $0.00 and PayPal or Venmo is $0.50 per payout. You'll see the fee and the amount you'll receive before you confirm. Balances below $10.00 roll forward with no fee, penalty or expiry.

Four things: their name (or "Anonymous Supporter #XXXX"), their monthly amount, when they started, and their total given to you. You'll never see their card, email or other contact details. You won't be told why a payment failed, only that your supporter count changed.

Your balance goes down by that tip's net credit, for example $4.30 on a $5.00 tip, and you're told in plain words. You're never charged fees for a refund or chargeback. If you've already been paid out, nothing is taken from your bank account. Future payouts are reduced until the difference is covered.

Two deductions, both taken from the tip: TipRiver's 5% platform fee, and payment processing of $0.30 plus 2.9%. Each is calculated on the gross tip and rounded half up to the cent. Nothing else is taken.

The $0.30 processing fee is fixed per payment, so it weighs more on small amounts. We show it rather than hide it:

We don't nudge anyone toward bigger amounts. You can try any amount on the fee calculator.

On a $5.00 tip, $4.30 goes to the worker, $0.45 to the payment processor (Stripe Connect) and $0.25 to TipRiver. That's $5.00 to the cent. The 5% is TipRiver's only revenue on a tip, and processing is passed through at cost.

US dollars only, for both payments and payouts. There's no currency conversion and no conversion fee.

Every movement is recorded in an append-only, double-entry ledger in which every entry must balance to the cent before it's saved. We reconcile daily against our payment processor. Any mismatch, even one cent, stops payouts for the affected account until a person explains it. Corrections are new entries, never edits.

Yes. When you subscribe you choose, explicitly, whether the worker sees your name or "Anonymous Supporter #XXXX." You can choose differently for each person and change it later. Anonymity changes who is shown, never the amount, the fees or where the money goes.

No. Card data is handled by Stripe Connect, a PCI DSS Level 1 service provider. We store an opaque token, the card brand, the last four digits and the expiry date, which is enough to show "Visa ending 4242" and nothing more.

Two-factor sign-in is mandatory for everyone, with an authenticator app recommended and SMS as a fallback. Passwords must be at least 12 characters with upper and lower case, a number and a symbol. Five wrong attempts pause the account for 30 minutes. Changing a payout or payment method always needs your password and a fresh code. Data is encrypted with AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.2+ in transit.

Recovery then goes through manual identity verification with our support team. It's slow on purpose, so attackers can't use it to get around 2FA. Contact us and we'll guide you. We'll never ask for your password or a code.

Financial regulations require it as payouts grow. Everyone gives basic details at signup. A photo ID and proof of address (dated within 3 months) are requested once net payouts reach $1,500.00 in a rolling 12 months, with further checks at $5,000.00 and above $10,000.00. You're told why before anything is asked. Already-credited tips never disappear: only withdrawals wait, and the balance stays visible.

If your gross payments cross the strictest applicable federal or state 1099-K threshold for where you live, yes. Gross means what supporters paid, before fees. We'll ask for your SSN or EIN before you could reach that level. You can download a yearly CSV showing gross, fees, refunds and net, line by line. Receiving no form doesn't mean the money isn't taxable.

No. TipRiver provides a platform for direct support and does not offer financial advice or investment recommendations. We explain how fees, credits and payouts work. For your own situation, please consult a qualified tax professional.