There's a big difference between a musician sharing a QR code after a performance and a business managing tips across several locations. Both want to make it easy for people to leave a tip, but what they need behind the scenes can look quite different.
That's why we think choosing a tipping platform should start with a simple question: who's getting paid?
At Tip Top Jar, you can collect tips for yourself, a group, an event, or your business. We've built different plans around those needs, rather than assuming everyone collects tips the same way.
And when it comes to fees, we think you should know exactly what to expect.
Getting started shouldn't cost you upfront
One thing we've heard from our community is that people don't want to pay money before they've had the chance to earn it.
It's a fair point. Why should you have to pay money to make money?
That's why we've made it possible to get your tip page live without paying an activation fee upfront.
On Basic, there's no monthly subscription. The one-time $9.99 activation fee can be deducted from your first tips, or you can pay it upfront if you'd prefer.
No tips? No activation fee collected.
And once that fee has been paid, it's taken care of. You won't be charged it again.
On Pro, there's also a $9.99 activation fee with the option to pay later when the fee applies. We occasionally offer special promotions on Pro, including free trial periods and waived activation fees. You can check our pricing page for the latest offers.
There's no card required to get started on either plan.
We'd rather give people the chance to start collecting tips and choose what works for them than make an upfront payment the deciding factor.
One tip page. Unlimited possibilities.
Of course, getting started is only part of the picture. What matters is how you use your tip page.
You might share a QR code with customers, add a tipping link to your social media bio, or send your page to someone after an event. Your supporters don't have to be standing in front of you to leave a tip.
And whether you choose Basic or Pro, there's no limit on the number of tips you can receive.
Basic gives you one tip page with its own link and QR code. Pro lets you create multiple pages, which can be useful if you perform at different events, have several projects, or want to keep different audiences separate.
Both give people a simple way to show their appreciation, wherever they find you.
You never really know where your next tip might come from.
What about the per-tip fee?
We think fees should be easy to understand, especially when it's your money.
Tip Top Jar's standard per-tip fee is 12%. By default, the person leaving the tip has the option to cover that fee, so it doesn't reduce the amount they intended to give you.
And according to our own data, 9 out of 10 tippers choose to cover the fee.
When someone chooses to do this, the per-tip fee is added on top of their tip rather than deducted from it.
If you'd rather cover the per-tip fee yourself, you can change that in your tip jar settings. It's your choice.
The one-time activation fee, when applicable, is handled separately. Additional payment processing charges may also apply depending on the payment method.
Nobody should have to dig through pages of fine print to understand how their tips are handled.
Choosing what works for you
For people collecting tips on their own, in a group, or for an event, the choice is between Basic and Pro.
Basic keeps things simple. There's no monthly fee, and you get a tip page, QR code, and the tools to keep track of your tips.
Pro offers more flexibility. You can create multiple tip pages, view more detailed analytics, customize thank-you messages, and interact with your tippers. It's $9.99 per month after any applicable trial, and you can move back to Basic if you no longer need the additional features.
If you're collecting tips as a registered business, the needs can be different again.
Our Business and Team plans are designed for people managing tips across employees, locations, or both. They include business-focused tools, with access currently available through our pilot program.
You can see how the options compare on our pricing page.
There's no reason to pay for features you won't use. Equally, there's no reason to work around the limitations of a plan that doesn't suit the way you collect tips.
Built around the way people get tipped
Some people receive tips every day. Others might only collect them after a performance, a special event, or a particularly busy weekend.
We don't think everyone should have to approach tipping in the same way.
The feedback we receive from our community continues to shape how Tip Top Jar works, from the way people get started to the tools they use as they grow.
Our approach is simple: make tipping accessible, be clear about what things cost, and give people the freedom to choose what fits.
Whether you're collecting your first tip or managing tips across a team, there should be a straightforward way to do it.