Websites using Liberapay

Okay, let s break down Liberapay.

What is Liberapay?

Liberapay is an open-source platform that allows creators and projects to receive recurring donations from their supporters. It s designed to be a more transparent and ethical alternative to other patronage platforms.

Key Characteristics of Liberapay:

• Open Source: The platform itself is open-source, meaning its code is publicly available for anyone to view, modify, and contribute to.
• Non-Profit: Liberapay operates as a non-profit organization, which means it doesn t prioritize maximizing profits for shareholders.
• Transparency: Financial records, including revenue, payouts, and development costs, are publicly available.
• Focus on Recurring Donations: Liberapay is specifically geared towards recurring donations (weekly, monthly, etc.) rather than one-time payments.
• Privacy: Liberapay aims to protect user privacy, although complete anonymity is not guaranteed due to payment processor requirements.
• Cross-Platform: Liberapay can be used by anyone globally and supports multiple currencies.

Revenue Model:

Liberapay does not take a percentage cut of donations. Instead, it relies on its own donors. Here s how it works:

• Donations to Liberapay: Liberapay itself is supported by donations from its users and supporters.
• No Transaction Fees (From Liberapay): Liberapay does not charge fees for processing donations.
• Payment Processor Fees: Payment processors like Stripe or PayPal (which Liberapay uses as an intermediary for processing payments) charge their own transaction fees. These fees are not controlled by Liberapay. They will take their percentage before it arrives to your Liberapay balance.
• Donating to Liberapay: Liberapay also encourages you to donate a portion of what you earn to the platform, as a kind of fee, to support its own operation, which is very fair.

Revenue for Creators/Projects:

• Creators receive the full amount of donations, minus the fees charged by the payment processor.
• The frequency of payouts depends on the creator s settings, but payments are generally made when the threshold is reached (e.g. 5-10 EUR).

Alternatives to Liberapay:

Here are some popular alternatives, with a quick comparison:

• Patreon:
  • Pros: Widely known, extensive features for community interaction, tiered membership options.
  • Cons: Takes a percentage cut of donations (5-12% + payment processing), less transparent than Liberapay, closed-source.
• GitHub Sponsors:
  • Pros: Directly integrated with GitHub for open-source projects, similar to Liberapay in no-fee-structure, focus on open-source.
  • Cons: Only for GitHub users, payment method and country limitations, limited community engagement features.
• Ko-fi:
  • Pros: Easy to use, supports both one-time and recurring donations, offers a shop feature.
  • Cons: Takes a percentage cut of donations (5% + payment processing), less transparent than Liberapay.
• Buy Me a Coffee:
  • Pros: Simple, easy for one-time payments, good for smaller creators.
  • Cons: Takes a percentage cut of donations (5% + payment processing), less focused on recurring donations, limited community features.
• Open Collective:
  • Pros: Specifically built for managing groups and communities financially, very transparent, uses a flat transaction fee rather than percentage.
  • Cons: More complex setup, more suited to project collectives and groups than individual creators, not so well-known.
• Donorbox:
  • Pros: Powerful for nonprofits, many custom features.
  • Cons: More fees, not so well-known, geared towards nonprofits.

Pricing:

• Liberapay s Fees: 0% (plus you re encouraged to donate back to the platform a portion of your earnings)
• Payment Processor Fees: As mentioned before, these vary depending on the processor (Stripe, PayPal, etc.) and are generally in the range of 2-4% + a small fixed fee per transaction. These fees are not decided by Liberapay, they are taken from the total sum before arriving to your Liberapay balance.

Customer Care Details:

• Community-Driven Support: Liberapay relies heavily on its community for support.
• GitHub Issues: Bug reports, feature requests, and general discussions are managed through GitHub issues in the main project repository.
• Documentation: Liberapay has extensive and well-written documentation. This should be the first port of call for finding answers.
• No Dedicated Support Team: Because Liberapay is a non-profit and volunteer-based project, it does not have a dedicated customer support team in the traditional sense. Expect community assistance over fast, immediate replies.
• Contact Form: There is a contact form on the website, but responses might be delayed.

Key Takeaways:

• Ethical and Transparent: Liberapay is a good option for those who want an open-source, transparent alternative to commercial patronage platforms.
• No Platform Fees: It does not take a cut from your donations (other than payment processor fees).
• Community Support: Don t expect the same level of instant support as you might find from larger commercial platforms.
• Payment Processor Fees: Be aware that standard payment processing fees still apply.
• Recurring Focus: It s best suited for recurring donations.

Who is it good for?

• Open-Source Projects: Projects looking for transparent and ethical funding.
• Creators: Those who prioritize principles over potentially greater reach.
• Individuals & Groups: Anyone seeking an ethical alternative for managing funds.
• Tech-Savvy Users: Those comfortable with the more community-driven support structure.

Who is it not good for?

• Those Needing Immediate Support: If you require quick customer support.
• Those Focused on Maximum Reach: If you re solely focused on the widest audience and community features.
• Those Needing Advanced Community Features: If you need advanced community building features (tiers, exclusive content etc.)

I hope this detailed breakdown helps you better understand Liberapay! If you have more specific questions, feel free to ask.