Flattr - Will It Get You Everywhere?

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Flattr moved out of beta testing and opened to the public today. The social micropayments platform is intended to allow Internet content providers to collect money for their content in the form of tips, or small payments made to demonstrate approval or enjoyment of the content.

With Flattr, users pay a monthly fee. Although there is a minimum of 2 euros, they can make the amount as large as they like. Users can then click a Flattr button on sites to show that they enjoyed the content. The button displays how many people have clicked it in order to make a donation. At the end of each month, the fee is divided among the creators of the websites that the user clicked. For consumers, this allows them to contribute financially to creators whose work they enjoy. For producers, this allows them to collect money from their readers. Flattr's revenue comes from taking 10% of the fees and says it may lower that percentage as the service becomes more successful.

Content producers can add a Flattr button to their site in three ways: by manually submitting the link on the Flattr site; through that include plug-ins for popular blogging platforms like MoveableType, Tumblr, and WordPress; or by using the FLattr API. You can add Flattr links on Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube.

Flattr says the product is aimed at "bloggers and their readers, musicians and their listeners, photographers, film creators, programmers, and so on." The name is a combination of the words "flatter" and "flat-rate."

The service is the creation of a group formerly associated with BitTorrent site The Pirate Bay , including Peter Sunde. WIkiLeaks announced at the beginning of the month that they would be using the Flattr service to fund their activities. Other users include German newspapers taz.de and der Freitag

Other companies offering a similar micropayment service include Kachingle and .

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This thread captures early interest in Flattr and some hands‑on testing. Brief update and practical takeaway: Flattr later moved from the original button model to an automatic, background “zero‑click” product (Flattr 2.0), was acquired by the makers of Adblock Plus (Eyeo), and the original service was shut down in late 2023 — so Flattr should not be treated as an actively supported payment option today. (web.archive.org)

Why that matters: Flattr’s evolution shows two risks for creators relying on small micropayment platforms — product pivots that change how donations are collected, and the risk of a provider closing. Privacy was a specific concern for the later Flattr extension; the service revised its data‑retention rules to comply with GDPR (shorter browsing‑history retention) as part of that change. Factor both continuity and privacy into any platform choice. (en.wikipedia.org)

Actionable checklist for creators evaluating micro‑donations now:

  • Diversify: offer two donation routes (a hosted service plus a direct option) so a single shutdown doesn’t break income.
  • Test the money path: simulate a donation, test withdrawals, check KYC/ID needs and payout methods before promotion.
  • Read privacy and retention policies; prefer platforms that limit or anonymize browsing/activity tracking.
  • Make CTAs simple and honest (what the donation funds), and keep bookkeeping/tax records from day one.
    Common modern choices to compare are Patreon, Ko‑fi, Buy Me a Coffee, Liberapay, Open Collective and GitHub Sponsors — compare fees, payout rails and country support before committing. (wbcomdesigns.com)

Specific to the thread: ’s overview is a useful historical snapshot; ’s note about testing a top‑up underscores the importance of trying payment flows yourself; and ’s interest is still valid — but pick stable providers and plan for migration. Quick pre‑launch test: donate, withdraw, record timestamps, and document who the processor is so migrations later are manageable.

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Member #949455

The social micropayments platform is intended to allow Internet content providers to collect money for their content in the form of tips, or small payments made to demonstrate approval or enjoyment of the content.

I did try Flattr platform and I used PayPal add funds just to see how it works.

I think it was a year and half ago that I try Flattr.

It's worth using it.

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halenmartinez 0 Junior Poster in Training

this something new im surely go for it.

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