The Fediverse has changed the way we talk to each other. We've moved away from the "engagement at all costs" algorithms of Big Tech and toward a world of decentralized, user-owned communities. We have Mastodon, Pixelfed, PeerTube, and Lemmy. We've successfully decentralized our conversations.
But we haven't yet decentralized our compensation.
The "Patreon" Paradox
Right now, if you find a creator you love on the Fediverse, how do you support them? Usually, you click a link in their bio that takes you right back to a centralized, corporate platform.
Whether it's Patreon, BuyMeACoffee, or Ko-fi, the story is the same:
- The Platform Tax: They take a 5% to 12% cut of every dollar.
- The Data Lock-in: They own the relationship. If they decide to change their Terms of Service or de-platform a creator, that creator loses their livelihood overnight.
- The Friction: As a supporter, you end up with a dozen different subscriptions across a dozen different sites. It's messy, it's expensive, and it's the opposite of the "Open Web" philosophy.
Enter FediPay: Patronage as a Protocol
FediPay is a new project designed to bring the "Federated" philosophy to payments. We don't want to be the "CEO of your money." We want to provide the tools so you can manage your own patronage.
FediPay isn't a centralized website. It's a set of open-source tools—a personal server and a browser extension—that work together to help you reward the people who make the things you love.
How it's different
The core idea of FediPay is Usage-Based Allocation.
Instead of you having to remember to go to ten different sites to pay ten different people, FediPay privately and locally tracks who you actually consume. If you spend 40% of your time watching a specific PeerTube creator and 20% reading a specific FOSS developer's blog, FediPay calculates a fair split of your monthly budget for you.
It's simple:
- You set a budget (e.g., £10 a month).
- You browse the web (privately, with your data staying on your machine).
- FediPay suggests a payout plan based on your actual activity.
Starting with "Allocation"
We are starting with the Allocation Phase. In this first version, FediPay won't touch your bank account. Instead, it focuses on the hardest part: the math of fairness.
Our initial tools will help you generate a "Monthly Payout Report." It will tell you exactly who you've been supporting with your attention, so you can ensure your money follows your eyes. As we grow, we will build the federated settlement layers to make the actual payments as seamless as a "Boost" on Mastodon.
Join the Movement
We are building FediPay for the artists, the podcasters, the writers, and the FOSS developers who keep the Fediverse alive. It's time to stop paying the "Platform Tax" and start supporting creators directly.
FediPay is Free Open Source Software. We are building this in the open, and we want you to be part of it.
Check out our GitHub to see the code, read the Docs to see the spec, and follow us on the Fediverse for updates.