01
Passes' fees and payouts, read at the source
Here's what Passes' own help center and terms say, read on 9 Nov 2026. The Starter rate is from Passes' December 2023 blog post, the only place it states one.
We make Hotly, so weigh that. Every detail below is from Passes' own pages.
| What it covers | Passes |
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| The plan you start on | Creators+. "All creators start on Creators+ by default" |
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| What Passes keeps | 20% on Creators+, after processing fees and taxes come off |
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| The cheaper plan | Starter, 10% plus 30 cents a sale (December 2023). You downgrade to get it, and can't go back for 30 days |
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| Prices | You set them. Every payment must be at least $3, with no maximum |
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| What fans pay on top | Processing fees and sales tax may be added at checkout, shown before they pay |
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| Payout minimum | $50 in eligible earnings |
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| How often | Every 1 to 4 weeks on a schedule, or by hand. The terms' default is every two weeks |
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| Paying to be paid sooner | Free in 2 to 5 business days, +6.5% next business day, +10% instant |
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| Where you're paid | Bank or PayPal. The US, Canada, the UK, Australia and many European countries |
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| Chargebacks and refunds | A disputed or refunded amount can come out of your balance or future earnings |
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| Referrals | 50% of Passes' share of a creator you refer, for their first 3 months |
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Passes details checked November 2026: Passes creator signup, What is Passes, Passes Creators+ plan, Passes payouts, Passes fan payments, Passes sales tax, Passes chargebacks, Passes referral program, Passes terms, Passes Starter rate (Dec 2023). Terms change - check them before you decide.
02
Joining Passes
You apply. "Creator applications include account setup, social account connection, phone verification, identity verification, payout setup, and review." You need to be 18 or older, with an active social account, a valid government ID and "a working camera for the selfie check."
What you can sell. Passes calls itself "a creator accelerator". Its tools include locked content, direct messaging, live streams, merch, "1:1 fan calls" and subscription tiers.
Help running it is allowed. Passes' terms tell fans that some creators use agencies, including for the "answering of messages sent to the account". If you're comparing it with OnlyFans, see Passes vs OnlyFans.
03
Creators+ and Starter
Creators+ is where everyone starts. "Passes takes a 20% cut of your earnings on Creators+." The plan adds tools like advanced analytics, AI summaries of fan conversations, read receipts, content protection and fan details inside your chats.
Starter costs less per sale, with fewer tools. When Passes announced it in December 2023, Starter was 10% plus 30 cents a sale, and that post is still the only place Passes states the rate. You move to it by downgrading in your settings, and "you cannot upgrade back to Creators+ for 30 days."
Which is cheaper depends on your sales. The 30 cents adds up on small payments. On Starter, a $5 payment loses 80 cents before processing; on Creators+, $1.
04
What comes off before the 20%
Passes splits what's left after fees. Its creator terms pay you a share of Passes' "Net Consideration", meaning what it received "less any fees, taxes, and third-party expenses", including "payment or transaction processing fees". Its sales tax page puts it the same way: your share is "your total sales minus fees, taxes, and processing costs."
Passes doesn't publish the processing rate. So on Creators+ you keep up to 80% of what fans pay, not exactly 80%.
Fans may pay a fee too. "A transaction fee may be added at checkout", and sales tax "is typically added at checkout alongside any processing fees". Fans see the total before they pay.
05
Getting paid
From $50. "You need at least $50 in eligible earnings to process a payout." Your available balance can be lower than your revenue if some earnings are "still pending, under review, affected by chargebacks, or not yet eligible for payout."
On your schedule. You can request a payout by hand or schedule one "every 1-4 weeks". Scheduled batches run weekly at 5pm PT. Passes' creator terms set every two weeks as the default.
Faster costs more. A payout that arrives in 2 to 5 business days is free. Next business day costs 6.5%, and instant costs 10%. On $1,600 of earnings, that's $104 or $160.
Bank or PayPal. Payouts go to a bank account or PayPal, in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and "many European countries". "PayPal payouts are irreversible once sent", so check the email address first.
06
Chargebacks and refunds
Disputes come out of your earnings. If a fan disputes a payment with their bank, "the disputed amount may be deducted from your creator balance or future earnings", for memberships, messages, content, tips or anything else. The bank makes the final call, not Passes.
So can some refunds. Passes Support can approve a fan refund that's deducted from your earnings when it's "related to the creator's content, order, service, or fulfillment."
Passes can also hold unpaid earnings while it investigates a suspected breach, fraud or complaint, "for as long as is necessary for us to investigate."
07
Where Hotly fits
Hotly is premium conversations. Fans pay your price to write to you, one note at a time or every week, and you reply when it suits you. There's no application.
What it costs. On Hosted you pay $5.99 a month and keep 80% of what fans pay. On Hosted Plus you pay $9.99 a month and keep 90%. That covers Stripe's card fees, hosting and upkeep, and fans pay your price with nothing added. The commission halves for every 5 creators you invite who join and pay, down to 5%. Your share is paid out once a month through Stripe to your bank, with no payout fee, from $1.
Where Passes wins. More ways to sell in one app, no monthly fee, and same-day payouts if you'll pay for them. Hotly can't pay you the same day.