Compare Topmate
Hotly vs Topmate
Which is better for paid DMs, Topmate or Hotly?
For one-off paid answers, calls and courses, Topmate: Priority DMs with a reply-time promise, bookings, and a marketplace that sends you new buyers, for 10% through your own link (20% through the marketplace) plus gateway charges. For an ongoing conversation, Hotly: people pay $5–$20 weekly to keep writing to you, or the price you set, Stripe's card fees are included, and the commission can drop to 5% as creators you invite join and pay.
Updated
What a paid message looks like
$250 / week“Two offers. One pays more, one I'd actually learn at. Which would you take?”
To a career coach · from Dani
$50 / week“Launching in March. One reel, two stories. Brief and budget attached.”
To a skincare creator · from Glow Atelier
Side by side
| Feature | Hotly | Topmate |
|---|---|---|
| What people pay for | A conversation with you | One-off calls, Priority DMs, courses and guides |
| Paid messages | Yes - the core product. People pay $5–$20 weekly, or the price you set. | Yes - Priority DM: one paid question, answered by a reply time you set, or the buyer gets a full refund. |
| Locked media | Yes. Send a locked photo, set the price. | Sells guides and digital products. |
| Platform fee | Hosted: $5.99/mo + 20% commission, or $9.99/mo + 10% commission - servers, updates and backups included. Stripe's fees are on us. Invite five creators and the cut halves, down to 5%. Self-hosting the free code has 0% commission - you run it on your own server. | No monthly fee. 10% of sales through your own link, 20% through Topmate's marketplace, plus gateway charges and GST on Topmate's fee. |
| You keep from $1,000 a month (100 payments of $10) | $890 on Hosted Plus, $794 on Hosted. $940 on Hosted Plus once 5 creators you invite join and pay. Stripe's fees are on us. | $900 through your own link, $800 through the marketplace, before gateway charges and GST on Topmate's fee. |
| Payouts | Stripe, to your bank. No payout fee, from $1. | Converting other currencies into rupees at withdrawal has a fee. |
| Open source | Yes. Apache 2.0 License - take the code with you anytime. | No |
| Signup | Pick a hosted plan, add a card - 30 days free - and set up your page in minutes. Or run the code on your own Linux server. | Open signup |
Topmate details checked October 2026: Topmate, Topmate pricing, Topmate refunds. Prices change - check before you switch.
Which one fits you
Pick Topmate if…
- You sell one-off answers, calls and courses from one profile.
- You want a marketplace that brings you new buyers.
Pick Hotly if…
- People want to keep talking to you week after week, not ask once.
- You'd rather keep your payouts on Stripe, to your bank.
- You want open-source code, so you're never locked in.
- You want Stripe's card fees covered, and a commission that drops to 5% as creators you invite join and pay.
Questions
- Is Hotly a Topmate alternative?
- For paid DMs, yes. Topmate's Priority DM sells one answer; Hotly sells an ongoing conversation. People pay $5–$20 weekly to write to you, or the price you set.
- Which takes a smaller cut?
- Close. Topmate's 10% through your own link leaves $900 of $1,000 before gateway charges and GST on its fee; through its marketplace, $800. Hotly Hosted Plus leaves $890 with Stripe's fees included, and $940 once 5 creators you invite join and pay.
- Can I use Topmate and Hotly together?
- Yes. Keep Topmate for calls and courses, and add a Hotly link for people who want to keep talking to you.
One answer is once. A conversation keeps paying.
30 days free with a card at checkout. Hosted is $5.99 a month plus 20%, which covers Stripe's card fees, hosting and upkeep. Invite five creators and the cut halves, down to 5%.
Card at checkout, $0 until day 31, cancel in one click. Open source: Get the code on GitHub anytime.