# Hotly FAQ

**What is Hotly?**
Hotly is premium messaging for creators. Share one link. People pay $5-$20 weekly to write to you, or set your own price. Reply when it suits you. Stripe pays you.

**How much does Hotly cost?**
Hosted is $5.99/mo + 20% commission; Hosted Plus is $9.99/mo + 10% commission. We run the servers, updates and backups. Or self-host the free code on your own server, with 0% commission.

**Is Hotly open source?**
Yes. The code is on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 License. We can host it for you, or you can run it on your own Linux server.

**What do people pay me for?**
Advice, brand pitches, thank-you notes from fans, and locked photos. Fans pay $5-$20 weekly to write to you, or set your own price. You also set the price to unlock a photo.

**How do I get paid?**
Fans pay by card. Stripe pays you out to your bank. Self-hosted, it's your own Stripe account.

**How do I start?**
Request a hosted plan - no card needed - and we'll email you to set up your inbox. Self-hosting needs a Linux server, Docker, a domain, and your own Stripe, Firebase and SendGrid accounts.

**Can I leave?**
Yes. Hosted plans let you leave with the code anytime.