# Hotly FAQ

**What is Hotly?**
Hotly is a paid inbox for creators. Share one link. People pay $5-$20 to write to you. 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. You can self-host the free code with 0% commission, but running it costs about $430/mo in servers and developer time, plus ~$600 to set up.

**Is Hotly open source?**
Yes. The code is on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 License. Most creators let us host it; developers can run it on their own Linux server.

**What do people pay me for?**
Advice, brand pitches, thank-you notes from fans, and locked photos. Each message costs $5-$20, and you set the price to unlock a photo.

**How do I get paid?**
Fans pay by card when they send a message. 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.