# Hotly - A simple way to turn conversations into income

Share one link. People pay $5-$20 to write to you. Reply when it suits you.

## How it works

1. **Share one link** - Bio, story, newsletter.
2. **They pay to write** - $5 to $20 per message.
3. **You reply** - One inbox. Reply on your own time.
4. **You get paid** - Through Stripe, to your bank.

## Who pays to talk to you.

- **Getting advice** ($15 / msg) - People pay for a real answer from someone who's been there.
- **Brand deals** ($15 / msg) - Brands pay to pitch - so their message skips the DM pile.
- **Fan support** ($5 / msg) - Fans pay to say thank you - and actually get heard.
- **Premium content** ($20 to unlock) - Send a locked photo. Fans pay to unlock it.

## One creator. Sixty days.

Bailey didn't run ads or find a new audience. She told the fans she already had. $22,400 banked, incl. brand deals - 217 people paid - 921 conversations - $54 avg per fan. Read her story at https://www.hotly.com/be-like-bailey.

## Your server, or ours.

The code is free. Running it isn't. We can run it for you.

- **Self-host** - Free, 0% commission - ~$430/mo to run. Run it on your own server. Your Stripe, your data. Apache 2.0 License.
- **Hosted** - $5.99 / mo, + 20% commission. Servers, updates and backups handled. Something breaks? We fix it. Leave with the code anytime.
- **Hosted Plus** - $9.99 / mo, + 10% commission. Everything in Hosted. Half the commission. Leave with the code anytime.

### What self-hosting hands you

| | Self-host | Hosted |
|---|---|---|
| First install and setup | ~6 hrs - ~$600 once | Included |
| Linux server, 2 vCPU / 4 GB | You rent it - ~$24/mo | Included |
| Docker, domain, DNS and SSL | You set it up | Included |
| Firebase and SendGrid accounts | You create and connect them | Included |
| Daily backups, copied off the server | You run them - ~$7.20/mo | Included |
| Updates and security patches | You apply every release - ~3 hrs/mo | Included |
| Something breaks at 2am | You fix it - ~1 hr/mo on average | We fix it |
| What it really costs | ~$430/mo + ~$600 setup | From $5.99/mo |

Common questions: https://www.hotly.com/faq

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**Clone it. Make it yours.** Start at https://www.hotly.com/hosted?ref=hosted.