Adding a tip jar or donation option to your submission form is a great way to give submitters the chance to support your work, platform, or publication — while keeping entry free. Here’s how to set it up:
Connect Your Stripe Account
Before you can collect any payments (including tips or donations), you’ll need to connect a Stripe account to Dapple.
Go to Settings > Payments.
Follow the prompts to either connect an existing Stripe account or create a new one through Dapple.
Dapple uses Stripe for all payments, which means:
Payments go directly into your Stripe account (minus transaction fees).
You can transfer funds from Stripe to your bank.
Both Stripe and Dapple charge small processing fees for each transaction.
Add a Payment Field to Your Form
Once your Stripe account is connected, you can add payment options — including tips or donations — directly to your submission form.
Navigate to the project you want to add payments for.
Select the three dots in the top-right corner of the project card.
Choose All Settings > Forms.
Select Add Field > Payment.
Configure the Payment Field
In the payment field settings, you can configure how payments will appear to submitters.
Under the General tab, add a payment label (e.g., “Tip Jar” or “Support Us” etc) and a short description.
Go to Payment Config and select Select Amount. This lets you add multiple payment options instead of a single fixed fee.
Add your options — for example:
$0 (Free Entry)
$2 Tip
$5 Tip
$10 Tip
Set the default payment to $0 so the form is free to enter, while still allowing users to choose a tip amount if they wish.
You can rearrange the order of payments by dragging them into a new position.
Clarify How Tips Are Used
Transparency is key when offering tips or donations. If tips are tied to preferential submission treatment such as expedited review, guaranteed feedback, or early consideration, make this clear in your payment description. If tips are purely optional donations to support your publication, editorial staff, or cause, let submitters know this as well.
“Your submission is free to enter. Optional tips help support our editors and the running of this project. Tips do not affect how submissions are reviewed.”
Save and Test
Once your payment field is configured:
Save your changes.
Preview your submission form to ensure the payment options appear correctly.
Try making a test payment if needed.
Troubleshooting
If you run into any issues with payments or tips:
Check that your Stripe account is fully verified.
Make sure your banking details are correct.
Verify that your payment settings are properly configured within the project.
If problems persist, contact Dapple Support for assistance.
Do I need to pay tax on tips received through Dapple?
Yes — any tips or payments you receive through Dapple are generally considered taxable income. You’re responsible for reporting this income and paying any applicable taxes in line with your local regulations. For more details, see the Income tax section above. See here for more info on how tax works on Dapple.