Flattr makes micro-payments simple

Flattr is a site that's designed to allow end users to show a little financial support for the people that make the products and services they love the most. Now it's even easier, with a new “like” button system that means a small donation is made every time you click a button “like” that.

You'll need an account on the site, as well as a monthly limit – set by yourself – and you can either leave it by itself, or now hook it up to your other social network accounts, like Facebook and Twitter. Once twinned, should you favourite a particular tweet, or like a picture from a certain developer, that person will receive a micro-donation on Flattr. The point is to reinforce your affection with a small monetary payment, thereby content creators are encouraged to continue doing what they do well.

To pay for this service, Flattr takes a 10 per cent cut of each transaction – which seems more than rivals like Paypal – with all funds sent to people without a Flattr account getting an “unclaimed” tag. That money will then sit in the sender's account, until such a day that the content creator signs up, at which point the funds are sent over.

People can withdraw their Flattr money once they breach the 10 euro threshold.

KitGuru Says: This seems like a nice idea, but one of the reasons the founder set it up was to avoid Paypal slowness and feel and 10 per cent per transaction is hardly a low ball.

Become a Patron!