max / makenotwork

Say plainly that creator sales are USD-only The Stripe guide claimed fans are charged in their local currency across 135+ currencies. Every price, checkout session, and subscription is created as Currency::USD, so that was backwards. Replace it with what the code does: a USD charge, the fan's issuer handling conversion, and Stripe converting at payout when the creator settles in something else. Split country availability into the two conditions that actually gate a creator: Connect supports their country, and their account can charge USD. An account Stripe restricts to its domestic currency fails the second even when the first holds. Drop the "we're working on alternatives" line from the payouts guide and the matching one about exploring processors. No work exists behind either. Replace the "46+ countries" count everywhere with a pointer to stripe.com/global, and reconcile the Stripe Tax coverage numbers, which disagreed between the merchant-of-record page and the Stripe guide. Both now defer to Stripe. Document the $0.50 minimum charge, enforced in checkout.rs and cart.rs and previously unmentioned, and that the Stripe Tax toggle defaults off.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: Max Johnson <me@maxj.phd> · 2026-07-29 14:51 UTC

Signed with PGP, not checked

Commit: af000f15fff0315524cf9134532546c18f0e53ac

Parent: 5bbd8ab

7 files changed, +45 insertions, -22 deletions

M server/templates/pages/creators.html +4 -4

			@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@
30	30		</p>
31	31
32	32		<p class="mt-4">
33		-	<strong>Important:</strong> Receiving payouts requires a <a href="https://stripe.com/global">Stripe</a> account.
34		-	Stripe supports creators in <strong>46+ countries</strong>. Check their list before applying
35		-	if you're outside the US, EU, or UK.
	33	+	<strong>Important:</strong> Sales are priced and charged in <strong>US dollars</strong>, and receiving
	34	+	payouts requires a <a href="https://stripe.com/global">Stripe</a> account in a supported country that
	35	+	can accept USD charges. Check both with Stripe before applying if you're outside the US, EU, or UK.
36	36		</p>
37	37		</div>
38	38
			@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
83	83		</table>
84	84		<p class="pricing-fineprint">
85	85		Every tier is the complete platform: <code>/u/username</code> profile, project and item pages, project forum, Discover listing, memberships, pay-what-you-want, promo codes, RSS, analytics, full data export, 2FA/passkeys. The tier picks the file-size envelope, not the feature set.
86		-	Receiving payouts requires <a href="https://stripe.com/global">Stripe</a> (46+ countries).
	86	+	Sales are in USD; receiving payouts requires <a href="https://stripe.com/global">Stripe</a> in a supported country.
87	87		<a href="/docs/guide/tiers">Full tier details</a> \| <a href="/docs/guide/pricing">Pricing models</a>
88	88		</p>
89	89

M server/site-docs/public/about/merchant-of-record.md +1 -1

			@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
73	73
74	74		Your Makenot.work account includes a toggle to enable [Stripe Tax](https://stripe.com/tax), which automatically calculates and collects sales tax, VAT, and GST on your transactions based on the buyer's location. Enable it from your payment settings.
75	75
76		-	Stripe Tax supports [100+ countries and all US states](https://stripe.com/tax). It handles rate calculation, collection at checkout, and reporting. You are still responsible for registration and remittance in each jurisdiction, but Stripe handles the hardest part: knowing what rate to charge whom.
	76	+	Stripe Tax covers a wide range of countries and all US states; [Stripe's own page](https://stripe.com/tax) has the current list. It handles rate calculation, collection at checkout, and reporting. The toggle is off until you turn it on, and it applies to all your checkout sessions once enabled. You are still responsible for registration and remittance in each jurisdiction, but Stripe handles the hardest part: knowing what rate to charge whom.
77	77
78	78		### Transaction Exports
79	79

M server/site-docs/public/guide/getting-started.md +1 -1

			@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
39	39		- When the trial expires, the same [cancellation grace period](./tiers.md#cancellation) applies: your content stays accessible for {{ policy.cancellation_grace_days }} days, then is hidden (not deleted). Join any tier to restore everything instantly, or export your data and leave.
40	40		- During the trial you have full access to all features of your assigned tier, including publishing, selling, and receiving payments (Stripe connection required for payments).
41	41
42		-	Stripe availability: Receiving payouts requires Stripe, which supports creators in [46+ countries](https://stripe.com/global). Check that list before applying if you're outside the US/EU/UK.
	42	+	Stripe availability: Sales are priced and charged in US dollars. Receiving payouts requires a Stripe account in a [supported country](https://stripe.com/global) that can also accept USD charges. Check both before applying if you're outside the US/EU/UK.
43	43
44	44		What we look for: Anyone who makes original creative work: music, writing, software, art, video, courses. No minimum audience or sales history required.
45	45

M server/site-docs/public/guide/payouts.md +11 -4

			@@ -26,9 +26,16 @@
26	26
27	27		## International Creators
28	28
29		-	Stripe supports creators in [46+ countries](https://stripe.com/global). Payouts are converted to your local currency when it differs from USD. Conversion rates and fees are set by Stripe, not by us.
	29	+	Everything on Makenot.work is priced and charged in US dollars. There is no per-creator or per-fan currency setting. Fans everywhere are charged in USD, and your balance arrives in USD.
30	30
31		-	If your country isn't supported, contact us at info@makenot.work. We're working on alternatives.
	31	+	Two requirements follow from that:
	32	+
	33	+	1. Your country must be one Stripe Connect supports. See [Stripe Global](https://stripe.com/global) for the current list.
	34	+	2. Your Stripe account must be able to accept charges in USD. Stripe restricts accounts in some countries to their domestic currency. If yours is one of them, Stripe Connect support alone is not enough, and checkout will fail. Confirm with Stripe before you start selling.
	35	+
	36	+	If your account settles in a currency other than USD, Stripe converts at payout. Conversion rates and fees are set by Stripe, not by us. Your fan's card issuer may also add its own foreign transaction fee on the USD charge, which we never see.
	37	+
	38	+	If USD-only pricing does not work for you, contact us at info@makenot.work. We have no multi-currency support today and no date for it.
32	39
33	40		## Tax Information
34	41
			@@ -84,7 +91,7 @@
84	91
85	92		We have no ability to access, hold, or redirect your funds. This is by design: your money is always yours, but Stripe is the single point for payment issues.
86	93
87		-	If Stripe rejects your account during onboarding, we cannot currently offer an alternative payment processor. We are exploring additional options. If this affects you, contact us at info@makenot.work.
	94	+	If Stripe rejects your account during onboarding, you cannot sell on Makenot.work. Stripe is the only payment processor we support, and we have no work underway on a second one. If this affects you, contact us at info@makenot.work.
88	95
89	96		## Chargebacks (Disputes)
90	97
			@@ -103,6 +110,6 @@
103	110		- [You're the Merchant of Record](../about/merchant-of-record.md): What it means, pros and cons, tax tools
104	111		- [Analytics & Dashboard](./analytics.md): Revenue charts and transaction history
105	112		- [Pricing & Monetization](./03-selling.md): Setting prices and payment flow
106		-	- [Stripe: What You Need to Know](./stripe.md): Fees by country, currency conversion, Stripe Tax, chargeback protection
	113	+	- [Stripe: What You Need to Know](./stripe.md): Fees by country, USD-only pricing, Stripe Tax, chargeback protection
107	114		- [Stripe Global](https://stripe.com/global): Supported countries
108	115		- [Stripe Payouts](https://docs.stripe.com/payouts): Payout schedules and timing

M server/site-docs/public/guide/stripe.md +21 -8

			@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
47	47		\| Monthly \| First of the month \|
48	48		\| Instant \| Immediately (Stripe fee, regional; see Instant Payouts below) \|
49	49
	50	+	Timing and fees here are Stripe's and change without us knowing. Your Stripe dashboard is authoritative.
	51	+
50	52		### First Payout
51	53
52	54		New Stripe accounts typically have a 7-14 day hold on first payouts while Stripe verifies your account. After the initial hold clears, your chosen schedule applies.
			@@ -57,15 +59,21 @@
57	59
58	60		---
59	61
60		-	## Currency Conversion
	62	+	## Currency
61	63
62		-	If your fans pay in a different currency than your Stripe account's settlement currency, Stripe converts automatically. Conversion fees are typically 1-2% on top of the transaction fee. The exact rate depends on the currency pair.
	64	+	Makenot.work is USD-only. Every price you set, every checkout session, and every subscription is created in US dollars, wherever you or your fan are. We do not support pricing in any other currency, and there is no setting to change this.
63	65
64		-	You can see conversion details on individual transactions in your Stripe dashboard.
	66	+	### What Your Fans See
65	67
66		-	### Multi-Currency Pricing
	68	+	A USD charge. Their card issuer converts to their local currency at its own rate and may add a foreign transaction fee. That happens on their side of the transaction and does not appear in your Stripe dashboard.
67	69
68		-	Stripe supports [135+ currencies](https://docs.stripe.com/currencies) for payment. Fans are charged in their local currency when available.
	70	+	### What You Receive
	71	+
	72	+	If your Stripe account settles in USD, no conversion happens. If it settles in another currency, Stripe converts at payout. Conversion fees are typically 1-2% on top of the transaction fee, and the exact rate depends on the currency pair. You can see conversion detail on individual payouts in your Stripe dashboard.
	73	+
	74	+	### Minimum Charge
	75	+
	76	+	Stripe rejects charges under $0.50 USD, so we block them before they reach Stripe. This applies to single items and to cart totals. Free items (price $0) are unaffected.
69	77
70	78		---
71	79
			@@ -79,7 +87,7 @@
79	87
80	88		### What Stripe Tax Handles
81	89
82		-	- Rate calculation based on buyer location (50+ countries, all US states)
	90	+	- Rate calculation based on buyer location (see [Stripe Tax](https://stripe.com/tax) for covered jurisdictions)
83	91		- Collection at checkout
84	92		- Tax reporting through your [Stripe Tax dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/tax)
85	93
			@@ -113,9 +121,14 @@
113	121
114	122		## Country Availability
115	123
116		-	Stripe supports creators in [46+ countries](https://stripe.com/global). If your country is not supported, you cannot receive payouts through Makenot.work. We do not currently offer an alternative payment processor.
	124	+	Two conditions, both required:
117	125
118		-	If Stripe availability affects you, contact us at info@makenot.work.
	126	+	- Stripe Connect supports your country. See [Stripe Global](https://stripe.com/global) for the current list. If it does not, you cannot receive payouts through Makenot.work, and we offer no alternative payment processor.
	127	+	- Your Stripe account can charge in USD. Because we are USD-only (see [Currency](#currency)), an account restricted by Stripe to its domestic currency cannot take payments here even when Connect supports the country. Stripe applies this restriction in some markets. Check with Stripe for your own country before you build a catalog.
	128	+
	129	+	The second condition is the one creators miss. Country support and currency support are separate questions at Stripe, and we depend on both.
	130	+
	131	+	If either affects you, contact us at info@makenot.work.
119	132
120	133		---
121	134

M server/site-docs/public/legal/payments.md +6 -3

			@@ -132,7 +132,11 @@
132	132
133	133		## International Payments
134	134
135		-	Stripe supports creators in [46+ countries](https://stripe.com/global) and payments in [135+ currencies](https://docs.stripe.com/currencies). See [Receiving Payouts](../guide/payouts.md#international-creators) for currency conversion details and country-specific notes.
	135	+	All prices, charges, and subscriptions on Makenot.work are in US dollars. We do not support pricing in other currencies.
	136	+
	137	+	To sell here, your country must be supported by [Stripe Connect](https://stripe.com/global) and your Stripe account must be able to accept USD charges. Those are two separate conditions and both must hold. If your account settles in another currency, Stripe converts at payout at its own rates.
	138	+
	139	+	See [Receiving Payouts](../guide/payouts.md#international-creators) for the detail.
136	140
137	141		---
138	142
			@@ -152,6 +156,5 @@
152	156		- [Creator Guarantees](../about/guarantees.md): our commitments on revenue
153	157		- [Pricing Tiers](../guide/tiers.md): tier features and pricing
154	158		- [Stripe Global](https://stripe.com/global): supported countries
155		-	- [Stripe Currencies](https://docs.stripe.com/currencies): supported currencies
156		-	- [Stripe: What You Need to Know](../guide/stripe.md): Fees by country, currency conversion, Stripe Tax
	159	+	- [Stripe: What You Need to Know](../guide/stripe.md): fees by country, USD-only pricing, Stripe Tax
157	160		- [Stripe Connect](https://stripe.com/connect): how the payment model works

M server/templates/wizards/steps/join/stripe.html +1 -1

			@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
28	28		</p>
29	29
30	30		<p class="stripe-connect-note-secondary">
31		-	Stripe supports creators in <a href="https://stripe.com/global" target="_blank" rel="noopener">46+ countries</a>. Check availability in your country before connecting.
	31	+	Sales here are priced and charged in US dollars. Your Stripe account needs to be in a <a href="https://stripe.com/global" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supported country</a> and able to accept USD charges. Check both with Stripe before connecting.
32	32		</p>
33	33		</div>
34	34		{% endif %}