Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of terms

By creating an account, sharing your Golden Tips link, or sending a tip through Golden Tips (“the Service”), you agree to these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and legally able to enter into a binding contract in your jurisdiction to use Golden Tips as a Recipient. Guests sending tips must be old enough to hold a valid payment method under their local laws.

3. What Golden Tips does

Golden Tips is a platform that lets service professionals (“Recipients”) receive gratuities from customers (“Guests”) through Stripe Connect. Golden Tips is not a bank, is not a party to the underlying service relationship between Recipient and Guest, and does not itself take custody of tipped funds — Stripe processes payment and routes funds to the Recipient's connected account.

4. Fees

Golden Tips charges a 3% platform fee on every successful tip. The fee is deducted from the tip amount at the time of payment, and the remaining amount is transferred to the Recipient's connected Stripe account. Stripe may charge additional payment-processing fees according to its own terms.

Recipients who opt into the Top Earner Challenge pay an additional 1% during any month they are enrolled. The extra 1% is contributed to that month's Challenge pool. Full rules are below under Top Earner Challenge Rules.

5. Recipient obligations

• Provide accurate identity and payout information via Stripe Connect and keep it current.
• Use the Service only for legitimate gratuities related to services you actually provide.
• Comply with all applicable tax laws — Golden Tips does not withhold tax or file returns on your behalf.
• Not misrepresent your identity, business, or the nature of a payment.

6. Guest tippers

Tips are voluntary and non-refundable in most cases. If you believe a tip was made in error, unauthorized, or duplicated, contact us at /contact within 14 days of the transaction and we will work with the Recipient and Stripe in good faith.

7. Top Earner Challenge — full rules

The Top Earner Challenge is an optional monthly competition open to Recipients on Golden Tips. Participation is opt-in and can be revoked between periods.

Additional 1% fee. While enrolled, Recipients pay an additional 1% on top of the standard 3% platform fee for every tip that settles during that calendar month. The additional 1% is contributed to that month's prize pool. This means participants effectively pay 4% during periods they are enrolled.

Qualifying to appear on the leaderboard. Recipients must receive at least five (5) successful tips during the calendar month to qualify. Test tips, refunded tips, and disputed tips do not count.

Categories & payout. Two categories are ranked each month:

• Top Earner — by total tips received in the period.
• Highest Tip Rate — by average tip size in the period.

If the pool is at or below $150 at close, the entire pool goes to the #1 Top Earner (winner-take-all). If the pool exceeds $150, 70% of the pool is split across the Top Earner podium (50/30/20 for 1st/2nd/3rd) and 30% is split across the Highest Tip Rate podium on the same ratio.

Ineligible winners. A winner must have Stripe payouts enabled at the moment payout runs. If a winner is ineligible, their share shifts to the next eligible Recipient in line within the same category.

Close & payout schedule. Periods close at or shortly after the first day of the following calendar month. Golden Tips runs payouts via Stripe Transfer to each winner's connected account. Winners will see funds according to their Stripe payout schedule.

Sportsmanship. Fabricated tips, self-tipping, and any behavior intended to game the ranking result in disqualification and possible account suspension. Golden Tips reserves the right to exclude any Recipient from the Challenge at its discretion.

8. Prohibited uses

• Money laundering, fraud, or any illegal activity.
• Payments for goods or services regulated as such by law (e.g., alcohol delivery, controlled substances).
• Chargebacks initiated in bad faith.
• Impersonation of another Recipient or business.

9. Limitation of liability

Golden Tips is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Golden Tips shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Service.

10. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email or an in-app notice at least 14 days before they take effect.

11. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Contact us.