You're probably here because: Your dating platform has active users who want to show appreciation or impress potential matches, but you're missing out on the transactions happening outside your platform (Venmo, Cash App, etc.). Every external payment is revenue walking away.
What you really need: Built-in donation and gifting features that keep money flowing through your platform—where you earn commission on every transaction.
Dating Pro offers two monetization addons that transform member interactions into profit:
Money gifts: P2P donations and transfers between members (you earn commission)
Membership gifts: Members buy VIP status for others (recurring revenue model)
Money gifts: earn commission on every donation transaction
Real revenue scenario:
Platform with 1,000 active members → 50 send money gifts monthly (5% adoption) → Average gift $20 → Your 10% commission = $100/month passive income
↗ Scales with user base: 10,000 members = $1,000/month from this feature alone
Perfect for:
Dating platforms where members want to show appreciation
Sugar dating or arrangement-focused sites
Any platform where financial generosity is part of courtship
Owners who want transaction-based revenue (not just subscriptions)
How it works (user perspective):
Screenshot 1
User opens Donations section → Selects recipient → Enters amount + sees your commission displayed
Screenshot 2:
Payment history showing all transactions, amounts, and commission earned
What you control (admin panel):
✓ Commission structure
Set your cut as percentage or flat fee. Industry standard: 5-15% per transaction.
✓ Payment sources
Allow internal account balance, direct card payments, or both. Connect Stripe, PayPal, or any processor.
✓ Sending permissions
Restrict to friends-only or allow gifts to anyone. Prevent spam while enabling generosity.
✓ Transaction history
Track all gifts, disputes, refunds. Export reports for accounting.
⚡ Critical detail: Your commission is retained even if recipient declines the gift. This protects against fake transactions attempting to bypass fees.
Membership gifts: turn VIP status into viral growth tool
Viral growth mechanism:
Member upgrades to impress someone → Recipient experiences premium features → Recipient converts to paying customer after trial → Your acquisition cost for that user: $0
↗ This is how elite dating apps (The League, Inner Circle) achieve 40%+ conversion rates on gift recipients
Perfect for:
Platforms with clear VIP/premium tiers (badges, priority messaging, advanced search)
Sites where status symbols drive conversions
Businesses targeting competitive markets (professional dating, niche communities)
Owners who want recurring revenue from both gifters and recipients
How it works:
Sender purchases membership for another user (1-month, 3-month, annual—your tiers)
Cost + commission frozen on sender's internal balance or charged via payment gateway
Recipient gets email notification with accept/decline options
Upon acceptance: Membership activates immediately, recipient experiences premium features
Upon decline: Refund to sender (minus commission if configured)
Screenshot 3:
Membership gift interface showing tier selection, pricing, and commission calculation
Strategic benefits (beyond direct revenue):
↗ Free trials that convert
40-60% of gift recipients renew after trial ends (vs. 15-25% for traditional trials)
↗ Word-of-mouth marketing
Gifters share the experience socially. One power user can recruit 10+ paying members.
↗ Higher lifetime value
Users who receive gifts show 2-3x higher engagement than self-upgraded members.
↗ Competitive moat
Social proof at scale. Premium users visibly rewarding others creates aspirational cycle.
Setup and technical specifications
What's included in both addons:
✓ Works with your existing payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, etc.)
✓ Integrated with internal wallet/balance system
✓ Email notifications for senders and recipients
✓ Full transaction history in admin panel
✓ Mobile-optimized interface (web, iOS, Android apps)
✓ Configurable commission rates (percentage or fixed amount)
✓ Fraud prevention: frozen funds during acceptance period
Industry benchmarks and best practices
How elite dating platforms monetize gifts:
The League: Sells "League Tickets" (virtual currency) in bundles—$24.99 for 5 tickets up to $399.99 for 100 tickets. Users spend tickets on boosts, extra matches, and gifts. This creates flexible pricing where users spend $5-$500+ monthly beyond subscriptions.
Inner Circle: Three-tier membership ($19.99, $39.99, $59.99/month). VIP members gift lower tiers to prospects, creating upgrade path. Result: 40% higher conversion rates from gift recipients vs. organic signups.
Raya: No free tier—everyone pays minimum subscription. Gifting memberships positions your platform as exclusive (psychological trigger: "someone thought you were worth it").
Recommended commission rates:
Money gifts: 5-10% for casual dating, 10-20% for sugar/arrangement platforms
Membership gifts: 0-5% (or zero commission to encourage viral growth)
Pricing strategy to maximize adoption:
Set base membership at psychological threshold ($19.99—just under $20)
Create dramatic price jump for premium ($49.99—feels like 2x value)
Offer "VIP" tier at $99+ for power users (disproportionate revenue from <5% of base)
Allow gifting at all tiers to create upgrade path
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a business license to accept payments?
Yes, for most jurisdictions. However, Dating Pro offers payment processing without business entity registration at 15% fee. Learn more about payment options.
Can users send gifts without registering payment info?
Yes, if you enable the internal wallet/balance system. Users deposit funds once, then send multiple gifts from their balance. This reduces friction and increases transaction volume.
What happens if recipient never responds to gift notification?
You set expiration period (default: 7 days). After expiration, funds return to sender minus your commission (configurable).
Can I restrict gifting to prevent spam?
Yes. Options include: require X days of membership before gifting, limit gifts per day/week, require verified profile, or restrict to mutual connections only.
Do these addons work with revenue share partnerships?
Yes. If you're driving traffic from affiliate networks, gifting features increase your average revenue per user (ARPU), making your platform more attractive to CPA networks and media buyers.