The question every creator asks first: "how much should I charge?" The better first question is "how should fans pay?" — because per-minute calls and booked sessions solve different problems.
Per minute: the easiest yes
Per-minute pricing lets a fan try you for three minutes without committing to an hour. It is perfect for quick questions, a hello from a fan, a song request, a language check-in, or a "can you look at this?" moment.
On hello.fan, per-minute calls are billed in 15-second steps, and the clock only starts once both of you are connected — the creator's microphone (and camera for video) has to be on. Fans never pay for a ringing phone, and you never argue about rounding.
Bookings: commitment and planning
Booked sessions are better for anything that needs preparation: a 45-minute lesson, a coaching session, a portfolio review. The fan pays up front, the slot is reserved, and both of you show up ready. On hello.fan a fan who cancels at least 24 hours ahead is refunded; if you cancel or don't show up, the fan is refunded automatically.
For tutors and coaches, weekly sessions go one step further: a fan picks the same times every week and each session is booked and paid automatically.
Use both
The best setup is not either–or. Keep per-minute calls on for the moments you're online, and offer one or two bookable sessions for planned work. Fans who started with a five-minute call become your weekly students.
Setting your first rates
- Start with chat cheaper than voice, and voice cheaper than video. Video asks the most of you.
- Think in ten-minute calls. What should a ten-minute video call cost a fan? Divide by ten.
- Price bookings a little above the per-minute equivalent. You're reserving the time and preparing.
- Raise prices when your hours fill. Demand is the signal.
On hello.fan, rates are set in credits (100 credits = $1) between 50 and 5,000 credits a minute, and while you type a price the app shows what it is worth in dollars and what you keep.
An example
| Format | Fan pays | You keep (60%) |
|---|---|---|
| Video, 300 credits/min × 12 minutes | $36 | $21.60 |
| Voice, 200 credits/min × 20 minutes | $40 | $24 |
| Chat, 100 credits/min × 15 minutes | $15 | $9 |
| Booked 45-minute lesson at 4,500 credits | $45 | $27 |
Try your own numbers in the earnings calculator.
