Select Topic Area

Question

Body

I don't have any bank account nor does i can create on since i am underage right now ... if i want to get sponsors for my project what should i do ? without setting up a bank account or any legal documents :(

Hey! Being underage doesn't mean you can't get supported for your work. Here are your real options:

1. Ask a parent/guardian to set up GitHub Sponsors for you
   GitHub Sponsors requires a Stripe account, but a parent or trusted adult can create it under their name on your behalf. This is the most legitimate route and many underage developers do this.
2. Buy Me a Coffee ☕
   Go to buymeacoffee.com — you can sign up and receive payments through PayPal or a parent's bank account. Add the link to your README and GitHub profile. No legal docs needed on your end.
3. Ko-fi
   Same as Buy Me a Coffee but zero fees. Supporters pay directly and you withdraw via PayPal. Works great for open source projects.
4. PayPal.me (with parent's account)
   If your parent has PayPal, create a paypal.me/yourname link and add it to your repos. Simple and widely trusted.
5. Add a crypto wallet address
   If you want to be fully independent — Bitcoin or USDT wallet addresses require zero age verification and zero bank account. Just add your wallet address to your README.
   Quick wins right now:

Add a FUNDING.yml file to your repo pointing to Ko-fi or Buy Me a Coffee
Add a sponsor badge to your README
GitHub will show a ❤️ Sponsor button on your profile automatically

You don't need to wait until you're 18 to get recognized for your work. Start now! 🚀

Hi,

If you are underage and don’t have a bank account, it can be difficult to receive sponsorships directly because most funding platforms require identity verification and payment details. However, there are still a few options you can consider:

1. Use a parent or guardian account
Many young developers use a parent or guardian’s bank account to receive sponsorships. The GitHub Sponsors or payment account can be managed by them until you are old enough to create your own.

2. Focus on building the project and community first
If your project becomes useful and gains users, contributors, and visibility, sponsorship opportunities will come more naturally later. Try to:

• Keep your repository well documented
• Add a clear README and contribution guide
• Share the project on developer communities

3. Accept non-financial contributions
Even if you cannot receive money yet, people can still support your project by:

• Contributing code
• Reporting bugs
• Improving documentation
• Sharing the project

4. Use donation platforms later
Once you reach the required age and can create a bank account, you can set up platforms like GitHub Sponsors, Open Collective, or Patreon.

For now, the best thing you can do is focus on improving the project and growing a community around it.

If this answer helped you, please consider marking it as the accepted answer so others in a similar situation can benefit as well.