Using a donation button (“Buy me a coffee”), users can donate to DC directly via the App Store or Play Store.
Actual behavior
There is no donation button in DC.
Explanation
Many apps have such a button. In my opinion, this is the easiest way to donate to app developers. There are several donation links on the DC website. However, these all require more effort from the user. In addition, some payment services are not as well-known as PayPal, which could perhaps lead to a certain mistrust. For these reasons, I think a donate button would also make sense in DC.
I am not sure whether this would result in any disadvantages regarding data protection. If so, the problem could perhaps be mitigated by only allowing the App Store and Play Store versions to have such a button.
Particularly privacy-conscious users would download the apps directly from the website or F-Droid. DC-iOS is the only DC version where this workaround would not be possible, but I think most users could live with it.
While app store inAppPayment have the lowest friction they also have a 15%-30% apple or google tax. So the question would be if that lower friction justifies the price and maintenance effort.
Actually, the idea of sending a monthly reminder in the “Device Messages” chat feels a bit questionable to me. I think users might end up muting that chat or archiving it just to avoid the distraction. It probably won’t increase donations — people who truly care about the project will find a way to support it regardless, most likely through the button in the settings.
Personally, I’ll mute the notifications and archive the “Device Messages” chat, but I’ll still donate through the settings button because Delta Chat is important to me. I’ll be using crypto anyway, since other payment methods don’t work for me.
Good point. Handing Apple or Google such a large percentage is horrible, but maybe it can be justified with the lower friction.
Last month someone also suggested setting up an Alipay donation method for users in China. That probably also has drawbacks but maybe it could also be justified by the lower friction.
I agree, once a month feels a bit too frequent in my opinion.
Speaking of device messages, I have not seen any new device messages for at least half a year, even though there have been many big changes and improvements to Delta Chat in this time. Did Delta Chat developers decide to take a break from updating device messages? I’m not sure why I didn’t see any new device messages.
I think that those who already donate via the indicated ways will continue to do so. In my opinion, the focus should now be on reaching other users who can’t be reached otherwise. Although part of the donations would go to Apple and Google, it would still be more overall.
Especially because of the monthly reminder it would make sense to be able to do this directly in the app. Probably displaying small sums in the donate screen also increases the willingness to donate.
