Tumblr ends its tipping feature due to low usage
Tumblr has officially discontinued its "Tips" feature, an opt-in service that allowed creators to receive one-time payments from their followers. The tipping icon has now disappeared from all posts and blogs where it was previously enabled. June 15 marks the final day for creators to withdraw any funds received through this feature. The decision to discontinue it was driven by its lack of popularity. In a company post, Tumblr stated, "Tipping hasn't seen the usage we'd hoped for."
It was introduced in 2022
Tumblr's latest move is in line with its strategy since last year's reorganization to terminate underperforming features. The company acknowledged that this change will affect a small number of users who used "Tips" out of admiration for their peers on Tumblr. The feature, introduced in 2022, was a supplement to Post+, a subscription service that permitted creators to put content behind a paywall. However, Post+ was discontinued last year due to user backlash.
Tumblr continues to offer other monetization features
Despite discontinuing "Tips" and Post+, Tumblr still provides other monetization features such as the Supporter badge. This badge, costing $2.99/month or $29.99/year, can be displayed on users' blogs like any other badge. According to the company's website, the supporter badge will appear "shinier and shinier" as time goes on and users continue to support the platform.
