FAQ

General Questions
  • What is postd.io for?

    We created postd.io so people can watch, hear, and read digital media without ads, while allowing the creators to get paid for it. Content can be posted by individuals or large companies. While many sites sell streamed media and articles, they usually cost a dollar or more, as they use payment systems that take a large cut. Since we use Transact.io, we can easily charge as little as one cent for content (like, for instance, listening to a song for a penny).

  • What kind of content is on Postd.io?

    The usual – video, audio, and text (in the future, we'll add virtual and augmented reality, and 3-d video). It's a store for digital media, where all kinds of videos (including movies, series, live events, news and opinions, talk shows) can be viewed, music or podcasts can be streamed, and articles can be read. It's designed so that it's easy for anyone to find an audience for their creation, and for those in the audience to find what they are looking for.

  • Why isn't it free?

    We have to pay for storing and streaming the content, and designing, maintaining, and operating the website, and none of that is free, and we don't want to, nor believe we can, rely on ads to pay those bills.

    Some of you may not be old enough to remember, but TV used to be free. It isn't now, but it is a lot better. Not only are there lots more channels to choose from, along with subscription services like Netflix and Amazon, the content is far more varied and improved.

    Also, many of those sites you think are free are not free. You pay for them with your time, attention, and personal data.

  • Are there advertisements? If there are no ads, how does anyone make money?

    There are no ads on postd.io. However, we don't stop contributors from embedding ads in their posts (although video ads can only be in video posts, and audio ads can only be in audio posts), although one of our rules is that the description of each post must disclose the presence and length of any embedded ad. Contributors make money because everything* has a price (although most content is almost free).

    *videos in the Publicity aisle are free to watch, but the contributors are paying for every view. Some people call this an ad, but it can also be considered “subsidized promotional information”.

  • Does Postd.io edit content?

    No, but if a post is flagged enough, we will investigate to see if it should be removed or labeled as fiction, unverified, or rude.

  • Is there an algorithm that determines which content is seen by viewers?

    No, but our search engine looks for posts that have tags related to the terms you enter in the search bar.

  • How are videos categorized? Can I search for specific subjects or categories?

    We have identified several aisles, which are like departments, but we call them aisles because we're using the store analogy. An aisle is like movies or news or random videos caught live (to name a few), and within each aisle are several categories. You can also restrict searches to a single medium, so if you are looking for articles, you don't get videos. We want you to find what you are looking for fast, unlike other sites that are willing to waste your time with ads while you browse the results.

  • What is the resolution of video?

    Content creators can upload at up to 1080p. We stream different qualities to users devices depending on the screen size, and bandwidth available. You can click on the icon in the lower right of the video player to adjust the resolution of the video streamed to your device.

  • Is a special player needed?

    The video player, is embedded in our wesbite and mobile app. It uses HTML5, and Javascript, it requires a modern browser Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari are supported.

  • Can anyone comment or rate posts?

    Only registered users who have paid for a post can comment or rate it

  • Can contributors block comments from individual users?

    Yes, so stick to the subject and don't get personal.

  • Will Postd block fake posts?

    We can't check every post before it is published, but we will check posts where the percentage of buyers exceeds a threshold. If we determine the post is false, it may be removed or labeled “Fiction”. If the accuracy of a post cannot be determined, it will be labeled “Unverified”. If we decide it does not meet our community guidelines, it will be removed.

  • Does it work on mobile devices?

    Yes, very nicely. Please give feedback if you have issues.

For Consumers
  • Can I share something I read or watched with someone else?

    You can only share the links to the posts on postd. The license you receive when you pay to access a post on postd is for a one-time use.

  • How do I pay for accessing posts?

    You create an account at https://transact.io, and buy some credits there. The minimum amount is $1.00, but we heard they are providing $3.00 in free credit to people who sign up first. That offer may not last long, so be sure to sign up and tell your friends to.

  • How long do I have access to a post once I pay?

    You rent access to a post for 6 hours. We do not allow indefinite acces to keep costs low for all users.

  • Is a Transact account required?

    If you want to access more than a preview, yes, as that is the only way to pay for the stuff here. However, there is one type of video content called “Publicity”, where the contributors pay for every view of their video. Some people might call this an ad, but you have to actually want to watch them in order for them to play.

  • Can my transact account be used on other sites?

    Yes -- that's the plan, to make it a universal payment service that is accepted by all types of publishers. By using it here, you will help convince other publishers who are afraid to move away from their failing ad-based business model.

  • What kind of information about users do you save?

    Well, we keep your email address, and we store your log-in credentials for your transact.io account. We keep a record of content that you pay for, but you can delete that if you want. If you just want to know what information we share with other companies, the answer is none.

For Contributors
  • Can anyone post content?

    Yes, as long as you have the right to publish it.

  • Does it cost anything to post content?

    No, but if nobody pays for it over a long period of time, we may remove it from our servers.

  • Can I display my postd.io posts in a window on my website?

    Yes, you can copy the address of iframe of the post from your account where you post files to Postd.io to your website. Users will still need to pay for accessing it, but they will be able to stay on your website.

  • How do I get paid if I post content?

    You will need to provide financial information if you are posting content for sale, and we will either electronically transfer the funds to your bank account, or mail you a check, depending on how much revenue your posts generate.

  • Who sets the price? Who gets the money that people pay?

    The contributors who post the content set the price (there are minimum prices, depending on the size of the file that is uploaded). The contributors typically get 86% of the revenue, although sometimes it can be more than that for content that is priced higher than $1.00 (we take a smaller cut on that content). Prices can be changed by the contributor after the initial posting.

  • How much should I charge?

    This is a new way of making money from digital media, so the art of pricing will evolve. Since people will need to get used to paying for videos and songs and articles with money instead of their time and personal information, it might be better to start out on the low end, and build up an audience that gets comfortable with the business model over time. Five cents is less likely to scare away customers than seventy-five cents. And you can make it up on volume. You can always adjust the price after posting if it becomes a viral hit.

  • Is there a minimum price for content? What if I don't want to get paid?

    Yes, the minimum price for audio and text is one cent per play or read. Videos have a minimum price that is based on the size of the video file that you upload.

    If you don't want to get paid, set the price to the minimum for the medium you are posting to, and don't bother providing any payment information on your account. We'll keep it all. In the future, we'll allow contributors to designate a charity to receive all of the revenue.

  • When do I get paid?

    Either when you request a payment, or automatically if the balance reaches a specified level (that is for contributors who sell lots of content). There is a minimum threshold that must be met before you are paid (we won't mail a check for a small amount).

  • Can any content be posted?

    From our community guidelines:"While we respect the right to free speech, we do not want to be a place where speech is used to incite hate or defame other people. You are free to create your own website where you can call people names and insult themand make up stories about them, but that's not why we created postd. Criticism is acceptable, but personal attacks are not welcome."

    Also, this isn't the place to sell porn.

    And, we probably need to mention this often, you must have the right to publish content you are posting. Usually that means you are the copyright owner, but it also means you shouldn't be posting illegally obtained content.

    You can read more in our Terms of Service.

  • Why do I need a Transact account to sell content?

    You just need a Transact account so you can get a postd.io account. You don't have to buy any credit on your transact.io account.

  • Can I post content for sale here and elsewhere?

    Yes, we don't require exclusivity. However, if you give it away for free (or for ad revenue) elsewhere, you probably won't make much on it here, unless your audience loves you or is lazy.

  • Who owns the copyright for content on postd.io?

    Not only do we not own the copyright, but you better own it if you are posting anything. You can post public domain content if you want, but you better be prepared to prove it is in the public domain.

  • What kind of video format is required?

    We support most variants of MPEG2, MPEG4, AVI, OGV, MKV. If your upload does not work, please contact us and share a example of your particular video format.

  • What kind of audio format is required?

    Any MP3, MP4 audio or OGG format is supported.

  • How secure is the content on Postd.io?

    After files are uploaded to postd.io, they are encrypted at rest and in transit. The audio and video that is streamed also contains additional encryption for copyright protection.