Paid & sponsorship

Sponsor open-source projects your users depend on

Your name appears where developers look. Choose projects used by your target users.

Visit github.com
Cost
Paid

Sponsorship tiers set by each project. Check current pricing.

Verdict
long shot

Long shot: visibility in repos your users depend on, and it is hard to measure.

Difficulty
Medium

Needs preparation, a review, or a steady habit before results.

Effort
Low

About 2 to 4 hours a month.

First result
1 to 2 weeks

A rough range for one person working on it part-time.

Payoff
Steady

a trickle that lasts while you run it.

Best for

Developer products.

Not for

Consumer products.

Pros

  • Visible where developers look
  • Supports tools you use

Cons

  • Paid
  • Hard to measure

The full guide

Last verified 2026-10-30

Links checked 2026-10-30 · All links answer

01What it is and who is there

Many open-source projects accept sponsorships through GitHub Sponsors and similar platforms, and some list sponsors in their README or website. Sponsoring projects your users depend on puts your name where developers look, and supports tools your users rely on. It is hard to measure and works mostly as brand visibility.

02Cost and what you actually pay for

You choose a sponsorship tier set by each project. Check what each tier includes, such as logo placement.

03Is it right for you?

It fits developer tools whose users depend on specific open-source projects. It fits poorly for consumer products. Treat it as goodwill and visibility rather than a direct acquisition channel.

04Before you start

  • A list of projects your users use.
  • Each project's sponsor tiers and what they include.
  • A budget.

05Step-by-step: how to distribute here

  1. Find projects your users depend on.
  2. Choose tiers that include visibility, if that matters to you.
  3. Sponsor and confirm how your name appears.
  4. Mention your sponsorships on your site.
  5. Review each year whether to continue.

06What to post or submit

Sponsor message (if a project allows one):

[Product] supports [project]. [Product] helps [developers] [do job].

07Common mistakes and do-nots

  • Do not sponsor projects only for logos if the project does not fit.
  • Do not expect direct sign-ups.

08How to measure it

  • Track referral traffic from project pages.
  • Ask new users where they heard of you.
  • A realistic test: one year.

09Time budget

  • Before: 1 to 2 hours.
  • Ongoing: minimal.

10Pair it with

11Sources

Sources