Monetization

Modrinth’s monetization system allows creators to earn revenue from their projects through ads, subscriptions, and affiliate programs. This guide covers enrollment, revenue tracking, and withdrawing your earnings.

Monetization Overview

Creators can earn money through:

Creator Rewards - Revenue from project views and downloads
Affiliate Programs - Commissions from referral links
Subscription Revenue - Portion of Modrinth+ subscriptions

All projects are monetized by default when published.

Creator Revenue

Revenue is generated when:

Users view your project page (ad impressions)
Users download your project files
Users spend time with your project installed

Factors affecting revenue:

Geographic location - Different regions have different ad rates
Monetization status - Some views/downloads may not be monetizable
User subscription - Modrinth+ subscribers generate different revenue
Project popularity - More views = more revenue

Payout System

Revenue Availability

Revenue becomes available for withdrawal:

30 days after earning - Standard holding period
Shows as “pending” until available
Once available, appears in your withdrawable balance

Checking Your Balance

GET /v3/payouts/balance

Response:

{
  "available": "125.50",
  "withdrawn_lifetime": "450.00",
  "withdrawn_ytd": "125.50",
  "pending": "75.25",
  "dates": {
    "2024-02-15T00:00:00Z": "50.00",
    "2024-03-15T00:00:00Z": "25.25"
  },
  "requested_form_type": "W9",
  "form_completion_status": "complete"
}

available

decimal

Amount you can withdraw now (USD)

withdrawn_lifetime

decimal

Total withdrawn across all time

withdrawn_ytd

decimal

Amount withdrawn this calendar year

pending

decimal

Earnings not yet available (still in holding period)

dates

object

When pending revenue becomes availableMap of dates to amounts that unlock on those dates.

Tax Compliance

US-based creators and some international creators must complete tax forms before withdrawing above certain thresholds.

Tax Form Requirements

Depending on your location and earnings, you may need to complete: US Creators (W-9)

Required when withdrawals exceed threshold (typically $600/year)
Provides Tax Identification Number (TIN) or SSN
Used for IRS 1099 reporting
Must match IRS records

Non-US Creators (W-8BEN)

Required for non-US residents
Certifies foreign status
May reduce withholding taxes
No TIN matching required

Requesting a Tax Form

POST /v3/payouts/compliance

Request body:

{
  "form_type": "W9"
}

Form types:

W9 - US persons
W8BEN - Non-US individuals

Response includes a URL to complete the form through Modrinth’s tax compliance provider (Avalara).

Form Completion Status

form_completion_status

string

Status of your tax complianceValues:

unrequested - No form requested yet
unsigned - Form requested but not signed
tin_mismatch - Form signed but TIN doesn’t match IRS (W-9 only)
complete - Form signed and validated
unknown - Compliance API error (temporary)

If your TIN doesn’t match IRS records, withdrawals are blocked until resolved. Contact support for assistance.

Manual Review

Some accounts require manual review:

Additional information needed
Unusual payout patterns
Compliance verification

If flagged for review:

More information is required to proceed. 
Please contact support (https://support.modrinth.com)

Payout Methods

Modrinth supports multiple payout methods:

Available Methods

Get supported payout methods:

GET /v3/payouts/methods?country=US

Returns available methods for your country:

[
  {
    "type": "paypal",
    "name": "PayPal",
    "supported_countries": ["US", "UK", "CA", ...],
    "min_amount": "1.00",
    "fee_percentage": "2.0"
  },
  {
    "type": "tremendous",
    "name": "Gift Cards",
    "supported_countries": ["US"],
    "min_amount": "1.00",
    "options": [...]
  }
]

PayPal

Countries: Most worldwide
Fee: ~2% + currency conversion
Speed: 1-3 business days
Requirements: PayPal account

Venmo

Countries: US only
Fee: ~2%
Speed: 1-2 business days
Requirements: Venmo account

MuralPay

Countries: Select countries
Options: Bank transfer, crypto (USDC), local methods
Fee: Varies by method
Speed: 1-5 business days

Tremendous (Gift Cards)

Countries: US primarily
Options: Amazon, Visa, hundreds of retailers
Fee: None for most cards
Speed: Instant
No minimum: Can withdraw any amount

Creating a Payout

Calculate Fees

Before withdrawing, check fees:

POST /v3/payouts/fees

Request body:

{
  "amount": "100.00",
  "method": {
    "type": "paypal",
    "paypal_email": "[email protected]"
  }
}

Response:

{
  "net_usd": "98.00",
  "fee": "2.00",
  "exchange_rate": null
}

net_usd

decimal

Amount you’ll receive after fees

fee

decimal

Total fees deducted

exchange_rate

decimal

Currency conversion rate (if applicable)

Submitting a Withdrawal

POST /v3/payouts

Request body examples: PayPal:

{
  "amount": "100.00",
  "method": {
    "type": "paypal",
    "paypal_email": "[email protected]"
  }
}

Gift Card:

{
  "amount": "50.00",
  "method": {
    "type": "tremendous",
    "gift_card_id": "amazon-us",
    "email": "[email protected]"
  }
}

Bank Transfer (MuralPay):

{
  "amount": "200.00",
  "method": {
    "type": "muralpay",
    "rail_code": "us-ach",
    "account_details": {
      "account_number": "123456789",
      "routing_number": "987654321",
      "account_type": "checking"
    }
  }
}

Payout Validation

Your payout will be validated:

Sufficient available balance
Tax compliance requirements met
Amount meets minimum (if applicable)
Account not flagged for manual review

Payouts are final once submitted. Double-check amounts and account details.

Payout Status

Track your withdrawal status:

GET /v3/payouts/history

Returns:

[
  {
    "type": "withdrawal",
    "id": "AbCdEfGh",
    "status": "in-transit",
    "created": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
    "amount": "100.00",
    "fee": "2.00",
    "method_type": "paypal",
    "method_id": "paypal_us",
    "method_address": "cr***[email protected]"
  },
  {
    "type": "payout_available",
    "created": "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
    "payout_source": "creator_rewards",
    "amount": "125.50"
  }
]

Payout Statuses

status

string

Current payout state

in-transit - Processing with payment provider
success - Completed successfully
failed - Failed (refunded to balance)
cancelled - You cancelled it
cancelling - Cancellation in progress

Cancelling Payouts

Cancel in-transit payouts:

DELETE /v3/payouts/{id}

Only works for:

Payouts in in-transit status
Before the payment processor completes them
Usually within 1-2 hours of submission

If cancelled, the amount is refunded to your available balance. Team members can receive a share of project revenue:

Payout Splits

When adding or editing team members:

{
  "user_id": "TeamMember",
  "payouts_split": 25.5
}

The payouts_split value:

Percentage of project revenue (0-5000%)
Can total > 100% across all members
Used to distribute earnings automatically
Set when inviting or editing members

How Revenue is Distributed

Project earns revenue
Revenue is held for 30 days
After hold, revenue is distributed:
- Each member receives their % share
- Added to their personal balance
- Can be withdrawn independently

Multiple Projects

If you’re on multiple project teams:

Each project’s revenue is tracked separately
Your total balance aggregates all projects
Withdrawal history shows per-project earnings

Transaction History

Your history shows two event types: Payout Available

Revenue became withdrawable
From specific project or affiliate code
After 30-day holding period

Withdrawal

You withdrew money
Shows amount, fees, method, status
Permanent record

History is sorted chronologically.

Affiliate Codes

Create affiliate codes to earn commission on Modrinth+ subscriptions:

Setting Up Affiliates

Affiliate codes can:

Provide discount to subscribers
Earn you commission on sales
Track clicks and conversions
Generate revenue separate from projects

Revenue appears in your balance as:

{
  "payout_source": "affiliates"
}

Tracking Affiliate Performance

Use analytics to track:

Clicks on your affiliate links
Conversions (purchases)
Revenue generated

See Analytics for details on affiliate metrics.

Best Practices

Complete tax forms early - Before hitting thresholds
Verify payout details - Double-check email addresses and account numbers
Track your earnings - Use analytics to understand revenue sources
Set fair splits - Compensate team members appropriately
Withdraw regularly - Avoid large accumulated balances
Keep records - Save payout confirmations for taxes
Understand fees - Different methods have different costs

Tax Reporting

For US creators:

Modrinth reports earnings to the IRS via Form 1099
You’ll receive a 1099 if you earned > $600 in a year
Report this income on your tax return
Consult a tax professional for guidance

For non-US creators:

Tax obligations vary by country
You may need to report foreign income
W-8BEN may reduce US withholding
Consult local tax authorities

Troubleshooting

Cannot withdraw - tax form required

Complete W-9 or W-8BEN form
Wait for TIN validation (US only)
May take 24-48 hours to process

TIN mismatch error

TIN/SSN doesn’t match IRS records
Verify you entered it correctly
Contact support if correct but still failing
Withdrawals blocked until resolved

Payout failed

Check account details are correct
Ensure account can receive payments
Amount refunded to your balance
Try different payout method

Manual review required

Additional verification needed
Contact support for assistance
Provide requested documentation
Usually resolved within 1-2 weeks

Revenue not appearing

Revenue has 30-day holding period
Check “pending” balance for upcoming payouts
Verify you have VIEW_ANALYTICS permission
Some views/downloads may not be monetizable

Support

For monetization issues:

Email: [email protected]
Support site: https://support.modrinth.com
Discord: Community support (not for sensitive financial info)

Never share your API tokens, tax information, or full account details in public channels.

Get Started

Platform Guide

For Creators

For Players

Server Hosting

Monetization Overview

Creator Revenue

Payout System

Revenue Availability

Checking Your Balance

Tax Compliance

Tax Form Requirements

Requesting a Tax Form

Form Completion Status

Manual Review

Payout Methods

Available Methods

PayPal

Venmo

MuralPay

Tremendous (Gift Cards)

Creating a Payout

Calculate Fees

Submitting a Withdrawal

Payout Validation

Payout Status

Payout Statuses

Cancelling Payouts

Payout Splits

How Revenue is Distributed

Multiple Projects

Transaction History

Affiliate Codes

Setting Up Affiliates

Tracking Affiliate Performance

Best Practices

Tax Reporting

Troubleshooting

Support

Get Started

Platform Guide

For Creators

For Players

Server Hosting

​Monetization Overview

​Creator Revenue

​Payout System

​Revenue Availability

​Checking Your Balance

​Tax Compliance

​Tax Form Requirements

​Requesting a Tax Form

​Form Completion Status

​Manual Review

​Payout Methods

​Available Methods

​PayPal

​Venmo

​MuralPay

​Tremendous (Gift Cards)

​Creating a Payout

​Calculate Fees

​Submitting a Withdrawal

​Payout Validation

​Payout Status

​Payout Statuses

​Cancelling Payouts

​Revenue Sharing

​Payout Splits

​How Revenue is Distributed

​Multiple Projects

​Transaction History

​Affiliate Codes

​Setting Up Affiliates

​Tracking Affiliate Performance

​Best Practices

​Tax Reporting

​Troubleshooting

​Support

Monetization Overview

Creator Revenue

Payout System

Revenue Availability

Checking Your Balance

Tax Compliance

Tax Form Requirements

Requesting a Tax Form

Form Completion Status

Manual Review

Payout Methods

Available Methods

PayPal

Venmo

MuralPay

Tremendous (Gift Cards)

Creating a Payout

Calculate Fees

Submitting a Withdrawal

Payout Validation

Payout Status

Payout Statuses

Cancelling Payouts

Revenue Sharing

Payout Splits

How Revenue is Distributed

Multiple Projects

Transaction History

Affiliate Codes

Setting Up Affiliates

Tracking Affiliate Performance

Best Practices

Tax Reporting

Troubleshooting

Support