Case study
Kape is a free buy-me-a-coffee alternative for local creators who want a link they own and a payment flow that makes sense in the Philippines.
Reasoning
A marketplace model would add moderation, billing, and dispute handling. A personal tip jar keeps the scope honest: profile, payment link, and enough structure for creators to share it.
Choice
I built the first version as a lightweight web app with creator-owned links and no platform fee. The stack stays intentionally small because trust in a payments-adjacent tool comes from clarity, not extra screens.
What I'd repeat
The important product decision was what not to store. Keeping sensitive payment handling outside the app reduces the risk surface while still giving creators a useful public page.
Outcome
Kape now works as an open-source reference for simple local creator support pages. It shows the same habit I bring to client work: narrow the scope until the risk matches the budget.
Postmortem: Before expanding it, I would write clearer provider setup docs so other creators can self-host with fewer questions.
Impact: Open source · Philippine payment rails · kape.stimmie.dev
