# Frequently Asked Questions
URL: /docs/faq

Frequently Asked Questions about Merit

***

title: Frequently Asked Questions
description: Frequently Asked Questions about Merit
icon: ShieldQuestion
--------------------

<Accordions type="single">
  <Accordion title="What are you building at Merit Systems?">
    We're building tools to enable a new economy for open-source software. We've identified the hardest problems in open-source, like contributor engagement, payouts, funding, and monetization, and are working on an end-to-end product suite designed to make life easier for repo owners and contributors.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why should I use Merit?">
    Attracting and engaging contributors is one of the most important tasks of an enduring open-source project. By equipping repositories with lightweight financial tooling, we make it easier for repositories to distribute and improve their codebase.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I start using Merit for my project?">
    Getting started is simple: [install Merit](/docs/projects/install) on your repository by claiming it on the Terminal and authorizing the GitHub App. Once installed, you can fund your repo balance and start distributing payments to contributors. For guided setup with priority support, you can also join our [Partner Program](https://merit.systems/partner).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the Terminal?">
    We've designed a new interface called the Terminal that enables GitHub repository owners to easily distribute payments to contributors directly from a repo. Using the Terminal, you can surface impactful PRs made to a repository, enabling you to pay existing key contributors and attract new ones. Instead of needing to manage contributor payments from multiple, disparate channels, we created the Terminal as a way to simplify this process end-to-end.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do payments on the Terminal work?">
    When you install Merit on your repo, your repo gets an account that enables you to pay contributors to your project with stablecoins. Every contributor to your repo can log into the Terminal, claim their income using their GitHub credentials, and offramp to their bank account.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What kind of compliance and legal forms am I responsible for?">
    Merit Systems handles all of the legal and compliance work related to money going into and out of the platform to minimize the administrative burden on repository owners. Contributors will need to fill out a W-9 or W-8BEN form in order to claim so that we can handle IRS compliance on your behalf. Payers may need to complete KYB diligence to pay. Payees may need to complete KYC to withdraw funds.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How can I use the Terminal to help me understand how to pay contributors?">
    It can be hard to determine the impact of contributors over a given period. Merit provides a UX over the work itself: PRs. You can onboard your repo in as little as one minute using suggestions we generate, or spend more time tweaking payment splits to your exact specifications.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What kinds of open-source projects can use Merit?">
    Merit is designed to be used with any kind of open-source project, with any funding model. Whether you lead a core infrastructure project, an ongoing service, a new AI tool, a side project, a learning tool, or a programming language, Merit can work with your repo. We can support any kind of funding model, including foundation-led projects, enterprise contracts, grassroots donations, business licenses, and more. All you need to do is convert into stablecoins and run that funding through Merit.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How can Merit attract great contributions to my repo (instead of low-quality, AI-generated code)?">
    Some people might observe that when you remove the friction of paying contributors, you could also incentivize people to submit lower-quality PRs in order to get a share of a repo's payouts. But because Merit helps repo owners surface the best PRs and contributors to their repo, we expect there to be no payoff in spamming PRs. Low-quality PRs get a lower share of repo payouts (or none at all) compared to high-quality PRs, making it a waste of time and/or API credits to submit unnecessary PRs on a repo that uses Merit.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is Merit's pricing?">
    Merit charges a 2.5% fee when a successful payment is claimed by a developer. There are no platform costs, setup fees, or subscription fees.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the partner program?">
    You can [install Merit yourself](/docs/projects/install) in minutes. The Merit Partner Program provides additional onboarding and priority support for any GitHub repository owner regardless of star count or revenue.

    Partners receive guided setup, a launch playbook, priority support channels, and early feature access, with a typical 48-hour timeline from initial demo to live payouts.

    The onboarding process includes a tailored demo, sandbox preview with fake funds, activation of real distributions, and best-practice guidance for announcing payouts to the community, ensuring partners can confidently launch contributor payments with Merit's team on speed-dial.
  </Accordion>
</Accordions>


# Introduction
URL: /docs

Merit is a payments engine for GitHub. It's on a mission to redefine the economics of open source.

***

title: Introduction
description: Merit is a payments engine for GitHub. It's on a mission to redefine the economics of open source.
icon: Presentation
------------------

# TL;DR

* **Pay** any **user** or **repo** on GitHub, no compliance overhead.
* **Work** on cutting-edge software across industries and get compensated for your impact.
* **Explore** the ecosystem. All GitHub Orgs, Users and Repos are available on [Terminal](https://terminal.merit.systems).

***

## What is Merit?

Merit is a bank account for everything on GitHub - if you have a GitHub account, you already have a Merit account.

We've built an entire financial stack that allows you to pay and get paid for your open-source software and contributions.

That means it's easy to monetize code together - instantly, compliantly, and with zero overhead.

## What is Terminal?

[Terminal](https://terminal.merit.systems) is your gateway to the Merit ecosystem.

<img src="/docs/videos/log_on.gif" alt="Logging on to the Terminal" width={800} style={{ borderRadius: 8, margin: "2rem 0" }} />

<Cards>
  <Card icon={<RocketIcon className="text-secondary-600" />} title="For Projects" description="Terminal is an interface to easily surface and pay high-impact contributors." href="/docs/projects" />

  <Card icon={<CodeIcon className="text-secondary-600" />} title="For Developers" description="Terminal is a dashboard that shows you your contributions, your earnings, and your Merit account." href="/docs/developers" />
</Cards>

## Ready to start?

import {
	DiscordIcon,
} from '../../icons';

<Cards className="grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-3">
  <Card icon={<TerminalIcon className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Explore Terminal" href="https://terminal.merit.systems" external />

  <Card icon={<RocketIcon className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Install Merit" href="/docs/projects/install" />

  <Card icon={<DiscordIcon className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Join the Discord" href="https://discord.gg/pYqaycUHF2" external />
</Cards>


# How Merit Works
URL: /docs/merit

A simple treasury layer that lives inside your GitHub repository - no LLC, no spreadsheets, no Stripe.

***

title: How Merit Works
description: A simple treasury layer that lives inside your GitHub repository - no LLC, no spreadsheets, no Stripe.
icon: Compass
-------------

import { FlowDiagram, FeatureGrid, SimpleTable } from '@/content/docs/components';
import { CreditCard, Landmark, Users, DollarSign, Zap, Banknote } from 'lucide-react';

## How money flows through Merit

<FlowDiagram
  steps={[
  { icon: <CreditCard className="text-secondary-600" />, title: 'Bank / Card', description: 'Add funds' },
  { icon: <Landmark className="text-secondary-600" />, title: 'Repo Balance', description: 'Central treasury' },
  { icon: <Users className="text-secondary-600" />, title: 'Contributors', description: 'Your pockets' }
]}
/>

<FeatureGrid
  features={[
  {
    icon: <DollarSign className="text-secondary-600" />,
    title: 'Funding Options',
    children: (
      <>
        • Bank transfer<br/>
        • Direct USDC deposit<br/>
        • Stablecoin wallet
      </>
    )
  },
  {
    icon: <Zap className="text-secondary-600" />,
    title: 'Distribution',
    children: (
      <>
        • Payout wizard (AI-assisted)<br/>
        • Manual splits<br/>
        • Direct tips
      </>
    )
  },
  {
    icon: <Banknote className="text-secondary-600" />,
    title: 'Withdrawal',
    children: (
      <>
        • Bank transfer<br/>
        • Stablecoin wallet<br/>
        • 30-day claim window
      </>
    )
  }
]}
/>

Fund a repo with a bank transfer or your existing stablecoin wallet. Contributors withdraw with their GitHub credentials and transfer money to their bank account.

***

## Merit Makes Compliance Simple

<SimpleTable
  headers={['What Merit handles', 'What you handle']}
  rows={[
  ['Collect and store W‑9 / W‑8BEN', 'Nothing - no filings or 1099 prep'],
  ['File 1099‑K with IRS for US contributors', '-'],
  ['Basic AML / sanctions screening', '-'],
  ['Transaction records & year‑end summary', '-']
]}
/>

***

## Supported Currency & Regions

* **Currency:** USDC (USD‑pegged stablecoin)
* **Funding & Withdrawals:** Available in every country that has a tax treaty with the United States
* **Fiat rails:** Bank transfer in/out via Coinbase, with more partners on the way

***

## Simple, Predictable Fees

* **2.5%** on each confirmed payout to contributors
* No subscription. No minimums. No surprise FX mark‑ups

***

## Next Steps

1. **Explore live data:** [terminal.merit.systems](https://terminal.merit.systems)
2. **Install Merit:** [Self-install →](/docs/projects/install) or [Partner Program →](https://merit.systems/partner) for guided setup
3. **Need a tailored demo?** Email [hello@merit.systems](mailto:hello@merit.systems)

***


# Supported Countries
URL: /docs/supported-countries

Merit is available in the following countries.

***

title: Supported Countries
icon: Globe
description: Merit is available in the following countries.
-----------------------------------------------------------

import { CountryGrid } from "./components/country-grid";

<CountryGrid columns={5} />


# What is the Terminal?
URL: /docs/terminal

The Terminal is Merit's interface for surfacing, paying, and attracting high-impact contributors to open source projects.

***

title: What is the Terminal?
icon: Terminal
description: The Terminal is Merit's interface for surfacing, paying, and attracting high-impact contributors to open source projects.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

import { Settings, Users, Search } from 'lucide-react';

The Terminal provides:

* **GitHub Data Explorer**: Surface top contributors, recent repo-wide efforts, and historical project data
* **Payment Distribution**: Pay contributors directly using stablecoins with zero administrative overhead
* **Impact Visualization**: Understand contributor impact through an intuitive UX over PRs and major initiatives

<Callout type="info">
  The Terminal is **live today** for any GitHub user to explore. Projects can [install Merit](/docs/projects/install) or join our [Partner Program](https://merit.systems/partner) for guided setup.
</Callout>

## Who Uses the Terminal?

<Cards className="grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-3">
  <Card icon={<Settings className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Project Maintainers">
    Repository owners who want to **attract top developers**, **reward contributions**, and **build sustainable contributor communities**.

    * Freemium projects sharing revenue with contributors
    * Sponsored projects onboarding new developers
    * Rising projects attracting their first contributors
  </Card>

  <Card icon={<Users className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Contributors">
    Developers who want to **earn from their open source work** and **discover projects** that value their contributions.

    * Explore Merit-enabled repositories
    * Claim earnings from contributions
    * Get paid instantly, globally
  </Card>

  <Card icon={<Search className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Ecosystem Explorers">
    Anyone interested in **discovering** and **analyzing** open-source project activity and contributor networks.

    * Browse repository analytics
    * Understand project health
    * Identify collaboration opportunities
  </Card>
</Cards>

## Key Benefits

* **Zero Friction**: No contracts, no tax headaches, no administrative burden
* **Global Payments**: Instant payouts using stablecoins to contributors worldwide
* **Quality Focus**: Rewards meaningful contributions, not spam PRs
* **Self-Custody**: Contributors maintain full control of their funds

## Get Started

<Cards className="grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-3">
  <Card icon={<TerminalIcon className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Explore the Terminal" href="https://terminal.merit.systems" />

  <Card icon={<RocketIcon className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Install Merit" href="/docs/projects/install" />

  <Card icon={<BookIcon className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Learn More About Merit" href="/docs/merit" />
</Cards>


# USDC
URL: /docs/usdc

USDC documentation

***

title: USDC
description: USDC documentation
icon: DollarSign
----------------

## What is USDC?

Merit runs on stablecoins, specifically USDC on Base. It’s a fundamental architectural building block that allows us to pay globally, compliantly, instantly—and rapidly innovate on how GitHub repos get funded, all without touching user funds.

## What is Base?

Base is a secure, low-cost Ethereum L2 (Layer 2) network. By using USDC on Base, Merit can offer instant, low-cost payments to developers around the world.

You can view the Merit Escrow contract on Base [here](https://basescan.org/address/0x000000007bca2dc8f121b49457c726b51adb667a).

## Funding Your Merit Account

### Individuals

Individuals should use our embedded Coinbase onramp by going to their wallet, and clicking fund.

<Callout type="warn">If you're in NY Coinbase will not work yet. Fix is coming around 8/1/25</Callout>

### Businesses

Register for a Coinbase business account. This will require KYB and take 2-5 days.

Transfer funds from your bank into Coinbase, then transfer funds into your Merit account by clicking your wallet then clicking fund.

Now you can pay any user, any repo on GitHub.


# Merit for Developers
URL: /docs/developers

Get paid for your open source contributions instantly and globally

***

title: Merit for Developers
description: Get paid for your open source contributions instantly and globally
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Turn your open source contributions into income. Merit makes it possible for any developer to earn from their GitHub activity, whether you're maintaining core infrastructure or making your first PR.

## How It Works for You

You can think of Merit as your developer-native bank account. It's the simplest way to get paid for your work.

### How to get paid through Merit

1. **Get Merged**: Make high-quality PRs to repositories that use Merit
2. **Get Recognized**: Project maintainers can identify and reward your impact automatically
3. **Get Paid**: Receive notifications when you've earned payouts
4. **Withdraw Globally**: Get paid in stablecoins or transfer directly to your bank account

<Callout type="warn">
  Make sure to follow the project's contribution guidelines and code of conduct. Merit is not a replacement for these. Low quality PRs, or PRs that don't follow the project's guidelines, will not be rewarded.
</Callout>

## What Makes Merit Different

### Zero Friction for You

* **No Contracts**: Start earning immediately with your existing GitHub account
* **No Tax Headaches**: Merit handles all compliance and tax forms (just a quick W-9/W-8BEN)
* **Global Payouts**: Instant payments anywhere in the world using stablecoins
* **Self-Custody**: You control your funds completely - Merit never holds your money

### Recognition for Real Impact

Merit helps maintainers identify and reward **high-impact contributions**:

* Quality over quantity approach discourages spam PRs
* Your meaningful work gets properly recognized and compensated
* Build reputation across the entire Merit ecosystem

## The Terminal: Your Contribution Dashboard

Log into the [Terminal](https://terminal.merit.systems) today with your GitHub account to:

* **Explore Repositories**: See which projects are using Merit and actively paying contributors
* **Track Your Impact**: Understand how your contributions are viewed across different repos
* **Claim Earnings**: Simple one-click process to claim your payouts
* **View History**: See all your past contributions and earnings in one place

## Who's Getting Paid?

Merit works for developers at every level:

* **New Contributors**: Get paid for your first meaningful PR to a project
* **Regular Contributors**: Turn your ongoing open source work into steady income
* **Core Maintainers**: Share in the revenue of projects you help build and sustain

## Getting Started

**Already have a GitHub account?** You're ready to start earning.

1. **[Explore the Terminal →](https://terminal.merit.systems)** - See live data and find projects using Merit
2. **Start Contributing** - Make PRs to repositories that have Merit installed
3. **Get Notified** - Receive emails when you earn payouts from your contributions
4. **Claim & Withdraw** - Simple process to get your earnings into your bank account

## Find Merit-Enabled Projects

The best part? You don't need to change how you contribute. Keep doing what you love - writing code, fixing bugs, improving documentation. Merit-enabled projects will automatically recognize and reward your impact.

**[Start Exploring →](https://terminal.merit.systems)**

***

*Merit makes open source sustainable by ensuring great contributors get rewarded for great work.*


# Getting Started
URL: /docs/developers/quickstart

Create an account, connect your GitHub, and explore the Terminal.

***

title: Getting Started
description: Create an account, connect your GitHub, and explore the Terminal.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## Getting Started

<Steps>
  <Step>
    ### Sign in to the Terminal

    Go to [the Terminal](https://terminal.merit.systems) and use your GitHub account to sign in.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Check out your profile

    Click the user icon in the top right corner of the Terminal to view your profile.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Find projects and people to team up with

    Use the [homepage](https://terminal.merit.systems) and search bar to find new and interesting projects and people.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Have fun!

    The world of open source is a big place. We're excited to see what you build with Merit.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Interested in paying someone or getting paid?

Sending money on Merit is easy. Just click the "Pay" button on a user's profile page, and enter the amount you want to send.

<Callout>
  If you don't have any funds in your Merit account, you will be prompted to deposit some.
</Callout>

When you get paid, you'll see the money in your Merit account. You can withdraw it to your bank account at any time.


# Taxes & Compliance
URL: /docs/developers/taxes

Why we ask for tax information and why it makes your life easier.

***

title: Taxes & Compliance
description: Why we ask for tax information and why it makes your life easier.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Why we ask for tax information

<Callout>
  You can fill out your tax form in less than a minute.
</Callout>

You want to write great software and get paid for it, not become a part‑time accountant. We agree.

Merit handles the compliance overhead so you don’t have to. The tradeoff is simple: provide lightweight tax info once, and we unlock instant, global payouts to you from any developer or project that uses Merit.

**tl;dr Provide your tax info once at claim time. We handle the compliance so you can focus on shipping.**

## What we collect and why

Tax forms are confusing. We've rebuilt the UI to make it easy for you.

Behind the scenes, we create W‑9s for US individuals, and W‑8BENs for non‑US individuals.

We only require your name, address, tax identification number, and signature.

## Tax identification numbers

The W-8 BEN tax form asks for a "U.S. taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN)" or "Foreign tax identifying number".

If you are not a U.S. citizen or other U.S. person, including a resident alien individual, then you will usually need to provide the "Foreign tax identifying number". This is a tax identification number that your country of residence has issued you.

If your country of residence or billing country is India, then you can use your Permanent Account Number (PAN) as your tax identification number.

The IRS allows non-resident and resident aliens to request an [Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or ITIN](https://www.irs.gov/tin/taxpayer-identification-numbers-tin#itin). It is unlikely that this is necessary for maintainers receiving income through Merit, but read the [full instructions](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw8ben.pdf) to determine your individual circumstances.

## General tax information

Merit does not withhold tax from payments. Contributors are responsible for evaluating and paying their own taxes.

Payments are generally not tax deductible but can be in some cases. It's the responsibility of the recipient to inform payers whether the contributions are being made to a tax-exempt entity like a 501(c)(3), and if the payments may be tax-deductible.

## What you don't have to do

* No 1099 admin. Merit files 1099s on users' or projects' behalf when necessary - it's not your responsibility.
* No spreadsheets. Your contribution and payout history lives in the Terminal.

## When we ask for it

We’ll prompt you to provide tax information the first time you claim earnings. If you’ve already completed it once, you won’t be asked again.

<Callout type="warn">
  We can't complete a payout without the required form on file. If you skip it, your claim will pause until you're ready, then it's a quick resume.
</Callout>

## What you get in return

* One profile that works across all Merit‑enabled repos.
* Global payouts to your bank or wallet.
* Year‑end clarity. Merit handles all required tax reporting including 1099 forms when necessary.
* Less risk for projects, which means more projects can pay you, faster.

## Privacy & security

* We only use your tax info for compliance (KYC/AML checks and tax reporting).
* Access is tightly controlled; encrypted data is limited to authorized personnel and systems.
* Your code is your code. We never request repository access for tax purposes and never sell personal data.

## The alternative

Without Merit, every paying project becomes its own finance department: different forms, different tools, inconsistent records, and you become the integration layer. With Merit, you fill out a standard form once and ship more code instead.

## Common questions

<Accordions type="single">
  <Accordion title="Do I need to form a company?">
    No. Individuals can use Merit with a W‑9 (US) or W‑8BEN (non‑US). If you do have a company, you can provide your EIN on a W‑9.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I'm outside the US, do I still need to fill this out?">
    Yes. Non‑US contributors complete a W‑8BEN. This helps determine any applicable treaty benefits and ensures we report correctly. You’ll still receive a year‑end summary of payouts.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will this impact my credit score or taxes automatically?">
    No. Identity verification is a compliance check, not a credit check. Merit handles required reporting (e.g., 1099 forms where applicable), but **you** remain responsible for any income taxes in your country of residence.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I get paid without filling this out?">
    We can’t complete a payout until the required form is on file. If you prefer, you can wait to complete it until you’re ready to withdraw.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is this tax advice?">
    No. This page explains how Merit handles compliance so you can get paid with minimal friction. For personal tax guidance, consult a qualified professional.
  </Accordion>
</Accordions>

***

## Next steps

1. Claim your earnings in the Terminal
2. Complete your W‑9/W‑8BEN once, in less than a minute
3. Withdraw globally to your bank or wallet

<Links>
  <Link icon="discord" label="Questions? Ask in Discord" link="https://discord.gg/pYqaycUHF2" />
</Links>


# Merit Administration
URL: /docs/projects/administration

How roles and permissions work in Merit

***

title: Merit Administration
description: How roles and permissions work in Merit
----------------------------------------------------

import { SimpleTable } from '@/content/docs/components';

## Accounts & Roles

Merit permissions are completely configurable by Merit account admins.

<SimpleTable
  headers={['Role', 'What they can do', 'How they sign in']}
  rows={[
  [
    <strong>Repo Admin</strong>, 
    'Install Merit, fund repo balance, assign distributors', 
    'GitHub OAuth'
  ],
  [
    <strong>Distributor</strong>, 
    'Run payout wizard, approve or edit splits, reclaim unclaimed funds', 
    'GitHub OAuth'
  ],
  [
    <strong>Contributor</strong>, 
    'Claim payouts, complete tax form, withdraw funds', 
    'GitHub OAuth + short tax form'
  ]
]}
/>

<Callout>
  **Self‑custody, always.** All assets are tied to your GitHub identity and **only you** can move the funds.
</Callout>

## GitHub App Integration

<Callout type="warn">
  This feature is coming soon.
</Callout>

You can enable the Merit GitHub App to comment on PRs, and link users directly to their Merit accounts.
The Merit GitHub App integration is completely optional. Admins can enable or disable it at any time in their Merit settings.


# Attribution
URL: /docs/projects/attribution

How attribution works on the Terminal.

***

title: Attribution
description: How attribution works on the Terminal.
---------------------------------------------------

import { VideoComponent } from "@/app/_components/video";

Merit uses attribution to measure and pay contributors to open-source projects based on their impact. Attribution helps ensure that value is distributed fairly based on actual contributions, using data from GitHub activity and project-specific metrics.

<VideoComponent fileName="docs/Attribution_Title" />


# Distributions
URL: /docs/projects/distributions

How to distribute money from the repo balance to contributors.

***

title: Distributions
description: How to distribute money from the repo balance to contributors.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merit lets anyone fund repos, deferring the contributor distribution to Merit repo admins.

<Callout type="info">
  Merit needs to be [installed](/docs/projects/install) in your repository before you can create distributions.
</Callout>

<img src="/docs/modes.png" alt="Modes" />

Merit supports three distribution modes to give you flexibility in how you reward contributors.

To get started, you need to fund your repository.

<Steps>
  <Step>
    ### Repo gets funded

    import { VideoComponent } from "@/app/_components/video";

    <VideoComponent fileName="docs/fund_a_repo" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Admin(s) can distribute

    Merit supports three distribution modes to give you flexibility in how you reward contributors:

    #### **Guided Distribution** (Recommended)

    * Determine distributions based on the impact of PRs merged during a time window
    * AI-assisted analysis automatically classifies recent pull requests by impact into quartiles
    * Preview and adjust splits before committing

    <VideoComponent fileName="docs/guided_payout" />

    #### **Pay PRs**

    * Select specific PRs and specify the exact amount to distribute to them
    * Perfect for rewarding specific contributions or milestone achievements
    * Direct control over which pull requests receive funding

    #### **Pay Users**

    * Select specific contributors to distribute to and choose the exact amount to distribute to them
    * Ideal for recognizing ongoing contributions, maintenance work, or special efforts
    * Direct contributor selection with custom allocation amounts

    <VideoComponent fileName="docs/manual_payout" />

    #### **Pay Issues** (Coming Soon)

    * Select specific issues and allocate funds to them before they are resolved
    * Encourage contribution by setting bounties on important issues
    * Create incentives for tackling specific problems or feature requests
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Contributors can claim funds

    <VideoComponent fileName="docs/contributor_claim" />
  </Step>
</Steps>


# Merit for Projects
URL: /docs/projects

Scale your open-source project with Merit's financial stack - attract contributors, reward impact, and grow your ecosystem.

***

title: Merit for Projects
description: Scale your open-source project with Merit's financial stack - attract contributors, reward impact, and grow your ecosystem.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<Callout>
  TL;DR: [Install](/docs/projects/install) Merit on your repository in 30 seconds.
</Callout>

Merit makes it simple for any GitHub repository to attract, reward, and retain high-impact contributors. Whether you're a solo maintainer or leading a team, Merit eliminates the friction of paying contributors while helping you grow your developer ecosystem.

## Who is Merit for?

Anyone can use Merit. You could be a vibe coder, a senior engineer maintaining core infrastructure, or a devrel looking to grow your ecosystem.
Merit enables you to **pay existing contributors** and **attract new ones** through our Terminal interface. Here's how different types of projects are using Merit today:

<Cards className="grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-3">
  <Card icon={<User className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Freemium Projects" href="/docs/merit">
    **Already monetizing with an existing revenue model?**

    Share revenue with core contributors and attract new developers with custom payout schedules
  </Card>

  <Card icon={<Rocket className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Rising Projects" href="/docs/merit">
    **Gaining traction on X, Hacker News, or GitHub?**

    Turn early momentum into a thriving contributor ecosystem
  </Card>

  <Card icon={<Building className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Sponsored Projects" href="/docs/merit">
    **Receiving funding through partnerships or sponsorships?**

    Transform one-time funding into sustained developer engagement
  </Card>
</Cards>

**No minimum star count or revenue required.**

You can [install Merit yourself](/docs/projects/install) or [join the Partner Program](https://merit.systems/partner) for guided setup.

## What Merit Handles for You

* **Zero Administrative Overhead**: Merit manages all taxes, compliance, and legal complexity end-to-end
* **Global Instant Payments**: Pay contributors anywhere in the world using stablecoins
* **Contributor Impact Analysis**: Understand exactly what kinds of contributors you want to pay with our UX over PRs and major initiatives
* **Flexible Payment Splits**: Design any payment structure you want - from longtime contributors to new developers making their first PRs

## The Terminal: Insights and Payments for Your Project

The [Terminal](https://terminal.merit.systems) makes understanding and supporting your ecosystem simple. It's now available to all GitHub users, with payments functionality available by [installing Merit](/docs/projects/install).

<Cards className="grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-2">
  <Card icon={<Search className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Contributor Discovery">
    Surface top contributors and recent repo-wide efforts to understand who's driving your project forward.
  </Card>

  <Card icon={<BarChart3 className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Impact Visualization">
    Display major initiatives and PR activity over any time period to track project momentum and contributor engagement.
  </Card>

  <Card icon={<DollarSign className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Payment Distribution">
    Create custom splits based on contribution patterns you define to reward contributors fairly and transparently.
  </Card>

  <Card icon={<TrendingUp className="text-secondary-600" />} title="Growth Tools">
    Use Merit to consistently attract developers to your repository and build a thriving contributor ecosystem.
  </Card>
</Cards>

## Ready to Get Started?

If you run or contribute to an open-source project that monetizes or wants to accept funding in any way, you can use Merit to pay existing contributors and onboard new ones.

**[Install Merit →](/docs/projects/install)**

**[Explore the Terminal →](https://terminal.merit.systems)**

**[Join the Partner Program →](https://merit.systems/partner)** (or [install yourself](/docs/projects/install))


# Install Merit
URL: /docs/projects/install

Install Merit on a repository by claiming it and authorizing the GitHub App.

***

title: Install Merit
description: Install Merit on a repository by claiming it and authorizing the GitHub App.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

import { SimpleTable } from "@/content/docs/components";
import { VideoComponent } from "@/app/_components/video";

Merit can now be installed directly by claiming your repository. The [partner program](https://merit.systems/partner) remains available if you prefer a guided, white‑glove onboarding.

<VideoComponent fileName="docs/merit_install_and_distribute" />

## Quick Start

<Steps>
  <Step>
    ### Open your repository on the Terminal

    Go to the [Terminal](https://terminal.merit.systems) and search for your repository. From the repo page, use the setup panel to begin.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Install the GitHub App

    Click "Connect to GitHub" to authorize the Merit GitHub App for the repository or organization. Admins can complete the install immediately; non‑admins will see an option to request installation.

    Alternatively, you can [contact us](https://merit.systems/partner) to skip this step.

    <Callout>
      The Merit GitHub App allows us to prove that you are the owner of the repository.
      It does not have any permissions beyond that.
    </Callout>
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Claim the repository

    Click "Claim and Install" to install Merit and claim the repository.

    <Accordions type="single">
      <Accordion title="Who can claim a repository?">
        You can claim a repo if:

        1. You are the repository owner
        2. If the repo is owned by an organization:
           * An admin of the organization must install the app
           * Members can request that the admin installs Merit through the GitHub Organization
      </Accordion>
    </Accordions>
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Deposit and distribute funds

    <img src="/docs/fund.png" alt="Fund" />

    You can deposit funds by clicking the "Fund" button in the Terminal.

    This will add the funds to your repository balance. These funds can be distributed to your contributors at a later time.

    Once installed, repo admins can run Manual or Guided distributions from the Terminal.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Callout>
  Prefer a guided setup? You can still join the <a href="/partner">Partner Program</a> to be shepherded through installation and your first distribution.
</Callout>

## Troubleshooting

* If installation fails or permissions look wrong, confirm you’re signed into the correct GitHub account and that you have the necessary admin rights for the repo or org.
* Still stuck? Reach out via <a href="https://discord.com/invite/pYqaycUHF2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Discord</a> and we'll help you get installed quickly.