Got an idea but no budget? How to share it, get feedback and get tipped
By quirkkitapp · 2026-10-13
"I have an idea but no money." If that's you, good news. Most ideas don't die because they're bad. They die in a notes app, because whoever had them assumed step one costs money. It almost never does. Step one is writing the thing down clearly enough that a stranger gets it. Then you put it somewhere people can read it.
That's what this guide is about. The free first step, how to take it on QuirkKit, and where to look if your idea genuinely needs money down the line. Quick note before we start, so nobody's surprised later: QuirkKit doesn't pay for ideas or back them. It's a free place to publish, and readers who like what you wrote can tip you.
Start by writing the idea down
Don't show anyone yet. First, try answering these in plain words: What problem does this solve, and who actually has it? How do they cope with it today? What would you do differently? And what's the tiniest version you could test?
The first question is the hard one. If you can't answer it in two sentences, you're not ready, and that's fine. App, invention, small business, doesn't matter. A clear problem is what keeps people reading past the first line.
Where to share your idea for free
There are more places than you'd guess. Reddit has a community for nearly every niche, and plenty of them are happy to see a "would you use this?" post as long as you follow the rules. Indie Hackers suits software and small online businesses. Product Hunt is better once the thing exists in some form. And friends or coworkers? Fine for a first read. They'll be kind, though, not honest.
A blog post is a different animal from a forum thread. It sticks around. People find it months later, and you can link to it from everywhere else. That's the gap QuirkKit fills.
How to share your idea on QuirkKit
Publishing here is free. So are the writing tools. Grammar Check gives you 5 free runs, then asks you to sign in, and after that you get 10 checks a day.
Write the idea up like any other post. Open with the problem, explain how you'd tackle it, and close by telling readers what you want from them. Posts get reviewed before they go live. Never written a page here? This walks you through it: https://quirkkit.com/blog/write-a-brand-or-creator-page-on-quirkkit
Ask readers for honest feedback
Ask "what do you think?" and you'll get polite nods. Ask something specific and people actually tell you things. I'd try: Would you use this, and what would stop you? What do you use for this problem right now? Which bit sounds least believable?
Watch what people say they'd do. What they say they like matters a lot less. Honestly, one long reply from someone who lives with the problem beats twenty likes.
Let readers tip you in crypto
If a reader finds your idea useful, they can tip you in crypto. You switch this on by adding a wallet in My tip wallet. After that, the Tip button appears on your posts. Tips land straight in your wallet, and QuirkKit takes no cut.
Tips sent to QuirkKit itself get shared with the site's writers. Ad rewards come once ads are live. Full setup is here: https://quirkkit.com/earn/accept-tips-as-a-writer
Think of tips as a thank-you, not a salary. Don't build your plan around them.
What QuirkKit does and doesn't do
You get a free place to publish, free writing tools, and a Tip button once you've added a wallet.
That's it. QuirkKit doesn't pay for ideas, back them, or connect you with backers. It's not an idea marketplace, and nobody can promise your post will be read. If your idea needs real money to get built, keep going.
Real routes if your idea needs money
These are the honest options. Most come with rules about who can apply, so check eligibility before you sink an afternoon into an application.
Grants in the UK. GOV.UK Find a Grant is the government's grant search, and it has an eligibility check built in. Every grant sets its own rules. Many are for businesses, charities or organisations. Few are for private individuals.
https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/
The GOV.UK business finance support finder lists grants, loans and support for UK businesses, start-ups included. You can filter by location and stage.
https://www.gov.uk/business-finance-support
Innovate UK runs sector-specific competitions for UK-registered businesses, mostly small and medium ones, through the Innovation Funding Service. Its open Smart grants are paused, with no reopening date. Open competitions are searchable here.
https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/search
England has 41 Growth Hubs. They give free business advice to new or existing businesses and can point you to money options. England only, mind. In Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, go to your own nation's business support service.
https://www.growthhubfinder.co.uk/
Grants in the US. The NSF's America's Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR) is for US for-profit small businesses doing deep-tech R&D. Individuals can't apply. You submit a Project Pitch first and need an invite before sending a full proposal. The next full-proposal deadline is 4 November 2026, 5pm local time.
https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/small-business-innovation-research-small-business-technology
Rewards crowdfunding. Backers get a reward, not a share of your business.
Kickstarter is all-or-nothing. If your project hits its goal, you pay a 5% platform fee plus payment processing of 3% + $0.30 per pledge in the US (3% + £0.30 in the UK). Pledges under $10 or £10 cost 5% + $0.08 or £0.08. Miss the goal and there are no fees.
https://www.kickstarter.com/help/fees
Indiegogo charges a 5% platform fee plus 3% + 0.20 in the campaign currency per transaction. If the goal isn't reached, nothing's charged, processing included.
https://help.indiegogo.com/article/596-fees
Selling shares is a whole other thing. In the UK, equity crowdfunding is regulated by the FCA, which warns you could lose all your money. Make sure the platform is FCA-authorised.
https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart/understanding-crowdfunding
In the US, selling shares through crowdfunding falls under the SEC's Regulation Crowdfunding. It has to run through an SEC-registered portal or broker-dealer, and there's a $5M cap per 12 months.
https://www.sec.gov/resources-small-businesses/exempt-offerings/regulation-crowdfunding
Cheaper routes. Accelerators and hackathons help. So does a plain pre-order list or waitlist, which tells you whether people want the thing before you spend much. Real sign-ups on a waitlist make every route above easier, too.
Protect what matters before you share
Share the problem and your approach. Hold back the details that would let someone copy an invention or a trade secret.
Inventions are where this really bites. In the UK, an invention has to be new to be patentable, meaning it can't have been made publicly available anywhere in the world before you apply. So posting it first can block a UK patent. The US is a bit gentler: your own public disclosure starts a one-year grace period to file, and after that it counts as prior art. Most other countries, the UK included, have no grace period at all.
https://www.gov.uk/patent-your-invention/what-you-can-patent
https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s2153.html
This isn't legal advice. Got an invention you want to protect? Talk to a patent attorney before you post the details.
Frequently asked questions
I have an idea but no money. What do I do first
Write it up and share it free. Get feedback from people who actually have the problem. If it still needs money after that, look at grants, rewards crowdfunding or pre-orders.
Where can I share my ideas for free
QuirkKit's one option. Reddit, Indie Hackers and Product Hunt are others, and each suits different ideas. Use more than one if you like.
Can you get paid for ideas on QuirkKit
QuirkKit doesn't pay for ideas. Readers can tip you in crypto, straight to your wallet, once you add one in My tip wallet.
Can QuirkKit back my idea with money
No. QuirkKit doesn't pay for or back ideas. The real routes section above lists grants and crowdfunding sites that might.
How do I validate my idea online
Publish it, ask readers specific questions, and see what comes back. You're looking for people who describe the problem in their own words.
Is it safe to share my idea online
Share the problem and your approach, and keep the sensitive bits back. If it's an invention, read the patent section above first.
Does QuirkKit take a cut of tips
No. Tips go straight to your wallet.