Sell 'Review My Project' Shoutout Videos From Your Bio

Sell a "review my project" shoutout by publishing it as a priced Personalized Shoutout on your own FanBell page and putting that page link in your bio. A builder pays first, submits their repo, app, or launch URL with a short brief, and you record one video reacting to it — no marketplace listing, no published approval step, no follower minimum.

FanBell's pricing page states a 12% platform fee per paid transaction and $0/month, with the fee applying only when a fan actually pays (FanBell Pricing — "Simple, creator-friendly pricing").

A common DM for a tech creator is "can you check out my project?" or "would you shout me out on your channel?" from a fellow builder, indie hacker, or open-source contributor. Instead of recording a free reaction and hoping it drives traffic back, a creator can price that exact ask as a short video someone pays for before the recording starts.

The pool of people with something to show off is large and growing. GitHub's Octoverse 2025 report states that more than 180 million developers now work on GitHub and that over 36 million joined in the past year (GitHub Octoverse 2025). GitHub's Octoverse 2025 report separately counts 630 million repositories hosted on GitHub. Not every submission is a coded app, either — a builder showing off a dataset or a written analysis fits the same shoutout format, and pricing a dataset or analysis review walks through that variant.

What is a "review my project" shoutout, exactly?

A "review my project" shoutout is a paid recorded video in which a creator reacts to a builder's app, repo, or launch after that builder pays and submits a link plus a short brief. On FanBell the format is a Personalized Shoutout: one spoken reaction, not a written line-by-line critique or bug list.

FanBell's public Personalized Shoutouts page describes the mechanic as a fan paying for a personalized video, telling the creator exactly what they want, and the creator recording and delivering it at a price and turnaround the creator sets. FanBell's How It Works page describes the same path as a fan paying the full price upfront, the request landing in the creator inbox as a private thread with "a video to record," and the creator delivering asynchronously within the turnaround they set (FanBell, How It Works — "From bio link to getting paid, in five steps").

For a project shoutout, the builder pastes the repo, app, or launch URL into that written brief — the same brief works whether the project behind it is a coded repo or a no-code MVP. File attachments from the buyer are documented on FanBell's Creator Services page rather than the shoutout page, so a builder who needs to send a design file or a demo recording belongs in a Creator Service instead. A typical shoutout script covers what the project does, one or two specific things the creator noticed, and an honest first impression.

Why sell from your bio link instead of a marketplace listing?

Selling from a bio link means the offer lives on a page the creator publishes and controls, with no rival listings beside it and no marketplace commission taken out of the sale. FanBell's 12% platform fee and Stripe's processing fee still apply; what disappears is the marketplace's cut for discovery the creator already built.

FanBell's How It Works page lists setup as five steps — claim your free link, turn on the offers that fit you, add your link to your bio, fans pay for interactions, you deliver and get paid — and FanBell does not publish an application, review, or approval step anywhere in that flow. FanBell's How It Works FAQ states the setup requirement directly rather than by omission: asked how long setup takes, the page answers "A few minutes" and says claiming the link, turning on a couple of offers, and pasting the link into a bio is "enough to start taking paid interactions".

"A few minutes. You claim your link, turn on a couple of offers, and paste the link into your bio — that's enough to start taking paid interactions." — FanBell, How It Works, "How long does it take to set up?"

On the follower question FanBell states the condition directly: its Personalized Shoutouts page says "You don't need a huge following; you need fans who'd love to hear from you directly". FanBell's pricing page states that the product is free to start with no subscription required during the beta and that a creator pays only when a fan pays.

The gap between a marketplace commission and a creator-owned page is measurable in published rates. Fiverr's own Help Center states that a seller earns 80% of the purchase amount on every completed order, meaning the marketplace keeps 20% (Fiverr Help Center, "Your earnings page").

"For every order you complete, you earn 80% of the purchase amount, including Gig Extras and tips." — Fiverr Help Center, "Your earnings page"

Upwork's own support documentation states that the freelancer service fee ranges from 0% to 15% per contract (Upwork Help Center, "Learn about the Freelancer Service Fee"). FanBell's published rate for the same transaction is a 12% platform fee charged only when a fan pays, alongside $0/month.

Why turn project-shoutout DMs into a paid offer?

Charging for a project shoutout prices work that is otherwise invisible: watching a demo, skimming a README, and recording a coherent reaction. A price also filters drive-by asks, because a builder who pays before the recording starts has decided the creator's opinion is worth money. The deliverable stays one video, not an open-ended thread.

Time per request is a planning estimate, not a published benchmark. No standards body or industry survey publishes a per-shoutout production time; a two-minute demo plus a 60–90 second recording plausibly runs 15 to 30 minutes once review, retakes, and upload are counted, and 15 to 30 minutes is the working assumption this page prices against. A creator should re-measure that number after the first five paid requests and reprice against what they actually observe.

Launch-day volume gives a narrow, checkable sense of how many builders are competing for notice at once. A post by Chris Messina in Product Hunt's own community forum, dated June 9, 2026 and titled "1,100 products launched in a single 24 hour period," states: "The last high watermark was back in April, when we hit 1000 products launched in a single day. Before that, it was 600 products four months ago". That post is a community discussion thread, not an audited or official Product Hunt statistics report, and it describes one platform on one day rather than the whole market — treat 1,100 same-day launches as an order-of-magnitude picture of how crowded a single launch window can get, not a benchmark. A priced shoutout gives a builder in that crowd a direct, predictable way to buy a creator's attention instead of hoping a cold DM lands.

How is a shoutout different from a written project review?

A Personalized Shoutout is a single recorded video reaction; a Creator Service is a structured written deliverable such as annotated notes or a marked-up file. Picking the wrong format either underdelivers on a real review request or overbuilds a simple hype ask. The test is what the builder asked for: an opinion, or a list of problems.

If a request only asks "what do you think?" or "can you shout this out?", it is a shoutout. If a request asks the creator to find problems, suggest fixes, or annotate a file, it is a Creator Service instead.

What should a project-shoutout script include?

A useful project-shoutout script names the project, states what it does in one line, gives one honest first impression, and cites one specific detail from what the builder submitted. Keep the recording a reaction rather than an audit, and save fixes or annotated feedback for a Creator Service. Deliver inside the turnaround the creator published.

A workable structure:

• Open with the project name and what the builder told you it does.
• Give one genuine first impression — what stood out, in your own voice.
• Mention one specific detail from the link or screenshot they sent, so it's clearly personalized and not generic.
• Close with encouragement or a direct call-out, such as telling your audience where to find it, if that's part of the offer.

Disclosure is mandatory when a paid reaction is published to an audience. The US Federal Trade Commission's Endorsement Guides at 16 CFR §255.5 require a connection between an endorser and the seller that might materially affect the endorsement's credibility to be disclosed clearly and conspicuously (eCFR, 16 CFR §255.5).

"When there exists a connection between the endorser and the seller of the advertised product that might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement, and that connection is not reasonably expected by the audience, such connection must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously." — eCFR, 16 CFR §255.5(a), "Disclosure of material connections"

The disclosure duty and the penalty amount are separate questions, and the duty stands on its own: 16 CFR §255.5 requires the clear and conspicuous disclosure regardless of whether any penalty is ever sought. On penalties, the FTC's civil penalty table at 16 CFR §1.98 sets a maximum civil penalty of $53,088 per violation of Section 5(m)(1)(B) of the FTC Act (eCFR, 16 CFR §1.98). That $53,088 figure is a statutory ceiling a court may impose in an FTC enforcement action, not an amount automatically owed for any single undisclosed shoutout; the actual penalty in any case depends on the conduct, the number of violations, and the court. The FAQ below covers how that ceiling changes each January and which FTC page to check.

Avoid promising outcomes such as "this will get you users" — a reaction video does not guarantee traction.

How much should you charge for a project shoutout?

Price a project shoutout by length and effort rather than by the builder's funding stage. FanBell's own editorial pricing guide suggests $10–$25 for a short video and $35–$75+ for a longer, more personalized one. Those ranges are editorial advice, not a platform rule or a required minimum, and the creator sets the final number.

The $10–$25 and $35–$75+ ranges come from FanBell's own guide to shoutout pricing, which is editorial guidance published by FanBell rather than a condition the platform enforces.

At the low end, a $10–$25 shoutout that takes the estimated 15 to 30 minutes of work implies roughly $20 to $100 of effective hourly rate — useful math when deciding whether to raise the price or shorten the video. For a market reference point, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $135,980 for software developers in May 2025, which is about $65 an hour across a 2,080-hour year (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers").

Turnaround should be a period the creator can reliably hit. FanBell's public Personalized Shoutouts page states that the creator sets the turnaround and suggests a clear delivery window such as 3–5 days. FanBell's How It Works page describes every offer as carrying "your own price and turnaround". If a request needs more than a reaction — say, a builder wants notes on three separate screens — decline and redirect to a Creator Service rather than stretching shoutout scope for the same price.

What if the builder needs feedback, not just a reaction?

Route a real feedback request to a Creator Service, which is FanBell's structured-deliverable offer rather than its video-reaction offer — that's also the right offer for a builder asking for a full usability review of their app rather than a one-shot reaction. A Creator Service lets the buyer attach files with the order and lets the creator return written notes, a marked-up file, or a voice walkthrough at a price and turnaround the creator sets.

FanBell's Creator Services page states that a fan can attach their own files when ordering and that the creator delivers a written note plus up to 5 files, or a private link for anything larger.

A Creator Service carries its own creator-set price and turnaround, because FanBell's How It Works page describes paid questions, personalized shoutouts, creator services, tips, project support, and brand inquiries as offers a creator enables "each with your own price and turnaround". Keep the two offers clearly separated on the page so a builder knows which one to buy: a shoutout for "react to my launch," a service for "review my code" or "audit my landing page." A builder asking for feedback on a PRD or roadmap document is another common Creator Service request rather than a shoutout — see pricing a PRD or roadmap review for that variant. Our guide to writing a creator service offer covers how to scope that written option so requests stay inside what was actually purchased.

What else can builders buy from your page?

A project shoutout does not have to be the only offer on a creator's page. The same technical audience will often buy a short text answer, a tip, or a contribution toward a funding goal, and tool vendors in that audience may want a partnership conversation. Listing adjacent offers keeps every request from collapsing into "review my thing."

• Paid Private Question: for one narrow, text-only question about a specific technical or product decision.
• Tips: a way for someone who found your content helpful to support you without buying a specific deliverable.
• Wishlist / Project Support: cash toward a defined goal of your own, such as funding your next video series or tool, shown with a progress bar rather than tied to their project.
• Brand Collaboration Inquiries: a separate intake for a tool or product vendor who wants to discuss a paid partnership rather than a one-off shoutout.

Keep the shoutout offer scoped to a video reaction so the offer does not quietly turn into unpaid consulting through a follow-up thread.

How do you launch a project-shoutout offer?

Launch a project-shoutout offer by setting a price and a turnaround, writing a short brief that tells builders exactly what to submit, publishing the offer on a FanBell page, and putting that page link in every bio. FanBell publishes no listing application, editorial review, or audience threshold anywhere in that five-step flow.

Unlike ad-revenue programs, FanBell does not gate the offer behind audience size. YouTube Help states that full ad-revenue eligibility in the YouTube Partner Program requires 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days (YouTube Help, "YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility"). YouTube Help states that the lower expanded tier opens at 500 subscribers plus 3 public uploads in the past 90 days and either 3,000 public long-form watch hours in 365 days or 3 million public Shorts views in 90 days, and that this tier unlocks fan-funding and Shopping features rather than ad revenue (YouTube Help, "Overview of the expanded YouTube Partner Program").

FanBell publishes no equivalent threshold. FanBell's How It Works page lists enabling a Personalized Shoutout as step two of a five-step setup a creator completes themselves, with no subscriber, follower, or watch-hour condition stated in the flow, and FanBell's Personalized Shoutouts page states plainly that a creator does not need a huge following (FanBell, How It Works and FanBell, Personalized Video Shoutouts). A developer just starting to build an audience can therefore run the same offer as an established tech influencer, using FanBell's developer offers as a starting point.

Frequently asked questions

The short answers: no follower minimum applies, no marketplace listing is required, the creator sets both price and turnaround, and FanBell charges a 12% platform fee only when a fan pays, with Stripe's processing fee separate. A shoutout is a recorded video reaction; written or annotated feedback belongs in a Creator Service instead.

Do I need a minimum number of followers to sell a project shoutout?

No. FanBell's Personalized Shoutouts page states "You don't need a huge following; you need fans who'd love to hear from you directly". Ad-revenue programs do set thresholds: YouTube Help states that full ad-revenue eligibility requires 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 valid public watch hours in 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views in 90 days.

Do I need a marketplace listing to sell a "review my project" shoutout?

No. The offer is published on the creator's own FanBell page and reached through the link in their bio, and FanBell's How It Works page documents the whole path as five self-serve steps with no application, review, or category listing published in between. Marketplaces supply discovery in exchange for commission — Fiverr's Help Center states sellers earn 80% of each completed order — while a bio link converts traffic the creator already has.

What's the difference between a project shoutout and a Creator Service review?

A Personalized Shoutout is a single recorded video reaction to a project; a Creator Service is a structured written (or written-plus-voice) deliverable, such as annotated notes or a marked-up file. Use a shoutout for "react to my launch" and a Creator Service for "review my code" or "audit my design." FanBell's How It Works page lists personalized shoutouts and creator services as separate offers a creator enables "each with your own price and turnaround".

How long can my delivery turnaround be?

The creator sets it. FanBell's public Personalized Shoutouts page states that the creator chooses the turnaround and suggests a clear window such as 3–5 days. FanBell's How It Works page describes every offer as carrying "your own price and turnaround". FanBell does not publish a maximum turnaround on either page, so set a window you can reliably hit and confirm the options your own dashboard offers before promising a date.

How long should the video be and what should I charge?

FanBell's editorial pricing guide suggests $10–$25 for a short video and $35–$75+ for a longer, more personalized one, adjusted for demand and delivery time. FanBell's Personalized Shoutouts page notes that most personalized shoutouts run under a minute, because fans pay for the personal touch rather than length.

Does the FTC penalty amount change, and where do I check it?

Yes. The Federal Register notice "Adjustments to Civil Penalty Amounts," published January 17, 2025, raised the Section 5(m)(1)(B) maximum civil penalty from $51,744 to $53,088. The FTC states that these maximums are adjusted for inflation annually. Each amount is a maximum, not a fixed fine. The FTC's Notices of Penalty Offenses page still displayed an older $50,120 figure in September 2026, so treat 16 CFR §1.98 as the authoritative amount in force.

What does FanBell charge to sell shoutouts?

FanBell's pricing page states a 12% platform fee per paid transaction and $0/month, charged only when a fan pays. Stripe's published typical US domestic online-card rate of 2.9% + $0.30 per successful charge applies on top and goes to Stripe, not FanBell; Stripe's pricing page lists different rates for international cards, currency conversion, and other payment methods (Stripe Pricing).

Create your free FanBell page and turn the next "can you check out my project?" DM into a video someone pays for.