Monetization
Overview
Once monetization is enabled, you can publish paid skills and experts on the Open Platform. Users can only use them after purchase.
Core capabilities:
- Two payment models: when publishing a skill or expert, you can freely choose one-time payment or monthly payment.
- All-in-one revenue management: view revenue and bills on the Open Platform, manage your payout account, and jump to WeChat to complete withdrawals.
The whole flow has three stages:
| Stage | Goal | Key steps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Onboarding | Get the qualification to sell | Fill in information → information review → sign in WeChat |
| 2. Publish paid assets | Make assets purchasable | Set the payment method when publishing (one-time / monthly) |
| 3. Manage revenue | View and withdraw earnings | View revenue → withdraw in WeChat |
Onboarding
Onboarding confirms your entity identity and establishes the settlement relationship. Once complete, you are qualified to publish paid assets.
2.1 Introduction
Go to the Monetization entry on the Open Platform to see the introduction page, where you can learn the rules for paid assets, the settlement method, and important notes. After confirming, click Activate to start filling in your information.
2.2 Fill in your information
Choose the path that matches your entity type. Fill in the information truthfully — it will be used for the review and signing steps.
Individual users need to provide:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Legal name | Must match your ID document |
| ID type and number | Used for identity verification |
| Contact | Mobile number |
| Payout information | Used for settlement and withdrawals |
Enterprise users need to provide:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Enterprise name | Must match your business license |
| Unified social credit code | Used for enterprise qualification verification |
| Business license and other qualifications | Upload as required on the page |
| Legal representative / contact information | Used for identity verification |
| Corporate payout information | Used for settlement and withdrawals |
2.3 Information review
After you submit, the information enters the review stage. The platform verifies what you provided:
- During the review you can check the current progress and status on the page;
- Once approved, you move on to signing;
- If the review fails, the page shows the reason — revise accordingly and submit again.
2.4 Sign the agreement in WeChat
After your information is approved, the page guides you to jump to WeChat to complete signing. Follow the on-page instructions, scan the QR code with WeChat, and confirm and finish signing in WeChat. Signing establishes the formal settlement and payout relationship.
2.5 Signed — activation complete
Once signing succeeds, monetization is enabled and the page moves to Revenue management. From here you can start publishing paid assets and check your revenue data at any time.
Publishing Paid Assets
After onboarding, you can set a skill or expert as a paid asset when publishing it.
3.1 Set whether the asset is paid
During the publishing flow, a paid or not setting appears:
- Choose Free: the asset stays free and users can install and use it directly;
- Choose Paid: then select the payment model (one-time payment / monthly payment).
3.2 Set one-time payment
With one-time payment, you set a fixed price. After purchase the user owns the usage rights to the asset permanently and never needs to pay again.
Best for skills or experts with relatively stable functionality that can be used long-term after a single delivery.
3.3 Set monthly payment
With monthly payment, you set a monthly price. Users subscribe by month, can use the asset while the subscription is valid, and need to renew to keep using it after expiry.
Best for skills or experts that need continuous updates, maintenance, or ongoing service.
*For now only paid skills and experts are supported, with monthly subscription and one-time purchase models. More payment models are under research and will be released later.
Managing Revenue
After your assets are published and transactions occur, you can manage assets and revenue centrally on the Open Platform.
4.1 View revenue
On the revenue management page you can view:
- Revenue breakdown: earnings composition by asset, by payment model, and other dimensions;
- Billing details: every transaction and settlement record, for reconciliation.
4.2 View and update your payout account
On the payout account page you can view the currently bound payout account and go to WeChat to update it as needed. Make sure the payout account information is accurate so withdrawals are not affected.
4.3 Withdraw via WeChat
To collect your earnings, click withdraw on the page and jump to WeChat to follow the instructions and complete the withdrawal. Earnings are transferred to your bound payout account.
FAQ
Q: Can I change the payment method after publishing?
A: The paid capability is still in closed beta. To avoid affecting users who have already installed the asset, switching to paid is not supported at this stage. More features are under research — the request has been recorded. Thank you for the feedback.
Q: What if the review or signing fails or gets stuck?
A: First revise according to the reason shown on the page and submit again. WeChat returns the review result within 24 hours at the latest.
Q: Which payment models are supported today?
A: For now only paid skills and experts are supported, with monthly subscription and one-time purchase models. More payment models are under research and will be released later.
Q: Can paid assets be downloaded and redistributed by users?
A: Paid assets are currently protected by encryption and run in the cloud, so even users who purchased them cannot easily copy or distill them. If you find anyone redistributing them through malicious means, please report it — the platform will act immediately to protect your rights.