Standalone tips for connected accounts via the Payments API — policy confirmation

Questions
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1

Hello,

We operate Center Stage Spotlight, a community platform where independent artists perform and build audiences. Square Customer Success (Ashly L.) referred us to Developer Support for an authoritative answer before we build.

Our model: each artist connects their own Square account to our platform. Fans can send an artist a standalone tip — a payment by itself, not attached to any sale or order — as a thank-you for their performance, like cash in a tip jar at a live show. The full amount goes to the artist’s connected account; the platform does not take a cut of tips.

Please confirm, in writing:

  1. Are standalone tip payments through the Payments API supported for connected accounts (OAuth / Square Connect)?
  2. What is the correct way to structure or designate a payment as a tip?
  3. Are there any additional steps a connected artist must complete before they can receive tips this way?
  4. Is there guidance on transaction patterns for accounts receiving many small payments?

Thank you,
Katrina Rodgers
Center Stage Spotlight
[email protected]

3

Yes, you can use the Payments API with OAuth to collect payments directly into each artist’s connected Square account without creating a separate order.

An artist must have their own Square account before connecting your platform via OAuth.

Before launching your tipping flow, review Square’s Payment Terms and business restrictions to make sure your platform and participating artists meet the applicable requirements. For guidance on account reviews and any additional information Square may request, refer to Manage information requests. Essentially, payments and tips must be associated with a good or service transacted, so make sure the platform keeps track of these associations either via the notes field or some other indication.