A QR code tip jar is the simplest upgrade a live performer can make to how they get paid. It replaces the cash jar with a code your audience scans to tip or request a song from their phone — no cash, no app download, no fumbling with handles. This guide walks you through the entire setup, step by step, and shows you how to get the most scans once you're live. The whole process takes about five minutes. Here's exactly what to do. Step 1: Create your performer profile Start by signing up for a song request and tipping platform built for performers. Create your free PlayPal profile with your name or stage name, a photo or logo, and a short bio so fans know they're in the right place when they scan. Your profile is the page your QR code points to — it's where fans land to tip or request a song. Step 2: Connect your bank account To receive money, connect your bank through the platform's payment processor (PlayPal uses Stripe, the same infrastructure that powers millions of businesses). This is a one-time setup. Once connected, every tip and request payment routes directly to your account — the platform never holds your money. You'll need basic details to verify your identity, which is standard for any service that pays you out. Step 3: Set your prices Decide how you want to earn. You can enable open tipping (fans choose any amount), set a minimum price for song requests, or both. A common starting point is a $5 or $10 request minimum with tipping enabled on top. You can always adjust as you learn what your rooms will bear — a piano bar crowd behaves differently from a wedding reception. Step 4: Generate and download your QR code Your profile comes with a unique QR code. Download it from your dashboard. This single code is all you need — it works at every gig, forever, and always points to your live profile. There's nothing to reconfigure show to show. Step 5: Print and display it Now make it visible. The best-performing tip jars put the code everywhere the audience looks: Tent cards on every table for seated venues like restaurants, piano bars, and wedding receptions. A larger sign or A-frame near the stage so the back of the room can scan it. Stickers on your tip jar, merch table, and gear cases. On screen — if the venue has a display, your code can live there between songs. Make the code large and well-lit. A code people have to squint at or hunt for is a code that doesn't get scanned. Contrast matters in dark venues — dark code on a light background reads best. Step 6: Tell the room it's there This is the step most people skip, and it's the one that matters most. A QR code nobody knows about earns nothing. Mention it from the mic once or twice per set: “Want to hear something specific? Scan the code on your table and send me a request.” That single sentence reliably increases scans more than any design tweak. Lead with requests rather than tips — asking people to “request a song” converts better than asking them to “please tip,” and the tips come along for the ride. What happens when a fan scans it When someone scans your code, your profile opens in their phone browser — no app to install. They can tip you directly or request a specific song and pay for it. If they request a song, the payment is held until you confirm you played it; if you decline, they're refunded automatically. You see incoming requests on your phone and accept or pass with one tap. The full mechanics are covered in how it works. That's it. Once your code is printed and on the tables, you have a tipping and request system that works in any room, for any crowd, without cash. Want the bigger picture on going cashless? Read how to take tips at a gig without cash, or just get started for free.