Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about ThankStars. Can't find what you're looking for? Contact us at support@thankstars.com.
Yes! You can upgrade or downgrade at any time with prorated billing.
Yes! You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time. Changes take effect immediately, and we'll prorate your billing automatically.
How it works
- Upgrading: You'll immediately get access to new features. We'll charge you the difference for the remaining billing period.
- Downgrading: Your new plan takes effect at the start of your next billing cycle. You'll retain access to premium features until then.
What about my data?
Your data is always preserved when changing plans. If you downgrade and exceed limits (like number of repositories), you'll need to select which repos to keep active.
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Data is retained for 30 days. You can export anytime.
We understand plans change, and we make cancellation easy:
Data Retention
Your data is retained for 30 days after cancellation. During this time, you can:
- Reactivate your account with all data intact
- Export your data (stargazer lists, analytics, templates)
After 30 days, your data is permanently deleted from our systems.
How to Export
You can export your data at any time from your Settings page, even before canceling. Exports include:
- Stargazer data and enrichment information
- Custom templates
- Analytics and engagement history
- Webhook configurations
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Read-only access to repositories and stars. Optional write for Stargazer Wall.
ThankStars requests minimal permissions to function effectively while respecting your privacy:
Required Permissions
- Read access to repositories: To see which repos you want to track
- Read access to starring activity: To receive webhook notifications when someone stars your repo
- Read access to user profile: To enrich stargazer information
Optional Permissions
- Contents (Write): Only needed if you want to add the Stargazer Wall to your README automatically. You can skip this and add it manually instead.
We Never
- Access your code or commit history
- Modify your repositories (except optional README updates)
- Access private repositories without explicit permission
- Share your data with third parties
You can revoke access at any time from your GitHub settings.
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Get instant notifications in your team channels when someone stars your repo.
ThankStars can send notifications to Slack or Discord whenever someone stars your repository, keeping your team informed in real-time.
Setting Up Webhooks
- Create a webhook URL in your Slack or Discord workspace
- Add the URL in ThankStars repository settings
- Customize the message format and triggers
What You'll See
Each notification includes:
- Who starred your repo (with enriched profile info when available)
- Which repository was starred
- A link to the stargazer's profile
- Quick actions to send a thank you
Customization Options
- Choose which repos trigger notifications
- Set quiet hours to avoid overnight alerts
- Filter by stargazer criteria (e.g., only notify for stargazers with 100+ followers)
- Customize the message template
Available on all plans, including Free!
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An embeddable widget showcasing your stargazers on your site or README.
The Stargazer Wall is an embeddable widget that displays your stargazers on your website or GitHub README. It's a great way to publicly thank your community and encourage others to star your project.
Features
- Customizable design: Match your brand colors and style
- Real-time updates: Automatically shows new stargazers
- Multiple formats: Embed as an iframe, image, or Markdown badge
- Privacy-respecting: Only shows public GitHub profile information
How to Use
- Go to your repository settings in ThankStars
- Navigate to the "Stargazer Wall" section
- Customize the appearance
- Copy the embed code for your website or README
The Stargazer Wall is available on Pro plans and above.
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We accept major credit cards via Stripe or GitHub Marketplace billing.
We offer two convenient payment options:
Direct Payment (Stripe)
We accept all major credit cards through Stripe:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Discover
This is great if you want separate invoicing for expense tracking or corporate billing.
GitHub Marketplace
You can also subscribe through GitHub Marketplace. This consolidates your ThankStars billing with your other GitHub subscriptions, making it convenient if you already pay for GitHub features.
Both options provide the same features and pricing—choose whatever works best for your workflow.
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Yes! One GitHub login gives you access to all your repos.
Absolutely! ThankStars is designed to work seamlessly with both personal and organization accounts:
Single Sign-On Experience
When you sign in with GitHub, you automatically get access to:
- Your personal repositories
- Repositories from organizations where you have admin access
No need for multiple accounts or switching between dashboards.
How Billing Works
- Personal repos: Billed to your personal subscription
- Organization repos: Can be billed to an organization subscription (Team or Enterprise plans)
This flexibility means you can manage all your open source projects—whether personal or organizational—from a single ThankStars dashboard.
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Same features, different billing preferences - choose what works for you.
Both payment options give you the exact same features at the same price. The choice comes down to your billing preferences:
Stripe (Direct)
- Pay directly with credit card
- Separate invoices for expense tracking
- Ideal for companies that need itemized receipts
- Manage subscription from ThankStars dashboard
GitHub Marketplace
- Consolidated with other GitHub purchases
- Appears on your GitHub invoice
- Convenient if you already pay for GitHub features
- Manage subscription from GitHub settings
Choose whichever fits your workflow better—you can switch between them at any time by canceling one and subscribing through the other.
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Free tier is always free. Pro and Team have a 14-day trial.
Yes! We offer multiple ways to try ThankStars:
Free Tier (Forever Free)
The Free tier is always free with up to 3 repositories. It's a great way to experience ThankStars before committing to a paid plan.
14-Day Free Trial
Pro and Team plans come with a 14-day free trial—no credit card required. You'll have full access to all features during the trial period.
After the trial:
- You can continue with a paid subscription
- Or downgrade to the Free tier (your data is preserved)
- We'll send reminder emails before the trial ends
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Still have questions?
Our team is here to help you get the most out of ThankStars.