I wanted to use flattr on my website, because it seemed like a good idea, and people regularily say they'd like to contribute to it, but that paypal is annoying to deal with.
But flattr requires me to spend a minimum of €24 per annum to be able to embed a button on my website, so it's quite possible I end up making a loss off of it.

Needless to say, I'm sticking with paypal

I like the sound of it and just wonder if Facebook could take it out of the market - they have a lot of Like buttons already and you could choose to pay with your like button or not.

Facebook is a closed system, don't forget. But it would be nice if FB added Flattr as an option for e.g. Causes. But the real tension her is that Flattr comes to the issue from the social/voluntary model and Facebook is run on a profit seeking model.

I guess that the $24 minimum could just be used to click your own site and therefore your real minimum downside would be $2.40 (if there is anything to prevent, this you just need to pair with someone else and donate to each other)

This looks more like a micro-donation - not exactly micropayment. Undoubtedly Flattr is a very good and useful idea, but it covers only a very narrow niche. Once you reach the point where you want to sell and set or at least "approximate" a price this method is no longer enough. Yet, I think this together with the social networks opens the gate for something that is both technically possible and mentally acceptable. I can't possibly handle such service from my country, but I am sure it can be done easily in US or Canada. I want to see a very simple system that allows the people pay small amounts (up to a $30-$40 dollars for instance) without the hassle to go to another site, enter credit card details or anything like that. Something only a bit more complicated than the famous "Like" button - for instance it may require a 3-4 digit PIN code and a confirmation in a small pop-up window. To alleviate the problems and calm the fears this should be backed by a system where the user can go register a credit card, set limits, monthly, annual, use something like pocket money bag where spending quids are transferred only manually - I think there is no technical problem to enable the user choose from a variety of limitation options. This way serious problems can be avoided even in the worst case scenario and the system can easily extend from the WEB to the real world with terminals in the shops, payment from the smart phones (the easiest way will be going to the WEB site, clicking there and the local clerk will see the transaction in seconds). This can be combined with the new augmented reality tricks - nothing complicated is needed, a simple bar code or another kind of recognizable code that sends you to the right page will be enough. If limit is reached - for instance the pocket money allocated and you need to spend more urgently - you just need to go to the WEB site and put more in the pocket, it looks for the regular person like going home or the the ATM to get more cash.

There is no doubt - we need something like flattr, but it is not enough - there is need of something to fill the next level - where the payments are more traditional (set by the seller) but small and micro. Transfer taxes can be minimized easily by performing bank transfers only with bigger amounts in both directions (from the buyers and to the sellers), it is obvious, there is no need to explain that. I hope flattr will inspire someone to do the next step. It is not very difficult to bridge multiple such services (it is bound to happen) ... well, no matter how simple it is, something like that can change the world in mere couple of years.

Just a thought: would we trust Madoff again?

Perhaps letting Mr Pirate Bay have your bank info is a pretty dumb idea. Or, as the author suggests, he's turned away from the dark side. But my thought is that someone with no fixed address is a pretty dumb bet with my bank numbers.

My best wishes,

@neil.good this seems doable, the easy way will be "pay only once". I put some thought and the hard way which implies some changes that may cause problems seems not impossible as well. At least some of the embedded versions of the button, status (whatever it was called) can accommodate it with some configuration required on Facebook only, I think... And the concerns of brendan steuble will be alleviated ;). I hope they pay attention.

Every time I see this kind of article advertising "new" micropayment method on PC-based Internet, I sigh and buy an episode of my favourite manga for 30-50 yen on my 3G mobile with no more than 4 clicks, and no more hassle than a tweet or "like" button (neither of which I actually use)

"Flattr comes to the issue from the social/voluntary model and Facebook is run on a profit seeking model."

Don't be crazy. Flattr seeks huge profits, probably looking for a buyout.

"WILL consumers ever embrace the idea of paying for online content using micropayments?"

Only when the paying experience becomes frictionless.

Flattr is a promising solution in this respect but time will tell if people are ready to provide sufficient commissions so it pays the living of content creators.

@MacAllister: It seems like we are building "the next level" you are referring to with Cleeng - a new player in this market. It is kind off a solution you describe. We are currently in Private Beta and have now over 200 publishers who have tested the solution, and so far the feedback is very encouraging. Anywhere soon we will launch to the public.

Our solution started months ago with the following criteria taken into account. Wouldn't it be cool if...
* Consumers could buy content on the fly for pennies with one click?
* Consumers didn’t need a subscription or special reader to view paid content?
* Consumers could have access to all the content they’d paid for in one place?
* Consumers could share content they like with their friends?
* Publishers could create a new revenue stream in addition to ad revenues and monthly subscriptions?
* Publishers could decide to mix paid and free content on the same page or within the same article?
* Publishers could implement a free solution into their existing CMS?

And so far the feedback from major international publishers as well as niche bloggers is that Cleeng seems to be the solution they have been waiting for.

Have a look yourself and judge. We explain our idea in a 2" video on our homepage (and you can subscribe to private beta). Enjoy! http://cleeng.com

@Donald Res it certainly seems a step in the right direction, I am certainly going to take a look and see what I can use it for. I do not reject the fact that there is a long road ahead, but I am certain there are points of convergence of the different methods. It is more about the people and their willingness to accept (and understand) new ways, now that the technology is up to the tasks. I hope with all the new popularity of the Internet everything will fall into place. By convergence I point to the different types of merchandise. It is of course subjective to some extent, but there is content, products, services, services based on products (there was a word for that, but I can't remember it - English is not my first language) and many others. I am really excited to see these events finally unfolding!

I agree that many netizens are willing to pay for content and do not because there is no simple system and it's so easy to find equivalent free content (e.g. why pay for The Washington Post site when CNN.com is free?). But, I don't think Flattr is a simple system, or a real solution.

Recently, I visited Wikipedia (as I often do) and noted a message requesting donations with a friendly reminder that the site is ad-free and cost free. I donated because I use it and want it to stay ad- and cost-free. If other sites that I use frequently for free did such a thing, I'd likely be willing to make more one-off infrequent payments. I'm happy to pay..when it is my choice and at my convenience.