Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: March 2026

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What is richmaps?

What is richmaps?

Richmaps is a community-driven, location-based content platform. People post geo-tagged points of interest (POIs) across 11 content categories — from tourism spots and local events to breaking news and property listings — and earn money every time someone views their posts.

Who is richmaps for?

Anyone who wants to explore what's happening in a specific area, or anyone who wants to share local knowledge and earn from it. It works for casual browsers, local enthusiasts, journalists, estate agents, business owners, and community organisers.

How is richmaps different from Google Maps or other map apps?

Most map platforms extract value from user-generated content without sharing revenue back. Richmaps is built around a fair-split earnings model: every unique view on your content earns you money. The platform also focuses on hyper-local, community-sourced content rather than business listings or navigation.

Is richmaps available as a mobile app?

Richmaps is a progressive web app (PWA) optimised for both desktop and mobile browsers. You can add it to your home screen for an app-like experience without needing to visit an app store.

Browsing the map

Do I need an account to browse?

No. Guests can browse the Live mode map, including map tiles, OpenStreetMap data, and Wikipedia summaries. Access to other content modes requires a subscription.

What can I see without a subscription?

Guests can browse Live mode and see publicly available data from OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia. All other modes, including community-contributed content, require a subscription.

How do I navigate to a specific area?

Use the search bar to find a location by name or address, or simply pan and zoom the map. Content loads automatically as you explore.

Can I share a specific spot on the map?

Yes. Each POI has its own shareable link. You can also share your current map view directly from the browser address bar.

Content modes

What are the 11 content modes?

Richmaps organises content into 11 specialist modes:

Can I filter to see only one type of content?

Yes. Switch between modes using the mode selector in the app. Each mode shows only its relevant content on the map.

Why do some pins appear differently from others?

Community-contributed content (from richmaps members) is displayed with priority over external data sources. OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia data appear as supplementary context when no community post exists for that location.

Subscription

How much does a subscription cost?

Richmaps costs £5 per month (or your local equivalent). There is no annual plan — you pay month to month and can cancel at any time.

What does a subscription include?
How do I subscribe?

Create an account and tap the subscribe prompt. Payments are handled securely via Stripe. Your subscription activates immediately.

Can I cancel at any time?

Yes. Cancel through your account settings. You retain access until the end of your current billing period.

What happens to my posts if I cancel?

Your published posts remain on the platform. However, you will not be able to submit new posts until you resubscribe.

Is there a free trial?

Guest browsing of Live mode is always free. There is no free trial for community content at this time.

Contributing content

How do I submit a post?

Navigate to the location you want to post about, select the relevant content mode, and tap the add button. Fill in the details, optionally add photos, and submit. Your post enters a review queue before being published.

What makes a good post?

Good posts are accurate, specific to a real location, and genuinely useful to someone visiting or living nearby. Include photos where possible. See our Community Guidelines for full expectations.

Can I add photos?

Yes. You can upload photos directly when submitting a post. The platform uses AI-assisted photo extraction to help populate details from your images.

How many posts can I submit?

There is no hard cap on standard submissions, but Live mode posts are limited to 3 per hour to maintain feed quality.

Can I edit or delete my posts?

You can edit your own posts. Edits to published posts may re-enter the review queue before going live again. You can also delete your own posts at any time.

Can I submit posts about anywhere in the world?

Yes. There are no geographic restrictions on where you can post, as long as the content accurately reflects that location.

Live mode

What is Live mode?

Live mode is richmaps' real-time, ephemeral feed. Posts in Live mode are short-form updates tied to a location — they automatically expire after a set window (1 hour, 6 hours, or 24 hours, depending on the post type).

What can I post in Live mode?

Time-sensitive, location-relevant updates: breaking local news, traffic incidents, crowd conditions, events just started, weather observations, and similar real-time reports. See the Live Content Policy for details.

How quickly do Live posts go live?

Live posts are published immediately.

How often does the Live feed update?

The Live feed refreshes every 5 minutes automatically.

Why did my Live post expire?

Live posts are designed to be ephemeral — they expire automatically based on the TTL (time-to-live) you selected when posting. This keeps the feed relevant and timely.

Do Live posts earn views?

Yes. Live mode posts earn per unique view just like standard posts, for the duration they are active.

Is there a limit on how many Live posts I can make?

Yes — 3 Live posts per hour. This limit exists to preserve feed quality and prevent spam.

Moderation & review

What happens after I submit a post?

Standard posts enter a pending queue. An AI pre-screening check runs first. Posts that pass are then reviewed by a local admin for the relevant area before being published.

How long does review take?

Review times vary depending on admin availability in your area. Most posts are reviewed within 24 hours.

Why was my post rejected?

Posts are rejected if they violate the Community Guidelines — for example, inaccurate location data, inappropriate content, duplicate posts, or commercial spam. You will receive a notification explaining the decision.

Can I appeal a rejection?

Yes. Fix the issue and resubmit your post.

How is AI used in moderation?

An AI pre-screening step checks submissions for guideline violations before they reach a human reviewer. This speeds up the pipeline and catches clear-cut issues automatically. Human admins make the final call on borderline cases.

Earning money

How do I earn money on richmaps?

You earn a share of subscription revenue for every unique view your published posts receive. The more people view your content, the more you earn.

How is the revenue split?

Each month's subscription revenue is distributed as follows:

What counts as a unique view?

A unique view is recorded the first time a subscribed user opens a specific post. Multiple opens of the same post by the same user within a month count as one view.

When are earnings calculated?

Earnings are aggregated daily and summarised monthly. The monthly payout calculation runs on the 1st of each month.

Where can I see my earnings?

Your earnings dashboard shows estimated earnings by month, broken down by post. Find it under your account menu.

Are earnings real-time?

Earnings estimates update daily. The numbers shown are estimates until the monthly calculation is finalised.

When will I get paid?

Disbursements are processed via Stripe Connect. Payouts are being rolled out as part of Phase 2 of the platform — check your dashboard for your current payout status.

Is there a minimum payout threshold?

Details on minimum thresholds will be published when payouts go live. Monitor your dashboard and notifications for updates.

Do guest views count towards earnings?

No. Only views from subscribed members generate earnings. Guest users see only OSM and Wikipedia data, not community posts.

Referrals

Does richmaps have a referral programme?

Yes. You can share a personal referral link. When someone subscribes using your link, they are attributed to you. Referral earnings will be disbursed as part of the Phase 2 payout rollout.

Where do I find my referral link?

Your referral link is available in your account settings. It takes the form /ref/{your-code}/....

How does referral attribution work?

Attribution is tracked from the moment someone clicks your referral link. If they subscribe within the attribution window, the subscription is credited to you.

Account & profile

Do I need an account to use richmaps?

You do not need an account to browse the map as a guest. An account is required to subscribe, submit posts, earn money, and interact with content (comments, reactions).

How do I create an account?

Tap Sign up from any page. You can register with an email address. A welcome email will be sent once your account is created.

What is a contributor profile?

Each contributor has a public profile page at /profile/{username} that displays their published posts and contribution stats. This is visible to all users, including guests.

Can I change my username or profile details?

Yes. Update your display name and profile information from your account settings.

How do I delete my account?

Account deletion requests can be submitted via account settings or by contacting support. Deleting your account will cancel your subscription and remove your personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Your published posts may be anonymised rather than deleted.

Notifications

What notifications does richmaps send?

Richmaps sends push notifications for:

How do I enable push notifications?

When prompted by the browser, allow notifications. You can manage notification preferences in your account settings at any time.

Can I turn off notifications?

Yes. Disable push notifications in your browser settings or in the richmaps notification preferences in your account.

Local admins

What is a local admin?

Local admins are experienced contributors who review and approve posts within a defined geographic territory. They act as community stewards for their area, ensuring content quality and accuracy.

How do local admins earn?

Local admins receive 25% of monthly subscription revenue, distributed among all active admins in proportion to their review activity within their territory.

How do I become a local admin?

An admin application system is being introduced. Contributors who have published a significant number of quality posts in an area will be eligible to apply. Watch for the application prompt in your account when you meet the threshold.

What is a global admin?

Global admins have platform-wide moderation capabilities, including the ability to override local decisions and manage admin territories. Global admin roles are appointed by the richmaps team.