How to Write Bounties

A well-written bounty attracts better developers and leads to faster, higher-quality submissions. Here's how to write bounties that get results.

TL;DR: The 5-Minute Checklist

1 Clear title — What needs to be built in 5-10 words
2 Context — Why this matters, what problem it solves
3 Requirements — Specific, testable acceptance criteria
4 Tech constraints — Stack, patterns, files to modify
5 Fair price — Match complexity to reward

Anatomy of a Good Bounty

1. Title

Your title is the first thing developers see. Make it specific and actionable.

Bad

"Fix bug"
"Help with my app"
"Need developer"

Good

"Add dark mode toggle to settings page"
"Fix pagination in user search API"
"Implement Stripe webhook handler for subscriptions"

2. Context & Background

Help developers understand the "why" behind the task. This leads to better solutions.

Include:

What problem this solves for users
How this fits into the larger product
Any relevant user feedback or metrics
Links to related issues, PRs, or docs

3. Requirements & Acceptance Criteria

This is the most important section. Be specific and testable.

Vague

"Make it fast"
"Should look nice"
"Handle errors properly"

Specific

"Page load under 2s on 3G"
"Match Figma design within 5px"
"Show toast on API error with retry button"

Pro tip:

Write requirements as checkboxes. If you can't check it off, it's not specific enough.

4. Technical Constraints

Save developers from guessing. Tell them exactly what to use.

Specify:

Tech stack (Next.js, Tailwind, etc.)
Which files/folders to modify
Existing patterns to follow
Libraries that are already installed
Testing requirements (unit tests? e2e?)

5. What Success Looks Like

Define the "done" state clearly.

A submission is complete when:

All acceptance criteria are met
Tests pass (pnpm test)
Build succeeds (pnpm build)
No linting errors
PR has clear description of changes

Pricing Your Bounty

Pricing is tricky. Too low and you won't attract good developers. Too high and you might get low-effort spam. Here's a rough guide:

Complexity	Example	Range
Quick fix	Typo, CSS tweak, config change	$25-75
Small feature	Add form field, simple API endpoint	$75-200
Medium feature	New page, integration, complex component	$200-500
Large feature	Multi-page flow, auth system, major refactor	$500-1500
Complex project	Full feature with multiple integrations	$1500+

Remember: You're paying for time saved, not lines of code. A well-scoped 2-hour task at $150 is better than a vague 10-hour task at $200.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Scope creep

"And while you're at it, could you also..." Keep bounties focused. Create separate bounties for separate features.

Missing context

Don't assume developers know your codebase. Link to relevant files, explain patterns, provide examples.

Vague requirements

"Make it better" is not a requirement. Be specific about what "better" means—faster? More accessible? Different design?

Unrealistic pricing

$50 for "build me an app" won't work. Research market rates. Quality developers have options.

No test criteria

How will you verify the work? Define test cases upfront so there's no ambiguity about what "done" means.

Broken repo setup

Make sure your repo builds and tests pass before posting. Nothing wastes time like debugging your setup.

Bounty Template

## Context
[Why does this need to be built? What problem does it solve?]

## Requirements
- [ ] [Specific, testable requirement 1]
- [ ] [Specific, testable requirement 2]
- [ ] [Specific, testable requirement 3]

## Technical Details
- **Stack:** [e.g., Next.js 14, Tailwind, Drizzle]
- **Files to modify:** [e.g., src/components/Settings.tsx]
- **Patterns to follow:** [Link to similar code in repo]

## Out of Scope
- [What this bounty does NOT include]

## Resources
- [Link to Figma design]
- [Link to related docs]
- [Link to similar implementation]

## Acceptance Criteria
The PR is ready when:
- [ ] All requirements above are checked off
- [ ] Tests pass (`pnpm test`)
- [ ] Build succeeds (`pnpm build`)
- [ ] PR description explains the changes

Final Tips

OK Be responsive. Answer questions quickly. Developers are more likely to submit if they know you're engaged.
OK Provide feedback. If a submission isn't quite right, give specific feedback. Don't just reject.
OK Pay promptly. Once work is approved, release payment immediately. Good reputation attracts good developers.
OK Start small. If you're new, post a few small bounties first to learn what works.
OK Update if needed. Requirements change. If they do, update the bounty and notify participants.