A parent loading groceries with their child

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Your community is the key to financial freedom

ChipJar helps your community pool funds, lend to each other and build financial resiliency – all in one app.

Start a jar

The American problem…

37%

Cannot cover $400
in an emergency

43%

Could cover a $400
emergency with additional credit access

400%

Typical payday lender's
extractive interst rate

…for most it's hard to access funds at a fair price

Not a bank. Not a payday lender.
Your own financial community,
on your own rules.

Explore how just one choice can build a strong financial base — or a spiral of loans that are hard to escape…

Today

You need $300 for an emergency

Where you go next changes everything. Hover a milestone — or tap one on mobile — to follow each path.

Month 1

Join a Jar with 5 friends

Each contributes $50/month. The pool starts growing.

Jar balance: $300

Month 3

Car breaks down — Chip Out $300

Group approves in 24hrs. Fee: $6. Repay over 60 days.

Total cost: $6

Month 6

Chip repaid, Jar at $1,800

Money stayed in the community. The Jar deepens with every cycle.

Saved on fees: $174

Year 1

Second Chip funds a certification

$500 Chip for a professional course. Income rises 15%.

Net savings: $2,400+

Year 2

Jar compounds to $5K+

A genuine emergency cushion that belongs to your community — not a lender.

Pool size: $5,200

Month 1

Car breaks down — need $300

No savings. Only option: a payday lender.

Fee: $45

Month 3

Couldn’t repay, rolled over

$45 fee again. Now owe $390 on the original $300.

Total fees: $90

Month 6

Took a second loan to cover the first

Now juggling two loans. Fees compounding.

Total fees: $280+

Year 1

Trapped in the cycle

8 loans this year. Each one digs the hole deeper. Nothing built.

Total fees: $800+

Year 2

$2,000+ lost to fees. No savings.

Still one emergency away from the same spiral.

Net loss: $2,000+

ChipJar path

Payday / credit card path

hover or tap a milestone

How it works

Not a one-time payout. A revolving mutual aid engine where your community’s safety net builds with every cycle.

Friends starting a shared jar on a phone

Start a jar

Invite people you trust. Set contribution amount and schedule together.

Build the fund

Everyone chips in regularly. The Jar grows as a collective safety net.

Chip out

Request a Chip. Group approves on their terms — amount, fee, timeline.

Grow together

Chips repaid, Jar recharges. The fund deepens. The community compounds.

Who it’s for

Built for communities that
build each other up

Family

Formalize the support you already give each other. Build generational savings along the way.

Friends

Your group chat already covers each other. A Jar makes it trackable, fair, and accountable.

Colleagues

Coworkers, unit members, shift teams — built-in accountability with people you see every day.

Communities

Churches, neighborhoods, cultural groups — any community with trust and shared goals.

How ChipJar compares

Transmission apps move money. Banks lend it. ChipJar builds community wealth.

Feature	ChipJar	Venmo/Zelle	Unsecured Bank loan	PayDay Lender
Captial stays among members	✓	✓	✕	✕
No credit check	✓	✓	✕	✓
Jar-set terms	✓	✕	✕	✕
Invite-only with trusted community	✓	N/A	N/A	N/A
Priced to build resiliency	✓	N/A	✕	✕

Frequently asked

Everything you need to know about Jars, Chips, and keeping your money safe.

What exactly is a “Jar”?

A Jar is an invite-only community fund. Members contribute on a schedule they choose, and the pooled money stays in the group. When someone needs funds, they request a “Chip” — and the group decides together whether to approve it and on what terms. Think of it as a digital version of savings circles with real financial infrastructure.

What’s a “Chip”?

A Chip is when you draw funds from your Jar. Instead of going to a bank or payday lender, you request a Chip from your community. The Jar members set the amount and repayment timeline. When you repay, the money goes back into the Jar.

Is my money safe?

Yes. All funds are held in FDIC-insured accounts through our banking partners. ChipJar provides the technology layer — we never hold or manage your money directly.

How is this different from a lending circle?

Traditional circles (ROSCAs) are a one-shot rotation. ChipJar creates a revolving fund that stays active, with formal repayment tracking, default protection, and a banking infrastructure layer.

What if someone doesn’t repay?

Every Jar is backed by a built-in Member Protection Reserve. A small percentage of all contributions is automatically held back — so when a default happens, the reserve absorbs most of the loss and your Jar stays healthy. Members aren’t left absorbing the full hit. ChipJar also provides automated reminders, repayment tracking, and governance tools. The social bonds keep defaults rare; the reserve keeps them survivable.

Is ChipJar available yet?

We’re building and partnering with community organizations for initial launch. Drop us a message to be among the first.

Let's build something together.

Bring ChipJar to your community, explore partnerships, or just ask a question.

hello@chipjar.io →

Your community is the key to financial freedom

Explore how just one choice can build a strong financial base — or a spiral of loans that are hard to escape…

How it works

Start a jar

Build the fund

Chip out

Grow together

Who it’s for

Family

Friends

Colleagues

Communities

How ChipJar compares

See how much you’d save

Cost to borrow over 60 days — across the real options

Frequently asked

Let's build something together.