Checked 12 Sep 2026
Hotplate 3.5Bronze 30 pts
Drop-style sales for indie chefs and pop-ups - announce a menu, sell out timed slots, and keep the customer relationship.
Good for Chefs and home cooks
- Free to joinNo sign-up fee
- Instant sign-upStart right away
- Pays via Bank transferHow you get paid
- Work from homeOnline, from anywhere
- Since
- 2019 7 yrs
Based in- San Francisco, United States
- Web rank
- #171,170 worldwide
Can you join Hotplate?
Answer two questions and we check them against Hotplate's sign-up rules.
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Hotplate is a food pop-up platform where anyone can register to start earning, and the work can be done remotely. Fees are Free for chefs, ~$2 avg per-order fee and you can withdraw via Bank transfer. Founded in 2019, Hotplate is based in San Francisco, United States. It is available in United States.
Last updated
Getting paid
What the platform takes, when you get your money and how
Not verified yet: Payment protection · Minimum payout · Payout speed Know the answer? Tell us
From the published fees above, before payment-processing, currency or withdrawal charges. Work out your own amount →
What people actually earn on Hotplate
Sourced figures from the platform, filings and independent studies
Figures published by Hotplate or by independent studies and surveys, as dated. Individual earnings vary widely.
How complete is this profile?
We have 8 of the 17 things we track for every platform. Fees, payouts, join rules, countries and real earnings count most.
- Plain-English overview
- Minimum payout
- How fast you get paid
- Payment protection
- Review ratings
- Wikipedia or reference page
- Support channels
- Mobile apps
- Social accounts
- What kind of platform it is
- Year founded
- Headquarters
- Fees
- Withdrawal methods
- Join requirements
- Countries it accepts
- Real earnings figures
Every fact is checked against the platform's own pages. How we check →
Our rating
Worked out from the facts on this page, the same way for every platform
Strong on fees and proof of earnings. Weaker on getting paid.
- Fees5.0
- Getting paid2.3
- Access3.3
- Track record3.0
- Proof of earnings4.0
Not a review of service quality: a score from verified fees, payouts, access, track record and earnings data. How the rating works
Achievements
30 of 100 points from 4 of 14 achievements, Bronze tier. Earned from verified facts, never paid for
Verified earningsA sourced figure for what people earn or are paid there+10
Why it matters You can judge the pay from a real number instead of the platform's own promises.
How we check We need a figure for what earners are paid, earn typically, or how many people earn, with a link to the filing, pay page or study it came from.
Hotplate $100M earned by chefs (2026)
Every platform with this badge →Free to joinNo fee to sign up+5
Why it matters Paying to join is a red flag on many work sites. This one costs nothing to start.
How we check The platform's sign-up and pricing pages show no fee to register as an earner.
Hotplate free
Every platform with this badge →Clear feesPublishes its cut as a percentage+5
Why it matters You can work out what you keep before you start.
How we check The platform publishes its cut as a percentage on its pricing or help pages, which we record as a range when it is tiered.
Hotplate 0%
Every platform with this badge →Low cutTakes 10% or less of what you earn+10
Why it matters More of every payment reaches you. Many marketplaces take 20% or more.
How we check The highest percentage the platform names in its published fees is 10% or less.
Hotplate 0%
Every platform with this badge →Open worldwideAccepts people from almost every country10
Why it matters Most earning platforms only take people from a handful of countries. This one lets almost anyone join.
How we check The platform's own terms or sign-up pages say it accepts people worldwide, with no more than eight countries left out.
Hotplate United States
Every platform with this badge →Low payout barLets you cash out $10 or less5
Why it matters Small earnings are not left stuck in your account waiting for a high threshold.
How we check The platform's published minimum withdrawal is $10 or less, or it has no minimum.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Hotplate.
Every platform with this badge →Fast payoutsPays out instantly, daily or on demand5
Why it matters Money arrives when you need it, not weeks later.
How we check The platform says payouts are instant, same-day, daily or on demand.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Hotplate.
Every platform with this badge →Payment protectionHolds or guarantees payment before you work10
Why it matters Something stops you working for nothing, such as client money held before the work starts.
How we check The platform publishes how it protects earners' payments: escrow, guaranteed pay or a dispute process.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Hotplate.
Every platform with this badge →Loved appA mobile app rated 4.5 or higher5
Why it matters A well-rated app usually means smooth day-to-day work and fewer payout problems.
How we check The platform's app is rated 4.5 or higher on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Hotplate.
Every platform with this badge →Top 10K websiteAmong the world's 10,000 most visited sites (Tranco)5
Why it matters Big platforms have more clients and buyers, and a lot to lose from treating earners badly.
How we check The site ranks in the world's 10,000 most visited on the Tranco list, a research-grade ranking.
Hotplate #171,170 worldwide
Every platform with this badge →10 years runningFounded at least 10 years ago5
Why it matters Platforms that have lasted a decade are less likely to vanish with your balance.
How we check Its founding year, checked against company records, is at least 10 years ago.
Hotplate Founded 2019
Every platform with this badge →20 years runningFounded at least 20 years ago5
Why it matters Two decades of paying people is a strong track record.
How we check Its founding year, checked against company records, is at least 20 years ago.
Hotplate Founded 2019
Every platform with this badge →Public companyListed on a stock exchange, with audited filings5
Why it matters Listed companies publish audited accounts, so their finances and risks are public.
How we check The company has a stock ticker on a public exchange, with filings we can read.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Hotplate.
Every platform with this badge →Fully documentedFees, payouts, countries and company details all verified15
Why it matters Everything you need to decide is verified here, not left as guesswork.
How we check Fees, payouts, minimum payout, who can join and the company details are all recorded from official pages.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Hotplate.
Every platform with this badge →
How achievements and tiers work · Open any badge for the details
Can I join Hotplate?
Age, countries, equipment and how sign-up works
Yes.
You can start straight after signing up.
Enter your country and age in the quick check and we will tell you here whether Hotplate accepts you. Your answers stay on your device.
Check with my countryWe have not verified which countries Hotplate accepts yet.
No special equipment listed.
- Sign upFree
- Start straight awayNo waiting for approval
- Do your first workJobs, tasks or sales
Good to know: A seller site takes minutes to set up and Hotplate charges a small fee per order that you can pass on to customers.
Hotplate's official requirements ↗Every platform you can join →
How Hotplate compares
Against similar platforms in our directory
Not enough comparable data yet to rank Hotplate against similar platforms.
Compared with the home food platforms in our directory. See them all →
Is Hotplate legit?
What we could verify about the company
Hotplate is a real, operating platform. What we could verify:
- Operating since 2019 (7 years)
- Headquartered in San Francisco, United States
- Its domain hotplate.com was registered in 2003 (registry record)
Listing last updated September 2026 · how we verify platforms · Missing or out of date? Tell us
Hotplate in public records
Company filings, web traffic and app store data
- Website rank
- #171,170 worldwideAmong the top million sites (hotplate.com)
- Domain registered
- Jun 2003hotplate.com, 23 years ago
Sources: Tranco · RDAP registry. Retrieved October 29, 2026.
Hotplate timeline
Founding, funding, milestones and news
-
Founded
Hotplate founded
Headquarters today: San Francisco, United States
-
Milestone
$100M earned by chefs
Hotplate says chefs selling through its platform have collectively earned $100 million, per its official homepage.
Source ↗ -
Milestone
5,000+ chefs
Hotplate says more than 5,000 chefs sell through its platform, per its official homepage.
Source ↗ -
On FreelanceSites
Added to the FreelanceSites.net directory
Checked against its official pages before listing.
From the platform's own reports and press coverage we checked, plus company records on Wikidata. Know a milestone we're missing? Tell us
Guides
Step-by-step help for this platform
No step-by-step guide for Hotplate yet. Browse all guides or find the right way to earn for you.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Hotplate
How much does Hotplate charge?
Hotplate fees: Free for chefs, ~$2 avg per-order fee. It takes no commission, so apart from payment-processing or withdrawal costs you keep what you earn.
How do you get paid on Hotplate?
Hotplate pays out via Bank transfer.
Which countries is Hotplate available in?
United States.
How much do people earn on Hotplate?
Hotplate says chefs selling through its platform have collectively earned $100 million, per its official homepage. Hotplate says more than 5,000 chefs sell through its platform, per its official homepage. Individual earnings vary widely.
Is Hotplate legit?
Yes, Hotplate is a real, operating platform: operating since 2019 (7 years), headquartered in San Francisco, United States and its domain hotplate.com was registered in 2003 (registry record). As with any platform, check its current terms before relying on it for income.
What are the best Hotplate alternatives?
Similar platforms include CookUnity and Shef. Compare their fees and payouts in the alternatives section below.
Compare Hotplate with…
Hotplate alternatives
More home food like Shef
CookUnityA chef-to-consumer meal platform - vetted professional chefs earn from subscription meal sales prepared in CookUnity kitchens.
Fees Revenue share per meal soldcookunity.com
ShefSell home-cooked meals to neighbors - cooks pass food-safety certification and earn per dish in covered US cities.
Fees Platform takes ~15% per saleshef.com