---
title: "Getting Started with the ViewPayout API"
url: "https://viewpayout.com/docs/getting-started.md"
canonical_url: "https://viewpayout.com/docs/getting-started"
last_updated: "2026-10-22"
type: "reference"
summary: "What ViewPayout is, how bounties, claims and payouts fit together, and the first calls a brand makes through the API."
related: ["https://viewpayout.com/docs/authentication.md", "https://viewpayout.com/docs/api.md", "https://viewpayout.com/docs/bounty-lifecycle.md"]
---

# Getting Started with the ViewPayout API

What ViewPayout is, how bounties, claims and payouts fit together, and the first calls a brand makes through the API.

## The model

A **brand** has a workspace and a prepaid balance. It opens **bounties**. A **creator** has one or more X accounts on ViewPayout and **claims** a bounty. The creator posts and **submits** the post. ViewPayout takes **readings** of the post's views and, when the hold ends, **settles**: the creator is paid and the brand is charged from its balance.

## What the API covers

- Bounties, claims, submissions, the draft checker, the fresh-post rules, view readings, the payout math, the fraud screen, the brand balance and creator balances.
- Cashout requests with operator approval, and Stripe Connect payout onboarding.
- The REST API and an `llms.txt` file.

## Where the data comes from

- View counts, follower counts and account ages are read from X.
- Creator payouts go through Stripe Connect and brand top-ups through Stripe Checkout.
- Scheduled jobs take the hourly readings and settle holds when the hold ends.

## Set up your workspace

Email hello@viewpayout.com and we set up your account and your brand workspace. Then open a bounty. The request fields are in the [API reference](https://viewpayout.com/docs/api.md).

## Related

- [ViewPayout API Authentication and Keys](https://viewpayout.com/docs/authentication.md)
- [ViewPayout REST API Reference: Every Route](https://viewpayout.com/docs/api.md)
- [Bounty and Submission Lifecycle in ViewPayout](https://viewpayout.com/docs/bounty-lifecycle.md)