Verification & trust
The prize is half of what a participant evaluates when they see a contest. The other half is: is this organizer real, and will they actually pay? DareBay's answer is verification + visible ratings.
Verification tiers
Three types of verified accounts:
- BLOGGER — individual creators with a public track record. Useful for personal brand contests.
- STORE — e-commerce businesses running promotional contests.
- COMPANY — registered businesses running marketing or hiring contests.
Verified accounts pass an ID / business-document check. They get a badge on their profile and on every contest they run. They also typically pay a lower commission — see fees.
An unverified contest can still be completely legitimate, but participants may rightfully apply more scrutiny.
Dual ratings
Every DareBay account carries two ratings:
- Organizer rating — calculated from contests you've run. Are prizes paid on time? Are selection decisions fair? Do participants report disputes?
- Participant rating — calculated from contests you've entered. Is your submitted work original? Do you follow briefs? Do you harass other participants or organizers?
Ratings are visible on your public profile. They're not for sale and they can't be wiped by creating a new account — too many near-zero-history accounts get flagged.
What low ratings mean in practice
- Low organizer rating → participants skip your contests, or DareBay de-prioritizes them in the feed.
- Low participant rating → your submissions may require manual review before showing up publicly.
- Extreme lows → account restrictions or bans, depending on what caused it.
How to build trust fast
If you're new:
- Organizers — run a small first contest you can pay out cleanly. One well-executed $50 contest is worth more than a $5,000 contest that goes sideways.
- Participants — enter contests in your actual lane. Your first 2–3 submissions, even if they don't win, establish a pattern of real work.
Verification can be done at any time; it's not required to start.
→ Back to Getting Started, or check how winners are chosen.