FAQ
Effective September 7, 2026
Straight answers about how Trystle works, where the money goes, and what your attention actually does.
Does my activity fund real charities right now?
Not yet. Trystle is not currently donating to charity -- we're an early-stage company, and all of our revenue today goes toward building and running the platform. Charitable giving is a goal we intend to reach, not something happening now, and we may not reach it at all; our roadmap timeline is an estimate, not a promise. Once we're sustainable, we intend to direct surplus profit toward verified health, education, and environmental causes, informed by your settings and an aggregated community allocation. See our full roadmap in the Transparency page.
Is Trystle anti-business?
Not at all -- our founder is a small business owner too. Trystle isn't against business, profit, or the system we build it in; it's against a model where profit above everything else is the only thing that matters, no matter the cost to people, communities, or the planet. Building something and giving generously aren't opposites.
Why isn't Trystle a nonprofit?
Trystle is a for-profit company. We chose to stay for-profit rather than pursue nonprofit status, because it doesn't fit how we operate under IRS rules for tax-exempt organizations. Instead, we've built our giving intention directly into how we operate: covering real operating costs first, keeping a reasonable reserve, and, once we're sustainable, directing surplus profit toward charitable causes. Read more in our Transparency page.
What counts as "profit" that gets donated?
"Surplus profit" means net income determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, after taxes, debt service, and a reasonable operating reserve set in good faith to keep the platform running, growing, and prepared for contingencies. It's never a hidden cut kept for ourselves. This is the same definition used in our Terms of Service and Transparency page.
Can Spoils be exchanged for cash, or transferred to another user?
No. Spoils have no cash value, cannot be redeemed for cash or purchased with money, cannot be transferred between users, and have no secondary market. Spoils are a way to track engagement and referrals on Trystle -- nothing more. This may change only if we update our Terms of Service, and any such change would be communicated in advance.
How does the referral bonus work?
You and a friend each earn 250 Spoils points when they join using your code -- but only at sign-up, and only your first 3 successful referrals count each day. Referral bonuses are only awarded for genuine invites; artificial or repeated sign-ups will be reversed and may result in suspension, per our Community Guidelines. This FAQ describes the referral program in plain language for convenience. Our Terms of Service control in the event of any conflict, and the referral program, including its rules and rewards, may change at any time.
Can I edit or delete a post?
Yes -- you can edit your own posts anytime; edited posts show an "(edited)" label so others know it's changed. You can also delete a post entirely, with a confirmation step first since deletion can't be undone.
Can I change my username?
Yes -- you can change your username anytime from your account settings. A few things to know: You can change your username once every 14 days. When you change it, your old username will keep redirecting to your profile for 14 days, so links you've already shared (bio links, social posts, etc.) will still work during that window. After 14 days, your old username becomes available for anyone else to claim -- if you want to keep it, don't give it up unless you're ready to let it go.
Can I change the color scheme of Trystle?
Yes -- go to your profile, tap "...", and select "Change Color Scheme." You can choose from several looks, each with its own light and dark mode, which you can still toggle from the sun/moon icon in the top navigation.
Where does the name "Trystle" come from?
Trystle is named after the trystle tree -- spelled "trystell-tre" in the Middle English of A Gest of Robyn Hode, one of the oldest surviving Robin Hood stories, first printed over 500 years ago. In the tale, the trystell-tre is where Robin and his men gather in the greenwood -- a place of loyalty, protection, and reckoning.
In one passage, the King himself, having finally met Robin face to face, asks for mercy under it -- not just for himself, but for everyone with him:
"Mercy then, Robyn," sayd our kynge, "Vnder your trystyll-tre, Of thy goodnesse and thy grace, For my men and me!"
In modern English: even the King, standing under Robin's tree, asks for grace -- for himself and his men.
That's the spirit we built Trystle around: a gathering place where looking out for each other -- and for the people beyond it -- isn't charity from the top down. It's just what you do under the tree.
Source: Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (1882-1898), Child Ballad No. 117, stanza 412. Public domain.