Questions from experts

The ten things people ask before they join. For the full walk-through, from approval to your first payout, read the expert guide. Ready to apply? Start at key.new/become-an-expert.

What does a Key expert actually do?

You take a 30-minute paid video call with a traveller who is heading to your city. They tell you what they care about, you talk it through over a live shared map, dropping pins as you go, and they leave with a personal list of places they can open in Google or Apple Maps. It is the conversation you would have with a friend over coffee, with the map doing the note-taking.

Who can become an expert?

People who genuinely know a place and are already the one their friends ask: chefs, bartenders, sommeliers, guides, curators, shop owners, writers, people with taste. Every application is read by a human, and the roster is hand-picked rather than self-serve. You do not need a following, a website or any equipment beyond a phone and a laptop.

How much do I earn, and when am I paid?

You set your own price per call length, and you keep 80% of it. Clients pay by card when they book, in USD wherever they are. After the call ends, your share transfers automatically to your bank through Stripe, typically within a few business days, with an email each time. There is nothing to invoice and no one to chase.

Key’s 20% covers card fees, payouts in your currency, tax handling, bookings and calendar sync, reminders, the call itself, the recording and the exported list.

What do I need to set up?

Four things, all changeable later: a profile photo, a short portrait intro video shot on a phone, your prices, and the weekly hours you are willing to be booked. Connect Google Calendar or Outlook and your existing events block Key bookings automatically, so clients can only ever book times you are genuinely free. Stripe collects your identity and bank details directly; Key never sees them. Most experts are live within a week of being approved. The expert guide walks through each step.

How much time does it take?

As much or as little as you choose. Calls are 30 minutes, and you are only ever bookable in the hours you set; your calendar has the final say. Many experts start with two or three hours a week and widen it once the calls turn out to be fun. There is nothing to prepare and nothing to write, film or follow up afterwards.

Do I need to prepare for a call?

No. When someone books, you both get a shared digital desk where they tell you what they care about before the call: the neighbourhood they are staying in, what they love, what they want to avoid. You get an email the moment they write, and a quick reply sets the tone. If their questions are not your territory, you can decline from your dashboard; they are refunded in full and pointed to a better match.

What happens if a client cancels or doesn't show up?

Late cancellations do not cost you. With more than 48 hours’ notice the client is refunded in full and there is no payout; between 24 and 48 hours they get half back and you are paid on the rest; inside 24 hours the booking is non-refundable and you are paid in full, which includes a no-show. If you cancel, the client is always refunded fully, so cancel early and rarely.

Is the call recorded? Who sees it?

Yes. Calls run in the browser and are recorded and transcribed so the traveller gets a replay and every place mentioned, exported to their maps. Both of you agree to that when you book and when you join. The recording is shared only between the two people on the call; there are no clips, no public posting, and clients never see your phone number or email. You keep the replay and transcript too, as your own record of every client.

Am I employed by Key? What about tax?

No. You are an independent expert offering your own calls at your own price; Key is the marketplace and the payment agent, and the terms say so plainly. Stripe handles identity checks and payouts, and your earnings, pending and paid, live on your dashboard for your own tax records. Whether you join as an individual or through a business is up to you.

What are the house rules, and can I leave?

Recommend what you genuinely love: no sponsored placements, no affiliate links, no upselling, ever. Show up on time and keep your availability honest. That is the whole rulebook, and it is why clients trust your list. You can pause your hours, unpublish your profile or leave at any time from your dashboard, and a human answers at hello@key.new.