StarCafe runs on an in-app virtual currency called Shards. Shards are used to redeem memberships, perks, and per-novel collections that unlock advance chapters and ad-free reading. Shards have no real-world monetary value, are non-transferable, and cannot be exchanged for cash.

Earning Shards

• A daily login claim (with a bonus on every 7th consecutive day of your streak).
• Streak milestones and streak-freeze protection.
• Watching rewarded ads in the mobile app (free Asteroid members claim their daily Shard this way).
• Badges awarded for milestones.
• Weekly leaderboard rewards for top supporters.

Buying Shards

• Shards may be purchased through in-app purchases in the StarCafe mobile app, processed by the Apple App Store or Google Play under their pricing and terms (shown in-app). Purchases buy Shards only — never a membership tier directly.
• Shards may also be credited manually when you support us on Patreon or Ko-fi (see “Supporting StarCafe” below).

Memberships are redeemed with Shards and grant advance access to ongoing fan translations plus ad-free reading. Advance access is measured by content volume (characters) to stay fair across chapters of different lengths.

• Asteroid (free) → Public chapters only, with ads.
• Stardust → Ad-free; about 10% of available advance fan-translation chapters (at least 10,000 characters); includes 1 chapter ticket.
• Nebula → Ad-free; about 30% of advance chapters (at least 30,000 characters); includes 5 chapter tickets.
• Star → Ad-free; about 60% of advance chapters (at least 60,000 characters); includes 10 chapter tickets.
• Galaxy → Ad-free; 100% of available advance chapters (at least 60,000 characters); includes 20 chapter tickets.

Current Shard costs for each tier are shown on the Support page and may change at our discretion.

Membership Terms

• A membership redeemed with Shards lasts 30 days and is non-recurring — it does not auto-renew and returns to the free Asteroid tier when it expires.
• Memberships can be upgraded but not downgraded or canceled mid-term; when you upgrade, the remaining value of your current tier is credited toward the new one.
• Chapter tickets included with a tier can be used to unlock individual paid chapters of original novels. Tickets are earned at a rate of 1 ticket per 100 Shards actually charged, so a tier redeemed at full price grants its full ticket count, while an upgrade grants proportionally fewer because the credit for your current tier reduces what you pay. The exact number is shown before you confirm a redemption.
• If you support us through an active Patreon pledge, membership access granted that way remains active for as long as your pledge is active and is managed through Patreon.

A novel collection unlocks advance access to a single novel. Collections are redeemed with Shards (or with chapter tickets), and the cost scales with the amount of remaining content or the chapter price of that novel.

• Collection access is tied to the specific novel and, like a membership, can be upgraded but not canceled.
• Advance chapters you unlock are early access. If the public release schedule later catches up to a chapter you unlocked, that access is not refunded, as you already read it early.

• Ad-free — a one-time perk that permanently removes ads from your account.
• Streak freeze — protects your daily-claim streak if you miss a day.

Alongside Shards, you can support StarCafe directly on Patreon or Ko-fi. Support through these platforms may be credited as Shards or gifted membership access, applied manually to your account.

• Patreon pledges renew monthly under Patreon’s own terms; you can manage or cancel them anytime on Patreon.
• Ko-fi contributions are one-time tips or commissions.
• Please read each Patreon tier or Ko-fi post carefully, as benefits and availability may change.

Shards, and anything redeemed with them (memberships, novel collections, and perks), are final and non-refundable once credited or redeemed.

• Shards or gifts credited through Patreon or Ko-fi are voluntary tips/contributions and are non-refundable.
• Shards bought through the Apple App Store or Google Play are subject to those stores’ refund policies. If Apple or Google issues a refund for a Shard purchase, the corresponding Shards — and any membership, collection, or perk redeemed with them — will be revoked, which may leave your account with a reduced or negative balance.
• Repeated or abusive refunds may result in restriction or termination of your account.
• If you believe a refund is genuinely warranted outside these cases, please contact us first at
  contact@starcafe.me
  .

• Shard earning rates, prices, membership benefits, collection availability, and perks may change at our discretion. Where practical, we will announce significant changes.
• Translating is primarily a hobby, and the support we receive goes toward website maintenance and the editing/proofreading process.
• You can stop supporting at any time; memberships redeemed with Shards simply expire at the end of their 30-day period, and Patreon pledges can be canceled on Patreon.