Question 1

What are the benefits of Kahana?

Accepted Answer

Kahana gives you one place to share what you know, help others learn, and get found.

If you contribute, you publish hubs of digital artifacts (files, videos, images, PDFs, documents, links, and more). You can list them on Library, invite collaborators, earn Aura when people value your work, and turn on paid access later if you want.

If you are here to learn, you browse careful, curated hubs in one catalog. Save what matters. Skip chasing scattered links or DMs.

Aura is how the community shows what is worth your time, so the best work can rise.

Question 2

What makes Kahana different from everything else?

Accepted Answer

The difference is quality. Kahana is built so the best contributions can rise, and people can trust what they find.

We do that with Aura, not another pile of star ratings and written reviews. Those systems often fail both sides: one negative review can drown out many careful positive ones, people chase review counts more than the score, and a perfect rating with almost no reviews (or a flood of glowing ones) can feel untrustworthy.

Aura is different on purpose. You automatically have a small daily budget (up to 5 Aura per day) that is yours to give and take. Your Aura renews daily: at midnight UTC you get 5 Aura again, even if you gave all 5 already. You can put it all on one hub or split it across a few. You cannot give Aura to your own work. Because your Aura is scarce, you give it carefully. That careful signal is what lifts quality across the library.

Question 3

How do I optimize the benefits of Kahana?

Accepted Answer

It depends on whether you are learning or contributing.

For learners: open Library, search and filter, open hubs you care about, then save or follow after you sign in. Give Aura carefully (up to 5/day). Step-by-step: /help/get-started-learners.

For contributors: share what you know. Don't overthink the first publish. Use clear hub names, filenames, tags, and descriptions so people can find your work. List public hubs on Library. Check analytics for views, saves, Aura, and purchases (/help/creator-analytics), then keep improving. Turn on paid access later if you want.

Question 4

What is Kahana?

Accepted Answer

Kahana is a library for curated digital knowledge.

You contribute hubs of digital artifacts (files, videos, images, PDFs, documents, links, and more). People can find them on Library. You earn Aura when someone values your work. Learners browse and learn in one place.

Paid access is optional. We added it later, after people asked to earn from their best hubs.

Question 5

Why is it called Kahana?

Accepted Answer

It started as a typo. Adam, our founder, texted his friend Jonathan: this was the Big Kahuna of ideas. Autocorrect turned Kahuna into Kahana. The word was so beautiful we made it the company name.

We later learned that kahana can mean turning point in ancient Hawaiian, and that Kahani means story in Hindi. We felt we could not have picked a better name. It felt like destiny. The rest is history. We love to pay homage to that namesake.

Question 6

Is Kahana the same as Kahana Bay, Hawaii, or kahana.co?

Accepted Answer

No. This Kahana is a digital library at kahana.io. We publish hubs of ebooks, files, and clubs. Aura Library is the product.

We are not Kahana Bay, Kahana Valley, or other Hawaii places that share the name.

We do not own or operate kahana.co. That site is unrelated.

Oasis Browser was an earlier Kahana product. It is not the library. See “What was Oasis Browser?”

Question 7

What was Oasis Browser?

Accepted Answer

Oasis Browser was an earlier Kahana product for Mac. We launched it on Product Hunt and ran a beta. After user feedback, we ceased development because we could not make it sustainable at this time. It is not the Aura Library.

The current product is the digital library at kahana.io. Product Hunt launch: https://www.producthunt.com/products/kahana/launches/oasis-browser-for-mac

If you want to use Oasis Browser, reach out through the contact form: https://kahana.io/contact

Question 8

Who operates Kahana?

Accepted Answer

Kahana Group Inc.

Question 9

Where do I start?

Accepted Answer

Want to learn? Open Library at kahana.io/library, or follow /help/get-started-learners.

Want to share? Sign up and follow /help/get-started-creators: create a hub, add content, then list on Library when ready. You can turn on paid access later if you want.

Question 10

Where is company / About information?

Accepted Answer

Visit about.kahana.io.

In the app, open About from the guest header. Or go to Settings & support, then Resources, when you are logged in.

Question 11

How is Kahana different from Gumroad, Linktree, or Notion?

Accepted Answer

Gumroad is built around selling. Linktree is light on finding hubs. Notion and Drive are great for private work, but they are not a public library with community signal.

Kahana starts with contribution and Library, plus Aura. Optional earning came later because contributors asked for it.

Longer comparisons: /compare/gumroad · /compare/stan · /compare/linktree · /compare.

Question 12

Can I earn money when people access my hubs?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you want to.

Kahana started as knowledge sharing only. After someone asked to earn when others accessed their top hubs, we added paid access.

When you are ready, connect Stripe, set a price, and charge for access. Sharing and discovery still come first.

Question 13

What is a hub?

Accepted Answer

A hub is a curated place for digital artifacts: files, videos, images, PDFs, documents, links, and more. You can invite collaborators if you want.

Keep it private, make it public, list it on Library, and charge for access later if you choose.

Question 14

Can I upload public-domain ebooks or openly licensed files?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when the work is public domain or under a license that allows redistribution on platforms like Kahana. Include any required attribution. Before a hub is unlisted, listed on Library, or monetized, you must confirm you have the right to share (and, if monetizing, sell access to) all content in it.

Finding a file online is not permission. Full guide: /help/content-rights. Binding rules: Terms §8 (User Content).

Question 15

How do I turn on paid access for a hub?

Accepted Answer

Contribute a hub and add your content. Make it public and list it on Library when it is ready.

To earn from access, connect Stripe, turn on monetization, and set a one-time or monthly price. Step-by-step: /help/turn-on-paid-access. Then share your link, or let people find you on Library.

Question 16

How much does Kahana cost for creators?

Accepted Answer

Free is $0. You get up to 3 hubs, unlimited collaborators, and files up to about 5 MB. You can still charge for access if you want.

Growth is $29.99 a month or $299.99 a year. You get unlimited hubs and uploads, live chat support, 100 GB of storage, and files up to 5 GB.

When to upgrade (vs stay Free): /help/when-to-upgrade. Full comparison: /pricing. Open Billing in the app for the latest plan details.

Question 17

What fee does Kahana take on sales?

Accepted Answer

Kahana takes 5% on hub sales processed through Stripe Connect.

Stripe also charges its usual processing fees (often about 2.9% + $0.30 for US cards). Kahana does not hold your funds. Stripe handles payouts.

Question 18

Do I need Stripe?

Accepted Answer

Only if you want to charge for hub access.

Browsing, contributing free hubs, and finding work on Library do not need Stripe.

Question 19

Can I charge a subscription?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can offer a one-time purchase for ongoing hub access, or a monthly subscription. Some hubs may also offer free trials.

Question 20

Can I collaborate with others on a hub?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Invite collaborators and give them roles (OWNER, ADMIN, WRITE, COMMENT, READ). Unlimited collaborators are included on Free and Growth. Collaborators are not the same as paywall buyers. How-to: /help/collaborators-and-roles.

Question 21

How do I get discovered?

Accepted Answer

List a public hub on Library. Keep your creator profile up to date. Share your profile or hub link.

Profile setup: /help/profile-and-sharing. You can also earn Aura when people endorse your hub.

Question 22

What is a verified creator badge?

Accepted Answer

Creators with Stripe Connect charge-ready (charges_enabled) may show a verified badge on their profile or paywall. Connect setup may include identity checks Stripe requires.

It helps buyers trust who you are. It does not boost Library ranking. How-to: /help/profile-and-sharing and /help/turn-on-paid-access.

Question 23

Is adult content allowed?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can flag a hub as adult content. Those hubs are filtered on Library by default and are not SEO-indexed like general listed hubs.

Buyers must be logged in and confirm they are 18+ with their date of birth before they can open them. How-to: /help/adult-content-and-age-verification.

Question 24

Can I fork or duplicate a hub?

Accepted Answer

When permissions allow, you can duplicate or fork a hub’s structure. What you can do depends on product settings.

Question 25

How do I buy a digital product on Kahana?

Accepted Answer

Browse Library or a creator’s profile, open a hub, and check out on the paywall.

When payment goes through, the hub unlocks in your account. Step-by-step: /help/buying-and-access.

Question 26

Can I browse without an account?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for most public hubs on Library. Adult content and some purchases need you to log in.

Question 27

What do I get after I pay?

Accepted Answer

You get access to that hub’s content in your Kahana account.

One-time purchases usually keep access going. Monthly products need an active subscription. Open the same hub URL while logged into the account that paid. Details: /help/buying-and-access.

Question 28

How do refunds work?

Accepted Answer

Payments and disputes follow Stripe and Kahana’s terms / published refund policy.

For help, use in-app Support (/support) or the channels listed in product settings. Buyer guide: /help/buying-and-access.

Question 29

Is my payment secure?

Accepted Answer

Checkout runs on Stripe. Kahana does not store your full card number.

Question 30

How do I find free vs paid hubs?

Accepted Answer

On Library, filter by free or paid, price range, or category. You can also search.

Question 31

What is Aura? Do I pay for it?

Accepted Answer

Aura is limited. You can give up to 5 Aura per day. Your Aura renews daily: at midnight UTC you get 5 Aura again.

Aura is not money and not crypto. It is a way to endorse hubs and files inside hubs that you value, see who gave Aura, and help the best work rise. When you give Aura to a file, that hub also receives 1 Aura. You cannot give Aura to your own hubs or files. How-to: /help/how-aura-works. Longer story: about.kahana.io/aura.

Question 32

What is Aura?

Accepted Answer

Aura is how Kahana promotes quality. You automatically have up to 5 Aura to give each day. Give it to hubs or to files inside hubs, all on one target, or split across a few.

Aura is not money and not crypto. You can see who gave it. Because your Aura is scarce, you give it carefully. That helps the best work rise. File Aura also lifts the hub by +1 and surfaces noteworthy files in search and ranking; hub Aura does not roll down to files.

You cannot give Aura to your own hubs or files. Rules and steps: /help/how-aura-works. Philosophy: about.kahana.io/aura.

Question 33

How is Aura different from star ratings or written reviews?

Accepted Answer

Star ratings and written reviews often fail both sides. One negative review can outweigh many careful positive ones. People chase review counts more than the score. A perfect 5.0 with one review feels thin. Too many glowing reviews can feel fake.

Aura is different on purpose. You have a small daily budget that is yours to give and take. Scarcity makes each endorsement mean more. You can see who gave Aura. You cannot endorse your own hubs or files. We wanted a signal built for quality, not another messy review pile.

Question 34

How much Aura can I give?

Accepted Answer

You automatically have 5 Aura to give each day.

Give all of your Aura to one hub or file, or split it across a few. At midnight UTC you get 5 Aura again, even if you used all 5 already. You cannot give Aura to your own hubs or files. Full how-to: /help/how-aura-works.

Question 35

Does the Aura I already gave reset every day?

Accepted Answer

No. Daily renewal is a fresh budget of 5 Aura to give. Aura you already placed on a hub or file stays there. It does not vanish overnight.

You control it. If you change your mind later, you can remove Aura you gave.

Question 36

Do I need to create a hub to give Aura?

Accepted Answer

No. Anyone with an account can give Aura. Creating a hub is how you add knowledge to the library. It is not required to endorse hubs or files you find on Library.

Question 37

Can I give Aura to a person or creator?

Accepted Answer

No. You cannot give Aura directly to profiles, hub owners, or other users as people. You can give Aura to hubs of digital artifacts, and to files inside those hubs. When you give Aura to a file, that hub also receives 1 Aura; giving Aura to a hub does not add Aura to the files inside it.

Question 38

How do I create and contribute on Kahana?

Accepted Answer

Create a hub, add digital artifacts (files, videos, images, PDFs, documents, links, and more), then optimize with clear names, tags, and a description. List it on Library when you are ready.

You can invite editors and admins to collaborate. Turn on paid access later if you want.

Question 39

What is an Aura streak?

Accepted Answer

Giving Aura on consecutive days builds a streak in the app. It nudges you to keep exploring. It is not a cash reward.

Question 40

Does Aura mean a hub is officially recommended by Kahana?

Accepted Answer

No. Aura comes from the community. Kahana may still curate or moderate listings on its own.

Question 41

What is Library?

Accepted Answer

Library is the public catalog at /library.

Browse hubs or creators. Search and filter by category, price, free or paid, and more.

Question 42

Do I need to pay to list on Library?

Accepted Answer

No separate listing fee. You just need to meet the public listing requirements.

Platform and Stripe fees only apply when someone buys a paid hub. Free hubs can still appear when listed.

Question 43

Why isn’t my hub on Library?

Accepted Answer

Often the hub is not public yet, not listed yet, missing listing details (title, cover, description, category, profile pic, adult yes/no), or filtered by adult settings. Sometimes there is a short delay while it indexes.

Self-check the readiness table: /help/list-hub-on-explore.

Question 44

What is For You?

Accepted Answer

For You is a Library tab that ranks hubs from your Aura, saves, follows, and For you / Not for you marks. You can change signal weights in the tab.

Guide: /help/for-you-and-taste.

Question 45

What are Clubs?

Accepted Answer

Clubs are groups that read and list together. A new club always starts private. You can later make it unlisted or listed on the public Clubs page, with auto-join or request-to-join.

Members share a wish list, feed, events, and optional current focus. Guide: /help/clubs.

Question 46

How do I sign up?

Accepted Answer

Use email or Google at kahana.io/signup. Or open Sign in, then Create account.

Question 47

How do I get help?

Accepted Answer

In the app, use Support (/support) or Send feedback from Settings & support.

For company info, visit about.kahana.io. Growth plans include live chat support.

Question 48

Where are Privacy and Terms?

Accepted Answer

You can find them in the guest menu. They are usually at kahana.io/privacy-policy and kahana.io/terms-and-conditions.

Question 49

How does age verification work for adult hubs?

Accepted Answer

You must be logged in and enter your date of birth. If you are 18+, verification is recorded.

There is no anonymous “I’m 18” unlock. Details: /help/adult-content-and-age-verification.

Question 50

How do I delete my Kahana account?

Accepted Answer

Open Settings → Danger Zone at /settings/danger. Type DELETE to confirm. Your account is deactivated immediately. Permanent deletion follows in 30 days unless you sign in and cancel.

Guide: /help/delete-my-account.

Question 51

When should I upgrade to Growth?

Accepted Answer

Upgrade when you need a 4th hub, more than 10 file uploads in a hub, files over 5 MB, custom hub or profile URLs, or live chat.

You do not need Growth to list on Library or sell with Stripe. Growth lowers the hub sales fee from 5% to 3%.

How-to: /help/when-to-upgrade. Compare plans on /pricing or Billing in the app.

Question 52

How do I cancel Growth?

Accepted Answer

Manage your subscription from Billing in settings.

You keep access through the end of the paid period.

Question 53

Do Free creators still pay the 5% marketplace fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Free hub sales pay a 5% fee. Growth hub sales pay 3%.

When to upgrade: /help/when-to-upgrade.

Question 54

Does Kahana have an affiliate program?

Accepted Answer

Yes. People who upgrade through your link get 30% off Growth forever. You earn 30% of what they pay after the free trial, and 1% when they sell a hub. Get your link on Earn after you sign in.

Program: https://about.kahana.io/affiliates

Question 55

Can I sell an ebook on Kahana?

Accepted Answer

Yes. An ebook is a hub with the file. List it free or paid. Only upload what you have the rights to share. Public-domain Internet Archive files can be imported when redistribution is allowed.

How it works: https://about.kahana.io/use-cases/selling-ebooks

Question 56

Can I sell digital products on Kahana?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The product is access to a hub: files, videos, and notes. Connect Stripe, set a price, and list it on Library. Kahana takes 5% of paid access. You can sell on the Free plan.

How it works: https://about.kahana.io/use-cases/selling-digital-products

Question 57

What browsers are supported?

Accepted Answer

Modern browsers like Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. Use a current desktop or mobile browser for the best experience.

Question 58

Is there a native mobile app?

Accepted Answer

Kahana is a web app that works well in mobile browsers. Native iOS and Android apps are in progress. Join the waitlist at https://about.kahana.io/app-waitlist and we will email you when they are ready.

Question 59

Can I embed Kahana on my own site?

Accepted Answer

The usual path is linking your Kahana profile or hub URL.

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