Question 1

Is Idlen free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, completely free. There's no subscription, no hidden fees. You install it, earn money, and cash out. Idlen takes a cut from advertisers, not from you.

Question 2

Does Idlen slow down my IDE or browser?

Accepted Answer

No. Idlen is designed to be extremely lightweight. It runs independently and has zero impact on your AI tools' performance or response time.

Question 3

How does Idlen make money?

Accepted Answer

Idlen charges advertisers to display ads to developers. We take a percentage of ad revenue and share the rest with you. It's a win-win: advertisers reach developers, developers earn passive income.

Question 4

Is my code safe?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Idlen never accesses your source code, AI prompts, or project files. We only read package manager files (package.json, etc.) to understand your tech stack for ad targeting. Your code stays private.

Question 5

Can I control when ads appear?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can choose which triggers activate ads, set minimum time between ads (10 min to 2 hours), enable 'quiet hours' for focus time, and pause ads anytime.

Question 6

How long until I get paid?

Accepted Answer

Most developers reach the €50 minimum payout within 1-2 months of regular use. Heavy AI users can reach it in 2-3 weeks.

Question 7

What kind of ads will I see?

Accepted Answer

Developer-focused ads only: cloud platforms (AWS, Vercel, etc.), developer tools (databases, APIs), SaaS products, technical courses, and job opportunities (optional). No crypto scams, no gambling, no irrelevant consumer ads.

Question 8

Does it work with my AI tool?

Accepted Answer

If you use ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Copilot, Perplexity, V0, Lovable, Bolt, or Replit—yes! Check our integrations page for the full list.

Question 9

Can I use Idlen at work?

Accepted Answer

That depends on your company policy. Many developers use Idlen on personal projects or during personal coding time. Check with your employer if you want to use it during work hours.

Question 10

How do I maximize my earnings?

Accepted Answer

Use the IDE extension + browser extension together. The more AI tools you use daily, the more you earn. Power users who use Cursor, ChatGPT, and Claude together can earn €100+ per month.

Usage	Daily AI	Monthly
Light	20-50	€15-30
Regular	50-150	€30-60
Heavy	150-300	€60-100
Power User	300+	€100+

Tool	Avg. Monthly
Cursor (heavy user)	€50-100
ChatGPT + Claude	€30-50
VS Code + Copilot	€20-40
Chrome extension only	€15-30

Feature	Idlen	Brave Rewards
Target audience	Developers	General users
Triggers	AI tool usage	Browsing
Earnings	€30-100/month	€2-5/month
Ad relevance	Tech-focused	Generic
Privacy	Code never read	Browsing tracked

Feature	Idlen	Honeygain
How it works	AI wait time	Bandwidth sharing
Effort required	None	None
Earnings	€30-100/month	€5-20/month
For developers	✅	❌

What is Idlen?

5 simple steps

Install the extension

Code normally

Ads appear during wait time

Earn per impression

Cash out at €50

Your code stays yours. Always.

What we DON'T access

What we DO read

How much can you earn?

By usage level

By tool

Works where you code

IDE Extensions

Browser Extensions

AI Tools Supported

How Idlen compares

Idlen vs Brave Rewards

Idlen vs Honeygain

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Start Earning?