Impact Points vs Impact Stars
INVOLVO has two things that sound alike and are not. Almost everyone confuses them once.
Impact Points are a score. Impact Stars are money.
| Impact Points | Impact Stars | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A record of what you have done | A balance you can spend |
| Can you spend it? | No | Yes |
| Can you give it away? | No | Yes |
| Can it go down? | No | Yes, when you spend |
| What it is for | Showing your involvement | Paying for things on INVOLVO |
Impact Points
Points accumulate as you take part — having an application approved, confirming your place at an event, giving feedback, joining an event’s team, and contributing as a volunteer, staff or speaker.
You cannot spend them, trade them or give them away. They are a record, not a currency. Their purpose is to show — to you, and to friends who can see your profile — that you have actually been doing things.
Points are visible to your friends rather than to everyone. See What other people can see about you.
Impact Stars
Stars are a balance. You earn them by using INVOLVO, and you spend them on things INVOLVO charges for: unlocking links on shared events, revealing certain profile details, extra allowances, and stretches of a paid plan.
You can also give Stars to another person, or buy a code someone else redeems.
See Earning and spending Stars.
Why both exist
If the only currency were spendable, then doing a lot on INVOLVO and having a large balance would look identical — and someone who was given Stars would look the same as someone who earned them by turning up.
Points cannot be transferred, so they cannot be bought or gifted. That is what makes them mean something. Stars are deliberately the opposite: fungible, giftable, and spendable.
The short version
If you are wondering “can I spend this?” — Points, no. Stars, yes.