How we earn Money

We’re Here for You, Not the Other Way Around

How We Earn Our Keep

Aloha! When we launched HawaiiGuide.com in the early 2000s, we never dreamed it would grow into the extensive travel resource it is today. It was simply a passion project—born of our love for the Hawaiian Islands and a desire to share authentic, candid advice. Over time, we realized that building, maintaining, and improving this site takes real resources. Below, we’ll show you how we earn money—all guided by the idea of being pono (doing what’s right and fair), so we can keep providing free, honest content for your Hawaii adventure.

Guide of Hawaii, LLC ("GOH") owns the HawaiiGuide domains and content and maintains the site's Raptive publisher advertising relationship. Guide of US, LLC ("GoUS") provides paid content-production, site-operation, ecommerce, and customer services to GOH and administers HawaiiGuide's Stripe and Shopify services. GOH and GoUS are separate South Carolina limited liability companies.

1. Display Advertising

-Graphic and Video ads

You’ll notice display ads sprinkled throughout our site. These ads help cover essentials like web hosting, design, and the time we put into creating fresh content. We do our best to ensure they aren’t overly intrusive, and rest assured—they don’t affect the objectivity of our reviews or tips. They simply help us keep HawaiiGuide.com free for everyone.

2. Affiliate Links

-Commission-supported links

Some links on our site are affiliate links. If you click one and complete a qualifying booking or purchase, we may earn a commission or other compensation. The provider controls the price and transaction terms. Affiliate revenue helps fund the site while you remain free to book or buy elsewhere.

3. Paid Sponsorships

-Exclusively with Brands we Trust

Occasionally, we work with brands or sponsors and receive compensation. We evaluate whether a proposed partnership appears useful and relevant to readers, label paid or sponsored material, and retain editorial control over what we publish.

4. Selling Our Own Materials

-Visitor Guides and Maps

We pour our hearts into creating custom maps, itineraries, and in-depth visitor guides. These resources offer specialized insights we’ve gathered over years of exploring the Islands. When you purchase one of our guides, you not only gain a reliable planning tool, but you also help fund further research and updates—so we can keep giving you the most current, detailed info possible.

First Visit in 2002

First Visit in 2002

2011 Kauai Wedding

2011 Kauai Wedding

Present Day

Present Day

5. Tips & Donations

-Supported by our digital Ohana of readers

Over the years, many of you have asked for ways to show appreciation for our free content. We’re incredibly grateful to readers who choose to support us through contributions or tips. For a minimum contribution of $5, you’ll receive an ad-free experience on our site for 60 days, plus the additional benefits listed on the HawaiiGuide Plus page. Your support helps fund research, updates, and new travel content.

GoUS is a for-profit entity and receives tips and contributions through the payment services it operates for GOH. Tips and contributions are not charitable donations and are not tax deductible. Monthly options continue until canceled. See our Purchase & Refund Policy for cancellation and refund terms.

Click here for more details about making a tip or donation. Mahalo for your continued support!

Our Promise to Remain Pono

In Hawaiian culture, the idea of being pono means doing what is right, fair, and true. Our editorial policy is to keep commercial considerations separate from our conclusions, disclose material relationships, and correct content when credible new information shows that an update is needed.

We’re Here for You, Not the Other Way Around

This website began as a passion project in 2002, fueled by curiosity and a desire to help fellow travelers. We’ve grown since then, but we haven’t lost sight of why we started. By being transparent about how we make money, we hope to show you that our integrity isn’t for sale. We’re here to help you discover the real Hawaii, so you can have the kind of authentic experience that stays with you long after you’ve left the Islands.

Mahalo for your support,

John & Tori Derrick 

Photos by Aly Dove

Affiliate Disclosure: We may earn a commission when you book or buy through links on this page. See our Ad Disclosures & Standards.