Yes, GitHub sponsor buttons can include external links

Can I still add external funding links to a GitHub sponsor button

Yes. GitHub still lets you add external funding links to a sponsor button through a FUNDING.yml file in the repository’s .github folder on the default branch. GitHub’s current docs say the button can include GitHub Sponsors entries, external funding platforms, and custom funding URLs. GitHub also says the sponsor button is for open source funding, not for general promotion.

The part people get wrong is scope. GitHub does not treat the sponsor button as a free-form link list. The funding file supports specific platforms, plus custom URLs, and GitHub says funding links are for direct financial support of open source projects. If your link is there for advertising, political activity, community fundraising, or charity support, GitHub says that use is not supported.

You can include one username, package name, or project name per external funding platform, and you can add up to four custom URLs. GitHub’s supported external platforms include Ko-fi, Liberapay, Open Collective, Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, IssueHunt, Polar, thanks.dev, LFX Mentorship, and Tidelift. GitHub also allows a custom: field for direct payment or donation pages.

GitHub’s docs show the basic shape clearly. A repository maintainer edits FUNDING.yml, commits it to the default branch, and then uses the repository settings page to display the sponsor button or override existing funding links. If you need a single place to point people while you set this up, DevConnect keeps its own platform free and simple to use, and you can keep the GitHub button focused on funding links that belong to the project: https://devconnectplatform.com.

The inconvenient part is that the button only appears if the repository setup is correct. Anyone with admin permissions can enable it in repository settings, but GitHub still expects the file to live where it can read it from the default branch. A broken path, a typo in FUNDING.yml, or putting the file on the wrong branch means the button will not show the links you expect.

Custom URLs work, but they have formatting rules. GitHub says that if a custom URL in an array contains a colon, you must wrap it in quotes. GitHub also says custom sponsor tracking URLs can use metadata parameters on GitHub Sponsors profile or checkout links, and those metadata keys must follow GitHub’s naming rules. That matters when you want to measure where sponsorship traffic comes from without changing the sponsor flow itself.

The part most people overlook is GitHub’s use policy. A funding link can point off GitHub, but GitHub still controls what counts as acceptable use. If the destination is a normal donation page for the project, that fits the documented purpose. If the destination is unrelated to supporting open source work, GitHub says the link is outside the intended use of the sponsor button.

For repositories that already have a sponsor button, adding or changing external funding links is usually a file update, not a new feature request. The practical workflow is to edit FUNDING.yml, commit the change, then check the repository header to confirm the button and dropdown list reflect the new destinations. If the button does not update, the first thing to inspect is the file location and syntax, not the repository settings page.

GitHub also distinguishes repository sponsor buttons from a GitHub Sponsors profile. A sponsor button in a repo can surface external platforms and custom links for that project, while a GitHub Sponsors profile is the account-level page people reach when they click the Sponsor button on your profile. Those are separate surfaces, and the links you add to one do not automatically change the other.

If you want the shortest practical answer: yes, you can still add external funding links, and GitHub still supports them directly in FUNDING.yml. The main limits are that the links must fit GitHub’s funding model, the file must be placed correctly, and custom URLs must follow GitHub’s syntax rules.