Kittl
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Contra × Kittl  ·  playbook

Kittl Expert.
Six boxes, all or nothing.

The most box-ticking badge of the four and the one you've already half-started. Six separate requirements, and Kittl states outright that missing any one gets you dismissed. The good news: there's a published loophole around the paid plan, and two project briefs are already sitting on your machine.

Open the application ↗ Kittl's own program page ↗ Jump to the pitch ↓
61experts in the network
$961K+in opportunities routed
149×experts hired
6requirements, all mandatory
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All six requirements

Kittl publishes these in two places - the Contra listing and kittl.com/partners/contra - and they match. Four are on Contra, two are on Kittl.

×Add "Kittl Expert" to your bioOn Contra. Yes, before you're approved - that's what they ask for.
×List Kittl as one of your preferred toolsOn Contra, under skills and tools.
×Link your Kittl profile as a social linkOn Contra. You currently have LinkedIn, X and Medium.
×Publish at least two projects that use KittlOn Contra, as case studies.
×Offer at least one service using KittlOn Contra. You have 5 services; none of them mention Kittl.
×Pro or Expert Kittl plan + share view/edit links to two Kittl projects in the applicationOn Kittl. See the loophole below.

The loophole, quoted directly

Kittl's FAQ, under "Do I need to have a Pro or Expert Kittl plan to apply?":

"If you think you're a fit for our Expert program but are not currently on a Pro or Expert Kittl plan, please apply anyway and mention this in your application. We have a limited amount of Kittl account upgrades available to support those in need."

Your CONTRA26 free Pro month was used back in March and is long gone. So either resubscribe, or take them up on this in writing. One sentence in the application, stated plainly, no pleading. The draft below includes it - delete that line if you decide to just pay.

Read Kittl's brief, word for word

Requirements - On Contra
"Complete your Contra profile / Add "Kittl Expert" to your bio / List Kittl as one of your preferred tools / Link your Kittl profile as a social link / Publish at least two projects that use Kittl / Offer at least one service using Kittl"

Requirements - On Kittl
"You must have either a Pro or Expert plan / Share view/edit links to two Kittl projects in your application"

Please note
"Make sure you fulfill all of the requirements before you apply, otherwise your application will be dismissed. We review candidates on a regular basis and aim to get back to you with a decision as soon as possible. Please understand that we're not able to respond to each application. Even if you're not a fit this time, we encourage you to apply again in the future."

On what a complete Contra profile means
"Contra requires that you include at least three completed projects in your portfolio, list at least two services, set up payment information, and include social media links."

Sources: Become a Kittl Expert (posted 26 April 2024, listing shows 57 experts) and kittl.com/partners/contra. Read 31 July 2026. Kittl is a browser-based design tool founded 2020, headquartered in Berlin.

01

The two Kittl projects

Days 1–2

You already wrote the briefs for these in March, for the Kittl Challenge that closed on 17 March 2026. They're sitting in ~/Documents/Kittl-Challenge/ as concepts with no output. Finish them.

  1. Decide: pay for Pro, or use the loophole

    Paying removes the only real uncertainty in this application and lets you use every AI feature while you build. Using the loophole is free but puts your application in a slower, discretionary pile.

    Recommendation: pay for one month. You're doing four badge runs; this is the only one where a plan is a hard stated requirement, and being the applicant who meets the requirements rather than asking for an exception is worth more than the sub-$30 you save.

  2. Project 1 - Koji streetwear brand already briefed

    Fictional streetwear label. Logo, type system, a poster set and an animated brand anthem.

    Fictional brands are the right call here because nothing is confidential and you can push the design as far as you want. Kittl's tags on this listing are Graphic Designer, AI Artist, Brand Designer - Koji hits all three.

  3. Project 2 - rename the wellness one before you publish it

    The second brief in that folder is built around Nuora. Two problems: your Nuora engagement ended in July 2026, and your own note on the folder says it was never official Nuora work in the first place.

    Publishing it as-is implies a live client relationship that doesn't exist. Rename the brand, keep the entire creative concept, ship it as a fictional wellness label. Same work, zero misrepresentation.

  4. Get view/edit links for both Kittl projects

    Kittl asks for view or edit links to two projects inside the application, separately from the Contra case studies. Open both logged out to confirm they resolve.

02

The four Contra-side boxes

Day 3 · ~1 hr

Cheap, fast, and the most common reason applications get dismissed. Do all four in one sitting.

  1. Put "Kittl Expert" in your bio

    Your bio currently reads "Design High-Converting Landing Pages in Figma & Develop them in Framer!". Copy this:

    Design High-Converting Landing Pages in Figma & Develop them in Framer!

Kittl Expert - brand systems, poster art and AI-assisted design for DTC and streetwear labels.

    Kittl asks for this before approval - it's on their requirements list, not a reward for passing. Adjust the wording once the badge is actually granted.

  2. Add Kittl to your tools, plus their three role tags

    Add Kittl as a tool and Graphic Designer, AI Artist and Brand Designer as roles - those are the exact tags Kittl put on the listing. Brand Designer is already on your profile.

  3. Add your Kittl profile as a social link

    Fourth link alongside LinkedIn, X and Medium. This is a hard requirement, it takes ten seconds, and it's exactly the kind of thing that gets skipped.

  4. Add a sixth service that uses Kittl

    You have five services from $800 to $5,000, none mentioning Kittl. Add one - "Brand Poster & Type System (Kittl)" - somewhere in the $800–$2,500 band. Cover image, deliverables, tag Kittl as the tool.

  5. Publish both projects as Contra case studies

    Two, not one - this is a stated requirement, not a nice-to-have. Contra's curation spec: centered high-resolution cover at 1600 × 1200, multiple images inside, description covering the work and your role, live link, tagged Kittl.

03

Write the pitch and send it

30 min

Kittl says explicitly that the more info you include and the better your profile is filled out, the more likely you are to be accepted. So this draft walks the requirements list in order - it lets a reviewer tick boxes without hunting.

Application message0 / 1500
Delete the upgrade line if you paid for Pro.

  1. Final sweep before you send

    Open your profile and confirm all six, one at a time: bio says Kittl Expert · Kittl listed as a tool · Kittl profile linked as a social · two Kittl case studies published · one Kittl service live · two Kittl project links in the message. Kittl dismisses incomplete applications rather than asking you to fix them.

  2. Submit

    Open the application → Apply to be an expert → paste → attach both case studies → Submit.

  3. Expect silence either way

    Kittl states plainly: "we're not able to respond to each application." They also say to apply again in future if you're not a fit this time, which is a standing invitation to a second attempt. Give it a month, then reapply with two stronger projects.