[4] In an interview with Newsweek, Antonoff also said that the song's title means "don't sell out"; the expression describes a lover continuing a relationship despite its misfortunes.

[11] According to NME writer Jamie Milton, the song's lyrics detail adversity "through the lens of a relationship"; the pre-chorus represents a "flaming row" while the chorus "keeps the couple caught up in it together.

[5] A day before the release of "Don't Take the Money", Antonoff announced via Instagram a scavenger hunt on Union Square, Manhattan of flash drives labeled with the song's title, which included a file of the track.

[18] PopMatters writer Ethan King called it the "album's best", praising Antonoff for "combining an infinitely re-playable arena-pop with an emotional gush.

"[19] In his album review, Pitchfork writer Sam Sodomsky called "Don't Take the Money" a "worthy [addition] to his catalog".

[20] Kayleigh Hughes of Consequence of Sound named it the album's essential track, praising the song for its "romantic pleading, noble desperation, and pure unabashed effusion" as well as its "'80s theatricality".

[28] Aside from Antonoff, the clip features Italian twin models Giulia and Camilla Venturini as well as American actress and artist Alia Shawkat.

[28] The scene later transitions to Antonoff dressed in a bedazzled sailor suit as he sits down in a bright gold background with two identical twins (Giulia and Camila).

[33] The music stops as Antonoff lifts the bride's veil; the marriage officiant reads the ceremony script from a yellow New Jersey phone book.

[34] She looks up to see Giulia's lover (played by Camila), revealed to be a Russian spy,[28] appear from the bushes dressed in commando clothing and a mesh top.

[27] Uproxx writer Alex Galbraith stated that the clip "perfectly [captured] the disaffected looks on everyone but Antonoff’s faces" as well as "chintzy and over-the-top decorations of his stage wedding".

[27] Time's Cady Lang noted that Dunham "borrowed heavily from bright, saturated, ’80s-style aesthetics to keep the concept fun," in contrast with the video's plot twist.

[36] Stereogum writer Tom Breihan said that although Lorde was not present on stage to perform the track, Antonoff "made up for it with gawky nerd charisma and grand-gesture intensity".

"[38] Bleachers served as a musical guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers backed by two drummers; DIY called it a "slightly more meditative, laid-back version of the track" but praised the act's versatility.

[39] Antonoff performed the track live on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on 6 June 2017; Breihan from Stereogum called it a "rousing, muscular version of the song".