Does Ko-fi take a percentage?
Ko-fi takes 0% on tips, one-time donations, and shop/commission sales — you pay only Stripe or PayPal's processing fee (approximately 2.9%). For paid memberships, Ko-fi charges 5% on the free plan, or 0% with Ko-fi Gold at $6/month. Ko-fi Gold breaks even at $120/month in membership income: above that, $6/month is cheaper than a 5% revenue share.
Last verified May 2026 · feebite Editorial · Not affiliated with Ko-fi
Independent fee analysis for Ko-fi. For the official platform, go to ko-fi.com. This page shows the true cost of creator income across tips, shop sales, and memberships.
Quick Verdict
Rating: 4.5/5 — ★★★★½
Best for: Artists, illustrators, and creators who rely on one-time tips and commission sales alongside memberships — Ko-fi's 0% on tips is unmatched in the creator economy.
Not ideal for: Creators whose income is 100% subscription-based with a large, high-value membership (Patreon's premium tools may outweigh Ko-fi's fee advantage); or newsletter-first creators (Substack has a stronger email product).
Fee Breakdown
| Income type | Free plan | Ko-fi Gold ($6/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Tips / donations | 0% | 0% |
| One-time shop sales | 0% | 0% |
| Commissions | 0% | 0% |
| Monthly memberships | 5% | 0% |
| Stripe processing | ~2.9% + £0.30 (UK) | ~2.9% + £0.30 (UK) |
| PayPal processing | ~2.89% + $0.49 | ~2.89% + $0.49 |
Ko-fi Gold vs Free Plan: Break-Even
| Monthly membership revenue | Free plan cost | Ko-fi Gold cost | Cheaper option |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50/month | $2.50 | $6.00 | Free plan |
| $100/month | $5.00 | $6.00 | Free plan (barely) |
| $120/month | $6.00 | $6.00 | Equal |
| $200/month | $10.00 | $6.00 | Ko-fi Gold |
| $500/month | $25.00 | $6.00 | Ko-fi Gold saves $19 |
Key Facts
| Category | Creator monetisation / tipping platform |
| Platform fee (tips/sales) | 0% |
| Platform fee (memberships) | 5% (free) · 0% (Gold) |
| Ko-fi Gold | $6/month |
| Payment processors | Stripe and PayPal |
| Processing fee | Stripe/PayPal rates (varies by country/card) |
| Payout speed | Instant to PayPal; 2–7 days Stripe bank transfer |
| Minimum payout | None |
| Founded | 2012 |
| HQ | Dublin, Ireland |
Country Availability
| UK 🇬🇧 | Canada 🇨🇦 | Australia 🇦🇺 |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Stripe UK rates: 1.4% + £0.30 (European cards) or 2.9% + £0.30 (non-European cards). Australian Stripe rate: 1.7% + $0.30 AUD. Canadian Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 CAD. Ko-fi passes through Stripe rates without markup.
Features
| Feature | Free plan | Ko-fi Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Tips / donations | ✅ | ✅ |
| Digital shop (downloads) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Physical shop | ✅ | ✅ |
| Commissions | ✅ | ✅ |
| Paid memberships | ✅ (5%) | ✅ (0%) |
| Custom Ko-fi page | ✅ | ✅ |
| Custom domain | ❌ | ✅ |
| No Ko-fi branding | ❌ | ✅ |
| Goal / fundraiser | ✅ | ✅ |
| Discord role rewards | ✅ | ✅ |
| Live streams (Ko-fi Stream) | ✅ | ✅ |
Pros
- Genuinely 0% on tips and one-time sales — no other major platform matches this
- Ko-fi Gold's $6/month flat fee is the lowest all-in cost for membership creators above $120/month
- Stripe and PayPal both supported — creators can choose their preferred processor
- Instant PayPal payouts; no minimum withdrawal
- Strong community for artists and illustrators; active "discover" browsing feature
Cons
- Free membership discovery (browsing Ko-fi's Explore page) is weaker than Patreon's network
- No built-in newsletter or email marketing tool; requires an external provider
- Ko-fi Gold locks out some features (custom domain, no Ko-fi branding) that arguably should be free
- Shop and membership analytics are basic compared to Patreon Pro/Premium
Ko-fi vs Alternatives
| Ko-fi (free) | Ko-fi Gold | Patreon (Lite) | Buy Me a Coffee | Gumroad | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tips / one-off sales fee | 0% | 0% | N/A (subs only) | 5% | 10% |
| Membership fee | 5% | 0% | 8% | 5% | 10% |
| Monthly platform cost | $0 | $6 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Break-even vs Patreon Lite | — | $75/mo | — | — | — |
| Instant payouts | ✅ (PayPal) | ✅ (PayPal) | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
Freelancer Scenario: UK Illustrator Earning £150/month
A UK illustrator receives £80 in tips and commissions (0% Ko-fi fee, ~1.4%+£0.30 Stripe per tip) and £70 from memberships.
- Free plan: Tips cost ~£1.54 in Stripe fees + memberships cost 5% (£3.50) = £5.04 total fees → keeps £144.96
- Ko-fi Gold (£4.80/mo): Tips cost ~£1.54 + memberships cost 0% = £6.34 total fees → keeps £143.66
At £150/month combined, the free plan is still slightly cheaper. Ko-fi Gold becomes worth it when memberships alone exceed £96/month (£4.80 ÷ 5% = £96).
Who Should Use Ko-fi
Perfect for: Illustrators, fan artists, writers, game developers, and any creator whose income is a mix of tips, shop sales, and memberships — the 0% rate on non-subscription income is a major advantage.
Skip it if: You need email marketing built in (use Substack or Kit), want deep membership analytics (use Patreon Pro), or primarily sell courses rather than downloads (use Teachable or Kajabi).
How to Get Started
- Go to ko-fi.com and sign up — free with Google or email
- Customise your Ko-fi page with your banner, avatar, bio, and links
- Connect Stripe or PayPal under Settings → Payments
- Create your first membership tier or set up your digital shop
- Share your Ko-fi link in your social bios, YouTube description, and email signature
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ko-fi safer than Patreon for adult content creators? Ko-fi permits adult content (18+) on verified accounts via Stripe payments only. Patreon has more restrictive adult content policies. However, both platforms can suspend accounts at their discretion — neither provides a guaranteed safe haven.
Can UK creators receive GBP payouts from Ko-fi? Yes — if you use Stripe as your payment processor, UK supporters pay in GBP and you receive GBP to your UK bank account. No FX conversion required for UK-to-UK transactions.
This review was last updated 2026-05-10. Ko-fi's pricing may change — verify current rates at ko-fi.com/manage/payments.
feebite does not have an affiliate relationship with Ko-fi. Our reviews are editorially independent.