Verdict. Pick Ko-fi if most of your income is tips, commissions or small shop sales. The Free plan charges nothing on one-time tips and 5% on the rest, and money lands in your own PayPal or Stripe account instantly. Check your settings, because new accounts start in Standard mode at 5% on tips too. If you clear $240 a month in fee-bearing sales, Gold at $12 is cheaper than the fee.
- Headquarters
- England, UK
- Best for
- Artists and streamers who mostly take tips and commissions
- Plans from
- Free
- You keep from $1,000
- $929 on Gold
Who can join. Open to anyone 18+ with a PayPal account or a full Stripe account. Stripe works in 40+ countries, and Stripe Express accounts are not supported.
Ko-fi pricing and fees
Ko-fi Free charges 0% on one-time tips and 5% on memberships, shop sales, commissions and monthly tips, while Ko-fi Gold costs $12 a month for 0% on everything, with PayPal or Stripe processing on top.
| Plan | Price | Fee on sales | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 0% on one-time tips, 5% on everything else | Opt out of Standard mode in Settings to get this. |
| Standard | $0/mo | 5% on all payments, tips included | Default for new accounts. Adds supporter-only content, scheduled posts, custom colors and more shop storage. |
| Gold | $12/mo | 0% service fee | Monthly only for new subscribers. Existing Gold members keep the price they already pay. |
On $1,000 of monthly sales at $10 each, the cheapest option is the Gold plan. You'd pay about $71 in platform and card fees, 7.1% of revenue, and keep $929. Compare that with every other platform.
Payment processing. You connect your own PayPal or Stripe account and pay their normal fees on top, which Ko-fi puts at around 3% + $0.30 per payment. Stripe adds Apple Pay and Google Pay, and PayPal adds Venmo for US supporters.
Payouts. There is no Ko-fi balance to withdraw. Each payment lands in your PayPal or Stripe account the moment a supporter pays, with no minimum and no schedule. Moving money from PayPal or Stripe to your bank follows their rules.
What you get with Ko-fi
- One-time and monthly tips
- Membership tiers
- Shop for digital and physical items
- Commissions and requests
- Crowdfunding goals
- Supporter-only posts
- Stream alerts for Twitch and YouTube
- Supporter email export
Ko-fi pros and cons
What we like
- One-time tips cost 0% in Ko-fi fees on the Free plan.
- Money goes straight to your PayPal or Stripe account, with no payout wait or minimum.
- Gold at $12 a month beats the 5% fee once fee-bearing sales pass $240 a month.
- You can download your supporter email list whenever you like.
What gets in the way
- New accounts start in Standard mode, which charges 5% on tips until you opt out.
- Gold rose to $12 a month for new users, from $8, and annual billing is gone.
- PayPal and Stripe are the only options. No Payoneer, Wise or direct bank payouts.
- Membership and posting tools are simpler than Patreon's, so content-heavy creators may outgrow it.
Who should skip Ko-fi
If your membership is the main product and you post a lot of exclusive content, Patreon or Memberful will serve you better.
Ko-fi alternatives
| Platform | Score | Keep from $1,000 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fourthwall | 6.8 | $891 | YouTubers and streamers selling merch alongside memberships |
| Memberful | 6.6 | $843 | Publishers and podcasters who want a fully branded membership |
| Buy Me a Coffee | 6.4 | $886 | Writers and makers who want a simple tip jar |
| Patreon | 6.1 | $841 | Video creators, podcasters and artists with loyal fans |
Head to head: Patreon vs Ko-fi, Ko-fi vs Buy Me a Coffee.
See all 6 membership platforms ranked.
Ko-fi questions
How much does Ko-fi take?
On Ko-fi Free you pay 0% on one-time tips and goals and 5% on memberships, monthly tips, commissions and shop sales. Standard mode, the default for new accounts, charges 5% on everything including tips. PayPal or Stripe processing, around 3% + $0.30, comes on top of either.
Is Ko-fi Gold worth it?
Ko-fi Gold costs $12 a month for new subscribers and removes the 5% service fee on all payments. It pays off once your fee-bearing sales pass $240 a month. New sign-ups can only pay monthly, since annual Gold plans are no longer offered, and existing Gold members keep their old price.
When does Ko-fi pay out?
Instantly. Ko-fi never holds your money. Each payment goes straight into the PayPal or Stripe account you connected, with no minimum balance and no payout schedule. Moving funds from PayPal or Stripe to your bank then follows those providers' own timelines and fees.
Sources
We checked these pages on October 20, 2026. Platforms change fees often, so confirm on the official page before you commit.