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Ko-fi

Tip jar for creators that has expanded into memberships, commissions, and a small shop. Free plan keeps 95–100% of revenue.

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✓ Data verified 2026-04-22
Fees
0–5%
Payout
Instant
Category
Tips
Countries
PayPal- or Stripe-supported

About Ko-fi

Ko-fi started as a one-click tipping tool ("buy me a coffee") and now also supports memberships, commissions, and a creator shop. Ko-fi takes 0% on tips and 5% on memberships and shop sales on the free plan; Ko-fi Gold (~$6/mo) removes the 5% fee. Creators connect their own PayPal or Stripe account, so payouts arrive instantly.

Our take

Ko-fi is the zero-fee tip jar with a real shop underneath it — free tier takes 0% on donations and 5% on commerce, Gold ($8/mo) flat-out takes 0% on everything. It's the most creator-friendly economics in the category. The trade-off is a lower-profile brand and a more casual feel, which works for illustrators and indie creators but looks less professional for premium memberships. Best for: artists, illustrators, open-source maintainers, and small creators who want minimum friction and maximum take-home. Skip if: you're selling high-ticket courses or running a serious membership — Patreon or Memberful look more polished to paying fans.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • 0% fee on tips (Stripe/PayPal only)
  • Instant payouts straight to your account
  • No monthly fees on free plan

Cons

  • No built-in discovery
  • Limited community spaces
  • No mobile app yet

Full breakdown

Platform fee
0–5% · 0% tips · 5% sales
Payout speed
instant
Minimum payout
$0
Countries supported
PayPal- or Stripe-supported
Email list export
Limited export
Custom domain
Yes (subdomain)
Community features
Comments and DMs

Common questions

How much does Ko-fi charge creators?
Ko-fi charges 0–5% (0% tips · 5% sales). This is charged on every transaction. Minimum payout threshold is $0.
How fast does Ko-fi pay out?
Ko-fi pays creators on a instant cadence. Funds arrive immediately with no minimum threshold to wait for.
Can I export my subscriber list from Ko-fi?
Ko-fi offers limited access to subscriber data — you can typically export some contact information, but not as comprehensively as platforms that fully share the email list.
What can creators earn from on Ko-fi?
Ko-fi supports subs, sales, tips. Fees apply as noted above.
Which countries does Ko-fi support?
Ko-fi pays out in: PayPal- or Stripe-supported. If your country isn't on the supported list, you typically can't receive payouts from Ko-fi directly.
What are the best Ko-fi alternatives?
The closest peers to Ko-fi are Buy Me a Coffee, Patreon. See the Compare sidebar on this page for side-by-side breakdowns.