Calculate your exact Ko-fi platform fees, Stripe & PayPal processing rates, and net take-home earnings across Donations, Memberships, Shop Sales, and Commissions.
Income & Payment Details
How Ko-fi Fees Work in 2026
Ko-fi is one of the most creator-friendly monetization platforms, letting artists, writers, streamers, and developers receive direct tips, sell digital and physical products, offer monthly membership tiers, and accept custom commissions.
0% Fee on Donations
On the Free plan, Ko-fi takes 0% platform fee on one-time tips and donations. You only pay standard payment processing fees from Stripe or PayPal.
5% on Shop & Memberships
For commercial features like the Ko-fi Shop, monthly Membership Tiers, and Commissions, Ko-fi applies a competitive 5% platform fee on the Free tier.
Ko-fi Gold ($12/mo)
Upgrading to Ko-fi Gold ($12/month) eliminates the 5% platform fee completely (0% platform fee across all income), adds custom domain support, supporter-only posts, and removes Ko-fi branding.
Instant Direct Payouts
Unlike traditional platforms that hold your revenue for 14-30 days, Ko-fi routes payments instantly and directly into your connected Stripe or PayPal account.
Ko-fi Fee Comparison by Feature & Plan
| Income Stream | Ko-fi Free Plan | Contributor Tier | Ko-fi Gold ($12/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-time Tips & Donations | 0% Fee | 5% Fee | 0% Fee |
| Monthly Membership Tiers | 5% Fee | 5% Fee | 0% Fee |
| Ko-fi Shop (Digital/Physical) | 5% Fee | 5% Fee | 0% Fee |
| Custom Commissions | 5% Fee | 5% Fee | 0% Fee |
| Crowdfunding Goals | 5% Fee | 5% Fee | 0% Fee |
| Payment Processing | Stripe / PayPal standard | Stripe / PayPal standard | Stripe / PayPal standard |
When Is Ko-fi Gold Worth It?
- The $240/month Threshold: If you generate more than $240 per month in non-tip revenue (Shop sales, Memberships, or Commissions), the 5% platform fee exceeds $12/month. At that point, upgrading to Ko-fi Gold actually saves you money!
- High Volume of Small Tips: If most of your income comes from $3-$5 one-time coffee donations, stick with Ko-fi Free to enjoy 0% platform fees forever.
- Use PayPal Micropayments for $3 Tips: If your supporters mostly send $2-$5 tips, setting up PayPal Micropayments (5% + $0.05) reduces processor fees compared to standard rates (2.9% + $0.30).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ko-fi take a cut of my tips?
No. On the standard Free plan, Ko-fi takes 0% platform fees on one-time tips and donations. You only pay standard Stripe/PayPal payment processor fees.
How does Ko-fi pay creators?
Ko-fi does not hold your funds. Every transaction is deposited directly into your connected Stripe or PayPal account the moment a supporter makes a payment.
Can I use both Stripe and PayPal on Ko-fi?
Yes! You can connect both Stripe (for credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and PayPal, giving your supporters full flexibility at checkout.
Does Ko-fi handle sales tax or EU VAT?
Unlike Merchant of Record platforms, Ko-fi provides sales tax calculation tools for Stripe users, but the creator is responsible for collecting and remitting applicable local taxes.