What personal information is shared on Ko-fi as supporter?
We know your supporter’s privacy is key, that’s why we only require a little bit of information from them to complete a payment to you (usually just a name and email).
Their payments go directly to you, the creator using PayPal or Stripe. Those payment providers control what is shown on bank statements or in the PayPal dashboard.
Is Ko-fi anonymous?
In short, that depends on how a supporter chooses to support you. When they make a simple donation to you, the only information shown on Ko-fi is their display name and their donation message. You will be able to see their email, but it won’t be displayed on your page. Supporters can make their donation message private (so you, the creator, see it but no one else).
They can also log out and support you as a guest so they are in full control of what is shared on the Ko-fi platform.
Note
If they don’t want their payment to be linked to their Ko-fi account, they can use a different email address at checkout than the one on their account.
If they buy a physical item or subscribe to a membership tier that includes physical items, they give their address details so that they can receive your goods. Some couriers require a phone number too so you can request that as part of the shipping information.
What personal information is shared by payment providers?
Ko-fi doesn't control what payment providers share, so your supporter has to reach out to them if they need to know more about their data sharing. Here’s a basic summary:
PayPal payments
Whether they’re using a personal or business PayPal account can affect what information is shared during transactions. Personal accounts typically display their legal name and email. If they prefer more privacy or control, they can consider a PayPal Business account. This allows them to choose the name and email displayed during transactions. Upgrading to a business account is usually free.
Stripe (card) payments
When they pay using their card, Stripe captures the same information it would for a normal e-commerce transaction. Details such as their legal name, email address, bank, and a portion of the address the card is registered to are available to the Stripe account holder. Find out more about the information available to a Stripe merchant here.
We're here if you need us. Feel free to send any questions our way. 💌