Does Ko-fi take a fee?
Ko-fi keeps things simple with two options, both free to join, with no monthly cost either way.
Ko-fi Free - Pay 0% on one-time tips. A flat 5% service fee applies to anything else, such as shop items, memberships, monthly tips, and commissions.
Standard - No monthly cost, but a flat 5% fee applies to one-time tips, shop, commissions, monthly tips and memberships too. In return, you unlock perks like supporter-only content, custom branding, and more.
You can toggle Standard mode on or off any time from Settings > Payment. New creators now start with all of Ko-fi unlocked from day one, you're always free to opt out and keep tips completely fee-free.
Note
All payments go straight into your own PayPal or Stripe account. Your payment processor's usual fees still apply on top (typically around 3% + $0.30). See below for more on that.
The full breakdown
| Free | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription to Ko-fi | $0/mo | $0/mo |
Service Fees | ||
| One-off tips | 0% | 5% |
| Crowdfunding (Goals) | 0% | 5% |
| Monthly tips | 5% | 5% |
| Membership tiers | 5% | 5% |
| Ko-fi Commission sales | 5% | 5% |
| Ko-fi Shop sales | 5% | 5% |
Extra Perks | ||
| Supporter-only content | β | β |
| Schedule posts | β | β |
| Shorter page name | β | β |
| Change "coffee" metaphor | β | β |
| Exclusive page colors | β | β |
| More Shop storage | β | β |
Normal payment processor fees also apply on top of the above.
Note
Ko-fi Gold creators can still turn on Get all of Ko-fi. If you already have this switched on when you subscribe to Gold, you'll need to opt out separately to remove the service fee.
Do payment processors take a fee too?
On Ko-fi, you get paid directly into your own payment account. PayPal and Stripe take their normal transaction fees, which will vary based on the type of account, location, and currencies used, but it's usually around 3% + $0.30.
Tip
Pick the currency that works best for you. To minimise conversion fees, set your Ko-fi currency to match the one you receive most payments in. Only payments in a different currency will be converted (PayPal and Stripe usually add a small percentage for that).
Currencies available:
- United States Dollar (USD) $
- Euro (EUR) β¬
- British Pound (GBP) Β£
- Australian Dollar (AUD) A$
- Brazilian Real (BRL) R$
- Canadian Dollar (CAD) C$
- Japanese Yen (JPY) Β₯
- Singaporean Dollar (SGD) S$
- Thai Baht (THB) ΰΈΏ
- New Zealand Dollar (NZD) $
Turning Standard mode on or off
Turn Standard mode on or off any time from Settings > Payment. Just tap Turn on "Get all of Ko-fi."
What are "application fees" or "partner fees"?
Just different names for the same thing: Ko-fi's 5% service fee. Stripe labels it the "Application Fee," and PayPal shows it as a "Partner Fee."
If you've got any more questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. π