E-commerce & Seller Fees
Ko-fi Fees verified 2026-08-08Ko-fi Fee Calculator
See what Ko-fi actually takes — including the 5% on tips most creators don't know they're paying. New accounts start with Contributor status on (5% of tips too); it's the default this calculator shows. Switch it off, pick your processor (Stripe vs PayPal Micropayments cross over near $10), or compare Gold, and see your exact payout.
For estimation only — not financial advice. Verify current fees and rates with the official source before making decisions.
The method
How it works
What Ko-fi keeps hinges on one setting most creators don't realise is switched on — and on which payment processor you use. There are two deductions: Ko-fi's platform fee and your payment processor's fee (Stripe or PayPal — your own account, billed directly, no Ko-fi markup).
The platform fee depends on that setting and the income type:
- Tips, Contributor on (the default): 5%
- Tips, Contributor off: 0%
- Shop, memberships, commissions: 5% (any non-Gold account)
- Ko-fi Gold ($12/mo): 0% on everything
So two levers decide your take-home: the Contributor toggle (Settings → Payment — on by default, so most new creators pay 5% on tips without realising) and your processor (PayPal Micropayments keeps more on small tips, Stripe on larger payments). Set both in the calculator above; the guide below works through each, with the exact rates and break-even points.
Worked example
A supporter sends you a $5 tip on a new Ko-fi account — Contributor status is still on (the default), and you're using Stripe.
- Tip amount
- $5.00
- Ko-fi fee (5% — Contributor status on)
- $0.25
- Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30)
- $0.45
- Total fees
- $0.70
You receive $4.30 — not $4.55. The 'free on tips' platform took 5% because Contributor was left on.
Guide
About the Ko-fi Fee calculator
Ko-fi is famous as the "0% on tips" platform — but that's only true if you turned a setting off, and your payment processor quietly changes your payout more than Ko-fi's own cut does. This tool runs your real numbers; here's what actually comes out of each payment.
The short version:
- New accounts pay 5% on tips by default (Contributor status is on) — turn it off in Settings → Payment for the real 0%.
- Shop, membership and commission income is 5% regardless (0% only on Gold).
- Your processor is your choice: PayPal Micropayments wins under ~$10, Stripe wins above it.
- Ko-fi Gold ($12/mo) removes the 5% — worth it above ~$240/mo of fee-bearing income.
Does Ko-fi really take 0% on tips?
Only if you switched it off. Every new Ko-fi account starts with Contributor status ON, which gives Ko-fi 5% of your tips on top of the 5% it already takes on shop and membership income. It's opt-out: unless you visit Settings → Payment and turn it off, a $5 tip loses about $0.25 to Ko-fi before the processor fee.
Here's the full picture by plan:
| Plan | Fee on tips | Fee on shop / memberships | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contributor on (default) | 5% | 5% | Free |
| Contributor off | 0% | 5% | Free |
| Ko-fi Gold | 0% | 0% | $12 |
Contributor is a legitimate "give 5% back to fund Ko-fi" feature — the only problem is it's on by default and quietly framed, so creators repeat "Ko-fi takes nothing on tips" while paying 5%. This calculator defaults to Contributor on for that reason; switch the plan to see the other rows.
Stripe or PayPal: which should you use on Ko-fi?
Ko-fi never touches the money — you connect your own Stripe or PayPal, so the processing fee is your decision, and on small tips it's the bigger lever.
| Processor | Fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 | Payments over ~$10 |
| PayPal Micropayments | 4.99% + $0.09 | Tips under ~$10 |
It's the fixed fee that decides it. On a $4 tip, Stripe's $0.30 is 7.5% before the percentage even applies, while Micropayments' $0.09 barely registers. On a $50 sale the 4.99% rate costs far more than $0.30, so Stripe wins. They cross near $10. If your support is mostly small tips, enabling PayPal Micropayments can raise your take-home; toggle the processor above to test your own amount.
Is Ko-fi Gold worth it?
Gold ($12/month) removes the 5% platform fee on everything, so it pays off once the 5% you'd otherwise lose exceeds $12 — i.e. above ~$240/month of fee-bearing income ($12 ÷ 5%).
- Contributor off: count only shop/membership/commission income toward the $240.
- Contributor on: tips count too, so Gold breaks even sooner.
At $500/month of fee-bearing income you'd pay $25 in Ko-fi fees versus $12 for Gold — a $13/month saving. Below ~$240, Gold costs more than it saves.
How does Ko-fi compare to Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee?
Ko-fi's edge is real but conditional on that one setting:
| Platform | Fee on tips | Fee on shop / memberships |
|---|---|---|
| Ko-fi (Contributor off) | 0% | 5% |
| Ko-fi (Contributor on) | 5% | 5% |
| Buy Me a Coffee | 5% | 5% |
| Patreon | 5–12% | 5–12% |
With Contributor off, Ko-fi is the cheapest of the three on tips. Leave it on and Ko-fi matches Buy Me a Coffee. For shop income, Ko-fi's 5% sits below Gumroad's 10% free-plan rate.
How your payout is calculated.
Your payout is the amount minus Ko-fi's platform fee (if any) minus your processor's fee:
- Tip, Contributor off / Gold: amount − processor fee
- Tip, Contributor on: amount − 5% − processor fee
- Shop / membership (non-Gold): amount − 5% − processor fee
Processor fee = 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) or 4.99% + $0.09 (PayPal Micropayments). The calculator runs any combination instantly.
Accuracy and sources.
Rates verified against Ko-fi's own help pages on 2026-08-08 — the Contributor-status article ("everyone who joins Ko-fi now starts with Contributor status"), the fee overview, and the Gold page. Processor rates are the standard US Stripe and PayPal Micropayments rates; international cards may add surcharges not modelled here. Confirm the exact figures in your own Stripe/PayPal dashboard and Ko-fi settings before pricing decisions — and see our verification log for when each rate was last checked.
Keep calculating
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Frequently asked questions
Is Ko-fi really 0% on tips?+
Only if you turned it off. Every new Ko-fi account starts with Contributor status switched ON, and Contributor gives Ko-fi 5% of your tips too. It's opt-out: go to Settings → Payment and turn Contributor off to get the famous 0% on tips. Until you do, a $5 tip loses about $0.25 to Ko-fi on top of the payment-processor fee. That's the single most-missed thing about Ko-fi's pricing.
What is Ko-fi Contributor status and should I turn it off?+
Contributor is a way to voluntarily give Ko-fi 5% of your tips to help fund the platform — and new accounts have it ON by default. If you'd rather keep 100% of tips (minus only the processor fee), turn it off in Settings → Payment; it takes seconds and applies to future tips. Leave it on only if you genuinely want to support Ko-fi. Shop, membership and commission income is charged 5% regardless of this setting.
Should I use Stripe or PayPal to get paid on Ko-fi?+
Because Ko-fi pays into your OWN processor account, the processing fee is your choice — and it matters most on small tips. Stripe is 2.9% + $0.30; PayPal Micropayments is 4.99% + $0.09 (you have to enable Micropayments on your PayPal account). The low $0.09 fixed fee means Micropayments keeps you more on small payments and less on large ones — the two cross over around $10. If most of your support is small tips, Micropayments can be the better pick; for larger shop sales, Stripe wins. Use the processor selector above to compare your own amounts.
What percentage does Ko-fi take from shop sales and memberships?+
5% on shop sales, memberships and commissions — this applies whether Contributor is on or off, on the standard (non-Gold) account. On top of that you pay your processor's fee (Stripe 2.9% + $0.30, or PayPal). Ko-fi Gold ($12/month) removes the 5% on everything, leaving only the processor fee.
Is Ko-fi Gold worth it?+
Gold ($12/month) removes Ko-fi's 5% platform fee. With Contributor off, the break-even is $240/month of shop/membership/commission income ($12 ÷ 5%) — earn more than that and Gold saves you money. If you leave Contributor on, your tips are fee-bearing too, so add tips to that total: Gold breaks even sooner. If you earn little and keep Contributor off, Gold isn't worth it.
How does Ko-fi compare to Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee for fees?+
With Contributor turned off, Ko-fi charges 0% on tips — better than Patreon (5–12% on all income) and Buy Me a Coffee (flat 5% on everything, always). But leave Contributor on and Ko-fi's 5% on tips matches Buy Me a Coffee. For shop/memberships, Ko-fi's 5% is comparable to Patreon's lower tiers. The real Ko-fi advantage is conditional — it depends on that one setting.
Does Ko-fi charge fees on commissions?+
Yes — 5% on commissions on a standard account (same as shop sales), plus your processor's fee. Ko-fi Gold reduces the 5% to 0%. Commissions are treated as shop-type income, so the 5% applies regardless of the Contributor tip setting.
Sources & methodology
- Ko-fi — Pricing (0% free / 5% shop & memberships / Gold $12)
- Ko-fi — Does Ko-fi take a fee?
- Ko-fi — Pricing & Plans
- Ko-fi — What is Ko-fi Gold?
Written & verified by Deep Kakadiya, Founder & developer, Trilumos. Last updated 2026-08-08.