Ko-fi

Ko-fi is a creator monetization platform that lets creators receive tips and donations, sell digital products, offer memberships, and take commissions, with a notably creator-friendly fee structure - zero percent on tips and low fees elsewhere. It is designed for artists, writers, streamers, and creators who want simple, low-cost ways for their audience to support them and buy their work.

The platform combines a support page (tips and donations), a shop for digital and physical products, memberships for recurring support, and commissions, with money going straight to the creator via Stripe or PayPal. Its low-fee model - free for tips, small fees on sales - positions it as a creator-first alternative to platforms that take larger cuts.

Ko-fi has a Free plan that charges zero percent on tips and donations and a 5 percent fee on shop and membership sales, and a Ko-fi Gold premium plan around 6 dollars per month that drops fees to 0 percent on everything, plus standard Stripe or PayPal processing fees. Gold pays for itself if you earn more than about 120 dollars a month from shop or membership sales. Aimed at creators and artists, it competes with Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, Gumroad, Payhip, and Substack.