Patreon vs Ko-fi: fees and what you keep
Ko-fi leaves more at every volume up to 1,000 membership payments a month, at $5 each. With 100 membership payments of $5 a month you keep $405 on Patreon Standard and $443 on Ko-fi Gold, $456 a year more on Ko-fi. Of each membership payment, Patreon takes 10%; Ko-fi takes 5% on Free and Standard and nothing on Gold ($12 a month); processing comes on top.
Who leaves more as membership payments grow
- $3: Ko-fi leaves more at every volume up to 1,000 membership payments a month.
- $5: Ko-fi leaves more at every volume up to 1,000 membership payments a month.
- $10: Ko-fi leaves more at every volume up to 1,000 membership payments a month.
- $25: Ko-fi leaves more at every volume up to 1,000 membership payments a month.
From 1 to 1,000 membership payments a month, each platform on whichever of its plans open to new sign-ups leaves the most at that size; US payments, payout fees left out.
What you keep a month
| Membership payments a month | Patreon | Ko-fi |
|---|---|---|
| 10 of $3 $30 | $23.10 Standard | $24.60 Free |
| 100 of $3 $300 | $231 Standard | $249 Gold |
| 1,000 of $3 $3,000 | $2,310 Standard | $2,598 Gold |
| 10 of $5 $50 | $40.50 Standard | $43 Free |
| 100 of $5 $500 | $405 Standard | $443 Gold |
| 1,000 of $5 $5,000 | $4,050 Standard | $4,538 Gold |
| 10 of $10 $100 | $84.10 Standard | $89.10 Free |
| 100 of $10 $1,000 | $841 Standard | $929 Gold |
| 1,000 of $10 $10,000 | $8,410 Standard | $9,398 Gold |
| 10 of $25 $250 | $214.70 Standard | $227.70 Gold |
| 100 of $25 $2,500 | $2,147 Standard | $2,385 Gold |
| 1,000 of $25 $25,000 | $21,470 Standard | $23,958 Gold |
After each one's subscription, cut, payment processing and any fee on recurring payments; bold marks the larger.
Other kinds of payment
| 100 a month of | Patreon | Ko-fi |
|---|---|---|
| Sales of $5 | $405 Standard | $443 Gold |
| Sales of $10 | $841 Standard | $929 Gold |
Every fee side by side
| Patreon | Ko-fi | |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription a month | None | None (Free), None (Standard), $12 (Gold) |
| Cut of membership payments | 10% | 5% (Free), 5% (Standard), None (Gold) |
| Cut of sales | 10% | 5% (Free), 5% (Standard), None (Gold) |
| Payment processing | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Payments from outside the US | None listed | None listed |
| Recurring payments | None listed | None listed |
| Currency conversion | +2.5% | None listed |
| Payouts | Patreon takes a fee per payout: $0.25 by US direct deposit, 1% (at least $0.25, at most $20) by PayPal and $1 by Payoneer outside the US; PayPal needs at least $10, Payoneer $25. | Ko-fi pays nothing out itself: payments go straight to your own PayPal or Stripe account, and it charges no payout fee. |
Plans open to new sign-ups. “None listed”: the platform's pages we read state no such fee.
In their own words
Patreon: “If you published your creator page after August 4, 2025, please note that you are on our standard 10% pricing plan.” “Unlike legacy plans, the standard 10% plan applies the same processing rates to all payments, regardless of amount.”
Ko-fi: “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.” “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.”
Patreon or Ko-fi: quick answers
Is Patreon or Ko-fi cheaper?
For membership payments: at 10 membership payments of $3 ($30), Ko-fi leaves $24.60 against $23.10 on Patreon, $18 a year more; at 100 membership payments of $5 ($500), Ko-fi leaves $443 against $405 on Patreon, $456 a year more; at 1,000 membership payments of $25 ($25,000), Ko-fi leaves $23,958 against $21,470 on Patreon, $29,856 a year more. That's each platform's cut, payment processing and any subscription or fee on recurring payments, each on its best plan for that month, before payout fees.
How much do Patreon and Ko-fi take from a $5 membership payment?
Patreon Standard takes $0.95 (19.0%) and Ko-fi Gold takes $0.45 (9.0%) plus $12 a month, at 100 membership payments a month on each one's best plan.
Which is better for sales, Patreon or Ko-fi?
On fees, Ko-fi: 100 sales of $5 a month leave $405 on Patreon Standard and $443 on Ko-fi Gold. Per sale: Patreon Standard takes $0.95 (19.0%) and Ko-fi Gold takes $0.45 (9.0%) plus $12 a month.
Do Patreon and Ko-fi charge a monthly fee?
Patreon charges no monthly fee. Ko-fi has free plans and Gold at $12 a month. Both take their cut from each payment as it comes in.
How do Patreon and Ko-fi pay you out?
Patreon takes a fee per payout: $0.25 by US direct deposit, 1% (at least $0.25, at most $20) by PayPal and $1 by Payoneer outside the US; PayPal needs at least $10, Payoneer $25. Ko-fi pays nothing out itself: payments go straight to your own PayPal or Stripe account, and it charges no payout fee.
Each in detail: Patreon fees, Ko-fi fees. Related: Buy Me a Coffee vs Patreon, Substack vs Patreon, Whop vs Patreon, Patreon vs Gumroad, Ko-fi vs Buy Me a Coffee, Ko-fi vs Gumroad. Every option ranked: Patreon alternatives, Ko-fi alternatives. All the plans side by side: creator payment platform fees.
Sources: Patreon's fees, read on 7 October 2026 and Ko-fi's fees, read on 7 October 2026, with the other help pages each fee page lists.
Prices checked against each platform's own pricing page on .