Ko-fi
Accept donations and sell digital products with no platform fees.
Price
Free (0% fee on donations), Gold from $6/month
What is Ko-fi?
Ko-fi is a creator-focused platform that allows you to accept donations, sell digital downloads, offer memberships, and take commissions - all without transaction fees on one-time payments.
It’s often used by artists, writers, and content creators who want a lightweight storefront and community-friendly monetization model without setting up a full eCommerce site. Unlike Gumroad, Ko-fi emphasizes supporter culture over traditional shopping.
You can also integrate your Ko-fi shop into your social platforms, use it as a tip jar, or build a loyal base of recurring members.
Key Features
Accept one-time donations with 0% platform fee
Sell digital downloads, physical products, and commissions
Offer monthly memberships (similar to Patreon)
Support for custom shop and posts
Integrates with Stripe and PayPal
Instant payouts, no minimum thresholds
Simple storefront with custom branding
Analytics, supporter messages, and member-only content
Who is Ko-fi Best For?
Ko-fi is best for creators who thrive on community support - artists, streamers, writers, podcasters, or small digital sellers.
It’s ideal if you:
Want to accept donations or tips
Sell digital art, printables, or small products
Need a basic shop with minimal overhead
Want a no-risk way to monetize without subscriptions or setup costs
Pricing
Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
Free | $0 | 0% fee on one-time donations, basic shop tools, instant payouts |
Gold | $6/month | Sell commissions, advanced branding, analytics, supporter-only posts |
Note: All sales are subject to Stripe/PayPal fees, but Ko-fi takes 0% on donations and shop sales in Free and Gold.
Pros & Cons
Pros
No platform fee on one-time payments
Instant payouts and global access
Easy to use for creators of all levels
Community-first model with memberships and supporter content
Free plan is fully functional
Cons
Less powerful for scaling a full product business
No built-in affiliate marketing or upsells
Storefront is limited compared to eCommerce platforms
Alternatives to Ko-fi
Platform | Best For | Starting Price | Key Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
Selling digital products + subscriptions | Free (5% fee) | Freemium model, storefront + payouts | |
Full digital + physical product shops | $19/month | Built-in email marketing | |
Digital product sales for beginners | 10% fee | Easy to launch and manage | |
Influencer storefronts with mobile focus | $29/month | Link-in-bio optimization | |
Software licensing + EU compliance | $9/month | Tax handling and license keys | |
Advanced online stores and scaling | $29/month | Fully customizable storefront |
