Ko-fi
Accept donations, memberships, and shop sales — 0% fee
AppAdvize Score
out of 10 · How we scoreShort answer
Ko-fi scores 7.8/10 in our review and is best for artists, illustrators, and creators wanting a tip jar with 0% fees and creators supplementing another platform with a low-friction support link. The standout: 0% platform fee — you keep everything minus payment processor fees. Watch out: Less discovery than Patreon — your audience needs to find you first. There's a free plan to start with.
Reviewed by the AppAdvize editorial team · last verified March 2026
Overview
Ko-fi is a lightweight creator monetization platform with a key selling point: Ko-fi takes 0% of donations and shop sales (only Stripe and PayPal payment processing fees apply). Creators set up a public page where fans can make one-time donations (buy a 'coffee'), subscribe for monthly memberships, purchase digital or physical products, or commission custom work. Ko-fi Gold (paid) adds a custom domain and additional features. Popular with artists, illustrators, writers, and gaming content creators.
Pricing
Free — Free — 0% Ko-fi fee on donations and shop sales
Pros & Cons
What we like
- ✓0% platform fee — you keep everything minus payment processor fees
- ✓Accepts one-time tips, monthly memberships, digital products, and commissions
- ✓Instant setup — live in minutes
- ✓Works alongside any other platform (no exclusivity)
Watch out for
- ✕Less discovery than Patreon — your audience needs to find you first
- ✕Limited customization and analytics
- ✕Not a full membership community platform — basic fan support tool
Best for
- Artists, illustrators, and creators wanting a tip jar with 0% fees
- Creators supplementing another platform with a low-friction support link
Not ideal for
- Creators wanting built-in community features (Circle or Mighty Networks)
- Course sellers (Kajabi or Teachable offer full course infrastructure)
Alternatives
See all Ko-fi alternatives, compared →Ko-fi FAQ
Is Ko-fi worth it?
Ko-fi scores 7.8/10 in our review and is a strong fit for artists, illustrators, and creators wanting a tip jar with 0% fees. Standout: 0% platform fee — you keep everything minus payment processor fees. Main trade-off: Less discovery than Patreon — your audience needs to find you first.
Is Ko-fi free?
Ko-fi is free to use — Free — 0% Ko-fi fee on donations and shop sales.
What are the best Ko-fi alternatives?
Top Ko-fi alternatives are Patreon, Memberful, Gumroad. See our full comparison at /tools/ko-fi/alternatives.
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AppAdvize Scores
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 2012
- Users
- 7M+ creators
- Setup time
- ~10 min
- Complexity
- simple
- Maturity
- established
Last verified: 2026-03-01